Keyword-Triggered Earphone Pass-Through for Ambient Speech
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sound isolating earphones impair communication with individuals in the user's immediate environment, requiring loud shouting or visual attention, and existing technologies do not automatically pass-through ambient sound when a key word is spoken.
Innovation Solution
An earphone system with ambient microphones and a keyword detection system that increases ambient sound levels and reduces audio content when a predefined keyword is detected, allowing hands-free communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sound isolating earphones are used to block ambient noise, then audio content clarity is improved, but user awareness of local environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is segmented into different components: audio content signal and ambient sound signal. The system processes these separately through different signal paths, allowing independent control of each component's gain and mixing ratio, thus maintaining audio clarity while selectively passing through environmental sounds.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary processing system is introduced between the audio content source and the earphone output. This system includes signal processing circuits that mix audio content with ambient sound, apply voice activation detection, and control gain levels, thereby mediating between the conflicting requirements of isolation and awareness.
2Loss of information
If ambient sound is passed through to the user, then environmental awareness is improved, but audio content quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the mixing ratio between audio content and ambient sound based on voice activation detection. When speech is detected in the ambient sound, the system increases the ambient sound gain and decreases audio content gain, creating a dynamic response that adapts to real-time acoustic conditions rather than using fixed settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key parameters including gain levels of ambient sound and audio content, mixing ratios, and time constants based on detected speech characteristics. These parameter changes allow the system to optimize the balance between audio quality and environmental awareness depending on the current acoustic situation.
3Device complexity
If manual switching between isolation and ambient sound modes is used, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting speech in the ambient sound and autonomously adjusting the mixing parameters without user intervention. The voice activation detection circuit continuously monitors ambient sound and automatically triggers the appropriate signal processing adjustments, making the system self-regulating and responsive to environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through continuous monitoring of ambient sound by microphones and automatic adjustment of signal processing parameters based on detected speech. This closed-loop feedback mechanism allows the system to respond in real-time to environmental acoustic conditions, automatically optimizing the balance between audio content and ambient sound without requiring manual user control.
Data Source
AI summary
At least one embodiment is directed to a method for automatically activating ambient sound pass-through in an earphone in response to a detected keyword in the ambient sound field of the earphone user, the steps of the method comprising at least receiving at least one ambient sound microphone (ASM) signal; receiving at least one audio content (AC) signal; and comparing the ASM signal to a keyword and if the ASM signal matches a keyword then an AC gain is created.