Eyewear Sound Detection Using Time Differential Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing aids face challenges in maximizing desired acoustic input from the front while minimizing unwanted sounds from other directions due to their small size and weight, leading to issues with feedback and reception of confusing surrounding noises.
Innovation Solution
The system employs eyewear with first and second sound detectors positioned on or adjacent lenses, connected to a processing unit that determines time differentials and angular displacements of sound signals, modifying their amplitude based on stored values to enhance sounds from the frontal direction and suppress others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If the hearing aid microphone size is reduced to minimize weight and improve cosmetics, then the device becomes smaller and lighter, but the area of sound energy intercepted decreases and sensitivity increases leading to reception of confusing unwanted sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sound detection function into multiple microphones positioned at different locations (front, back, left, right) rather than using a single microphone. This segmentation allows the system to capture sound from multiple directions and selectively process signals based on their origin, thereby reducing unwanted sounds while maintaining small microphone size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing characteristics to sounds from different directions. Frontal sounds are amplified while sounds from other directions are suppressed or cancelled. This local quality approach allows the small microphones to effectively distinguish and process sounds based on their spatial origin, resolving the contradiction between small size and sound selection capability.
2Volume of moving object
If the speaker is positioned close to the microphone in the listener's ear, then the device fits better cosmetically, but feedback such as oscillation or whistling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback cancellation by detecting the feedback signal before it becomes audible and generating an anti-phase signal to cancel it. The system continuously monitors the audio path and preemptively counteracts feedback oscillation, allowing close positioning of speaker and microphone without producing harmful feedback.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sound detectors are positioned to determine time differentials and angular displacements, then sound origin determination accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from analyzing sound in one dimension (amplitude) to three dimensions by incorporating time differentials and angular displacements. By adding temporal and spatial dimensions to sound analysis, the system achieves precise sound origin determination using multiple microphones, with processing algorithms that calculate arrival time differences and angular positions to identify sound sources in 3D space.
Data Source
AI summary
Eyewear for enhanced hearing includes a first sound detector positioned on or adjacent a first lens of the eyewear, and a second sound detector positioned on or adjacent a second lens of the eyewear. A processing unit positioned on the eyewear is in communication with the first and second sound detectors. The processing unit utilizes software that includes instructions for determining a time differential between detection of a sound by the first sound detector and detection of the same sound by the second sound detector. Because the time differential is proportional to the angular displacement of the sound from directly in front of the eyewear or person wearing the eyewear, sound signals corresponding to detected sounds having an angular displacement less than a stored maximum angular displacement value can be preferentially enhanced and transmitted via a data transmission module to a hearing aid device.