Personalized Audio Adjustment Using Hearing Threshold Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio signal adjustment methods fail to fully account for individual hearing characteristics and preferences, leading to suboptimal sound settings that do not consider the unique hearing thresholds and sound preferences of users, especially in varying noise environments and music genres.
Innovation Solution
A two-phase method for customizing audio signals, where the first phase involves a hearing test to determine individual frequency-dependent hearing thresholds, and the second phase adjusts sound parameters using a sound adjustment map that ensures quiet components remain audible, allowing users to interactively fine-tune settings based on their preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hearing threshold measurement is made on non-calibrated audio devices to determine individual hearing threshold, then sound personalization can be achieved, but the measurement precision deteriorates because no absolute hearing threshold measurement can be made
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a test signal that copies the structure and spectral content of actual music signals to measure hearing threshold. Instead of using pure tones in a clinical setting, the system uses music-like test signals that traverse the same acoustic path as real music, thereby copying real listening conditions and enabling personalized sound adjustment without requiring calibrated audiometric equipment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an equalizer is used to adapt music signals to individual hearing, then frequency-dependent gain can be applied, but the ease of operation deteriorates because only individual frequency bands can be changed at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic sound adjustment by measuring the user's hearing threshold with test signals and then autonomously adapting the music signal based on the measured threshold and preferred sound characteristics. The user simply provides feedback on perceived sound quality, and the system self-adjusts the equalizer parameters without requiring manual frequency-by-frequency tuning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback from the user about perceived sound quality to iteratively optimize the sound adjustment. The system measures hearing threshold, applies initial adjustments, receives user feedback on sound preference, and refines the equalizer settings accordingly, creating a closed-loop adaptation process that combines objective measurement with subjective preference.
3Ease of operation
If presettings for sound parameters are made available to the user for adjustment, then ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates because individual hearing threshold is not taken into account
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the user's hearing threshold using test signals before providing sound adjustment controls. This preliminary action captures individual hearing characteristics, and then the preset sound adjustments are tailored to match the measured threshold, ensuring that quiet passages remain audible while allowing users to further customize within the constraints of their individual hearing profile.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for the adjustment of parameters for the individual modification of an audio signal comprises the following steps: performing a first hearing test with the sub-steps: playing back a plurality of first audio signals of different levels and for different frequency ranges in order to output to an individual a plurality of first acoustic signals of differing sound pressure levels in the different frequency ranges; receiving feedback for each frequency range of the differing frequency ranges from the individual, wherein the plurality of first acoustic signals lies above an individual hearing threshold; and using, for each frequency range of the differing frequency ranges, the lowest level of the differing levels of the plurality of first audio signals for which feedback is available that characterizes the associated first acoustic audio signal as an acoustic audio signal above the individual hearing threshold as the level for the individual hearing threshold for each frequency range of the differing frequency ranges; performing a modification of a second audio signal with the sub-steps: playing back the second audio signal according to an overall volume level selected by the individual by taking into account a sound modification characteristic map in order to output a processed second acoustic signal to the individual; and varying the sound modification characteristic map until the individual indicates by interaction that no further variation of the sound modification characteristic map is desired; wherein the sound modification characteristic map defines an individual increase and/or individual reduction in the output level for each input level for differing frequency ranges; wherein in the sound modification characteristic map the levels for the individual hearing thresholds for each frequency range of the differing frequency ranges are used as minimum output levels.