Audio Privacy System Using Destructive Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
In noisy environments, existing technologies fail to effectively protect the privacy of telephone users during calls by preventing unintended audiences from intelligibly hearing sensitive information, which is crucial for both personal and business communications.
Innovation Solution
The method involves receiving a sound signal near the user's ear, generating a second sound signal to destructively interfere with the first, and emitting this interfering signal from a speaker near the ear, using a device with a signal sampling module, a signal interfering module, and a signal processing module, which can be integrated into items like jewelry, headsets, or telephones, to create a virtual sound wall that cancels out unwanted noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional hearing protection methods are used in noisy environments, then ambient noise is blocked, but the user cannot hear the third party's voice clearly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the ambient noise that would normally interfere with conversation and converts it into a beneficial signal by generating an anti-phase sound wave. This anti-phase wave destructively interferes with the captured noise, effectively canceling it out while preserving the intelligibility of the third party's voice. The harmful ambient noise is transformed into a tool for achieving audio privacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by capturing the ambient noise before it reaches the user's ear and generating an anti-phase sound wave in advance. This anti-phase wave is then emitted to preemptively counteract the harmful noise, preventing it from interfering with the conversation rather than attempting to block it after the fact.
2Loss of information
If no audio privacy protection is used, then the user can hear the third party clearly, but ambient noise reduces conversation privacy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a microphone, signal processing unit, and speaker. This intermediary captures the ambient noise, processes it to generate an anti-phase signal, and emits it through the speaker. The intermediary acts as a mediator between the harmful ambient noise and the user's ear, selectively canceling noise while preserving the third party's voice.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the phase parameter of the captured ambient noise signal by 180 degrees to create an anti-phase wave. This parameter change transforms the harmful noise into a beneficial canceling signal that destructively interferes with the original noise, effectively reducing ambient noise interference while maintaining conversation intelligibility.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If destructive interference is used to cancel ambient noise, then audio privacy is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single compact device: the microphone captures both the third party's voice and ambient noise, the signal processing unit simultaneously analyzes and generates anti-phase waves, and the speaker emits the processed signal. This multi-functional integration reduces overall system complexity compared to using separate devices for each function.
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
This approach effectively reduces the intelligibility of ambient noise, allowing for private conversations in noisy settings by using destructive interference to neutralize unwanted sound signals, thereby maintaining audio privacy for users.
Implementation Method 1
generating a second sound signal to substantially destructively interfere with the first sound signal
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method and system for audio privacy that includes receiving a first sound signal at a microphone proximal to a user's ear, generating a second sound signal based on the first sound signal and a stored filter, the second sound signal interfering with the first sound signal, and emitting the second sound signal from a speaker proximal to the user's ear.