Adaptive Noise Cancellation with Dynamic Compression for Hearing Audio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional noise cancellation techniques in audio processors fail to distinguish between hardware-generated noise and ambient noise, leading to unwanted removal of important environmental sounds and degradation of speech quality, especially when amplification is applied in devices like hearing aids and headsets.
Innovation Solution
An audio processor with an adaptive noise canceller and dynamic range compressor that adjusts noise cancellation based on signal strength, retaining more ambient noise during high signal strength and reducing undesirable hardware noise during low signal strength, using a noise estimator and signal strength processor to determine a signal strength-dependent noise cancellation parameter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If noise cancellation is applied to reduce hardware-generated noise, then circuit noise is suppressed, but ambient noise and speech quality are also degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The noise cancellation parameter is made dynamic by adjusting it according to signal strength. The system continuously monitors signal strength and adapts the noise cancellation parameter accordingly, transitioning from static to dynamic operation to preserve ambient noise and speech quality while suppressing circuit noise
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the noise cancellation parameter based on signal strength conditions. When signal strength exceeds a threshold, the parameter is adjusted to reduce noise cancellation; when below the threshold, maximum noise cancellation is applied. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by making noise cancellation context-dependent
2Measurement precision
If amplification is applied to improve signal strength, then speech clarity is improved, but hardware noise becomes more prominent
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by monitoring signal strength and using this information to adjust the noise cancellation parameter. This closed-loop control allows the system to respond to changing conditions, reducing hardware noise prominence while maintaining speech clarity through adaptive parameter adjustment based on real-time signal strength feedback
3Object-generated harmful factors
If aggressive noise cancellation is applied to remove all noise, then circuit noise is eliminated, but important environmental sounds are removed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different noise cancellation levels based on local conditions (signal strength). Instead of uniform aggressive noise cancellation, the system applies localized adaptation where the cancellation parameter is adjusted according to the specific signal strength condition, preserving environmental sounds when they are present while eliminating circuit noise when the signal is weak
Data Source
AI summary
An audio processor (200) for a hearing device has a noise estimator (100), an adaptive noise canceller (110), and a dynamic range compressor (120) to provide a gain according to a signal strength of an input signal. A signal strength processor (130) determines a signal strength dependent noise cancellation parameter, and the adaptive noise canceller provides noise cancellation of the input signal according to an estimated noise from the noise estimator, and according to the signal strength dependent noise cancellation parameter, so as to provide less noise cancellation when the input signal has higher signal strength than when the input signal has a lower signal strength. This helps retain the desirable environment or ambient type noise, present when the signal strength is higher, while providing more cancellation of undesirable circuit type noise when there is low input signal strength.