Closed-Caption-Guided Audio Frequency Transposition for Hearing Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing aids indiscriminately transpose all sounds in a certain frequency range, leading to unnecessary distortion of sounds that a wearer can recognize without assistance, failing to provide targeted audio correction for individuals with hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes closed caption data to identify problematic frequencies, words, and sounds, applying corrective actions such as frequency transposition, amplification, or visual indicators to enhance audio comprehension for users with hearing impairments, including generating compensating audio signals and correlating them with original audio in real-time or near real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hearing aids transpose all sounds in a certain frequency range, then hearing loss compensation is achieved, but sound distortion increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively transposing only specific problematic frequencies identified from closed caption data, rather than indiscriminately transposing all sounds in a frequency range. The system analyzes closed captions to identify which specific words or sounds correspond to the user's hearing difficulties, then applies frequency transposition only to those specific audio components, preserving clarity for sounds the user can already hear.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio processing into distinct components: first analyzing closed caption data to identify problematic frequencies, then separating those specific frequencies from the rest of the audio spectrum, and finally applying transposition only to the identified problematic segments. This segmentation allows precise targeting of hearing aids to only the frequencies that need correction.
2Measurement precision
If closed caption data is analyzed to identify problematic frequencies, then audio correction precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses closed caption data as an intermediary to bridge the gap between audio content and hearing impairment correction. Instead of directly analyzing audio frequencies, the system uses the text transcript as a mediator to identify which specific words or sounds correspond to problematic frequencies, then maps those identifiers back to the audio signal for targeted correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical audio analysis systems with a more efficient text-based approach. By substituting direct audio frequency analysis with closed caption text analysis, the system achieves precise identification of problematic frequencies through linguistic pattern recognition rather than complex spectral analysis, reducing computational complexity.
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 audio recognition for hearing-impaired individuals by modifying audio content to address specific hearing difficulties, allowing better understanding of problematic sounds and frequencies, while preserving clarity for sounds the user can hear without assistance.
Implementation Method 1
A frequency transposition unit may determine a transposition amount and transpose at least a portion of the audio data by the transposition amount, resulting in transposed audio data
Implementation Method 2
One or more rules may be applied to modify audio so that the user is better able to understand the audio
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are described herein for improving audio for hearing impaired content consumers. An example method may comprise determining a content asset. Closed caption data associated with the content asset may be determined. At least a portion of the closed caption data may be determined based on a user setting associated with a hearing impairment. Compensating audio comprising a frequency translation associated with at least the portion of the closed caption data may be generated. The content asset may be caused to be output with audio content comprising the compensating audio and the original audio.