Wireless Earbud Noise Cancellation With Emergency Sound Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of wireless audio devices face difficulties in responding to unexpected situations due to ambient sound blocking, which deteriorates their experience and requires a function to guide them about the situation and actively block ambient sounds.
Innovation Solution
A wireless audio device equipped with microphones, speakers, sensors, and a processor that identifies specific outside sounds, outputs a notification sound, and adjusts noise cancellation based on user motion, allowing users to respond to external sounds while maintaining a noise-free environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If active noise cancellation is used to block ambient sounds, then noise-free environment is improved, but user awareness of unexpected situations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio processing into two distinct paths: active noise cancellation for continuous ambient sounds and emergency sound detection for specific critical sounds. The processor separates noise cancellation signals from emergency detection signals, allowing selective application of noise cancellation while preserving awareness of important external sounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary emergency detection mechanism that mediates between the noise cancellation function and user awareness. The sensor detects user motion, and the processor uses this as an intermediary signal to temporarily suspend noise cancellation and output emergency sounds, thus bridging the gap between noise blocking and situational awareness.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If noise cancellation is continuously active, then noise-free environment is maintained, but user responsiveness to emergencies is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the noise cancellation function dynamic by allowing it to be temporarily suspended based on sensor input. The processor continuously monitors sensor data for emergency motions and dynamically adjusts the noise cancellation output, switching from active noise cancellation to emergency sound output when needed, thus maintaining both long-term noise freedom and short-term emergency responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where sensor data about user motion is continuously fed back to the processor. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect emergency situations and automatically adjust the noise cancellation function in real-time, ensuring reliability of emergency response while maintaining noise cancellation during normal use.
3Loss of information
If emergency sound detection is added to noise cancellation, then user guidance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing processor multi-functional by enabling it to perform both noise cancellation and emergency sound detection using the same hardware components. The processor selectively applies different algorithms to the same audio input stream, allowing one component to serve multiple functions without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the emergency detection function with the existing noise cancellation processing pipeline. Both functions share the same microphone input, processor, and speaker output, combining multiple functions into a unified system that reduces overall device complexity compared to having separate independent systems.
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
The solution effectively guides users about unexpected situations and actively manages ambient sounds, enhancing user experience by enabling responsiveness to external sounds while maintaining noise cancellation.
Implementation Method 1
identifying a motion of a user of the wireless audio device through at least one sensor
Implementation Method 2
a sound for reducing an outside sound acquired through at least one microphone is output through at least one speaker
Implementation Method 3
an outside sound acquired through at least one microphone
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a wireless audio device, which includes at least one microphone, at least one speaker, at least one sensor, a processor, and a memory storing instructions, and the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the wireless audio device, while the wireless audio device outputs a sound for reducing an outside sound acquired through the at least one microphone through the at least one speaker, to identify a specified outside sound of the outside sound acquired through the at least one microphone, to output a notification sound for indicating that the specified outside sound is identified through the at least one speaker, to identify a motion of a user of the wireless audio device through the at least one sensor, in response to outputting the notification sound, and to stop the output of the sound for reducing the outside sound based on the identified motion.