Earbud DSP Generative Audio for Sleep Masking and Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing earphones face challenges in efficiently managing power consumption, sound masking, and emotional/cognitive state management, particularly for earbuds designed for comfort and sleep, due to incongruous sound production, significant power usage, and distracting transitions in audio tracks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a generative audio system on a digital signal processor of earphones that utilizes reduced computing and power resources, reactive sound masking, and fine-tunable ISO state management through synthesized audio, including a generative audio engine, mask feature generation, and ISO management engine, which dynamically adjusts audio based on user physiological data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If active sound masking is used to block environmental noise, then sound blocking effectiveness is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses generative audio synthesis to create simplified representations of desired audio tracks rather than playing full high-quality audio files. The digital signal processor generates approximate waveforms that capture essential characteristics (tempo, mood, energy) without requiring complete audio data, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining effectiveness for ISO state management and sound masking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs low-fidelity generative audio synthesis instead of high-quality audio playback. The synthesized audio is intentionally lower quality but sufficient for its purpose of managing cognitive state and masking environmental sounds, reducing the computational and power resources needed compared to playing full-quality audio tracks continuously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed pre-recorded audio tracks are used for ISO state management, then emotional and cognitive state management is improved, but distracting transitions and repetition occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static pre-recorded audio tracks to dynamic generative audio synthesis. The digital signal processor continuously generates audio waveforms that can adapt in real-time to user physiological feedback and changing environmental conditions, eliminating fixed transitions between tracks and preventing repetition while maintaining ISO state management effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops where user physiological data (heart rate, respiration, etc.) is continuously monitored and used to adjust the generative audio parameters in real-time. This closed-loop control allows the audio to adapt dynamically to the user's changing cognitive and emotional state, maintaining effectiveness without requiring pre-defined track transitions.
3Measurement precision
If high-quality audio tracks are streamed to earbuds, then audio quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates simplified copies of audio tracks through generative synthesis rather than streaming complete high-quality files. The digital signal processor generates waveform approximations that capture essential audio characteristics without requiring the full data bandwidth and processing power needed for high-quality audio streaming, significantly reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential characteristics of desired audio (tempo, mood, energy levels, frequency ranges) and generates minimal waveform data that reproduces these characteristics. This extraction approach removes unnecessary audio data and processing requirements, leaving only the critical elements needed for ISO state management and sound masking.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method, a device, and/or a system of reduced computing and/or power resources, reactive masking of environmental sound, and/or fine-tunable ISO state management through generative audio such as synthesized audio rendered on a digital signal processor of an earphone. In one embodiment, a method includes initiating sound on a speaker of an earbud from an audio track. One or more physiological features of the user may be determined from physiological data received on sensors of the earbud. A cognitive state of the user may be determined to include a sleep state based on the physiological features, and a generative audio is initiated in response. The generative audio may be faded into the audio and the audio track faded out of the audio such that the generative audio replaces the audio track to reduce power consumption of the earbud associated with playing the audio track.