Bone Conduction Headphone Voice Enhancement in Noisy Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal listening devices struggle with voice clarity and noise cancellation in noisy environments, leading to degraded performance of voice recognition systems and impaired communication experiences.
Innovation Solution
A multi-channel speech enhancement system using external and internal microphones, combined with spatial and spectral filters, to separate and enhance voice signals through bone conduction in the low frequency band and air conduction in the high frequency band, with adaptive noise suppression techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional single-microphone systems are used, then device complexity is low, but voice clarity and noise cancellation performance degrade in noisy environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the microphone array into two functional groups: external microphones for capturing ambient sound and bone conduction signals, and internal microphones for capturing bone conduction signals through the ear canal. This segmentation allows each group to specialize in specific signal types, improving voice clarity while managing complexity through functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional single-point microphone capture to multi-dimensional signal acquisition by placing microphones both outside and inside the ear canal, and by processing signals across different frequency bands (low frequency bone conduction vs. high frequency air conduction). This dimensional expansion enables superior noise cancellation and voice enhancement.
2Measurement precision
If frequency-based signal separation is implemented, then voice enhancement quality improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The signal processing system is segmented into distinct frequency bands using filter banks: low frequency bands process bone conduction signals while high frequency bands process air conduction signals. This segmentation enables specialized processing for each band, improving separation accuracy while organizing complexity into manageable, frequency-specific modules.
Solution Approach 2:
Different processing techniques are applied to different frequency bands according to their specific characteristics. Low frequency bone conduction signals receive one type of enhancement while high frequency air conduction signals receive different processing. This local quality approach optimizes voice enhancement for each frequency range independently.
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
Improves voice clarity and noise cancellation, enabling effective voice communication and recognition even in noisy conditions without requiring additional microphones or complex calibration.
Implementation Method 1
the inside microphone is positioned such that it senses a bone-conducted speech signal when the user speaks
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for enhancing a headset user's own voice include at least two outside microphones (104, 106), an inside microphone (108), audio input components operable to receive and process the microphone signals, and a cross-over module configured to generate an enhanced voice signal. The audio processing components includes a low frequency branch comprising low pass filter banks, a low frequency spatial filter (212), a low frequency spectral filter (214), and a high frequency branch comprising highpass filter banks, a high frequency spatial filter (232), and a high frequency spectral filter (234).