Earphone Ambient Sound Pass-Through via Voice Activity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sound isolating earphones disconnect users from their local environment, impairing communication with people nearby due to the need for manual activation of ambient sound pass-through, which can be difficult in hands-free situations.
Innovation Solution
An earphone system with an ambient sound microphone and signal processing that automatically adjusts the gain of ambient and audio content signals based on user voice activity, allowing ambient sound to be passed through to the ear canal receiver without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sound isolating earphones are used to block ambient sound, then audio content listening quality is improved, but user awareness of local environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The audio output is segmented into two separate paths: one path delivers audio content through the ear canal receiver with sound isolation, while the other path delivers ambient sound through the same ear canal receiver. This segmentation allows both functions to coexist without interfering with each other, resolving the contradiction between audio quality and environmental awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The ambient sound microphone and signal processing system act as intermediaries to capture and process ambient sound, then mix it with audio content signals. This intermediary system enables the transmission of environmental sound information to the user while maintaining audio content quality, bridging the gap between sound isolation and environmental awareness.
2Loss of information
If manual ambient sound pass-through activation is implemented, then environmental sound awareness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates in hands-free situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting when the user needs ambient sound pass-through through voice activity detection. The system activates ambient sound transmission without requiring manual user input, making the operation hands-free and convenient while maintaining environmental awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the ambient sound microphone and voice activity detection algorithms to automatically control the ambient sound pass-through function. This feedback mechanism enables the system to respond to user needs dynamically without manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between environmental awareness and ease of hands-free operation.
3Loss of information
If ambient sound gain is increased during voice activity, then environmental communication is improved, but audio content listening quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ambient sound gain is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts the ambient sound gain based on detected voice activity, increasing it during speech and decreasing it during non-speech periods. This dynamic adjustment allows environmental communication to be improved when needed while preserving audio content listening quality at other times.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic modulation of ambient sound gain synchronized with the user's speech patterns. During voice activity periods, ambient sound gain is increased to facilitate environmental communication; during non-voice periods, ambient sound gain is decreased to preserve audio content quality. This periodic action resolves the contradiction by timing the gain changes with natural speech rhythms.
Data Source
AI summary
Earphone systems and methods for automatically directing ambient sound to an earphone device are provided. An ambient microphone signal from an ambient microphone proximate a sound isolating earphone or headset device is directed to a receiver within an earphone device according to mixing circuitry. The mixing circuitry is controlled by voice activity of the earphone device wearer. This enables hands-free operation of an earphone system to allow the earphone device wearer to maintain situation awareness with the surrounding environment. During detected voice activity, incoming audio content is attenuated while ambient sound is increased and provided to the earphone device. User voice activity is detected by analysis of at least one of an ear canal microphone signal or an ambient sound microphone signal.