Tinnitus Shielding Device Frequency Shifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for tinnitus are ineffective due to the complex and varied causes of the condition, making it difficult to identify and moderate the sound frequencies that trigger tinnitus in individuals.
Innovation Solution
A tinnitus shielding device and signal processing method that utilize a processor to compare sound frequencies with stored target frequencies and perform a frequency shifting process to shift potentially troublesome frequencies to non-troublesome ones, generating an output sound signal that does not cause discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional tinnitus treatment methods are used, then treatment complexity increases, but treatment effectiveness remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the problematic sound frequency component that triggers tinnitus from the overall sound signal. By identifying and separating the specific frequency range (e.g., 6-14 kHz) that causes discomfort, the system can selectively process only the harmful portion while preserving other beneficial sound components, thereby simplifying the treatment approach while improving effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frequency parameter of the problematic sound components through frequency shifting. By transforming the offending frequencies (e.g., shifting 6-14 kHz tinnitus-triggering frequencies to a different range), the system modifies the acoustic parameters to eliminate the tinnitus effect while maintaining overall sound quality, providing a straightforward and effective treatment mechanism.
2Reliability
If sound frequency analysis and shifting is performed, then tinnitus shielding effectiveness improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis to identify the user's specific tinnitus-triggering frequency range in advance (e.g., determining the 6-14 kHz problematic range during initial setup). This pre-identification allows the system to directly target and process only the relevant frequency components during actual use, avoiding the need for real-time full-spectrum analysis and significantly reducing processing delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio signal processing into distinct stages: frequency identification, frequency shifting, and recombination. By dividing the processing task into separate modular steps, the system can efficiently handle each segment independently, optimizing processing speed while maintaining comprehensive tinnitus shielding coverage across different frequency ranges.
3Reliability
If frequency shifting is applied to all audio components, then tinnitus protection is enhanced, but sound quality degradation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies frequency shifting selectively only to the specific audio components that fall within the identified tinnitus-triggering frequency range (e.g., 6-14 kHz), while leaving other frequency components unchanged. This localized processing approach ensures that tinnitus protection is provided precisely where needed without unnecessarily altering other sound components, thereby preserving overall sound quality and naturalness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of tinnitus-triggering frequencies into a beneficial outcome by shifting them to a different frequency range where they no longer cause discomfort. The originally harmful high-frequency components are transformed into harmless or even beneficial lower-frequency sounds, effectively turning the problematic frequency energy into a protective mechanism that eliminates tinnitus while maintaining auditory pleasure.
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
Effectively shields sound frequencies that cause tinnitus discomfort, improving daily life for users by automatically shifting and combining sound components to prevent tinnitus triggers.
Implementation Method 1
an audio pick-up circuit disposed in the case and receiving a sound signal from an outer environment
Implementation Method 2
a speaker disposed in the case and connected to the processor to receive and output the output sound signal
Data Source
AI summary
A tinnitus shielding device primarily includes an audio pick-up circuit, a processor, and a speaker in a case. The audio pick-up circuit receives a sound from an outer environment to generate a sound signal, and the processor processes the sound signal to compare a sound frequency in each of a plurality of audio components according to a configuration data and generates an output audio component by a frequency shifting process to at least one of the sound frequency which conforming to the configuration data. Then the processor combines the output audio component and the audio components those are not shifted to generate an output sound signal, to allow the speaker to output the output sound signal. Accordingly, the tinnitus shielding device of the present disclosure provides automatically shielding the sound frequency which may cause tinnitus discomfort to the user, to avoid the problem with tinnitus thereby.