Bone Conduction Headset for Noise-Resistant Hands-Free Speech
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional headsets are noticeable when worn, and they often obstruct the ears, making it difficult to hear ambient sounds or prevent hearing damage from loud environments, while also struggling with noise cancellation in noisy settings, which is critical for speech recognition and communication in loud environments.
Innovation Solution
A wireless headset with a mouth-wearable communicator that uses bone conduction technology, incorporating a custom oral device with embedded microphones and a data storage device, capable of noise cancellation and secure communication, which is inconspicuous and allows for hands-free operation, using Bluetooth or other wireless protocols for communication with devices like cellular telephones and music players.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional headsets are used to provide hands-free communication, then the user's hands are freed for other functions, but the headset becomes noticeable and obstructs the ears
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional air conduction headphones with bone conduction technology, where sound is transmitted through bone vibrations instead of air. This substitution allows the ear canal to remain open for ambient sound while still providing audio output, resolving the contradiction between hands-free operation and ear obstruction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces bone (skull) as an intermediary medium to transmit sound from the transducer to the inner ear, bypassing the need to block the ear canal. This intermediary approach allows simultaneous hands-free communication and ambient sound awareness.
2Measurement precision
If microphones are positioned to capture user voice clearly, then speech transmission quality improves, but noise cancellation in noisy environments becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the audio capture function into multiple microphones positioned at different locations (one near the mouth for speech, another for ambient noise). This segmentation allows the system to separately process and cancel noise while preserving speech quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements active noise cancellation using feedback from ambient microphones. The system continuously monitors background noise and generates anti-phase signals to cancel the noise, allowing clear speech transmission even in noisy environments.
3Shape
If the headset design prioritizes inconspicuous appearance, then user discretion is improved, but communication functionality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses bone conduction technology which requires minimal external components compared to conventional headphones. The thin profile bone conduction transducer can be discreetly positioned behind the ear while maintaining full communication functionality through bone vibration transmission.
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
The solution provides inconspicuous, hands-free, and high-quality communication with effective noise cancellation, allowing users to communicate without obstructing their ears, maintaining awareness of their surroundings and ensuring secure transmission of sensitive information, particularly suitable for noisy environments like construction sites or emergency services.
Implementation Method 1
The bone conduction headset includes a band running around a back part of the user's head; a fastening portion formed in each of opposite end portions of the band; a bone conduction speaker provided with a knob which is engaged with the fastening portion
Implementation Method 2
Microphones are transducers just like speakers. They change sound waves into electrical signals, while speakers change electrical signals into sound waves.
Implementation Method 3
These headphones typically use small speakers that can render the sound. Microphones are transducers just like speakers. They change sound waves into electrical signals, while speakers change electrical signals into sound waves.
Implementation Method 4
The systems receive acoustic signals at two microphones, and generate difference parameters between the acoustic signals received at each of the two microphones. The difference parameters are representative of the relative difference in signal gain between portions of the received acoustic signals.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless headset is adapted to communicate with a sound source such as a music player or a cell phone or a suitable audio or sound communicated through a one-way or two-way communication device. The headset includes a mouth wearable communicator; and a linking unit coupled to the mouth wearable communicator, the linking unit adapted to communicate with the sound source.