Audio Gain Control Using OS Events to Ignore Keyboard Noise
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic Gain Control (AGC) mechanisms in computing systems often mistakenly identify noise from input device activities, such as keyboard tapping, as speech, leading to inappropriate gain adjustments that can disrupt audio signals and calls.
Innovation Solution
The system analyzes input signals from operating system events to determine noise-generating activities and reverses or cancels AGC adjustments during such events, avoiding complex signal processing and ensuring gain adjustments are based solely on speech components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the AGC mechanism uses broad signal classification characteristics to identify speech components, then more speech components are identified accurately, but non-speech sounds (such as keyboard tapping) may be mistakenly identified as speech components causing inappropriate gain adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal analysis into two independent parts: (1) speech component identification using signal classification characteristics, and (2) input device activity detection using operating system events. By separating these functions, the system can identify speech components accurately while independently detecting and excluding keyboard tapping and other input device noises from gain adjustment calculations, thus resolving the contradiction between identification accuracy and adjustment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces operating system events as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between the audio signal and the AGC mechanism. The OS events provide independent information about input device activities, which acts as a mediator to prevent inappropriate gain adjustments caused by keyboard tapping, while preserving the accurate speech component identification capability.
2Speed
If the AGC mechanism responds quickly to audio signal level changes, then speech level control is more responsive, but gain adjustments may be made based on noise from input device activities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by detecting input device activities through operating system events before they affect the audio signal processing. By proactively identifying keyboard tapping or mouse clicking events, the system can prevent or correct inappropriate gain adjustments before they occur or immediately when they occur, maintaining both fast response and high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback by continuously monitoring operating system events and using this information to adjust or correct AGC gain adjustments in real-time. When keyboard tapping is detected through OS events, the system receives feedback to reverse or prevent the inappropriate gain increase, ensuring both responsive control and accurate speech-level-only adjustments.
3Extent of automation
If the AGC mechanism applies gain adjustments based on all detected signal components, then the audio signal level is controlled automatically, but keyboard tapping noise causes the gain to be higher than needed for speech
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful effect of keyboard tapping noise from the gain control process. By detecting input device activities through operating system events, the system identifies and excludes these harmful factors from influencing the AGC mechanism, allowing automatic gain control to operate solely on speech components without the interference of keyboard tapping noise.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for modifying an audio signal, the method comprising: receiving the audio signal at signal processing means; analysing the received audio signal to identify characteristic signal components in the audio signal; determining that another signal is input to the signal processing means, the input signal resulting from an activity which generates noise in the audio signal; and selectively applying an adjusted gain to the audio signal based on the determination that the input signal is input to the signal processing means, wherein the adjusted gain is generated in dependence upon the signal strength of the identified signal components.