Hearing Device Virtual Sound Processing for Traffic Awareness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing devices compromise music quality when used in traffic environments, as they either blend music and traffic sounds, leading to a 'blurry' mixture or require algorithms that do not yet exist to separate relevant traffic sounds, potentially affecting sound quality.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device with a virtual sound processing unit and rear-facing microphones that separates audio and surrounding sounds into distinct spatial sound objects, with audio coming from virtual speakers in front and traffic sounds from the rear, using head-related transfer functions and beamforming to preserve music quality and enhance traffic awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surrounding sounds are blended with music in a 'hear through' mode, then traffic awareness is improved, but music quality is degraded due to blurry sound mixture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the audio output into separate spatial channels: music is localized to virtual speakers in front of the user, while surrounding sounds (particularly from rear) are directed to different spatial locations. This segmentation allows the brain to separate the two sound sources, maintaining music quality while providing traffic awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses spatial audio dimensionality by localizing music to front-facing virtual speakers and routing rear surrounding sounds to rear spatial positions. This dimensional separation in sound space allows simultaneous high-quality music listening and environmental awareness without blending sounds in the same auditory channel.
2Reliability
If algorithms are used to identify and separate relevant traffic sounds, then traffic awareness may be improved, but sound quality is potentially affected and the algorithm does not yet exist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex AI algorithms with a simpler spatial audio processing system that uses beamforming and virtual speaker localization. Instead of requiring intelligent sound identification and separation algorithms, the system uses spatial positioning and directional sound routing to achieve traffic awareness while preserving music quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If surrounding sounds are attenuated from the front direction, then music quality is preserved, but rear traffic sounds may be less noticeable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the typical approach by not attenuating rear sounds but rather enhancing and localizing them to rear spatial positions. Surrounding sounds from the rear are captured by rear-facing microphones and presented to the user from rear directions, making them noticeable while keeping front sound cues (music) clear and undisturbed.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and a hearing device for audio transmission. The hearing device is configured to be worn by a user. The hearing device comprises a first earphone comprising a first speaker. The hearing device comprises a second earphone comprising a second speaker. The hearing device comprises a virtual sound processing unit connected to the first earphone and the second earphone. The virtual sound processing unit is configured for receiving and processing an audio sound signal for generating a virtual audio sound signal. The virtual audio sound signal is forwarded to the first and second speakers, where the virtual audio sound appears to the user as audio sound coming from two virtual speakers in front of the user. The hearing device further comprises a first primary microphone for capturing surrounding sounds to provide a first surrounding sound signal based on a first primary input signal from the first primary microphone. The first primary microphone being arranged in the first earphone for providing a first rear facing sensitivity pattern towards the rear direction. The hearing device further comprises a first secondary microphone for capturing surrounding sounds to provide a second surrounding sound signal based on a first secondary input signal from the first secondary microphone. The first secondary microphone being arranged in the second earphone for providing a second rear facing sensitivity pattern towards the rear direction. The hearing device is configured for transmitting the first surrounding sound signal to the first speaker. The hearing device is configured for transmitting the second surrounding sound signal to the second speaker. Thereby the user receives the surrounding sound from the rear direction, while the surrounding sound from the front direction is attenuated compared to the surrounding sound from the rear direction.