Audio Loudness Adjustment Using Multi-Band Hearing Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio devices fail to provide personalized audio adjustments based on individual hearing sensitivities, leading to suboptimal sound quality for different users due to varying frequency responses and limited dynamic range.
Innovation Solution
An audio device with multi-band filters and a user interface allows users to set minimum perceptible levels for each frequency band, applying unique gain settings to equalize hearing sensitivity, and automatically adjusts signal levels based on environmental noise and hearing sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional audio devices use fixed audio effects and volume control, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to individual hearing sensitivities deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is divided into multiple frequency bands (e.g., low, mid, high frequencies) using multi-band filters. Each frequency band can be independently adjusted with separate gain settings, allowing the system to address specific hearing sensitivity issues in different frequency ranges without affecting other bands. This segmentation enables personalized audio adjustment while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio device implements dynamic adjustment capabilities where gain settings for each frequency band can be automatically modified based on environmental noise levels and user preferences. The system adapts in real-time by detecting noise conditions and adjusting the audio output accordingly, transitioning from static to dynamic control to improve adaptability without requiring complete system redesign.
2Measurement precision
If volume is increased to compensate for poor hearing sensitivity, then overall signal level is improved, but signal saturation and distortion occur
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing the overall volume, the system applies localized gain adjustments to specific frequency bands where the user has hearing deficiencies. For example, if a user has poor high-frequency hearing, only the high-frequency band receives amplified gain while other bands remain at normal levels. This prevents overall signal saturation and distortion while still compensating for the specific hearing sensitivity issue.
3Measurement precision
If narrow frequency range is used to simplify audio processing, then device complexity is reduced, but hearing sensitivity compensation effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The audio spectrum is segmented into multiple frequency bands using multi-band filter banks. Each band can be independently processed with specific gain settings tailored to the user's hearing sensitivity in that frequency range. This segmentation approach enables comprehensive hearing sensitivity equalization across the entire audio spectrum while keeping each individual band's processing relatively simple and manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
User adjustment of an audio effect of an audio device is facilitated to match a hearing sensitivity of a user. The user can tune the audio device with a minimum perceptible level unique to the user. The audio device can adjust the audio effect in accordance with the minimum perceptible level. For example, a loudness level can adjust automatically to ensure that the user maintains a perceptible loudness, adjusting according to environmental noise and according to the minimum perceptible level. Also described herein are apparatuses, systems and methods related to an audio device equipped with embedded audio sensors that can maximize a voice quality while minimizing the effects of noise.