Wireless Earbud Microphone Mixing for Shared Audio Calls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless earbuds typically support only one bud as the active microphone during a phone call, limiting the ability to seamlessly share audio between users, such as in a 3-way call scenario.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a secondary microphone in one earbud that operates in a second mode to capture audio and encode it for transmission to the primary earbud, which mixes and compensates for wireless transmission delay, and uses a sideband channel for data transfer between the earbuds to enhance audio quality and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If only one earbud serves as the active microphone during a phone call, then the wireless communication range and simplicity are maintained, but the ability to share audio between users in 3-way call scenarios is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling either earbud to serve as the active microphone depending on the wearing scenario. The system automatically determines which earbud should be active based on detection signals from both earbuds, allowing flexible adaptation to single-user, two-user, or shared scenarios without requiring manual configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the microphone configuration changeable rather than fixed. The system dynamically switches between different earbuds being the active microphone based on real-time detection of wearing scenarios. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt to changing usage patterns while maintaining optimal audio performance.
2Reliability
If the secondary microphone captures and transmits audio to the primary earbud, then audio quality and echo reduction are improved, but wireless transmission delay occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the secondary earbud pre-encode and buffer its microphone audio stream before transmission to the primary earbud. This preliminary processing allows the audio data to be ready for immediate playback, reducing the perceptible delay while maintaining the quality benefits of the secondary microphone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the primary earbud receives audio data from the secondary earbud and adjusts timing accordingly. The feedback loop includes the primary earbud compensating for transmission delay by adjusting its playback timing, ensuring synchronized audio reproduction that masks the wireless transmission delay.
3Reliability
If the first earbud mixes audio from both microphones, then audio quality is improved, but echo may be introduced without proper compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the primary earbud continuously monitor the mixed audio output and compare it with the original audio streams. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect and compensate for echo effects, adjusting the mixing parameters in real-time to maintain audio quality while minimizing harmful echo.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the mixing ratio and timing parameters of the audio streams from both microphones. The primary earbud modifies these parameters based on the detected wearing scenario and audio conditions, optimizing the balance between audio quality improvement and echo reduction.
Data Source
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AI summary
An audio playback system may be adaptable to various situations for improved user experience and audio playback quality. For example, earbuds may be both worn by a same user, worn by two different users within audio range of one another, worn by two different users outside of audio range of one another, etc. A second earbud with a secondary microphone operates in a second mode in which it captures audio and encodes it for transmission to the first earbud having a primary microphone. The first earbud with the primary microphone operates in a first mode in which it mixes the audio received from the second earbud with audio received through its own microphone for playback. The first earbud in the first mode may also delay its own microphone stream to compensate for wireless transmission delay and correlate the two audio streams to improve audio quality in case there are sounds that can be picked up by both microphones.