US-12626684-B2 - Ear-worn device and reproduction method

US12626684B2US 12626684 B2US12626684 B2US 12626684B2US-12626684-B2

Abstract

An ear-worn device includes: a microphone that obtains a sound and outputs a first sound signal of the sound obtained; a DSP that performs determination regarding an S/N ratio of the first sound signal, determination regarding a bandwidth with respect to a peak frequency in a power spectrum of the sound, and determination of whether the sound contains human voice, and outputs a second sound signal based on the first sound signal when the DSP determines that at least one of the S/N ratio or the bandwidth satisfies a predetermined requirement and the sound contains human voice; a loudspeaker that outputs a reproduced sound based on the second sound signal output; and a housing that contains the microphone, the DSP, and the loudspeaker.

Inventors

Shinichiro KURIHARA

Assignees

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240617
Priority Date: 20211221

Claims (10)

1 . An ear-worn device comprising: a microphone that obtains a sound and outputs a first sound signal of the sound obtained; a signal processing circuit that performs determination regarding a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the first sound signal, determination regarding a bandwidth with respect to a peak frequency in a power spectrum of the sound, and determination of whether the sound contains human voice, and outputs a second sound signal based on the first sound signal when the signal processing circuit determines that at least one of the S/N ratio or the bandwidth satisfies a predetermined requirement and the sound contains human voice; a loudspeaker that outputs a reproduced sound based on the second sound signal output; and a housing that contains the microphone, the signal processing circuit, and the loudspeaker.
2 . The ear-worn device according to claim 1 , wherein when the signal processing circuit determines that at least one of the S/N ratio or the bandwidth satisfies the predetermined requirement and the sound contains human voice, the signal processing circuit outputs the first sound signal as the second sound signal.
3 . The ear-worn device according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined requirement for the S/N ratio is that the S/N ratio is higher than a first threshold, and the predetermined requirement for the bandwidth is that the bandwidth is narrower than a second threshold.
4 . The ear-worn device according to claim 1 , wherein when the signal processing circuit determines that at least one of the S/N ratio or the bandwidth satisfies the predetermined requirement and the sound contains human voice, the signal processing circuit outputs the second sound signal obtained by performing signal processing on the first sound signal.
5 . The ear-worn device according to claim 4 , wherein the signal processing includes equalizing processing for enhancing a specific frequency component of the sound.
6 . The ear-worn device according to claim 1 , wherein when the signal processing circuit determines that neither the S/N ratio nor the bandwidth satisfies the predetermined requirement or when the signal processing circuit determines that the sound does not contain human voice, the signal processing circuit causes the loudspeaker not to output the reproduced sound based on the second sound signal.
7 . The ear-worn device according to claim 1 , wherein when the signal processing circuit determines that neither the S/N ratio nor the bandwidth satisfies the predetermined requirement or when the signal processing circuit determines that the sound does not contain human voice, the signal processing circuit outputs a third sound signal obtained by performing phase inversion processing on the first sound signal, and the loudspeaker outputs a reproduced sound based on the third sound signal output.
8 . The ear-worn device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a mixing circuit that mixes the second sound signal output with a fourth sound signal provided from a sound source, wherein after the signal processing circuit starts outputting the second sound signal, the mixing circuit mixes the second sound signal with the fourth sound signal attenuated to be lower in amplitude than before the signal processing circuit starts outputting the second sound signal.
9 . A reproduction method comprising: performing, based on a first sound signal of a sound obtained by a microphone, determination regarding a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the first sound signal, determination regarding a bandwidth with respect to a peak frequency in a power spectrum of the sound, and determination of whether the sound contains human voice, the first sound signal being output from the microphone; outputting a second sound signal based on the first sound signal when it is determined that at least one of the S/N ratio or the bandwidth satisfies a predetermined requirement and the sound contains human voice; and outputting a reproduced sound from a loudspeaker based on the second sound signal output.
10 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the reproduction method according to claim 9 .

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation application of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2022/035130 filed on Sep. 21, 2022, designating the United States of America, which is based on and claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-207539 filed on Dec. 21, 2021. The entire disclosures of the above-identified applications, including the specifications, drawings and claims are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD The present disclosure relates to an ear-worn device and a reproduction method. BACKGROUND Various techniques for ear-worn devices such as earphones and headphones have been proposed. Patent Literature (PTL) 1 discloses a technique for headphones. CITATION LIST Patent Literature PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-21826 SUMMARY Technical Problem The present disclosure provides an ear-worn device that can reproduce human voice heard in the surroundings. Solution to Problem An ear-worn device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a microphone that obtains a sound and outputs a first sound signal of the sound obtained; a signal processing circuit that performs determination regarding a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the first sound signal, determination regarding a bandwidth with respect to a peak frequency in a power spectrum of the sound, and determination of whether the sound contains human voice, and outputs a second sound signal based on the first sound signal when the signal processing circuit determines that at least one of the S/N ratio or the bandwidth satisfies a predetermined requirement and the sound contains human voice; a loudspeaker that outputs a reproduced sound based on the second sound signal output; and a housing that contains the microphone, the signal processing circuit, and the loudspeaker. Advantageous Effects The ear-worn device according to an aspect of the present disclosure can reproduce human voice heard in the surroundings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS These and other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, by way of non-limiting examples of embodiments disclosed herein. FIG. 1 is an external view of devices included in a sound signal processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of the sound signal processing system according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a case in which a transition to an external sound capture mode does not occur even when an announcement sound is output. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of Example 1 of an ear-worn device according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a first flowchart of the operation of the ear-worn device according to the embodiment in the external sound capture mode. FIG. 6 is a second flowchart of the operation of the ear-worn device according to the embodiment in the external sound capture mode. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation of the ear-worn device according to the embodiment in a noise canceling mode. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of Example 2 of the ear-worn device according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation mode selection screen. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment will be described in detail below, with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below shows a general or specific example. The numerical values, shapes, materials, structural elements, the arrangement and connection of the structural elements, steps, the order of steps, etc. shown in the following embodiment are mere examples, and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Of the structural elements in the embodiment described below, the structural elements not recited in any one of the independent claims are described as optional structural elements. Each drawing is a schematic, and does not necessarily provide precise depiction. In the drawings, structural elements that are substantially the same are given the same reference marks, and repeated description may be omitted or simplified. Embodiment 1. Structure The structure of a sound signal processing system according to an embodiment will be described below. FIG. 1 is an external view of devices included in the sound signal processing system according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of the sound signal processing system according to the embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, sound signal processing system 10 according to the embodiment includes ear-worn device 20 and mobile terminal 30. First, ear-worn device 20 will be described below. 1-1. Structure of Ear-Worn Device Ear-worn device 20 is an earphone-type device that reproduces a fourth sound signal provided from mobile terminal 30. The fourth sound signal is, for example, a sound signal of music content. Ear-worn device 20 has an external sound capture func