Sound Source Determination via Biosignal Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems fail to accurately identify the source of sound among multiple subjects, particularly in environments like hospitals where distinguishing between patients is crucial for effective monitoring and care.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an audio sensor, a biosensor, and a processing unit that synchronizes audio and biosignal data to detect sounds exceeding a threshold and correlates these with biosignal changes to determine the source of the sound, utilizing time-synced data to verify the origin of the sound within the subject.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If audio sensors are used to measure sound from multiple subjects, then sound detection capability is improved, but the ability to identify the specific sound source deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces biosensors as an intermediary element to bridge the gap between audio detection and subject identification. The biosensors measure physiological signals (heart rate, respiration) that serve as unique identifiers for each subject, allowing the system to correlate audio events with specific individuals without requiring direct audio-visual contact or complex audio source separation algorithms
2Measurement precision
If biosensors are added to measure biosignals, then subject identification accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges audio sensors and biosensors into a unified monitoring system with a single processing unit that handles both audio data and biosignal data. This integration allows the system to leverage existing biosensor infrastructure in healthcare settings while adding audio monitoring capabilities, rather than requiring separate independent systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from biosignal measurements to validate and refine sound source attribution. By continuously monitoring physiological states and correlating them with audio events, the system can confirm whether a detected sound actually originated from the intended subject, creating a closed-loop verification mechanism that improves accuracy without requiring complex additional hardware
3Reliability
If time-synced audio and biosignal data are processed, then sound source determination reliability is improved, but processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary time-synchronization of audio and biosignal data streams before processing. By pre-aligning the temporal references of different sensor types and organizing data into synchronized segments, the system reduces the computational complexity of subsequent correlation analysis, avoiding the need for complex real-time synchronization algorithms during active processing
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a system for determining a sound source and a method thereof. The system comprises: an audio sensor; a biosensor for measuring one or more biosignals of a subject; and a processing unit communicatively coupled with the audio sensor and the biosensor, the processing unit configured to perform operations comprising: obtaining audio data from the audio sensor and biosignal data from the biosensor, the audio data and the biosignal data being time-synced with each other, detecting, based on the audio data, a sound exceeding a threshold, and determining that the sound exceeding the threshold originates from the subject if the biosignal data indicates a change in the one or more biosignals at a corresponding time.