Speakerphone Acoustic Attenuation for Proximity Echo

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Solution Overview

Problem

In environments where multiple speakerphones are in close proximity, issues such as audio delay, reverberation, and feedback howling occur, disrupting communication and causing listener fatigue due to the close physical arrangement of speakerphones during shared calls.

Innovation Solution

A system of speakerphones equipped with customer premises equipment (CPE) that detects proximity to other speakerphones and applies audio attenuation to minimize these disruptions, either through manual or automatic configuration, by identifying neighbors and adjusting the communication channel to reduce echo and feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If speakerphones are set to high volumes to exceed background and room noise, then Traders can hear information being communicated clearly, but audio delay and echo become perceptible and disruptive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio volumeVSAvoidecho and audio delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the harmful acoustic reflections and delayed audio signals as input for processing, converting them into beneficial information through detection and attenuation. The speakerphone system detects its own transmitted audio and the resulting reflections, then applies attenuation to eliminate the harmful echo while preserving the direct sound path.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the speakerphone monitors the audio environment, detects reflected sound and delayed transmissions, and automatically adjusts attenuation levels to cancel out echo and prevent feedback howling, thereby maintaining clear audio at high volumes without disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If speakerphones are placed in close physical proximity for shared communications, then multiple Traders can participate in the same conference call, but feedback howling and reverberation occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshared communication capabilityVSAvoidfeedback howling and reverberation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary processing function between the microphones and speakers of proximal speakerphones. This intermediary detects proximity through acoustic measurement and applies selective attenuation to block feedback paths between nearby devices while maintaining normal communication functionality for all participants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the harmful feedback loop created by close proximity into useful information by detecting the feedback signal characteristics and using them to dynamically adjust attenuation levels, thereby eliminating howling while preserving the beneficial shared communication capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Adaptability or versatility

If audio delay is introduced by the system for conference call processing, then remote participants can be connected, but Traders perceive echo and experience listener fatigue

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremote connection capabilityVSAvoidaudio delay perception

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different quality treatments to different audio paths: direct local audio paths are preserved with minimal processing, while delayed reflected paths are selectively attenuated. This local quality differentiation allows the system to maintain clear audio for remote connections while eliminating perceptible echo for local participants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 effectively attenuates sound transmissions between proximal speakerphones, reducing echo and feedback howling, thereby improving communication clarity and listener experience during shared calls.

Implementation Method 1

A system of speakerphones equipped with customer premises equipment (CPE) that detects proximity to other speakerphones

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic detection: Sound

Implementation Method 2

The CPE is also configured to communicate with a remote terminal (such as another speakerphone, another CPE or another phone) via a communication channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroacoustic transduction:

Data Source

PatentUS10218854B2Sound modification for close proximity shared communications path devices

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 CLOUD9 TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for attenuating a communications channel on one or more speakerphones which are located in close physical proximity to one another and which are being used on the same call.