Microphone Assembly Voice Authentication Low Power

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional user authentication methods for electronic devices, such as passcodes and visual scanning, can be inconvenient and increase power consumption, especially in always-on applications, as they require tactile or visual interaction and complex system architecture.

Innovation Solution

A microphone assembly with an integrated MEMS transducer and electrical circuit that performs voice activity detection, speech characteristic detection, and authentication, allowing for low-power operation and efficient power management, even when the host device is in a sleep mode, using an internal clock signal and buffering data to reduce latency and power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional authentication methods (passcodes, fingerprints, facial scanning) are used, then authentication security is improved, but user convenience deteriorates and power consumption increases due to requiring tactile or visual interaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical/tactile authentication methods (fingerprints, passcodes) and visual authentication methods (facial scanning) with acoustic field-based voice authentication. The microphone assembly detects voice characteristics and transmits them to the host device for authentication, eliminating the need for physical contact or visual interaction while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an acoustic field as an intermediary medium for authentication. Instead of direct tactile or visual interaction, the system uses voice signals carried in acoustic waves as the intermediary to convey authentication information from the user to the device, enabling contactless and visually independent authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If authentication circuits are always activated to provide responsive user interface, then user interface responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface responsivenessVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the authentication function into two parts: a low-power microphone assembly that continuously monitors for voice commands and a host device that performs the actual authentication processing. The microphone assembly operates independently in low-power mode, only activating the host device's authentication circuits when voice activity is detected, thus reducing overall power consumption while maintaining responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The microphone assembly performs preliminary voice activity detection and voice characteristic extraction before invoking the host device's authentication circuits. This preliminary action filters out unnecessary authentication requests and allows the host device to remain in low-power state until actually needed, reducing power consumption while maintaining ready-state responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If host device transitions from sleep state to activate authentication circuits, then authentication capability is improved, but latency and power consumption increase due to transition time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication capabilityVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The microphone assembly performs preliminary voice detection and characteristic extraction while the host device remains in sleep state. When voice activity is detected, the microphone assembly has already prepared the authentication data and can immediately invoke the host device's authentication circuits, minimizing the wake-up latency and power consumption compared to checking for authentication requests during host device operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The microphone assembly acts as an intermediary that bridges the sleep state and active authentication state. It continuously monitors acoustic fields in low-power mode and serves as the trigger mechanism that wakes the host device only when necessary, reducing latency by eliminating the need for periodic wake-ups or continuous monitoring by the host device itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables convenient voice-controlled interaction with reduced power consumption and latency, allowing electronic devices to remain in an always-on mode with minimal power usage while maintaining responsive user interfaces.

Implementation Method 1

an electro-acoustic MEMS sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicroelectromechanical Systems (MEMS): Microelectromechanical Systems

Data Source

PatentUS11163521B2Microphone assembly with authentication

Publication Date: 2021.11.02 KNOWLES ELECTRONICS LLC

AI summary

A microphone assembly is disclosed including a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) transducer and an electrical circuit disposed in a housing having an external-device interface. The electrical circuit is configured to determine whether a speech characteristic is present in an electrical signal produced by the transducer, attempt to authenticate the speech characteristic, and provide an interrupt signal to the external device interface only upon successful authentication of the speech characteristic.