Hearables Proximity-Based Feedback Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing aids and hearables face challenges with acoustic feedback and echo due to the proximity of microphones and speakers, leading to unpleasant squeals or echoes, which existing adaptive feedback and echo cancellation strategies struggle to balance, often resulting in poor performance and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating proximity sensors to dynamically adjust the adaptation rate of feedback filters in hearing devices, allowing for real-time modulation of the feedback cancellation strategy based on changes in the acoustic coupling environment, thereby improving the effectiveness of feedback and echo cancellation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If adaptive feedback cancellation is used to suppress acoustic feedback, then feedback squeals are reduced, but adaptation may be overly aggressive causing distortion or entrainment of desired signal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the adaptation rate adjustable based on signal characteristics. The system dynamically modifies the adaptation rate of the feedback canceller according to the autocorrelation properties of the desired signal, allowing aggressive adaptation when safe and restrained adaptation when autocorrelated components are present, thus resolving the contradiction between feedback suppression and signal distortion prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the adaptation rate parameter of the feedback canceller based on detected signal characteristics. By monitoring autocorrelation and adjusting the adaptation rate parameter accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between feedback cancellation effectiveness and preservation of desired signal integrity
2Object-affected harmful factors
If adaptive echo cancellation is used to suppress acoustic echo, then echo is reduced, but adaptation may be overly aggressive causing insufficient suppression or transmission of echo
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the adaptation rate of the echo canceller adjustable based on signal characteristics. The system dynamically modifies the adaptation rate according to autocorrelation properties, ensuring reliable echo suppression while avoiding the pitfalls of overly aggressive or overly restrained adaptation
3Device complexity
If fixed adaptation rate is used for feedback cancellation, then system complexity is reduced, but performance is poor under varying acoustic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the feedback canceller to automatically adjust its own adaptation rate based on characteristics of the desired signal. The system monitors autocorrelation properties and autonomously modifies adaptation parameters, providing environment-specific optimization without requiring manual intervention or complex external control systems
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative wearable hearing device or hearing aid includes: a speaker that converts a reproduced signal into reproduced audio; a microphone that converts ambient audio into a receive signal, the ambient audio potentially including a feedback component; a feedback filter that filters the reproduced signal to obtain an estimated feedback component; a combiner that derives the reproduced signal from the receive signal at least in part by subtracting the estimated feedback component; and a controller that, subject to an adaptation rate, adjusts coefficients of the feedback filter to at least partially cancel the feedback component, the controller varying the adaption rate based at least in part on one or more proximity sensor signals.