Earphone Audio Feedback Path for Consistent Call Sound Effects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing earphone devices struggle with inconsistent audio processing, making it difficult for users to ensure that the sound effect heard by themselves matches the sound effect transmitted to the call recipient, leading to uncertainty and reduced user confidence in call quality.
Innovation Solution
An earphone device with a control unit that detects whether local audio and talking are allowed, controlling audio processing modules to ensure consistent audio processing before transmission and playback, allowing users to confirm the sound effect before engaging in a call.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If audio processing is performed before transmission in earphone devices, then the sound effect quality transmitted to the call recipient is improved, but the user cannot confirm whether the sound effect matches what they hear, leading to uncertainty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the processed audio signal is routed back to the user's ear for listening. This allows the user to directly compare the processed sound with their own voice, providing real-time feedback on the audio processing effect and enabling confirmation of sound quality consistency between transmission and local playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio processing system is segmented into separate transmission path and local playback path. The processed audio signal is divided, with one portion sent to the communication unit for transmission and another portion routed to the local speaker for user listening, allowing independent optimization and verification of each path.
2Reliability
If noise reduction technology is applied to eliminate background sound, then call quality is improved, but users lose the ability to hear their own voice and local ambient sound
Solution Approach 1:
Different audio processing qualities are applied to different output paths. The transmission path receives full noise reduction processing for optimal call quality, while the local playback path receives minimal or no noise reduction to preserve the user's natural audio environment and ability to hear their own voice.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary audio processing to separate the user's voice from ambient noise before transmission, while simultaneously providing a parallel local audio path that preserves the original mixed signal for user reference, allowing the user to maintain spatial awareness and voice monitoring.
3Measurement precision
If audio processing modules process all audio signals, then transmission quality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The audio processing unit is designed as a universal module that handles both transmission audio processing and local playback audio processing through the same hardware infrastructure. This multi-functional design allows a single processing unit to serve multiple purposes, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high audio quality for both paths.
Data Source
AI summary
An earphone device, a communication device, a communication system and a communication method are described. The communication method comprises: collecting a local audio signal comprising a local ambient sound, and performing audio processing before transmission on the local audio signal to obtain a first audio signal when a local audio is allowed to be played and/or talking is allowed; performing audio processing before playback on the first audio signal to obtain a second audio signal, and playing the second audio signal when the local audio is allowed to be played; transmitting the first audio signal to an external device when the talking is allowed.