Binaural Headset Echo Control via Adaptive Signal Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headphone systems fail to effectively isolate and enhance user voice signals in noisy environments, leading to poor performance in applications like voice communications and voice recognition due to background noise and echo interference.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a headphone system that uses multiple microphones and advanced signal processing techniques, including beam forming, null steering, and adaptive filtering, to separate and reduce noise and echo components from the user's voice signal, thereby enhancing voice pick-up and isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional microphone systems are used in headphone systems, then the structure is simple, but the ability to isolate and enhance user voice signals in noisy environments is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the signal processing into multiple independent components: beam forming module that processes microphone signals to enhance user voice, noise cancellation module that removes background noise, and echo cancellation module that eliminates echo. Each module handles a specific aspect of signal purification, allowing complex processing to be managed through modular segmentation while achieving superior voice isolation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces multiple intermediary processing stages between the microphones and the final output. The beam forming acts as an intermediary to initially enhance user voice signals, followed by noise cancellation and echo cancellation intermediaries that progressively purify the signal. These intermediary modules enable high measurement precision without requiring a complete system redesign
2Measurement precision
If multiple microphones and advanced signal processing are implemented, then voice signal clarity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the microphone system into multiple independent microphones (first and second microphones) that capture different acoustic perspectives. Each microphone feeds into dedicated processing modules (beam forming, noise cancellation, echo cancellation), allowing the complexity of multiple sensors to be managed through systematic segmentation rather than monolithic processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic signal processing where the beam forming and noise cancellation modules continuously adapt to changing acoustic environments. The system dynamically adjusts processing parameters based on real-time analysis of microphone signals, enabling high voice clarity in varying noisy conditions while managing computational complexity through adaptive rather than static processing
3Measurement precision
If noise and echo cancellation are applied, then voice pick-up quality is enhanced, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beam forming as a preliminary action before noise and echo cancellation. The beam forming module pre-enhances user voice signals by spatially filtering and combining microphone inputs, creating a refined signal that requires less intensive subsequent noise and echo processing. This preliminary enhancement reduces the computational burden and processing time of later stages while maintaining high voice pick-up quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic processing where noise cancellation and echo cancellation operations adapt their intensity and parameters based on real-time signal conditions. When noise or echo levels are low, processing is reduced; when they are high, processing intensity increases. This dynamic approach optimizes processing time by avoiding unnecessary full-strength processing in all conditions while ensuring high voice quality when needed
Data Source
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AI summary
A headphone, headphone system, and method is provided to enhance speech pick-up from a user of a headphone, by removing noise and echo components. A primary signal is derived from at least one microphone associated with the headphone. The primary signal is configured to include a component of speech from the user. A noise reference signal is representative of acoustic noise in the environment of the headphone. A playback signal is provided by an audio source to be rendered by an acoustic driver associated with the headphone, and an echo reference signal is representative of the playback signal. The systems and methods filter the primary signal to reduce noise and echo components, based on the noise reference signal and the echo reference signal, respectively, to provide a voice estimate signal.