Detachable Boom Microphone Switching for Noise-Isolated Headphones
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Directional microphones in headphones often fail to effectively reduce background noise and can amplify certain noises, such as keyboard clicks, while boom microphones are bulky and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
Headphones with integrated directional microphones and a detachable boom microphone that can be removably attached, featuring a processor that activates the boom microphone and deactivates the earpiece microphones when connected, ensuring effective voice capture and background noise isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a directional microphone is positioned in the earpiece to capture user's voice, then voice capture capability is improved, but background noise such as keyboard clicks is amplified
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone system is segmented into two independent parts: earpiece directional microphones for general voice capture and a detachable boom microphone for focused voice isolation. This segmentation allows each microphone to serve its specific purpose without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between voice capture and background noise reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The boom microphone is extracted as a separate detachable component from the earpiece assembly. This extraction allows the system to use the boom microphone for focused voice capture when needed, while the earpiece microphones can be deactivated or used independently, thereby eliminating the background noise amplification problem.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a boom microphone is added to reduce background noise, then background noise reduction is improved, but device size and bulkiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The boom microphone is designed as a separate detachable module rather than an integrated permanent component. This segmentation allows users to attach the boom microphone only when background noise reduction is needed, keeping the main headphone unit compact and unbulky during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static integrated microphone configuration to a dynamic detachable configuration. The boom microphone can be attached or detached based on usage requirements, allowing the headphone system to adapt its size and functionality dynamically, thereby reducing perceived bulkiness when not needed.
3Measurement precision
If a detachable boom microphone is added to the headphones, then voice capture quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detachable boom microphone is designed with universal connectivity that allows it to interface with various headphone models through standard audio interfaces. This multi-functionality reduces the need for model-specific integration, simplifying the overall system complexity while maintaining high voice capture quality.
Solution Approach 2:
By extracting the boom microphone as a separate detachable unit with standardized connection interfaces, the complexity of integrating boom microphones into different headphone models is significantly reduced. The extracted module can be universally attached to compatible headphones without requiring complex custom integration for each model.
Data Source
AI summary
Headphones comprising: a headband having first and second opposing ends; a first earpiece coupled to the first end of the headband and comprising a first audio driver; a second earpiece coupled to the second end of the headband and comprising a second audio driver, wherein at least one of the first and second earpieces comprises a first directional microphone configured to and aligned to capture a user's voice; a boom microphone configured to be removably attached to one of the first or second earpieces, the boom microphone comprising a second directional microphone disposed at a distal end of a flexible boom; and a processor configured to, in response to detecting that the boom microphone is operably attached to the first or second earpiece, deactivate the first directional microphone.