Smart Headphone Personalization with Directional Conversation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing headphones do not adequately account for differences in hearing capability between the left and right ears, leading to inconvenient volume adjustments and potential hearing damage, and fail to enhance conversation clarity in noisy environments.

Innovation Solution

A smart headphone personalization system with directional conversation function, utilizing cardioid microphones, a satellite positioning unit, and a mobile application for hearing inspection and compensation, allowing for personalized sound adjustments and voice magnification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the broadcasting volume is adjusted to accommodate the better-hearing ear, then the hearing capability of the better ear is optimized, but the worse ear may be damaged due to excessive volume

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehearing capabilityVSAvoidhearing damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the volume control into separate left and right ear channels, allowing independent volume adjustment for each ear based on individual hearing capabilities. This segmentation enables the system to optimize volume for each ear separately, preventing over-exposure of the more sensitive ear while ensuring adequate volume for the less sensitive ear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality adjustment by applying different volume levels and frequency compensations to different ears based on their specific hearing characteristics. The system measures hearing thresholds for each ear and applies tailored compensation, ensuring each ear receives appropriately customized audio output rather than a uniform setting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If separate volume adjustment for left and right ears is implemented, then hearing protection is improved, but operational convenience deteriorates due to frequent adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehearing damageVSAvoidvolume adjustment convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary hearing measurements and establishes personalized volume and frequency compensation settings for each ear during an initial setup phase. These pre-determined settings are stored and automatically applied, eliminating the need for frequent manual adjustments while maintaining hearing protection and optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where hearing measurements are taken, settings are adjusted based on the measurements, and the results are stored for future use. This closed-loop approach ensures that the personalized settings are maintained and applied automatically, reducing the need for repeated user intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If standard frequency response is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but user preference satisfaction deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency adjustment mechanismVSAvoiduser preference adaptation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the frequency response parameters based on measured hearing thresholds and user preferences. The system applies frequency-dependent compensation that is customized for each user's hearing characteristics and can be adjusted according to preferred music genres, transforming a standard frequency response into a personalized one without requiring complex manual adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If environmental noise is present during conversation, then communication occurs in real-world conditions, but conversation clarity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconversation functionalityVSAvoidconversation content clarity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and isolates the desired speech signal from the environmental noise through directional microphone arrays and signal processing. The system focuses on capturing sounds from specific directions (where speakers are located) while filtering out ambient noise, effectively separating the useful conversation content from the harmful background noise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 system eliminates the need for frequent volume adjustments, prevents hearing damage, and enhances conversation clarity by personalizing sound settings based on individual hearing preferences and environmental noise levels.

Implementation Method 1

the arrayed sound receiving unit comprises a plurality of sound receiver microphones of directivity, the sound receiver microphones being arranged on a brace member of the smart headphone device to receive and collect the sound from the front side of the user

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCardioid directivity: Acoustics

Data Source

PatentEP3416403B1Smart headphone device personalization system with directional conversation function and method for using same
Publication Date: 2020.12.09 ZHAO PING
  • EP3416403B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3416403B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3416403B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are a smart headphone device (400) personalization system with directional conversation function and a method for using the system. A user downloads a headphone personalization application program unit (200) from the server device (100) for installation in a mobile device (300) that is then paired with the smart headphone device (400). The user enters corresponding data through a register module (21). The user wears the smart headphone device (400) to allow a hearing inspection module (22) to inspect hearing capabilities of ears and generate an inspection result. An automatic compensation unit (44) and a manual compensation module (23) make compensation according to the inspection result. Finally, the user adjusts the sound effect mode through a preference setting module (24) to complete personalization of the smart headphone device (400) . A directional conversation function is provided with the smart headphone device (400) to receive and magnify a sound from a front side and the user can clearly hear the sound from the front side.