Wide-View Image-Guided Audio Processing for Remote Communication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems fail to distinguish between useful and noise background sounds, leading to the removal of important sounds during remote communication, such as construction site noises, which are essential for understanding the work situation.

Innovation Solution

A communication system that identifies the use situation based on wide-view images and adjusts audio processing parameters to preserve useful sounds, such as construction site noises, by using a convolutional neural network to determine appropriate noise suppression levels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If noise cancellation is applied to remove background sounds, then noise reduction is improved, but useful background sounds are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise reductionVSAvoiduseful background sounds

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes audio processing parameters based on the identified use situation. Different noise suppression levels are applied depending on whether the situation is a meeting, construction work, or other activities, allowing useful background sounds to be preserved when appropriate while reducing noise when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses image recognition to continuously monitor the use situation and provides feedback to adjust audio processing parameters accordingly. This closed-loop approach ensures that noise cancellation is applied only when necessary and useful background sounds are preserved when they provide valuable context about the remote environment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If audio processing parameters are fixed, then processing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to different use situations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to use situations

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from fixed audio processing parameters to dynamic parameters that automatically adjust based on the detected use situation. The image recognition module continuously identifies the current activity type and the system responds by selecting appropriate audio processing settings, making the system adaptable without requiring manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically identifies the use situation through image analysis and self-adjusts audio processing parameters without requiring user input. This self-service approach allows the system to adapt to different environments autonomously while keeping the operation simple for users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250292787A1Communication system, audio processing method, and non-transitory recording medium

Publication Date: 2025.09.18 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

A communication system includes circuitry. The circuitry receives a wide-view image and audio information acquired at a first site of a plurality of sites, and determines an audio processing parameter associated with a use situation. The use situation is identified based on the received wide-view image. The circuitry further performs audio processing on the audio information with the determined audio processing parameter, and outputs the audio-processed audio information to a second site of the plurality of sites.