Personalized Audio Equalizer Using Hearing Threshold Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face hearing impairment due to improper volume settings on personal audio devices, as they often increase overall volume to compensate for background noise, leading to potential hearing damage, and existing equalizers are difficult to use effectively, resulting in distorted sound and unintended hearing loss.

Innovation Solution

A personalized audio frequency equalizer system that measures each user's hearing ability for specific frequencies and creates a customized equalizer to output sound at optimal volumes, minimizing differences between individual hearing thresholds and standard hearing data, thereby providing a standard hearing experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If users increase overall volume to overcome environmental noises, then the ability to hear music is improved, but hearing ability deteriorates due to excessive volume exposure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevolume levelVSAvoidhearing damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by adjusting volume levels individually for each frequency band rather than uniformly across all frequencies. The equalizer divides the audio spectrum into multiple frequency ranges (e.g., bass, midrange, treble) and allows independent volume control for each band, enabling users to compensate for specific frequency deficiencies without excessively increasing overall volume exposure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters by automatically adjusting equalizer settings based on measured user hearing thresholds and environmental noise characteristics. Instead of manual user adjustment, the system dynamically modifies frequency response parameters to match individual hearing abilities, optimizing audio output while preventing hearing damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If users manually adjust equalizer settings, then sound quality can be customized, but hearing ability deteriorates due to unintended excessive frequency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesound customizationVSAvoidhearing damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by automatically measuring user hearing thresholds and configuring equalizer settings without requiring manual user adjustment. The device performs hearing tests, analyzes results, and autonomously optimizes frequency response parameters, eliminating the risks associated with manual equalizer manipulation while preserving sound customization tailored to individual hearing characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring user responses during hearing threshold measurements and using this information to automatically adjust equalizer settings. The system creates a closed-loop control where hearing ability data feeds back into the equalizer configuration, ensuring safe and personalized sound output without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If standard equalizer settings are used, then device complexity is reduced, but sound quality deteriorates due to lack of consideration for individual hearing thresholds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequalizer configurationVSAvoidsound accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary action by conducting hearing threshold measurements and pre-configuring equalizer settings before the user begins listening to audio content. The device performs hearing tests and automatically optimizes frequency response parameters in advance, eliminating the need for complex manual equalizer adjustments while ensuring accurate sound reproduction tailored to individual hearing abilities from the start

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10734964B2Apparatus and method for controlling personalised audio frequency equalizer

Publication Date: 2020.08.04 SHIN EUI SANG

AI summary

Disclosed is a method of controlling a personalized audio frequency equalizer by an audio device for outputting a sound source The method includes: a user's age grasping step of grasping a user's age by inquiring the user's age; a user's hearing ability measurement step of measuring, for each frequency, the minimum audible volume; a personalized equalizer creation step of creating the personalized equalizer using a system test user hearing data (HTUHD) that the user may hear when a volume having a system test frequency is outputted, and an application test user hearing data (STUHD), which is a value of volume that the user may hear, while increasing a volume having an application test frequency; and a sound source output step of outputting a sound source through the personalized equalizer created at the personalized equalizer creation step.