SPEECH INTELLIGIBILITY DETECTION

• US 20150010156A1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DSP Group Ltd. (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DSP Group Ltd. (Synaptics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, Yaakov
• Granted Patent: US 9,564,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/56
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/123 subjective methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0364 for improving intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/69 for evaluating synthetic or decoded voice signals

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for enhancing speech intelligibility in electronic devices. During outputting of acoustic signal via an electronic device, measurement of forces applied by user of the electronic device against the device (or enclosure thereof) may be obtained. The force measurements may be used to assess and/or estimate the listening intelligibility experienced by the user. Further, the force measurements may be used to control or adjust a listening intelligibility stage applied during generation and/or processing of the acoustic signals that are outputted via the electronic device. In some instances, an audio input, corresponding to ambient noise affecting intelligibility, may be obtained, and may be used to control or assist in controlling the listening intelligibility stage.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in an electronic device;

outputting acoustic signals;

obtaining a measurement input corresponding to a force applied by a user of the electronic device, to the electronic device or a portion thereof, wherein applying the force is in response, at least in part, to reception of the acoustic signals by the user; and

processing the measurement input, to generate acoustic metrics corresponding to an assessment of quality of the reception of the acoustic signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement input comprises an estimate of pressure applied by at least a part of the user'"'"'s body against the electronic device or the portion thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the measurement input via a force sensor in the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the measurement input based on tracking of impedance of an acoustic output element used in outputting the acoustic signals.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising estimating the force applied by a user of the electronic device, to the electronic device or a portion thereof, based on the impedance of the acoustic output element and/or adjustments thereto.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

obtaining an acoustic input corresponding to ambient noise in proximity of the user of the electronic device; and

processing the acoustic input to determine ambient noise data.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising adaptively controlling the outputting of the acoustic signals based on the determined ambient noise data.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising adaptively controlling the outputting of the acoustic signals based on the generated acoustic metrics.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adaptive control of outputting of the acoustic signals comprises adjustments to enhance listening intelligibility.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the adaptive controlling comprises applying dynamic time-scale modifications to the acoustic signals.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic metrics comprise parameters related to one or more of indication of speech intelligibility, distortion, noise, and/or partial loss.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising communicating the acoustic metrics to at least one electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the communicated acoustic metrics causes the least one electronic device to adjust one or more functions and/or parameters in the least one electronic device, based on the acoustic metrics.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more functions and/or parameters acoustic signal generation related functions and/or parameters.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the least one electronic device is configured as control element in a network comprising the electronic device, and the acoustic metrics are used by the least one electronic device as indication of quality.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the least one electronic device is configured to take, in response to assessing acoustic metrics as indication of quality, actions in the network for enhancing quality.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the least one electronic device is configured to update, in response to assessing acoustic metrics as indication of quality, quality data relating to the network.

18. A system, comprising:

one or more circuits for use in an electronic device, the one or more circuits being operable to;

output acoustic signals;

obtain a measurement input corresponding to a force applied by a user of the electronic device, to the electronic device or a portion thereof, wherein applying the force is in response, at least in part, to reception of the acoustic signals by the user; and

process the measurement input, to generate acoustic metrics corresponding to an assessment of quality of the reception of the acoustic signals.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the measurement input comprises an estimate of pressure applied by at least a part of the user'"'"'s body against the electronic device or the portion thereof.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the measurement input is obtained based on detection of the applied force and/or tracking of impedance of an acoustic output element used in outputting the acoustic signals.

21-35. -35. (canceled)