Headset Audio Cross-Ear Feedback for Balanced Noise Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing headset audio systems struggle to effectively mitigate external noise interference, with passive noise cancellation methods being insufficient and active noise cancellation techniques often leading to unwanted artifacts and uneven noise cancellation across both ears.
Innovation Solution
A headset audio system that utilizes dual ear microphones to enhance active noise cancellation by dynamically adjusting sound signals based on noise levels and characteristics detected in the opposite ear, employing techniques such as boosting, panning, and frequency-selective amplification to optimize audio quality and reduce noise interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If active noise cancellation is used to reduce external noise, then noise reduction is improved, but unwanted artifacts and uneven noise cancellation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses microphone signals from both ears as feedback to dynamically adjust the sound signals. The controller receives microphone signals, determines noise levels in both ears, and uses this feedback information to adaptively modify the sound signals sent to each ear, thereby reducing artifacts and achieving more uniform noise cancellation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the sound signals based on real-time noise conditions detected by microphones in both ears. The controller continuously monitors noise levels and modifies the sound signals accordingly, transitioning from static noise cancellation to a dynamic, adaptive system that responds to changing environmental conditions.
2Measurement precision
If sound signals are boosted in one ear to compensate for noise, then audio clarity is improved, but imbalance between ears occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system intentionally applies asymmetric processing by boosting the sound signal in one ear based on the noise conditions detected in the other ear. This asymmetric approach allows optimization of audio clarity in the quieter ear while compensating for noise in the other ear, achieving overall balance through controlled asymmetry.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different sound signal processing to each ear based on local noise conditions. Each ear receives customized sound signals tailored to its specific acoustic environment, with the controller adjusting parameters independently for each ear to maintain overall balance while optimizing local audio quality.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If frequency-selective amplification is applied to reduce noise, then noise cancellation is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes frequency parameters selectively to reduce noise. The controller performs frequency-selective amplification by adjusting gain parameters at different frequency bands based on noise characteristics detected by the microphones, allowing targeted noise reduction without uniformly processing all frequencies.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprising:means for receiving one or more left ear microphone signals;means for receiving one or more right ear microphone signals;means for boosting a left ear sound signal in dependence upon the received one or more right ear microphone signals;means for boosting a right ear sound signal in dependence upon the received one or more left ear microphone signals.