Personal audio system for neckband headset with low computational complexity

Abstract

Personal audio systems have been developed based on various approaches with the goal of synthesizing an isolated sound zone that avoids disturbing others in different locations. In this work, a near-field solution for a neckband headset using three loudspeakers positioned close to each ear is proposed. In particular, it is an attempt to derive a simple multichannel filter for reducing the computational cost in mobile devices. Unlike super-directive beamforming techniques, the controlled radiation pattern is not highly directional but can boost the near-field sound, thereby providing an extra sound level difference between the listener's ear locations and far-field surrounding areas. For this purpose, a multichannel filter is designed using a conventional pressure matching technique for reproducing a target signal at the ear location while suppressing sound radiation to a far-field. It is shown that the optimal filter weights can be successfully approximated in the form of a simple broadside differential array pattern. The simplified filter structure can be realized using only two second-order infinite impulse response filters for driving the middle and two side loudspeakers. Through various simulations and experiments, it is demonstrated that the proposed solution can effectively realize a personal audio system with a minimal loss of sound isolation performance.