Audio-Video Synchronization for Hearing Assistance Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern hearing assistance devices face challenges in synchronizing audio and video signals due to processing delays, leading to desynchronization between the audio and video streams, especially when transmitting audio signals wirelessly from devices like televisions to hearing aids, which affects both users with and without listening devices.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that synchronizes audio and video signals by processing and transmitting the audio signal to a hearing assistance device while introducing a corresponding delay in the video signal to a video display, using methods such as predetermined delay calculations, round-trip time measurements, or clock synchronization to ensure synchronized playback for both users with and without hearing aids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If audio signal is processed and transmitted wirelessly from external device to hearing assistance device, then audio signal can be delivered to wearer, but audio signal experiences processing delay causing desynchronization with video signal
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by calculating the audio processing delay in advance and applying a corresponding video delay before video playback. This allows the video to start later, compensating for the audio processing time required for wireless transmission to hearing assistance devices, thereby achieving synchronization without compromising audio delivery reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the timing parameter of the video signal by introducing a calculated delay based on measured or predetermined audio processing characteristics. This parameter adjustment ensures that video and audio signals arrive at their respective outputs simultaneously, resolving the synchronization issue caused by wireless audio processing
2Reliability
If video signal is delayed to synchronize with processed audio signal, then audio-video synchronization is achieved for hearing aid users, but video playback is delayed for other viewers
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the audio and video signal paths, applying delay compensation specifically to the video signal path. By treating the synchronization as a separate compensatory action rather than a universal delay, the system can maintain synchronized playback for hearing aid users while allowing non-users to experience original timing through separate playback paths
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary synchronization mechanism that calculates and applies video delay based on audio processing characteristics. This intermediary layer acts as a mediator between the audio processing path and video playback path, ensuring synchronization for hearing aid users without necessarily delaying video for other viewers through separate output paths
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for synchronizing audio and video signals for a listening system. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a method including receiving an audio signal and a video signal from an external device. The audio signal is processed and transmitted to a hearing assistance device having a wearer. In various embodiments, the video signal is transmitted to a video display using a delay such that the audio signal and the video signal are synchronized for the wearer.