Utterance Feedback Apparatus Using Dual Microphone Volume Evaluation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing acoustic signal processing techniques fail to provide feedback to the utterer on the volume of their voice, making it difficult for them to adjust their speaking volume to prevent disturbance to those around them.
Innovation Solution
An utterance volume evaluation unit generates an evaluation value for the utterance voice volume using signals from two microphones, one near the utterer and one farther away, and a feedback sound signal generation unit produces a feedback sound indicating the volume level to the utterer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a masking sound is reproduced to mask the voice of a far-end utterer, then the voice leakage to surroundings is prevented, but the utterer cannot ascertain at what volume they should speak
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the system monitors the utterer's voice volume through microphones and provides real-time auditory feedback through speakers. This allows the utterer to perceive their own speaking volume and adjust accordingly, resolving the information loss about utterance volume while maintaining the voice leakage prevention function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary feedback sound signal that mediates between the microphone's volume detection and the utterer's speaking behavior. The feedback sound acts as a mediator that conveys volume information to the utterer without directly affecting the voice leakage prevention mechanism.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the masking sound is made excessive to ensure voice masking, then surrounding people cannot hear the utterance content, but the masking sound itself becomes a nuisance to those around the utterer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the masking sound level based on real-time feedback from the utterer's speaking volume. When the utterer speaks at a lower volume, the masking sound is reduced accordingly, preventing it from becoming a nuisance to surrounding people while still maintaining effective voice masking when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of masking sound volume dynamically based on the utterer's speaking volume. The system monitors voice level and adjusts the masking sound parameter accordingly, ensuring it remains effective for masking while avoiding excessive levels that would create nuisance to surrounding people.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a technique for providing feedback on the degree of utterance volume to an utterer. The utterance feedback device includes: an utterance volume evaluation unit that generates an evaluation value for a volume of an utterance voice (referred to as utterance volume evaluation value, hereinafter) from a first sound collection signal that is output by a first microphone installed near an utterer to collect an utterance voice, which is a voice of the utterer, and a second sound collection signal that is output by a second microphone installed at a position farther away from the utterer than the first microphone to collect the utterance voice; and a feedback sound signal generation unit that generates a signal for emitting, from a speaker, a feedback sound indicating the degree of the volume of the utterance voice to the utterer (hereinafter referred to as a feedback sound signal), from the first sound collection signal, by using a feedback gain corresponding to the utterance volume evaluation value.