Wearable Speaker Echo Cancellation via Reference Signal Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
When using a wearable speaker for online games or voice chats, the voice of the talker is often mixed with the sound output from the speaker, making it difficult to hear due to the proximity of the microphone and speaker, leading to discomfort and the need to lower the sound volume.
Innovation Solution
A speaker system with a wearable speaker and a sound processing device that outputs a first sound (communication partner's voice) and a second sound (game or chat sound) separately, using at least two speaker units and a microphone, and performs a cancellation process on the microphone's pickup signal to isolate the talker's voice using a synthesized reference signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the wearable speaker outputs sound at normal volume, then the user can hear the communication partner's voice and game sound clearly, but the microphone picks up the speaker output sound causing voice mixing and making it difficult to hear the talker's voice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful sound component (speaker output) from the microphone pickup signal through echo cancellation processing. The sound processing device separates the desired talker's voice from the unwanted speaker output sound, removing only the interfering component while preserving the original sound volume and voice clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reference signal as an intermediary element. This reference signal, which represents the speaker output sound, is used by the sound processing device to identify and cancel the corresponding component in the microphone pickup signal, enabling separation of the talker's voice from the speaker output without lowering volume.
2Loss of information
If the sound from the wearable speaker is lowered to prevent pickup by the microphone, then the voice mixing problem is reduced, but the user experiences discomfort and the sound quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of lowering the overall sound volume, the patent extracts only the harmful speaker output component from the microphone signal through echo cancellation. This allows the speaker to maintain normal volume for user comfort while the processing removes only the interfering sound that causes voice mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of speaker output being picked up by the microphone into a beneficial outcome. By using the reference signal of the speaker output, the system identifies and cancels this previously harmful component, transforming the pickup problem into an opportunity for precise voice separation and improved communication quality.
3Volume of moving object
If the wearable speaker and microphone are positioned close to each other for compact design, then the device is more portable and comfortable to wear, but the microphone picks up speaker output sound causing echo and voice mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reference signal as an intermediary that carries information about the speaker output sound. This reference signal enables the sound processing device to identify and cancel the speaker output component in the microphone pickup, allowing close positioning of speaker and microphone without suffering from echo and voice mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on mechanical separation (physical distance) between the speaker and microphone to prevent pickup, the patent substitutes a signal processing approach. The echo cancellation processing digitally removes the interfering sound component, replacing the need for physical separation and enabling compact device design without sound interference.
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 extracts the talker's voice without lowering the sound volume from the wearable speaker, allowing comfortable communication without echo or sound interference.
Implementation Method 1
generates a reference signal by synthesizing the first signal and the second signal
Implementation Method 2
performs, on the sound pickup signal, a cancellation process of cancelling a component of a sound output from the at least two speaker units by using the reference signal
Data Source
AI summary
A speaker system includes a wearable speaker capable of outputting a first sound which is a voice of a communication partner of a talker and a second sound, a microphone, and a sound processing device which processes a sound output from the wearable speaker and a sound picked up by the microphone. The sound processing device generates a reference signal by synthesizing a first signal indicating the first sound and a second signal indicating the second sound, outputs the first signal and the second signal to the wearable speaker, obtains a sound pickup signal including the voice of the talker from the microphone, performs, on the sound pickup signal, a process of cancelling the sound component output from the wearable speaker by using the reference signal, and outputs the sound pickup signal on which the cancellation process has been performed.