Wireless Sound Sensing via Channel Information Reflections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sound sensing technologies, such as microphones, face limitations in separating and identifying multiple sound sources, raising privacy concerns and being prone to inaudible voice attacks and replay attacks, while alternative modalities like accelerometers and cameras require line-of-sight and specific lighting conditions, making them unsuitable for ubiquitous and continuous sound sensing.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses wireless channel information to transmit and receive radio signals, processing time series of channel information to determine the presence of vibrating objects and reconstruct sound signals, enabling sound sensing without the need for direct line-of-sight and improving privacy by not sensing sound at a single destination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If microphones are used for sound sensing, then sound can be detected at the destination, but multiple sound sources cannot be separated and identified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/acoustic microphone system with a wireless communication system that uses radio frequency signals. The wireless channel information processing system extracts sound source characteristics from signal reflections and multipath components, enabling separation and identification of multiple sound sources without requiring complex microphone arrays. The system processes channel state information to distinguish between different sound sources based on their spatial and temporal characteristics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If microphones are deployed for ubiquitous sound sensing, then continuous monitoring is possible, but privacy concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless channel information as an intermediary that indirectly captures sound source characteristics without directly sensing the sound waves themselves. By processing the multipath components and signal reflections in the wireless channel, the system can identify sound sources and their characteristics without requiring microphones to directly detect and record audio, thus reducing privacy intrusion while maintaining monitoring capability.
3Reliability
If microphones are used for sound detection, then sound signals can be captured, but the system is prone to inaudible voice attacks and replay attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional acoustic microphone-based voice authentication with a wireless communication-based system that analyzes channel state information and multipath characteristics. This substitution makes the system resistant to inaudible voice attacks and replay attacks because the authentication is based on the physical propagation characteristics of wireless signals and the spatial-temporal patterns of sound sources, rather than directly analyzing audio waveforms that can be recorded and replayed.
4Adaptability or versatility
If accelerometers or cameras are used for sound sensing, then alternative modalities are available, but line-of-sight and lighting conditions are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal sound sensing system that operates through wireless communication channels, eliminating the need for line-of-sight requirements and specific lighting conditions. The system uses radio frequency signal reflections and multipath components to detect and characterize sound sources, making it applicable in diverse environmental conditions where traditional optical or mechanical sensing modalities would fail.
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
This approach allows for effective sound sensing and speech reconstruction without the limitations of traditional microphones, providing a more comprehensive and privacy-enhanced solution for sound monitoring in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
receiving a second wireless signal through the wireless channel, wherein the second wireless signal comprises a reflection of the first wireless signal by at least one object in the venue
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus and systems for sound sensing based on radio signals are described. In one example, a described system comprises: a transmitter configured to transmit a first wireless signal through a wireless channel of a venue; a receiver configured to receive a second wireless signal through the wireless channel, wherein the second wireless signal comprises a reflection of the first wireless signal by at least one object in the venue; and a processor. The processor is configured for: obtaining a time series of channel information (CI) of the wireless channel based on the second wireless signal, determining a presence of a vibrating object in the venue based on the time series of CI (TSCI), extracting a sound signal from the TSCI, and reconstructing at least one speech based on the sound signal.