External Microphone Array Automatic Direction Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Hearing impaired individuals face challenges in noisy environments due to difficulties in controlling directionality of sound sources with existing external microphone arrays, which often require manual adjustment and can be cumbersome, and may inadvertently pick up unwanted sounds from others when the user is not present.

Innovation Solution

An external microphone array that automatically detects the listening direction using wireless signals from a remote control or by comparing acoustic signals from the hearing aid with those received by the microphone array, allowing for enhanced sound source localization and reduced noise interference, integrated with a SmartPhone for processing and connectivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an external microphone array is used to improve speech understanding in noisy environments, then the signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to manual direction control requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal-to-noise ratioVSAvoidmanual direction control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The microphone array system automatically determines the sound source direction by receiving wireless signals from a remote control or by comparing acoustic signals from the hearing aid with those received by the microphone array, eliminating the need for manual direction control while maintaining high signal-to-noise ratio

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms where the hearing aid transmits acoustic signals back to the microphone array for comparison, enabling automatic direction determination and adaptive noise filtering without user intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If an external microphone array is placed on a table to capture speech, then speech understanding is improved, but the ease of operation worsens due to risk of being forgotten or misplaced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeech understandingVSAvoiddevice memory

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing aid provides feedback to the microphone array system, enabling automatic detection of user presence and active listening mode, which prevents the system from being forgotten or misplaced by continuously monitoring acoustic environment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless communication link between the hearing aid and microphone array acts as an intermediary that coordinates device activation and placement, ensuring the microphone array is actively used only when the user is present

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If directionality is used to enhance sound sources in front of the hearing impaired person, then noise reduction is improved, but the ease of operation worsens because the user must keep head still to maintain speaker in focus beam

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise reductionVSAvoidhead movement freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The microphone array system dynamically adjusts the focus beam direction based on detected sound source position, allowing the user to move their head freely while maintaining optimal noise reduction performance through continuous adaptation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from acoustic signal comparison to automatically track and follow the sound source direction, eliminating the need for the user to maintain fixed head position while preserving effective noise filtering

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If an external microphone is used to capture speech close to the speaker, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but the ease of operation worsens due to need to place microphone on table or clothes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal-to-noise ratioVSAvoidmicrophone placement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing aid serves as an intermediary device that wirelessly connects to the microphone array, eliminating the need for direct placement of the microphone on tables or clothes while maintaining close proximity to the speaker for optimal signal capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces mechanical placement requirements with wireless communication, allowing the microphone array to be positioned optimally for signal capture without physical attachment to surfaces or clothing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9510112B2External microphone array and hearing aid using it

Publication Date: 2016.11.29 OTICON

AI summary

An external microphone array is configured to be used with a hearing aid and comprises a number of microphones configured to detect one or more sound signals from a sound source and means for wirelessly sending the detected sound signal to at least one hearing aid. The external microphone array comprises means for automatically determining the direction of the sound source either by: a) receiving a wireless signal transmitted from a remote control; b) by receiving acoustic signals picked up by the hearing aid(s) and by further comparing the signals with signals received by the external microphone array. The external microphone array may e.g. take the form of a sphere, a hemi-sphere or a neckband.