Ambient Audio Enhancement Using Remote Microphone Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio playback devices and hearing aids lack effective means to enhance ambient sounds and personalized audio processing, particularly for users with hearing impairments, due to limited audio adjustment capabilities and fixed microphone positions that fail to optimize hearing experiences in diverse listening conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising multiple microphones and an audio subsystem that determines sound sources and their locations, tunes associated sounds, and outputs them to an audio output device, allowing for strategic microphone placement and personalized audio enhancement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If microphones are positioned on hearing aids, then the device can capture audio, but the distance from the audio source increases and background noise is also sensed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (mobile device or audio playback device) that positions microphones closer to the audio source. This intermediary acts as a mediator between the user and the sound environment, capturing audio signals with better quality while the user wears hearing aids for personalization and output.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the audio processing function into two separate components: (1) an audio playback device with microphones that captures and processes ambient audio, and (2) hearing aids that receive the processed audio and apply personalized hearing enhancement. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function.
2Manufacturing precision
If audio enhancement is applied to electronically delivered audio, then listening quality improves, but ambient sounds are not enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The audio playback device performs multiple functions: it captures ambient sounds via microphones, processes them with audio enhancement algorithms, and outputs the enhanced audio to hearing aids. This multi-functional approach allows the same system to handle both electronically delivered audio and ambient sounds uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio playback device serves as an intermediary that processes both electronically delivered audio and ambient captured audio through the same audio enhancement pipeline, then delivers the enhanced output to hearing aids for final personalization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hearing aids include microphones for audio capture, then ambient sound can be processed, but the fixed position limits optimization capability
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the microphone capture function from the hearing aid device, placing microphones in an audio playback device that can be strategically positioned. The hearing aids retain only the essential functions of receiving processed audio and applying personalized enhancement, simplifying their design while maintaining audio processing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
System and techniques for audio enhancement processing for both electronically delivered audio signals and ambient sound. Ambient sound processing includes audio enhancement processing of signals captured by ambient microphones communicatively coupled to an audio enhancement processing apparatus as well as media provided by a storage device. Audio enhancement processing is provided for a user utilizing an electronic device that is directly or indirectly communicatively coupled to accessory microphones.