Open Active Noise Cancellation via Directional Acoustic Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Open-office environments often hinder voice communications due to excessive noise, requiring workers to move to quieter spaces or use additional equipment for noise suppression.
Innovation Solution
An open active noise cancellation system that uses sensors and a speech processor to identify and attenuate noise elements, generating a directional audio signal that cancels noise through an acoustic field, allowing clear communication without additional barriers or headphones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If workers function in open-office environments, then collaboration and communication are encouraged, but noise from the environment hinders the user's ability to hear and speak clearly
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures environmental noise through microphones and uses signal processing to generate anti-noise signals that destructively interfere with the original noise, converting the harmful noise into a beneficial cancellation effect that protects speech communication
2Object-affected harmful factors
If workers move to quieter environments, then noise is reduced, but available spaces are limited and collaboration is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary acoustic field generated by speakers that acts as a mediator between the noisy environment and the user's ears, creating a protective noise-canceling zone without requiring physical barriers or relocation to quiet spaces
3Object-affected harmful factors
If additional equipment such as barriers or headphones is used to suppress noise, then noise cancellation is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing open-office equipment (microphones and speakers) for their primary communication functions while adding noise cancellation capability, making the existing equipment serve multiple functions without requiring specialized noise-canceling headphones or physical barriers
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 effective noise cancellation within open environments, allowing users to speak and listen clearly without extra equipment, enhancing communication quality in noisy settings.
Implementation Method 1
When the first directional audio signal is outputted by a first speaker, the first speaker produces a first acoustic field that attenuates the one or more noise elements at the first position
Implementation Method 2
the first speaker produces a first acoustic field that attenuates the one or more noise elements
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure set forth a method or reducing noise in an audio environment. The method includes acquiring, via one or more sensors, a plurality of audio signals associated with sound in an audio environment; determining that a first audio signal in the plurality of audio signals matches a first reference signal in a set of reference signals; generating, based on the first audio signal, a first directional audio signal wherein, when the first directional audio signal is outputted by a loudspeaker, the loudspeaker produces a first acoustic field that attenuates the first audio signal at a position of a user; determining that a second audio signal in the plurality of audio signals does not match at least one reference signal in the set of reference signals; and storing data associated with the second audio signal as an additional reference signal in the set of reference signals.