Hearing damage limiting headphones
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- a processor operable to receive and generate an audio signal;
a memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;
monitor a sound pressure level;
determine an estimated amount of hearing damage based on an associated amount of time during which the sound pressure level exceeds a hearing damage sound pressure threshold level;
determine an estimated amount of hearing regeneration based on an associated amount of time during which the sound pressure level is less than or equal to the hearing damage sound pressure threshold level;
update a damage counter value based on the estimated amount of hearing damage and the estimated amount of hearing regeneration; and
generate and execute, before the damage counter value is equal to a hearing damage threshold, an adjusted audio signal comprising a gradual decrease in a sound pressure output level, the decrease being proportional to the distance between the damage counter value and the hearing damage threshold; and
a speaker coupled to the processor and operable to output the adjusted audio signal.
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Abstract
A device includes an input for receiving an audio signal, a speaker to convert the audio signal into an audible sound, and a memory for storing remediation instructions and detection instructions. The device further includes a processor coupled to the input, the speaker, and the memory. The processor is configured to process the audio signal according to the detection instructions and the remediation instructions to modulate amplitude of the audio signal based on the remediation instructions.
120 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a processor operable to receive and generate an audio signal; a memory having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; monitor a sound pressure level; determine an estimated amount of hearing damage based on an associated amount of time during which the sound pressure level exceeds a hearing damage sound pressure threshold level; determine an estimated amount of hearing regeneration based on an associated amount of time during which the sound pressure level is less than or equal to the hearing damage sound pressure threshold level; update a damage counter value based on the estimated amount of hearing damage and the estimated amount of hearing regeneration; and generate and execute, before the damage counter value is equal to a hearing damage threshold, an adjusted audio signal comprising a gradual decrease in a sound pressure output level, the decrease being proportional to the distance between the damage counter value and the hearing damage threshold; and a speaker coupled to the processor and operable to output the adjusted audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer usable program code executable to adjusting an audio signal, comprising:
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determining, during a period time, a sound pressure level of sound output from a speaker; calculating an accumulated regeneration amount based on a portion of a period of time of when the sound pressure level is less than a hearing damage sound pressure threshold level; calculating an accumulated damage amount based on another portion of the period of time of when the sound pressure level exceeds the hearing damage sound pressure threshold level; and generating and executing, before a damage counter value is equal to a hearing damage threshold, an adjusted audio signal having a gradual decrease in an output sound pressure level, the decrease being proportional to the distance between the damage counter value and the hearing damage threshold. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a listening device, the method comprising:
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measuring a sound pressure level of an audio signal output from the listening device; estimating an amount of hearing damage based on an associated amount of time during which the sound pressure level exceeds a hearing damage sound pressure threshold level; estimating an amount of hearing regeneration based on an associated amount of time during which the sound pressure level is less than or equal to the hearing damage sound pressure threshold level; updating a damage counter value based on the estimated amount of hearing damage and the estimated amount of hearing regeneration; and adjusting the audio signal before the damage counter value exceeds hearing damage threshold, the adjusted audio signal providing a gradual decrease in a sound pressure output level proportional to the distance between the damage counter and the hearing damage threshold. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification