Headphone Call Noise Reduction Using Phase-Based Talker Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless headphones fail to selectively cancel external noise during conversations, leading to poor noise reduction effects and inability to distinguish between the user's voice and third-party talker sounds.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent call noise reduction device with multiple microphones and a sound processing module that utilizes phase relationships to distinguish and retain primary and third-party talker sounds while removing background noise, enhanced by a human body sensing module for adaptive noise reduction modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If all environmental noise is canceled by generating an output signal to compensate for external noise, then the noise reduction effect is improved, but the wireless headphone cannot select the voice of the talker during conversation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal processing into multiple independent pathways: one for noise reduction and another for talker voice selection. The sound collecting and processing module separately processes environmental noise cancellation and talker voice identification, allowing both functions to operate simultaneously without interference. This segmentation enables the system to reduce noise while preserving the ability to select and prioritize talker voices during conversations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of processing by adding multiple microphones positioned at different locations (first microphone near the user's mouth, second microphone near the earpiece). This spatial dimensionality allows the system to distinguish between different sound sources (talker voice vs. environmental noise) based on their physical origins, enabling selective noise reduction that preserves important speech signals.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional noise reduction methods are used, then the noise reduction effect is poor, but the system cannot distinguish between primary talker sound and third-party talker sound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different functional characteristics to different microphones based on their positions. The first microphone (near the user's mouth) is optimized for capturing the user's voice, while the second microphone (near the earpiece) is optimized for capturing ambient sounds and third-party talker voices. This localized optimization enables precise sound source discrimination and improves noise reduction efficacy for different types of sounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of microphone positioning to achieve different noise reduction effects. By strategically placing microphones at specific locations within the headphone structure, the system captures sound waves from different directions and distances, creating distinct acoustic signatures that enable the processing module to differentiate between primary talker sound, third-party talker sound, and background noise.
3Measurement precision
If multiple microphones are added to distinguish different talker sounds, then the sound source discrimination capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing a sound collecting and processing module that handles multiple functions through a unified architecture. The same module processes signals from both microphones, performs noise reduction, identifies talker voices, and manages audio output. This multi-functional design improves talker sound discrimination without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the processing module efficiently manages multiple tasks simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively filters out background noise while preserving primary and third-party talker sounds, improving noise reduction efficacy and ensuring clear communication.
Implementation Method 1
The first voltage signal and the third voltage signal have the same phase. The second voltage signal and the fourth voltage signal have different phases.
Implementation Method 2
retain the talker sound source based on the first voltage signal and the third voltage signal and remove the background sound source based on the second voltage signal and the fourth voltage signal
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an intelligent call noise reduction device, method, and headphone. The device includes a first microphone, a second microphone, a sound collecting and processing module and a loudspeaker unit. The first microphone is near to a primary talker sound source. The second microphone is near to a third-party talker sound source. The first microphone receives a talker sound source and generates a first voltage signal based on the talker sound source and receives a background sound source and generates a second voltage signal based on the background sound source. The second microphone receives the talker sound source and generates a third voltage signal based on the talker sound source and receives the background sound source and generates a fourth voltage signal based on the background sound source. The talker sound source includes the primary talker sound source and the third-party talker sound source.