Blocked Microphone Detection via Adaptive Signal Weighting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Audio processing systems face performance degradation due to blocked or occluded microphones, which are not effectively detected by existing algorithms, leading to corrupted signal processing and user inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

A signal processing device and method that receive microphone signals from multiple microphones, derive signal feature measures, normalize and variably weight them based on environmental conditions, and combine these measures to produce an output indicating whether a microphone is blocked, using techniques like non-linear mapping and feature matching to account for differences and environmental factors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing audio processing algorithms are used, then signal processing can be performed, but performance is markedly degraded when microphones are blocked or occluded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealgorithm performanceVSAvoidmicrophone blockage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of microphone blockage conditions by analyzing signal features before main audio processing occurs. Multiple signal feature measures are derived and evaluated to determine if a microphone is blocked, allowing the system to prepare appropriate responses in advance and prevent performance degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors microphone signals and provides feedback about blockage conditions to the audio processing algorithms. By deriving signal feature measures and comparing them against thresholds, the system generates feedback information that allows algorithms to adapt their behavior based on current microphone status, maintaining reliability despite blockages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If multiple signal feature measures are used to detect blockage, then detection accuracy improves, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblockage detection accuracyVSAvoidsignal processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The detection system segments the analysis by deriving multiple distinct signal feature measures from the microphone signal, each capturing different aspects of blockage conditions. These segmented features (such as signal level, spectral characteristics, and temporal patterns) are processed independently and then combined, allowing accurate detection while organizing complexity into manageable segments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple signal feature measures are merged into a unified blockage detection decision. The system combines information from different feature measures, weighing their relative importance and integrating their results to produce a comprehensive assessment of microphone blockage status, thereby improving detection accuracy through synthesis of multiple indicators

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If signal processing adapts to environmental conditions, then performance in varied acoustics improves, but computational requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacoustic environment adaptabilityVSAvoidcomputational energy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The signal processing system dynamically adapts its behavior based on detected environmental conditions and microphone blockage status. Processing parameters such as feature extraction methods, weighting factors, and detection thresholds are adjusted in real-time according to the acoustic environment, enabling the system to optimize performance for different conditions while managing computational energy through selective adaptation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10848887B2Blocked microphone detection

Publication Date: 2020.11.24 CIRRUS LOGIC INC

AI summary

Detection of a blocked microphone involves receiving microphone signals from a plurality of microphones. A plurality of signal feature measures are derived from the microphone signals. The signal feature measures are normalised. The normalised signal feature measures are variably weighted in response to detected environmental conditions in the microphone signals. The variably weighted normalised signal feature measures are combined to produce an output indication of whether a microphone is blocked.