Dynamic Range Control for Hearing Personalization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer electronic devices such as headphones and mobile phone handsets face challenges in providing an optimal listening experience in varying ambient sound environments, particularly for users with hearing sensitivity issues, as existing technologies fail to effectively adapt to changing noise levels and hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
A customized compressor with dynamic range control and an adaptive feedback canceller is implemented in the audio system, which adjusts gain based on ambient noise levels and hearing loss, using techniques like upward compression and noise suppression to enhance sound clarity and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dynamic range control amplifies quiet sounds to improve hearing for users with hearing loss, then hearing sensitivity is improved, but loud ambient sounds become uncomfortably loud and distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic range control with time-varying gain parameters that automatically adjust based on ambient sound levels. When ambient noise is low, the system applies higher gain to amplify quiet sounds for hearing-impaired users. When ambient noise exceeds a threshold, the system reduces gain to prevent discomfort from loud sounds. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between improving hearing sensitivity and avoiding noise discomfort.
2Loss of information
If ambient sound enhancement is active to reproduce environmental sounds, then situational awareness is improved, but unwanted ambient noise interferes with desired speech
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies noise suppression selectively to specific frequency bands and time segments where unwanted ambient noise dominates. The system identifies speech-containing frequency regions and preserves them while suppressing noise in other regions. This localized processing maintains situational awareness through ambient sound reproduction while reducing noise interference with desired speech.
3Measurement precision
If adaptive feedback canceller is used to compensate for hearing loss, then hearing clarity is improved, but processing latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements variable latency processing where the adaptive feedback canceller uses different processing parameters based on the severity of hearing loss. For mild hearing loss, the system uses lower-order filters with shorter processing times. For severe hearing loss, the system employs higher-order filters that provide better clarity but require more processing time. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between hearing clarity and processing latency.
Data Source
AI summary
Signal to noise ratio, SNR, is determined in an acoustic ambient environment of an against-the-ear audio device worn by a user, wherein the acoustic ambient environment contains speech by a talker. When the SNR is above a threshold, dynamic range control is applied, as positive gain versus input level, to an audio signal from one or more microphones of the audio device. When the SNR is below the threshold, the dynamic range control applies as zero gain or negative gain to the audio signal. Other aspects are also described and claimed.