Co-Located Audioconferencing Devices for Proactive Feedback Mitigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for managing acoustic feedback in real-time audio communications fail to identify the risk of feedback occurrence before it happens, leading to disturbances in multiparty communications.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that identify whether a communication device is in loudspeaker mode, in real-time audio communication with another device, and in the same acoustic space, triggering mitigation measures before feedback occurs, using detection and mitigation modules to adjust playback volume, microphone gain, or user notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing methods are used to manage acoustic feedback, then feedback removal or mitigation can be achieved, but the feedback risk cannot be identified before it occurs, leading to disturbances in multiparty communications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacoustic feedback management reliabilityVSAvoidtime delay in feedback detection
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by detecting and identifying acoustic feedback risk conditions before they actually occur. The system monitors device mode, communication status, and acoustic space parameters in advance, triggering mitigation measures proactively rather than reactively after feedback begins, thereby eliminating time delay in detection and preventing disturbances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If acoustic feedback mitigation measures are applied, then feedback disturbances are reduced, but the complexity of the communication system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveacoustic feedback disturbancesVSAvoidcommunication system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the acoustic feedback management function into distinct modular components: a detection module that identifies feedback risk conditions, and a mitigation module that executes appropriate measures. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function independently, reducing overall system complexity while effectively addressing feedback disturbances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the detection module continuously monitors system parameters (device mode, communication status, acoustic space) and provides information to the mitigation module, which adjusts operations accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables automatic adaptation to changing conditions without requiring complex manual intervention, managing feedback disturbances while maintaining system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4268475B1Acoustic feedback reduction in co-located audioconferencing devices
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 DOLBY LABORATORIES LICENSING CORP
  • EP4268475B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4268475B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4268475B1 patent drawingFigure 2c~3

AI summary

Disclosed is a method for managing acoustic feedback in real-time audio communications in a communications system, the method comprising determining, by means of a detection module, whether a first communication device is in loudspeaker mode, whether the first communication device is in real-time audio communications with a second communication, and whether the first communication device and the second communication device are in a same acoustic space. Upon determining that this is the case a request signal for requesting one or more measures against acoustic feedback is provided to a mitigation module. Further disclosed are a device and a system configured to perform the method, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, an encoder and a decoder.