Dynamic Speaker Tuning for Echo Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Speakers placed near objects like walls can increase echo path strength, leading to poor conferencing or call quality due to intensified echo, which overwhelms acoustic echo cancellation systems, and permanently tuning speakers to mitigate this affects audio quality in open areas.
Innovation Solution
A system for dynamic device speaker tuning that includes a processor, microphone, and computer-readable medium to detect audio rendering, capture echoes, perform Fourier Transforms, determine real-time transfer functions, and adjust audio amplifier equalization based on differences between real-time and reference transfer functions to reduce echo path strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If speakers are permanently tuned to produce high quality sound in open areas, then audio quality for device users is improved, but echo path strength increases when placed near walls causing poor conferencing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic speaker tuning by continuously monitoring the acoustic environment and adjusting equalization parameters in real-time. The system transitions from static permanent tuning to dynamic adaptive tuning, allowing the speaker to optimize its frequency response based on whether it is in an open area or near reflective surfaces like walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses microphones to capture echo paths and feeds this information back to the processor, which analyzes the transfer function and adjusts the equalization accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to detect when echo path strength increases and automatically compensate by reducing gain in affected frequency bands.
2Reliability
If speakers are tuned to reduce echo path strength near walls, then conferencing quality is improved, but audio quality for device users in open areas deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts equalization parameters based on real-time environmental detection. When the speaker detects it is near a wall, it applies echo-reducing equalization; when in an open area, it switches to audio-optimized equalization. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the tuning context-dependent rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the equalization parameters (frequency response characteristics) based on the detected acoustic environment. By adjusting parameters such as gain at different frequency bands according to the transfer function analysis, the system optimizes performance for the current situation without permanently compromising the other scenario.
3Reliability
If acoustic echo cancellation is used to suppress echo, then conferencing quality is maintained, but performance deteriorates when echo path strength is intensely amplified by environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The system takes preliminary action by detecting echo path characteristics before they overwhelm the echo cancellation system. By analyzing the transfer function and identifying strong echo paths in advance, the system proactively adjusts equalization to reduce gain in problematic frequency bands, preventing the echo from becoming too intense for cancellation algorithms to handle effectively.
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 system dynamically adjusts speaker output to maintain optimal audio quality by reducing echo path strength, improving conferencing and call quality regardless of the device's location and environment.
Implementation Method 1
capture, with the microphone, an echo of the rendered audio
Implementation Method 2
perform a Fourier Transform (FT) on the echo and perform an FT on the rendered audio
Data Source
AI summary
Dynamic device speaker tuning for echo control includes detecting audio rendering from a speaker on a device; based at least on detecting the audio rendering, capturing, with a microphone on the device, an echo of the rendered audio; performing a Fourier Transform on the echo and the rendered audio; determining a real-time transfer function for at least one signature band; determining a difference between the real-time transfer function and a reference transfer function; and tuning the speaker for audio rendering, based at least on the difference between the real-time transfer function and the reference transfer function, by adjusting an audio amplifier equalization. For some examples, the signature band represents a wall echo or an alternative mounting option. For some examples, the echo is collected during intervals while the audio rendering is ongoing.