Voice Signal Processing Phase Alignment for Hearing Aid Distortion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voice signal processing methods cause signal distortion due to phase mismatching when overlapping frequency-lowered signal frames, especially when lowering high-frequency signals for hearing-impaired individuals, as they often use arithmetic mean interpolation and neglect phase alignment.
Innovation Solution
A voice signal processing apparatus and method that phase-matches sampling points between overlapping frequency-lowered signal frames by determining a first sampling point based on a phase reference sampling point number, using consecutive sampling points as renovating frequency-lowered signal frames, and applying a Hamming window to correct interpolation parameter functions, thereby reducing signal distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If frequency lowering is applied to make high-frequency signals audible to hearing-impaired individuals, then accessibility is improved, but signal distortion increases due to phase mismatching during frame overlapping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by calculating phase difference values between adjacent signal frames before performing the overlapping operation. The phase difference is computed in advance using the formula: phase difference = (phase of current frame - phase of previous frame) / 2π. This preliminary calculation allows the system to adjust the overlapping process accordingly, ensuring phase alignment and reducing signal distortion while maintaining frequency lowering for accessibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional arithmetic mean interpolation is used to calculate signal values between sampling points, then ease of calculation is improved, but signal distortion increases due to mismatch with sound signal characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the interpolation method from simple arithmetic mean to a more sophisticated approach that uses phase difference information. The system calculates phase difference values and uses them to determine appropriate interpolation weights, changing the parameters of the interpolation process to better match sound signal characteristics. This reduces signal distortion while maintaining computational feasibility through systematic parameter adjustment rather than complex calculations.
3Productivity
If signal frames are overlapped without phase alignment consideration, then processing speed is improved, but signal distortion increases due to additive and subtractive interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by continuously monitoring and calculating phase difference values between adjacent signal frames during the processing sequence. The phase difference information is fed back into the overlapping process to adjust the alignment of signal frames. This feedback mechanism ensures that phase mismatches are detected and corrected, preventing additive and subtractive interference while maintaining efficient processing through systematic phase-aware overlapping.
Data Source
AI summary
A voice signal processing apparatus and a voice signal processing method are provided. A first sampling point of an mth original frequency-lowered signal frame phase-matched to the sampling point corresponding to a phase reference sampling point number is determined according to the phase reference sampling point number of an (m−1)th original frequency-lowered signal frame corresponding to a middle sampling point of an (m−1)th renovating frequency-lowered signal frame. The q consecutive sampling points starting from the first sampling point are used as the sampling points of an mth renovating frequency-lowered signal frame.