Switchable Microphone Output Modes for Always-On Low-Power Listening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to reduce power consumption in electronic devices with embedded microphones while maintaining performance, particularly in portable battery-powered devices, as they often have always-on listening capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A switchable microphone device that can switch between digital and analog output modes, allowing for power-saving by deactivating digital processing components during analog mode operation, and vice versa, using a controller to manage this switching based on control signals or clock frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the device operates in digital mode with always-on listening capability, then the listening functionality is maintained, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone device dynamically switches between analog and digital operating modes based on system requirements. The controller adjusts the operational state of the ADC and digital processing components, enabling the device to adapt its power consumption characteristics while maintaining always-on listening capability through analog mode when full digital processing is not required.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the device switches between analog and digital modes, then power consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The microphone device is designed with multi-functionality to operate in both analog and digital modes using the same core components (transducer, ADC, controller). This universal design allows a single device to serve multiple operational requirements without needing separate hardware paths, thereby reducing overall complexity while enabling power-saving mode switching.
3Use of energy by moving object
If digital processing components are deactivated to save power, then power consumption decreases, but the processing accuracy may be impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The device changes its operational parameters by switching between analog and digital modes. In analog mode, the device maintains signal integrity with lower power consumption, while in digital mode, full processing accuracy is restored when required. The controller manages this parameter change based on system needs, ensuring that processing accuracy is maintained when switching between operational states.
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
This solution reduces power consumption by allowing the device to operate in low-power analog mode for always-on listening and switch to high-accuracy digital mode when needed, while also providing a hybrid mode for concurrent processing of both signals, thus optimizing performance and battery life.
Implementation Method 1
an input to receive at least one input analog sensor signal indicative of sound pressure received by a transducer
Implementation Method 2
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the input analog sensor signal to a converted digital signal
Data Source
AI summary
There is described a switchable microphone device which may be switched between a digital output mode and an analog output mode. There is further described a system for use of such a device, which allows for the switching between analog and digital computing modes.