Voice Pitch Modification for Command Operator Situational Awareness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Operators in command and control environments face challenges in distinguishing multiple voices simultaneously, particularly in prioritizing communications in military and commercial applications such as military operations and aircraft traffic control.
Innovation Solution
A system that adjusts the pitch of voice audio signals based on priority, using audio processing units to estimate pitch frequencies, generate filter parameters, and combine signals with stereo spatial positioning to differentiate voices, allowing operators to associate pitch with urgency or priority.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple voice audio signals are provided to an operator simultaneously, then the operator can maintain situational awareness of multiple communications, but the operator cannot easily distinguish or identify specific voices among the multiple signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by modifying the pitch of individual voice signals differently based on their priority level. High-priority voices receive pitch adjustment (e.g., shifted up by semitones) while low-priority voices maintain original pitch or receive different adjustment, creating local differentiation in the audio spectrum that helps operators identify specific voices without losing overall situational awareness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pitch modification as an auditory equivalent of color change. By shifting the pitch (frequency characteristic) of different voice signals, the system creates distinguishable auditory 'colors' or tones that allow operators to quickly identify which voice is speaking, similar to how different colors help distinguish objects visually
2Loss of information
If an operator monitors multiple voice communications simultaneously, then comprehensive situational awareness is achieved, but the operator cannot easily identify higher priority communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pitch parameter of voice signals based on their priority classification. High-priority communications have their pitch shifted (e.g., increased by a specific number of semitones) while low-priority communications maintain different pitch characteristics, enabling operators to precisely identify priority levels through auditory discrimination without compromising comprehensive monitoring capability
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing voice audio to an operator. The system includes: one or more audio inputs for receiving at least two received voice audio signals; a processing unit, a digital to analog converter, and a loudspeaker. The processing unit is connected to the one or more audio inputs, and configured to: adjust the pitch of a first voice audio signal of the at least two received voice audio signals to form a first adjusted voice audio signal; and combine the first adjusted voice audio signal with at least one other received voice audio signal or adjusted voice audio signal to form a composite audio signal. The pitch in the audio allows the listener to disambiguate one or more speakers or conveys to the listener attributes such as urgency or location information.