Dual Microphone Voice Signal Separation for Earphones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless earphones or headphones face challenges in distinguishing and clearly transmitting a counterpart's voice signal from external noise during conversations.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with dual microphones (inner and outer) and a processor that receives voice signals from both microphones, removes the wearer's voice signal from the outer microphone based on the inner microphone's signal, and amplifies and outputs the counterpart's voice signal after noise removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If ANC function is applied to remove ambient noise, then noise reduction is improved, but voice signal of counterpart is also removed along with noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal processing into distinct functions: one pathway handles noise cancellation while another pathway preserves voice signals. The processor separates the counterpart's voice signal from ambient noise by analyzing signal characteristics from both inner and outer microphones, applying different processing treatments to different signal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the inner microphone positioned inside the earcup - that captures the counterpart's voice signal directly before it mixes with ambient noise. This intermediary sensing point allows the system to identify and preserve voice signals while still canceling external noise through the outer microphone input.
2Device complexity
If single microphone is used, then device complexity is reduced, but ability to distinguish voice signal from noise is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the audio sensing function across two separate microphones with distinct spatial positions and functional roles. The outer microphone captures ambient noise and distant voice signals, while the inner microphone captures proximal voice signals. This segmentation enables the processor to compare and differentiate between noise and voice components through spatial and signal characteristic analysis.
3Device complexity
If voice signal of wearer is not removed, then signal processing is simplified, but counterpart's voice signal cannot be clearly transmitted
Solution Approach 1:
The inner microphone serves as an intermediary that specifically captures the wearer's voice signal. The processor uses this intermediary measurement to identify and remove the wearer's voice component from the combined signal, allowing clear transmission of the counterpart's voice without unnecessarily complex processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using the inner microphone's capture of the wearer's voice to inform the processing of the outer microphone's signal. The processor continuously monitors the inner microphone input and uses this feedback to dynamically remove the wearer's voice component from the output, ensuring clear transmission of the counterpart's voice.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus includes an inner microphone provided on a first surface of the electronic apparatus; an outer microphone disposed on a second surface opposite the first surface; and a processor configured to: receive a voice signal of a counterpart and a voice signal of a wearer of the electronic apparatus that are input through the inner microphone and the outer microphone, based on a size of the voice signal of the wearer input through the inner microphone being greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, remove the voice signal of the wearer input through the outer microphone based on the voice signal of the wearer input through the inner microphone, and amplify the voice signal of the counterpart input through the outer microphone and from which the voice signal of the wearer is removed and output the amplified voice signal, wherein the size of the voice signal of the wearer input through the inner microphone is greater than a size of the voice signal of the wearer input through the outer microphone.