Earpiece Voice Control With Echo Suppression in Noisy Playback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable communication devices struggle to differentiate between a user's voice and background noise or music when multiple media experiences occur simultaneously, leading to difficulties in voice operation and interactive experiences.
Innovation Solution
The device employs an Ambient Sound Microphone and Ear Canal Microphone to capture and process ambient and internal sounds, using echo suppression algorithms to isolate the user's voice and adjust audio content delivery based on voice activity levels, enabling personalized voice-operated control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the microphone captures all sounds in the environment, then the device can detect the user's voice, but it also captures background noise and music making it difficult to differentiate the user's voice from other sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sound capture function into two separate microphones: an ambient sound microphone for capturing external sounds and an ear canal microphone for capturing sounds within the ear canal. This segmentation allows the system to process and differentiate between user voice and background noise more effectively by comparing signals from both microphones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an echo canceller as an intermediary component that processes the audio content signal to remove echo from the internal sound signal. This intermediary element mediates between the raw microphone inputs and the final voice detection, enabling accurate differentiation of the user's voice from playback audio and background noise.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device supports multiple media functions simultaneously, then the user experience is enhanced, but the device becomes confused about which media experience receives primary attention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors the internal sound signal for voice activity and uses this information to dynamically control audio routing and processing. The echo canceller uses feedback from the audio content signal to generate an echo estimate that is subtracted from the internal sound signal, enabling real-time adaptation to user needs while maintaining multiple media functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic signal processing where the system adapts its behavior based on real-time detection of voice activity. The voice operated control dynamically adjusts which media function receives primary attention based on whether the user is speaking, allowing seamless transitions between different media experiences without complex control logic.
3Measurement precision
If echo suppression is applied to isolate the user's voice, then voice detection accuracy improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing the audio content signal through an echo canceller before it is mixed with the ambient sound signal. The echo canceller generates an echo estimate in advance that is subtracted from the internal sound signal, removing echo contamination before voice detection occurs. This preliminary processing simplifies subsequent voice activity detection while maintaining high accuracy.
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
This solution allows for seamless voice operation and media control, effectively distinguishing the user's voice from background noise and music, enhancing interactive experiences by suppressing echoes and adjusting audio content accordingly.
Implementation Method 1
capturing an ambient sound from at least one Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM) to produce an electronic ambient signal
Implementation Method 2
delivering audio content to an ear canal by way of an Ear Canal Receiver (ECR) to produce an acoustic audio content
Implementation Method 3
capturing in the ear canal an internal sound from at least one Ear Canal Microphone (ECM) to produce an electronic internal signal
Implementation Method 4
suppressing the echo of the audio content in the electronic internal signal to produce a modified electronic internal signal containing the spoken voice
Data Source
AI summary
An earpiece (100) and a method (300) personalized voice operable control can include capturing (302) an ambient sound from an Ambient Sound Microphone (111) to produce an electronic ambient signal (426), delivering (304) audio content (402) to an ear canal (131) by way of an Ear Canal Receiver (125) to produce an acoustic audio content (404) and capturing (306) in the ear canal an internal sound (402) from an Ear Canal Microphone (123) to produce an electronic internal signal (410). The electronic internal signal includes an echo of the acoustic audio content and a spoken voice generated by a wearer of the earpiece. The Method also includes detecting (312) the spoken voice in the electronic internal signal in the presence of the echo, and controlling (314) a voice operation of the earpiece when the spoken voice is detected.