Dynamic ANC and MIA Summing Allocation for Audio Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current active noise control systems in electronic devices independently determine and sum active noise cancellation (ANC) and modified incoming audio (MIA) components at fixed levels, often resulting in suboptimal audio quality due to limited ANC component levels and constrained MIA component gain, especially in dynamic noise environments.
Innovation Solution
The system dynamically determines ANC and MIA components based on real-time background noise and incoming audio characteristics, adjusting their summing allocations to maximize perceived audio quality while staying within system limits, using a dynamic noise cancelling method that incorporates background noise and incoming audio assessments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ANC and MIA components are determined independently and summed at fixed levels, then system stability is maintained, but audio quality deteriorates due to limited ANC component levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from fixed pre-determined summing levels to dynamic summing allocations that adapt in real-time based on background noise characteristics and incoming audio characteristics. The system continuously adjusts the allocation between ANC and MIA components to maximize perceived audio quality while maintaining system stability through controlled dynamic adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of summing allocations dynamically based on measured background noise levels and incoming audio characteristics. By adjusting allocation parameters in response to varying acoustic conditions, the system optimizes audio quality without compromising stability, allowing the ANC component level to vary appropriately with environmental conditions.
2Reliability
If MIA component gain is constrained to meet system limits, then system reliability is maintained, but audio quality deteriorates due to reduced MIA component energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic gain control for the MIA component based on real-time assessment of background noise characteristics and incoming audio characteristics. The gain constraint is applied dynamically rather than statically, allowing the MIA component to utilize available headroom when conditions permit while maintaining system reliability through adaptive control that responds to changing acoustic environments.
3Device complexity
If fixed pre-determined summing levels are used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates in dynamic noise environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the system continuously measures background noise characteristics and incoming audio characteristics, then uses this feedback to dynamically adjust summing allocations. This closed-loop control enables the system to adapt to dynamic noise environments while maintaining manageable complexity through efficient feedback processing and adaptive control algorithms.
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
This approach enhances audio quality by optimizing energy and intelligibility of the combined audio signal, ensuring it remains within system limits, even in changing noise conditions, thereby improving the overall listening experience.
Implementation Method 1
Acoustical superposition of the background noise and a generated anti-noise signal which is of equal amplitude and opposite phase as the background noise signal results in a null
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are for determining one or more background noise characteristics, determining one or more incoming audio characteristics; and generating a combined audio signal comprising an active noise cancellation (ANC) component and a modified incoming audio (MIA) component. The ANC component is determined based on at least one of the one or more incoming audio characteristics and the background noise characteristics. Each of a limit of the ANC component and a limit of the MIA component is dynamically controlled to be less than or equal to a system limit, wherein a limit of the combined signal is approximately at the system limit.