Adaptive Audio Signal Processing for Sound Intelligibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices struggle to provide improved sound intelligibility in various viewing environments due to ambient noise and environmental factors, leading to reduced clarity and the need for frequent volume adjustments.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device that processes audio signals based on viewing environment information by separating primary and ambient signals, adjusting frequency bands, and compensating energy levels to enhance sound intelligibility, using sensors, signal processors, and an energy compensator to optimize audio output.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the device increases overall signal energy to improve sound intelligibility, then sound clarity improves, but volume consistency deteriorates requiring frequent adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound intelligibilityVSAvoidvolume adjustment frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device applies different energy adjustment strategies to different frequency bands rather than uniformly increasing overall energy. Important frequency bands contributing to speech intelligibility are enhanced, while less important bands are maintained or reduced, achieving local optimization of sound quality without excessive overall volume increase

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The device dynamically adjusts energy parameters of audio signals based on environmental conditions and speech characteristics. By changing energy distribution across frequency bands rather than overall energy, the system improves intelligibility while maintaining volume consistency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the device processes audio signals with complex environmental adaptation, then sound intelligibility improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound intelligibilityVSAvoidsignal processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio signal processing is divided into separate frequency band channels. Each band is independently analyzed and adjusted based on its contribution to speech intelligibility and environmental noise characteristics, making the complex processing task more manageable and efficient

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device introduces an energy compensator as an intermediary component that mediates between the original audio signal and the processed output. This compensator dynamically adjusts energy distribution across frequency bands based on environmental conditions, achieving intelligent adaptation without requiring complex overall system redesign

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3827430B1Electronic device and operation method thereof
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3827430B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3827430B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3827430B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an electronic device and an operation method thereof. The operation method of an electronic device for processing an audio signal may include obtaining viewing environment information related to sound intelligibility, processing an input audio signal by separating the input audio signal into a first channel including a primary signal and a second channel including an ambient signal based on the viewing environment information, processing the input audio signal based on a frequency band and based on the viewing environment information, and generating an output signal based on processing the input audio signal.