Dynamic Microphone and Sensor Control for Wireless Earphones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless earphones with multiple microphones face high power consumption and inefficiency due to the need for additional modules to remove external noise, leading to battery power wastage.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with multiple microphones and a three-axis acceleration sensor that dynamically adjusts microphone usage and sensor axes based on external noise levels, controlling power consumption by turning microphones and sensor axes on or off accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple microphones are used in wireless earphones, then speech signal throughput is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of microphone operation states based on real-time noise level detection. The system transitions microphones between active and inactive states according to environmental conditions, achieving adaptive power management that maintains speech quality when needed while reducing power consumption during low-noise periods.
2Reliability
If additional modules or components are added to remove external noise, then noise removal capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the acceleration sensor's existing functionality for noise detection purposes, rather than adding dedicated noise removal modules. By repurposing the sensor's acceleration data to identify noise levels and control microphone operation, the system achieves noise removal capability without the additional power consumption that would result from dedicated noise cancellation hardware.
3Productivity
If all microphones and sensor axes are kept on continuously, then audio processing performance is maintained, but battery efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic evaluation of noise levels and corresponding adjustment of microphone and sensor axis operation. Rather than continuous operation, the system periodically assesses environmental conditions and activates or deactivates components as needed, creating a rhythm of operation that maintains audio processing performance during noisy periods while conserving battery efficiency during quiet periods.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device, includes: a sensor; a plurality of microphones; one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to: obtain a first sound signal through at least one of the plurality of microphones; obtain a second sound signal through at least one of a plurality of axes of the sensor; identify a noise level from among a plurality of noise levels based on the first sound signal and the second sound signal; control one or more of the plurality of microphones to be turned on or off based on the noise level; and control one or more of the plurality of axes to be turned on or off based on the noise level.