Headphone Sound Image Positioning for Hands-Free Conversation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headphones with noise cancelling functions often reduce the voice of a person speaking in front of the user to background noise, making it difficult to converse without removing the headphone or disabling the noise cancelling feature, especially when hands are occupied.
Innovation Solution
A reproducing device and headphone system that includes a talk detection unit to automatically adjust the sound image positioning, moving it to the rear when conversation is detected, allowing the user to talk without removing the headphone or disabling the noise cancelling feature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the noise cancelling function is activated to reduce external noise, then the clarity of reproduced sound is improved, but the voice of a person speaking in front of the user is reduced to background noise making conversation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The noise cancelling function dynamically switches between active and inactive states based on detection of conversation. When speech is detected from the front, the system automatically deactivates noise cancelling to allow clear conversation, then reactivates it when conversation ends, resolving the contradiction between noise reduction and conversation ease
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a speech detection unit to monitor external sounds and provide feedback about conversation states. This feedback triggers automatic switching of the noise cancelling function, enabling the system to adapt to user needs without manual intervention and maintaining both clear music playback and easy conversation
2Ease of operation
If the user removes the headphone or depresses the mute button to talk with a person, then conversation becomes possible, but the operation becomes troublesome especially when hands are full
Solution Approach 1:
The headphone system performs self-service by automatically detecting conversation through the speech detection unit and autonomously switching the noise cancelling function without requiring user actions. This eliminates the need for manual button pressing or headphone removal, making conversation as easy as simply speaking
Solution Approach 2:
The speech detection unit acts as a catalyst that accelerates the switching response by detecting speech signals and immediately triggering the noise cancelling deactivation, eliminating delays and manual steps in the conversation initiation process
3Ease of operation
If the volume of reproduced sound is turned down to hear a person, then conversation becomes possible, but the music listening experience is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the noise cancelling state based on conversation detection rather than volume adjustment. When speech is detected, noise cancelling is deactivated to allow natural conversation at full music volume, preserving both conversation ease and music quality simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
A reproducing device includes a reproducing unit configured to reproduce a contents sound, an output unit configured to output the contents sound which has been reproduced using the reproducing unit to a headphone, a talk detection unit configured to detect that a headphone fitter who fits the headphone talks with a person and an image normal position control unit configured to move the normal position of the image of the contents sound which has been reproduced using the reproducing unit to an arbitrary position when the talk detecting unit has detected that the headphone fitter has started talking with the person.