Video Game Audio Filter Bank for Hearing Loss Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing aids are incompatible with video gaming systems, failing to effectively enhance video game audio for users with hearing impairments, as they are designed to amplify key frequencies while neglecting the curated nature of game audio, which requires all components to be audible for an immersive experience.
Innovation Solution
A method that dynamically adjusts video game audio output in real-time by combining a discrete set of signal processing filters to approximate an optimal boost curve based on a user's hearing loss profile, using a filter bank to maintain audio quality and integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hearing aids are used to amplify key frequencies, then hearing impairment compensation is improved, but audio quality integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing frequency-specific gain adjustments tailored to the user's hearing loss profile. Instead of uniform amplification, the system applies different gain values to different frequency bands where the user has specific hearing deficiencies, thereby compensating for hearing impairment while preserving the integrity of audio components across the entire frequency spectrum.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio signal is segmented into multiple frequency bands, and the hearing compensation is applied independently to each band based on the user's specific hearing loss profile. This segmentation allows precise control over which frequencies are amplified, ensuring that only the necessary frequency ranges are adjusted while maintaining the overall audio quality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If real-time audio adjustments are made to compensate for hearing loss, then user experience is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-calculating the optimal boost curve based on the user's hearing loss profile before audio playback. The filter bank is pre-configured with multiple filters corresponding to different frequency bands and gain values. During real-time playback, the system simply selects and combines the appropriate pre-configured filters rather than calculating optimal adjustments from scratch, significantly reducing computational complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by selecting different combinations of pre-configured filters from the filter bank based on the current audio characteristics and user profile. Instead of continuously calculating complex filter parameters in real-time, the system switches between predetermined filter configurations, achieving real-time adaptability with minimal computational overhead.
3Productivity
If discrete filters are combined to approximate optimal boost curve, then computational efficiency is improved, but approximation accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selecting a subset of filters from the complete filter bank that are most relevant to the current audio segment and user profile. Rather than applying all possible filters, the system identifies and combines only the necessary filters to achieve the required approximation, thereby maintaining computational efficiency while achieving sufficient accuracy for practical hearing compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a composite filter response by combining multiple discrete filters from the filter bank. Each individual filter provides a specific frequency response characteristic, and their combination produces an approximate boost curve that closely matches the optimal curve. This composite approach allows efficient computation using simple discrete filters while achieving the functional equivalent of a complex optimal filter.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method for adjusting the audio output of a video gaming system to compensate for a user's hearing loss profile. The method comprises: determining an optimal boost curve to be applied to an output audio signal, the optimal boost curve defining a frequency dependent gain value for compensating for a user's hearing loss profile; selecting a plurality of signal processing filters from a filter bank stored in a memory such that, when combined, the plurality of signal processing filters approximate the optimal boost curve; combining the plurality of filters to form an approximate boost curve and applying the approximate boost curve to the output audio signal to compensate for a user's hearing loss profile.