Earphone ANC Automatic Blocking for Danger Notification Sounds

Solution Overview

Problem

Active Noise Control (ANC) earphones unconditionally block danger occurrence notification sounds, such as alarms and warnings, potentially delaying users' response to critical situations, and there is a lack of research on the cognitive response to these sounds in fire safety contexts.

Innovation Solution

An earphone with an ANC automatic blocking function that recognizes unique sound information of danger occurrence notification sounds, automatically turning off the noise-canceling function when such sounds are detected, using a combination of sound registration, recognition, and analysis units, and incorporating EEG data for brainwave response patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the ANC function is activated to block ambient noise, then noise cancellation performance is improved, but danger occurrence notification sounds are also blocked causing safety issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise cancellation performanceVSAvoidblocking of danger notification sounds

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ANC function is made dynamic by enabling it to automatically turn off when danger occurrence notification sounds are detected. The system transitions from a static always-on state to a dynamic state that adapts based on the detected sound type, allowing the ANC to be activated/deactivated according to environmental conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the ambient sound environment and automatically adjusting the ANC function based on the detected sound characteristics. When danger notification sounds are detected through sound analysis, the system provides feedback to turn off the ANC function, ensuring safety while maintaining noise cancellation during normal conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If the ANC function blocks all external sounds, then listening quality is improved, but user response time to danger sounds deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelistening qualityVSAvoiduser response time to danger sounds

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful blocking effect is extracted and removed selectively. The system identifies and extracts danger occurrence notification sounds from the ambient noise through sound recognition and analysis, then specifically removes the blocking effect for these critical sounds by turning off the ANC function, while maintaining blocking for ordinary ambient noise during normal operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If ANC earphones are used during fire safety situations, then personal audio enjoyment is improved, but cognitive response to fire alarms deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio enjoyment capabilityVSAvoidcognitive response to fire alarms

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the ambient sound environment and automatically adjusting the ANC function based on the detected sound characteristics. When danger notification sounds are detected through sound analysis, the system provides feedback to turn off the ANC function, ensuring safety while maintaining noise cancellation during normal conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The ANC function is made dynamic by enabling it to automatically turn off when danger occurrence notification sounds are detected. The system transitions from a static always-on state to a dynamic state that adapts based on the detected sound type, allowing the ANC to be activated/deactivated according to environmental conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20240005901A1Earphone with ANC automatically blocking function and method for controlling the same

Publication Date: 2024.01.04 PUKYONG NAT UNIV IND ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUND

AI summary

An earphone with an ANC automatic blocking function includes: a danger occurrence notification sound information registration unit registering and storing unique sound information of a danger occurrence notification sound certified by a public institution; an external sound recognition unit recognizing an external sound during operation of an ANC function; a sound information comparison analysis unit comparing sound information recognized by the external sound recognition unit with sound information registered in the danger occurrence notification sound information registration unit and analyzing and determining whether matching sound information exists; and an ANC function maintaining and blocking controller blocking the ANC function immediately when it is determined from an analysis result of the sound information comparison analysis unit that there exists sound information matching the sound information recognized by the external sound recognition unit.