Audio Adaptation Using Listening Threshold Maps for Personalized Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio adaptation methods fail to account for individual differences in hearing ability and sound preferences, as they often rely on non-calibrated devices and do not consider the effective listening threshold, leading to suboptimal sound settings for music listening.
Innovation Solution
A two-phase method is introduced, where a listening test determines individual listening thresholds across different frequency ranges, and a sound adaptation characteristic map is created to adjust audio signals based on these thresholds, allowing users to personalize sound settings through a user interface, ensuring quiet signal portions remain audible and sound preferences are considered.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If listening threshold measurement is performed on non-calibrated audio devices, then sound personalization can be achieved, but absolute listening threshold measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses test signals (pure tones, pink noise, speech signals) as standardized copies to measure listening thresholds. These test signals serve as reference copies that can be played through any audio device, allowing the system to determine the listening threshold without needing calibrated equipment. The test signals are processed and analyzed to extract threshold information that is then applied to personalize sound settings.
2Adaptability or versatility
If only individual frequency bands are changed in equalizer adaptation, then sound adaptation can be achieved, but operational complexity for non-professionals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic sound adaptation by measuring the user's listening threshold through test signals and automatically generating personalized equalizer settings. The user simply listens to test signals and indicates when they can no longer hear them, and the system automatically processes this feedback to create optimized sound settings without requiring the user to manually adjust frequency bands or understand equalizer operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the user listens to test signals at different frequency bands and volume levels, and provides feedback by indicating when the signal becomes inaudible. This feedback is used by the system to determine the listening threshold for each frequency band and automatically adjust the equalizer settings accordingly, eliminating the need for manual adjustment by the user.
3Reliability
If listening threshold measurement is used for sound adaptation, then individual hearing ability is considered, but sound preferences for different music pieces are not captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sound adaptation process into two distinct phases: first, measuring the listening threshold to determine individual hearing ability characteristics; second, using this threshold information as a foundation to adapt sound settings for different music pieces and genres. This segmentation allows the system to separately capture hearing ability constraints and then layer music-specific preferences on top, enabling both individualized threshold-based adaptation and versatility across different music types.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for setting parameters for individual adaptation of an audio signal, including: performing a first listening test with the substeps:playing a plurality of first audio signals having different levels;obtaining feedback per frequency range from an individual which of the plurality of first acoustic signals is above an individual listening threshold; andusing the lowest level of the different levels for which feedback is available as a level for the individual listening threshold per frequency range;performing adaptation of a second audio signal with the substeps:playing the second audio signal according to a total volume level considering a sound adaptation characteristic map; andvarying the sound adaptation characteristicwherein the levels for the individual listening thresholds are used as minimum output levels in the sound adaptation characteristic map.