Hearing Amplifier Voltage Prediction for Stable Acoustic Gain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Amplifier systems in hearing devices experience variations in acoustical signals due to gain variations caused by supply voltage fluctuations, leading to degraded sound quality and noise introduction.
Innovation Solution
An amplifier system that includes a battery for supplying voltage, a digital signal processor, a controller unit, and an analog-to-digital converter to measure and predict supply voltage variations, generating a compensating signal to minimize gain variations and stabilize the acoustical signal output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If predictive feedback compensation is implemented to suppress distortion caused by supply voltage variations, then distortion suppression is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional measuring circuitry and compensation algorithms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent measures supply voltage variations in advance and predicts future voltage deviations using a fitting algorithm. By performing the measurement and prediction before the actual distortion occurs, the system can pre-compensate for expected voltage variations, thereby suppressing distortion without requiring complex real-time feedback circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controller unit as an intermediary that receives enablement signals from external processing units, measures supply voltage using an analog-to-digital converter, predicts voltage deviations through fitting algorithms, and generates compensating signals. This intermediary layer coordinates the compensation process and manages the interaction between different system components, reducing overall system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If continuous supply voltage measurement is performed to accurately predict offset modes, then prediction accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic sampling of supply voltage at strategically selected time points rather than continuous measurement. The controller unit activates the analog-to-digital converter at specific intervals and triggers measurements based on enablement signals from external processing units. This periodic approach maintains prediction accuracy by capturing voltage variations at critical moments while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
3Reliability
If compensating signals are generated and applied to minimize gain variations, then sound quality is improved, but processing time increases due to fitting and prediction operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs supply voltage measurement and prediction operations in advance, before the actual audio signal processing occurs. By predicting offset modes and generating compensating signals beforehand, the system minimizes gain variations during audio playback without adding real-time processing delays. The fitting algorithm processes historical voltage data to forecast future deviations, allowing proactive compensation that maintains sound quality while avoiding time-critical processing bottlenecks.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure presents a method and an amplifier system for minimizing variation in an acoustical signal caused by variation in gain of an amplifier, comprising a battery for providing a supply voltage to the amplifier, a digital signal processor for providing the acoustical signal to the amplifier, a controller unit receiving an enablement signal when the supply voltage is in an offset mode, and based on the enablement signal requesting a measured voltage during a time period, and a first analog-to-digital converter configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier when receiving the request from the controller unit or the first analog-to-digital converter is configured for measuring the supply voltage to the amplifier continuously, and where variations in the measured voltage relates to variations in the supply voltage during the time period. Furthermore, the controller unit is configured to predict offset modes (i.e. changes) in the supply voltage based on the enablement signals and a fitting of the measured voltages, and wherein the controller unit is configured to generate a compensating signal based on the fitting and transmit the compensating signal to the digital signal processor, the digital signal processor is then configured to minimize variation in the acoustical signal at the output of the amplifier by compensating the variation in gain of the amplifier based on the compensating signal.