Gaming Headset Audio Control for Clear Chat in Loud Gameplay

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multiplayer gaming, the wide dynamic range of game audio can overwhelm chat audio, making it difficult for users to hear voice communications, especially during intense game moments, and manual volume adjustments are cumbersome or impossible when chat and game audio are premixed.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an automatic volume control system in gaming headsets that processes combined game and chat audio signals to adjust the volume settings dynamically, ensuring chat audio remains comprehensible by detecting the strength of both audio components and generating commands to balance their levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If game audio volume is increased to enhance gaming experience, then game audio quality is improved, but chat audio becomes inaudible during intense game moments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegame audio volumeVSAvoidchat audio comprehensibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts chat audio volume based on real-time detection of game audio characteristics. The chat audio volume is not fixed but changes adaptively according to the detected game audio envelope, ensuring chat remains comprehensible during intense game moments while maintaining game audio quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback by detecting the game audio envelope and using this information to control the chat audio gain. The detected game audio characteristics feed back into the volume control mechanism, creating a closed-loop system that automatically balances chat and game audio levels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If manual volume adjustment is provided for chat audio, then user control over chat volume is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates when chat and game audio are premixed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual volume adjustmentVSAvoidvolume control system
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically detecting game audio characteristics and adjusting chat audio volume without user intervention. The volume control system serves itself by using its own detection capabilities to make real-time adjustments, eliminating the need for manual controls while maintaining ease of use

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3044875B1Automatic volume control for combined game and chat audio
Publication Date: 2022.12.14 VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH INC
  • EP3044875B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3044875B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3044875B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A system may comprise an input circuit, one or more filter circuits, one or more common signal detection circuits, and a controller. The input circuit may receive combined-game-and-chat audio signals generated from a mixing together of a chat audio signal and game audio signals. The filter circuit(s) may filter a first of the combined-game-and-chat audio signals to generate a first vocal-band signal and a first non-vocal-band signal, and filter a second of the combined-game-and-chat audio signals resulting in a second vocal-band signal and a second-non-vocal band signal. The common signal detection circuit(s) may detect strength of a signal component that is common to the first vocal-band signal and the second vocal-band signal, and strength of a signal component that is common to the first non-vocal-band signal and the second non-vocal-band signal. The controller may automatically control a volume setting based on one or both of the detected strengths.