Selective Sound Attenuation for Touch-Input Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Touch-sensitive display devices face challenges in minimizing unwanted sounds from input objects like styluses and fingers, which interfere with audio recordings and transmissions by incorporating these sounds into microphone systems.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a sensing subsystem that detects conditions associated with touch inputs to predict contact times and apply selective sound attenuation, tailored to reduce or eliminate unwanted contact sounds by adjusting frequency-specific gains within the microphone system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If sound attenuation is applied to reduce contact sounds, then contact sound reduction is improved, but desired sound attenuation may also occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact sound reductionVSAvoiddesired sound preservation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of touch input conditions (pressure, location, object type) before the contact sound occurs. Based on this preliminary detection, it predicts the upcoming contact sound characteristics and pre-applies appropriate attenuation parameters, allowing selective reduction of harmful contact sounds while preserving desired sounds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different attenuation characteristics to different frequency ranges and time periods. By analyzing the specific characteristics of contact sounds versus desired sounds, it applies localized attenuation only to the frequency bands and time windows where contact sounds dominate, leaving other frequencies untouched.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If frequency-specific gain adjustment is applied, then contact sound attenuation is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact sound attenuationVSAvoidmicrophone system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes parameters (gain values, attenuation levels) based on detected touch conditions rather than using fixed complex filtering. By dynamically adjusting a limited set of parameters based on simple touch detection inputs, it achieves effective contact sound reduction without requiring complex microphone arrays or processing systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If time-limited attenuation is applied based on contact timing, then contact sound reduction is improved, but timing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact sound reductionVSAvoidcontact timing detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system detects touch input conditions (pressure, location, object type) before the actual contact occurs. This preliminary detection provides advance notice of the upcoming contact timing, allowing the system to prepare attenuation parameters without requiring ultra-precise real-time timing detection of the contact moment itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3443448B1Selective attenuation of sound for display devices
Publication Date: 2021.05.26 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3443448B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3443448B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3443448B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A display device comprises a sensing subsystem configured to detect one or more conditions associated with touch input to the display device occurring via a contact of an input object at a surface of the display device. The display device further comprises a microphone system configured to receive sound, a logic machine, and a storage machine holding instructions. The instructions are executable by the logic machine to determine, based on the one or more conditions, a time of the contact; determine, based on at least the time of the contact, sonic characteristics of the contact; and generate an audio output via applying a selective attenuation to process sound received into the microphone system. The selective attenuation is selected based on the sonic characteristics and applied over a time interval beginning at the determined time of contact.