User-Configurable Hearing Device Noise Cancellation with Sound Whitelisting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional noise cancellation systems fail to adapt dynamically to user preferences and environmental conditions, leading to suboptimal performance in capturing desired sounds and canceling unwanted noise.

Innovation Solution

A headset with configurable noise cancellation that allows users to customize noise cancellation settings through a graphical user interface or voice commands, adjusting microphone directionality, sensitivity, and noise cancellation levels based on user-defined whitelists and blacklists, location, activity, and detected sounds, and automatically controlling audio volume and noise cancellation to enhance user experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional noise cancellation systems are used, then noise cancellation function is provided, but the system cannot adapt dynamically to user preferences and environmental conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to user preferences and environmental conditionsVSAvoidperformance in capturing desired sounds and canceling unwanted noise

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adaptability by allowing real-time adjustment of noise cancellation parameters based on detected environmental conditions and user preferences. The system dynamically modifies microphone directionality, sensitivity thresholds, and noise cancellation levels according to changing acoustic environments and user-defined criteria, transforming a static system into one that continuously optimizes its performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where environmental sensors and user input are continuously monitored to adjust noise cancellation settings. The detected sounds, location data, and user preferences serve as feedback signals that trigger automatic or manual adjustment of the noise cancellation algorithm, ensuring the system adapts to current conditions while maintaining reliable sound capture and noise reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If noise cancellation settings are fixed, then system operation is simple, but user-specific audio preferences cannot be accommodated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization to user audio preferencesVSAvoidconfiguration interface and control mechanisms

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides self-service functionality by automatically detecting environmental conditions and suggesting or applying appropriate noise cancellation settings without requiring manual user configuration. The automatic detection of sounds, location, and acoustic characteristics enables the system to self-adjust parameters, reducing the operational burden on users while maintaining high adaptability to individual preferences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes by modifying key noise cancellation parameters such as microphone directionality angles, sensitivity thresholds, and cancellation levels based on detected environmental factors and user preferences. These parameter adjustments are made through configurable options that balance customization capability with ease of use, allowing the system to adapt to user-specific audio preferences without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If microphone directionality is fixed, then device structure is simple, but sound capture accuracy varies in different environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound capture accuracyVSAvoidmicrophone array control and processing

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts microphone directionality parameters based on detected sound sources and environmental conditions. The microphone array control is modified in real-time to optimize sound capture accuracy for different scenarios such as speech recognition, music listening, or ambient noise monitoring, transforming fixed directional patterns into adaptive beamforming configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements parameter changes in microphone array processing by adjusting beamforming parameters, directional sensitivity patterns, and frequency response characteristics according to environmental detection results. These parameter modifications enable the system to maintain high sound capture accuracy across varying environments while managing the complexity through algorithmic optimization rather than hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250274697A1HEARING DEVICE WITH USER CONFIGURABLE NOISE CANCELLATION vs AMBIENT NOISE PICKUP

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 VOYETRA TURTLE BEACH INC

AI summary

A system comprises automatic noise cancellation circuitry and interface circuitry operable to provide an interface via which a user can configure which sounds said automatic noise cancelling circuitry attempts to cancel and which sounds said automatic noise cancelling circuitry does not attempt to cancel. The interface circuitry may be operable to provide an interface via which a user can select a sound to whitelist or blacklist. The interface circuitry may be operable to provide an interface via which a user can increase or decrease an amount of noise cancellation that is desired. The interface circuitry may be operable to provide an interface via which a user can select from among three or more levels of noise cancellation.