Shared-Circuit Noise Control for Independent Acoustic Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional noise-canceling headphones require separate arithmetic processing circuits for each ear, leading to increased costs and input/output delays, which reduce the noise reduction effect when using a single processing circuit.
Innovation Solution
A noise control device that uses a single signal generation means to generate a cancellation signal for multiple acoustically independent spaces, with the signal level increasing with decreasing frequency, and optional additional noise detection and signal generation for noise sources, to reduce noise without increasing input/output delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate arithmetic processing circuits are provided for each ear, then noise reduction performance is maintained, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate processing circuits into a single shared arithmetic processing circuit that sequentially processes noise signals from multiple acoustic spaces. This consolidation reduces device complexity and cost while maintaining noise reduction performance through time-multiplexed operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The single processing circuit operates periodically, alternating between processing noise signals from different acoustic spaces (e.g., left ear space and right ear space). This periodic switching allows one circuit to serve multiple functions that previously required separate dedicated circuits.
2Device complexity
If a single arithmetic processing circuit is used for multiple spaces, then device complexity and cost decrease, but input/output delays increase reducing noise reduction effect
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing or pre-positioning data in buffers before the actual noise reduction calculation. This allows the single processing circuit to operate more efficiently with reduced waiting time, minimizing input/output delays while maintaining the benefit of circuit consolidation.
3Device complexity
If a single processing circuit handles multiple spaces, then cost is reduced, but processing speed may decrease affecting real-time noise cancellation
Solution Approach 1:
The single processing circuit uses periodic time-multiplexed operation to sequentially process signals from multiple acoustic spaces. This approach maintains processing speed by ensuring that each space receives dedicated processing intervals, preventing the speed degradation that would occur with simultaneous parallel processing attempts.
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 effectively reduces noise in multiple spaces while preventing input/output delays, even with a single arithmetic processing circuit, and can enhance noise reduction and audio signal reproduction without affecting audio signals.
Implementation Method 1
a sound output means, which is provided in each of the plurality of spaces so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of spaces, for outputting a sound in accordance with the cancellation signal
Data Source
AI summary
A noise control device reduces noises respectively arriving in a plurality of spaces which are acoustically independent from each other. The noise control device includes sound output devices, which are respectively provided in the plurality of spaces so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of spaces, each for outputting a sound to a corresponding space. The noise control device also includes a noise detection device, which is provided in at least one of the plurality of spaces, for detecting a noise arriving in the at least one of the plurality of spaces. Further, the noise control device includes a signal generation device which is a single device for generating, based on the noise detected by one noise detection device, a cancellation signal for canceling the noise, and outputting the generated cancellation signal to each of the plurality of sound output device.