Hearing Device Voice Extraction via Dual Transducers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Noise in streamed or transmitted audio signals decreases signal quality during communication between hearing devices and external devices, particularly in environments with ambient noise, and existing solutions fail to effectively cancel noise while allowing two-way communication.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device with a processing unit, first and second input transducers, and a user voice extraction unit that converts and filters audio signals to separate and extract the user's voice signal from ambient noise, enabling effective noise cancellation and two-way communication by transmitting the extracted voice signal while filtering out external noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If noise cancellation is implemented in streaming communication between hearing devices, then signal quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a second input transducer as an intermediary element that captures both the audio output signal and body-conducted voice signal. This mediator enables the voice extraction unit to separate the user's voice from ambient noise by comparing the two signals, thereby improving signal quality without requiring complex noise cancellation algorithms in the main processing path
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex digital signal processing and noise cancellation algorithms with a simpler approach based on physical signal capture. By using the second input transducer to directly capture body-conducted voice signals, the system substitutes sophisticated software-based noise cancellation with a more straightforward hardware-based signal separation method
2Reliability
If the second input transducer captures both audio output signal and body-conducted voice signal, then noise cancellation effectiveness is improved, but signal separation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback by using the processed first signal (audio output signal) as a reference that is fed into the second input transducer. The voice extraction unit compares the captured body-conducted voice signal against this known reference signal, enabling effective separation of the user's voice from ambient noise through adaptive filtering and signal subtraction techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio signal processing into distinct components: the audio output signal path and the body-conducted voice signal path. By separating these signals through different transducers and processing paths, the system simplifies the overall signal separation task, allowing the voice extraction unit to focus on extracting the voice component from the body-conducted signal rather than separating multiple mixed signals
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
The solution provides clear, noise-reduced voice transmission between hearing devices and external devices, enhancing communication quality by isolating the user's voice from ambient noise, thus improving signal-to-noise ratio and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a first acoustic input transducer connected to the processing unit for converting a first acoustic signal into a first input signal to the processing unit
Implementation Method 2
an acoustic output transducer connected to the processing unit for converting the processed first signal into an audio output signal
Implementation Method 3
a second input transducer for providing a second input signal, where the second input signal is provided by converting, in the second input transducer, at least the audio output signal from the acoustic output transducer and a body-conducted voice signal
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing device includes: a first input transducer configured to convert an acoustic signal into a first input signal; a processing unit configured to provide a processed signal based on the first input signal; an acoustic output transducer configured to provide an audio output signal of based on the processed signal; a second input transducer configured to provide a second input signal based at least on the audio output signal from the acoustic output transducer and a body-conducted voice signal from a user of the hearing device; and a user voice extraction unit connected to the processing unit for receiving the processed signal, and connected to the second input transducer for receiving the second input signal, wherein the user voice extraction unit is configured to extract a voice signal based at least on the second input signal and the processed signal.