Open Audio SPL Control to Balance Audibility and Sound Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional audio devices, such as headsets and earbuds, obstruct the ear canal and inhibit users from hearing ambient noise, making it difficult to interact socially and requiring manual volume adjustments based on changing environments.

Innovation Solution

A wearable audio device with a processor and microphone that automatically adjusts the sound pressure level of the audio output based on detected ambient noise, ensuring the audio signal is louder than the ambient noise by a threshold amount, thereby minimizing leakage and providing a seamless listening experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional headsets and earbuds create a seal in the ear canal to deliver audio, then audio delivery is improved, but the user cannot hear ambient noise and social interaction is inhibited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio deliveryVSAvoidisolation from ambient noise

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the audio delivery function from the ear canal seal and relocates it to the outer ear area. Open audio devices positioned at the outer ear can deliver audio without blocking the ear canal, thus maintaining audio delivery while eliminating isolation from ambient noise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces active noise management as an intermediary system that uses microphones to detect ambient noise and speakers to deliver audio. This mediator system enables both ambient noise perception and audio delivery simultaneously through electronic signal processing rather than physical blocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual volume adjustment is implemented to adapt to changing environments, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to frequent user intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental adaptationVSAvoiduser intervention frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service through automatic volume adjustment systems that use microphones to detect ambient noise levels and automatically adjust speaker output accordingly. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring the environment and adjusting parameters without requiring user intervention, thus maintaining adaptability while improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where microphones continuously monitor ambient noise levels and feed this information back to the control system, which then adjusts the audio output volume accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables automatic environmental adaptation without requiring manual user adjustments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If audio output volume is increased to overcome ambient noise, then audibility is improved, but audio leakage to others increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveaudibilityVSAvoidaudio leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by directing audio output specifically toward the user's ear using precisely positioned speakers at the outer ear location. This localized audio delivery ensures the user receives adequate sound pressure for audibility while minimizing sound radiation in other directions, thus reducing audio leakage to surrounding people.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics through automatic volume adjustment that adapts the audio output level based on real-time ambient noise conditions. The system dynamically increases volume only when necessary to overcome ambient noise, and reduces volume when ambient noise is low, thereby maintaining audibility while minimizing audio leakage across varying environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution allows users to comfortably hear audio while being aware of their surroundings, reducing the need for manual volume adjustments and minimizing audio leakage to others, while also optimizing processing resources and battery life.

Implementation Method 1

a microphone configured to detect ambient noise

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrophone transduction:

Implementation Method 2

a speaker configured to output an audio signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpeaker transduction:

Data Source

PatentUS11295718B2Ambient volume control in open audio device

Publication Date: 2022.04.05 BOSE CORP

AI summary

Methods and apparatus are provided for automatically adjusting, by an audio device, the SPL of its audio output. As described herein, the SPL is adjusted based on detected ambient noise. According to aspects, audio device iteratively adjusts the SPL based on the ambient noise. According to aspects, the SPL is adjusted to be greater than the ambient noise by a threshold SPL amount. According to aspects, the audio device outputs sound in substantially a first direction and the microphone detects sound substantially outside of the first direction. The adjusted sounds are output by the audio device.