Electronic Device Ambient Audio Detection via Wireless Relay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices with ear wearable devices, such as earphones, block the user's eardrum, making it difficult to detect ambient audio signals, increasing the risk of accidents due to missed warnings like car horns.
Innovation Solution
The electronic device includes an audio module, wireless communication circuit, and processor to acquire, analyze, and transmit ambient audio signals, controlling external devices like earphones to receive and process these signals, even when the eardrum is blocked.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the user wears ear wearable device on the ear to reproduce music, then music playback function is improved, but the user cannot detect ambient audio signals because the eardrum is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of an external electronic device with a microphone and wireless communication circuit. This intermediary captures ambient audio signals through its microphone and transmits them wirelessly to the ear wearable device, allowing the user to perceive ambient sounds without removing the earphone from the ear. The intermediary bypasses the physical blockage caused by the earphone cushioning the eardrum.
2Strength
If the ear wearable device blocks the eardrum to provide music playback, then audio playback quality is improved, but the risk of accidents increases due to inability to detect warnings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio perception function into two independent parts: (1) the ear wearable device dedicated to music playback with high audio quality, and (2) a separate external electronic device dedicated to ambient audio detection and warning signal capture. This segmentation allows each device to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, enabling the user to enjoy high-quality music while remaining aware of critical ambient warnings.
3Reliability
If the user removes the ear wearable device to detect ambient audio signals, then ambient audio detection is improved, but music playback function is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The external electronic device serves as an intermediary that captures ambient audio signals and wirelessly transmits them to the ear wearable device. This allows the user to maintain both functions simultaneously: the ear wearable device continues playing music while the external device detects and relays ambient sounds, eliminating the need to remove the earphone to hear the environment.
Data Source
AI summary
An example electronic device may include: an audio module; a wireless communication circuit for communicating with at least one external electronic device; a memory; and a processor operatively connected to the wireless communication circuit, the audio module and the memory. The processor may: acquire an ambient audio signal based on at least one of the at least one external electronic device or the audio module; identify whether preset audio information is included, based on the acquired ambient audio signal; determine the at least one external electronic device connected via the wireless communication circuit in response to the identifying of the audio information; and transmit data related to the ambient audio signal to the determined at least one external electronic device.