Audio canceling of audio generated from nearby aerial vehicles

• US 10,176,792 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Elzinga, Michael John, Wilcox, Scott Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/829,027
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/175 using interference effects; Masking sound
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17821 characterised by the analysis of the input signals only
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17857 Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1281 Aircraft, e.g. spacecraft, airplane or helicopter

Abstract

The implementations described include an audio canceling device that receives an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) audio signature representative of audio generated by an unmanned aerial vehicle, monitors audio within an environment in which the audio canceling device is located for audio generated by the UAV, generates an attenuation-signal based on detected audio generated by the UAV, and outputs the attenuation-signal to attenuate the audio generated by the UAV. In one example, the audio canceling device may be used to attenuate audio generated by a UAV that is permeating into a user'"'"'s home during delivery of an item to the user'"'"'s home by the UAV.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with executable instructions,

emitting, by an audio canceling device, information indicating a location of the audio canceling device;

responsive to the emitted information indicating the location of the audio canceling device, receiving, at the audio canceling device, monitoring information indicating that an unmanned aerial vehicle (“

UAV”

) will be within a defined distance of the audio canceling device, the monitoring information including a UAV audio signature representative of audio generated by the UAV;

recording an audio signal from an environment in which the audio canceling device is located;

processing the audio signal to determine a portion of the audio signal that corresponds to the UAV audio signature;

determining, based at least in part on the audio signal, that the UAV is approaching the location of the audio canceling device;

outputting from an output of the audio canceling device an audible notification that the UAV is approaching;

generating an attenuation-signal based at least in part on the portion of the audio signal, wherein the attenuation-signal is generated by at least phase shifting the audio signal; and

outputting the attenuation-signal from the output of the audio canceling device so that the portion of the audio signal is attenuated by the attenuation-signal within at least a portion of the environment;

wherein the audible notification that the UAV is approaching that is output from the audio canceling device is distinct from the attenuation-signal based at least in part on the portion of the audio signal that is output from the audio canceling device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the audio signal includes:

comparing at least one of a frequency or an amplitude of the audio signal with the UAV audio signature.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a time delay that is to elapse before the attenuation-signal is sent from the output so that the attenuation-signal will arrive at a canceling location within the environment such that the portion of the audio signal is attenuated by the attenuation-signal at the canceling location.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a transducer to receive audio signals;

an output to generate output audio signals;

a wireless unit that communicates with an unmanned aerial vehicle (“

UAV”

) and receives monitoring information;

a processor; and

a computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to at least;

emit, from the wireless unit, information indicating a location of the apparatus;

responsive to the emitted information indicating the location of the apparatus, receive, by the wireless unit, the monitoring information;

receive from the transducer, UAV audio generated by a UAV that is within a distance of the apparatus;

generate an attenuation-signal based at least in part on the UAV audio, wherein the attenuation-signal is generated by at least phase shifting the UAV audio;

cause the output to output an audible notification that the UAV is within the distance of the apparatus; and

cause the output to output the attenuation-signal so that the attenuation-signal will attenuate the UAV audio;

wherein the audible notification that the UAV is within the distance of the apparatus is distinct from the attenuation-signal based at least in part on the UAV audio.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least:

determine a position of a user; and

cause the output to output the attenuation-signal so that the attenuation-signal will arrive at the position of the user and attenuate the UAV audio at the position of the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least:

determine a remaining time before the UAV audio arrives at the position of the user;

determine a required time for the attenuation-signal to travel from the output to the position of the user;

determine a time delay as a difference between the remaining time and the required time; and

cause the output to output the attenuation-signal after the time delay has elapsed.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least:

determine, based at least in part on the UAV audio, that the UAV has arrived at a delivery destination; and

cause the output to output a notification that the UAV has arrived at the delivery destination;

wherein the notification that the UAV has arrived at the delivery destination is distinct from the attenuation-signal based at least in part on the UAV audio.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least:

determine, based at least in part on the UAV audio, that the UAV has departed a delivery destination; and

cause the output to output a notification that delivery of an item has completed and that the UAV has departed the delivery destination;

wherein the notification that the delivery of the item has completed and that the UAV has departed the delivery destination is distinct from the attenuation-signal based at least in part on the UAV audio.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least:

determine that a feedback has been received from a user; and

send the feedback to a remote-computing resource for processing and storage.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the wireless unit receives the monitoring information from the UAV, the monitoring information indicating a flight path of the UAV.

11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the wireless unit further communicates with a remote-computing resource and receives the monitoring information from the remote-computing resource, the monitoring information indicating a flight path of the UAV.

12. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least:

receive from the transducer a resultant audio after the output has output the attenuation-signal; and

process the resultant audio to determine that the UAV audio has been sufficiently attenuated.

13. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the attenuation-signal is further generated by inverting a polarity of the UAV audio.

14. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to at least:

receive from the transducer a resultant audio after the output has output the attenuation-signal;

process the resultant audio to determine that the UAV audio has not been sufficiently attenuated;

alter the attenuation-signal; and

cause the output to output the altered attenuation-signal.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

emitting, by an audio canceling device, information indicating a location of the audio canceling device;

responsive to the emitted information indicating the location of the audio canceling device, receiving, at the audio canceling device, monitoring information corresponding to an aerial vehicle being within a defined distance of the audio canceling device;

in response to receiving the monitoring information, monitoring, with the audio canceling device, audio;

determining that the audio includes audio generated by the aerial vehicle;

outputting from the audio canceling device an audible notification that the aerial vehicle is within the defined distance;

generating, based at least in part on the audio generated by the aerial vehicle, an attenuation-signal by at least phase shifting at least a portion of the audio; and

outputting from the audio canceling device the attenuation-signal such that the attenuation-signal attenuates the audio generated by the aerial vehicle;

wherein the audible notification that the aerial vehicle is within the defined distance is distinct from the attenuation-signal based at least in part on the audio generated by the aerial vehicle.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring information includes an aerial vehicle audio signature representative of audio generated by the aerial vehicle.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein:

the monitoring includes comparing the audio with the aerial vehicle signature to determine the at least a portion of the audio that is similar to the aerial vehicle signature; and

the generating the attenuation-signal further includes inverting a polarity of the at least a portion of the audio.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

adjusting an amplitude of the attenuation-signal based at least in part on an amplitude of the at least a portion of the audio.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein:

the monitoring information further includes a time indicator representative of a time during which the aerial vehicle is anticipated to be within the defined distance of the audio canceling device; and

the monitoring is initiated based on the time indicator.