In-Vehicle Phone Stand With Directional Audio Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In noisy environments such as vehicles and workplaces, existing phone systems struggle to provide clear voice and audio communication due to ambient noise, leading to difficulties in hearing calls and accurately understanding voice commands.
Innovation Solution
A phone stand equipped with directional speakers and a system controller that separates audio signals into speech and non-speech signals, adjusting output mixing attributes to enhance speech clarity and reduce ambient noise, while also using microphones to capture and cancel out unwanted sound signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional phone speaker systems are used in noisy environments, then the device complexity remains low, but the voice clarity and audio quality deteriorate due to ambient noise
Solution Approach 1:
The audio output is segmented into speech signals and non-speech signals through separate processing channels. The system controller separates audio signals from the phone into speech and non-speech components, directing them to different speaker groups (directional speakers for speech, back speakers for non-speech), thereby improving voice clarity while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular signal processing
Solution Approach 2:
Different spatial zones are created with different audio qualities. Directional speakers project focused sound to a specific focused audio area corresponding to the user's expected position, while back speakers handle other audio content. This local quality differentiation ensures clear speech delivery to the user without requiring the entire system to be overly complex
2Reliability
If audio signals are projected in all directions, then the coverage area is maximized, but the speech intelligibility to the user deteriorates due to noise from all directions
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a localized high-quality audio zone using directional speakers that project sound focally to where the user is expected to be positioned. This focused audio projection ensures speech intelligibility in the primary listening area while the back speakers provide supplementary coverage from behind, achieving both speech clarity and adequate coverage area
Solution Approach 2:
The system controller acts as an intermediary that separates audio signals into speech and non-speech components, directing them to appropriate speaker systems. This intermediary processing enables the directional speakers to focus speech intelligibility while back speakers provide additional coverage, resolving the contradiction between focused speech delivery and overall coverage area
3Reliability
If all audio signals are amplified equally, then the overall volume is increased, but the speech clarity deteriorates due to equal amplification of noise
Solution Approach 1:
Audio output power is segmented into separate channels for speech and non-speech signals. The system controller separates audio signals and directs them to different speaker groups with different power levels. Directional speakers receive speech signals with sufficient power for clarity, while back speakers receive non-speech signals with adjusted power, preventing noise amplification while maintaining speech clarity
Solution Approach 2:
Different power levels are applied to different spatial zones and signal types. Speech signals directed to directional speakers receive optimized power for clear intelligibility, while non-speech signals from back speakers receive adjusted power levels that prevent excessive noise amplification. This local quality control in power distribution maintains speech clarity without requiring uniform high power across all audio output
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
The solution significantly improves voice and audio clarity in noisy settings by focusing sound on the user and reducing background noise, enhancing communication quality during calls and voice commands.
Implementation Method 1
send the non-speech signals in the mixed signals in an out of phase manner to the plurality of outward speakers, where the playing of non-speech signals by the plurality of outward speakers reduce or cancel a volume of the playing of non-speech signals by the plurality of inward speakers
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile computing device stand with a holder for a mobile computing device with a media player for conducting an audio session and back speakers positioned in the seat behind a location where a user is expected to be positioned and next to the seat. The back speakers include a first set positioned at a first side of the seat and a second set positioned at a second side of the seat opposite the first side of the seat. The first and second sets includes first and second inward back speakers facing toward the location and first and second outward back speakers facing away from the location. A system controller receives audio signals with audio of an audio session, sends the audio signals to the first and second inward back speakers, and sends the audio signals in an out of phase manner to the first and second outward back speakers.