Earphone Device With Multi-Microphone Segmentation For Noise Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available earphone devices are limited in meeting the advanced needs of consumers, such as professional gamers and movie creators, who require higher sound resolution and customized listening experiences with functions like active noise cancellation and stereo recording, without the need for external microphones.
Innovation Solution
An earphone device with integrated microphones and processing units that enable active noise cancellation, environmental recording, and otoacoustic emissions testing, allowing for customized listening experiences by analyzing hearing ability at different frequencies and producing stereo recording signals using internal microphones for both noise cancellation and recording.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple functions (active noise cancellation, stereo recording, OAE test) are integrated into a single earphone device, then the versatility and customized listening experience are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions (active noise cancellation, stereo recording, and otoacoustic emissions testing) into a single earphone device. The microphones and speakers are configured to serve multiple purposes: microphones capture both environmental sounds for noise cancellation and feedback sounds for OAE testing, while speakers emit both noise cancelling signals and testing sound signals. This multi-functionality approach allows the device to provide customized listening experiences without requiring separate external devices for each function.
2Ease of operation
If internal microphones are used for both noise cancellation and recording, then the need for external microphones is eliminated, but the measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple microphones (first microphone, second microphone, third microphone, fourth microphone) positioned at different locations within the earphone device. Each microphone captures sound signals from different positions, allowing the system to segment the sound field and process different signals separately. This segmentation enables the device to maintain measurement precision by selecting or combining signals from specific microphones based on the operational mode (noise cancellation vs. recording vs. OAE testing).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a processing unit that acts as an intermediary between the microphones and the output functions. This processing unit receives raw sound signals from multiple microphones, processes and filters them appropriately, and generates the required output signals (noise cancelling signals, recording signals, or OAE test results). The processing unit ensures that the internal microphones can serve multiple functions while maintaining the required signal accuracy through proper signal processing.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses an earphone device comprising a first case, a first speaker unit, a first recording unit, and a second recording unit. The first speaker unit, disposed inside the first case, emits a first testing sound signal according to a test command. The first recording unit, disposed inside the first case, records a first environment sound signal according to a record command or a noise cancelling command. The second recording unit, disposed inside the first case, records a first feedback sound signal, related to the first testing sound signal, according to the test command.