Earhealth monitoring system and method II

• US 10,190,904 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2018
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
• Original Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
• Inventors: Goldstein, Steven W., Usher, John, Fligor, Brian, Keady, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul S
• Application Number:
  US16/025,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20180306637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 211 Days
• Field of Search: 381 231, 381 58, 381 56, 381 72
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/14 Measuring mean amplitude; Measuring mean power; Measuring time integral of power

Abstract

Methods of operating an audio device are provided. A method includes measuring sound pressure levels (SPL_ECM) for acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) during a time increment Δt and calculating a SPL_Dose_Δt during the time increment Δt using SPL_ECM.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

measuring sound pressure levels (SPL_ECM1) for a first acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) of an audio device during a time increment Δ

t, wherein measurements corresponding to SPL_ECM1 are free field equivalent values which are measured while the audio device remains in a position; and

calculating a SPL_Dose<sub>Δ

t</sub> based on the SPL_ECM1, wherein SPL_Dose<sub>Δ

t</sub> indicates a cumulative exposure to the SPL_ECM1.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring sound pressure levels (SPL_ECM2) for a second acoustic energy received by the ECM of the audio device during the time increment Δ

t.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a SPL_Dose_total based on the SPL_Dose_Δ

t.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising comparing the SPL_Dose_total to a threshold value.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising performing an action associated with a value of an action parameter if the SPL_Dose_total is greater than or equal to the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein performing the action comprises modifying an operation of the audio device, transmitting a notification signal, activating noise cancellation, causing the audio device to vibrate, inflating a bladder of the audio device, deflating a bladder of the audio device, outputting a light, outputting a warning, adjusting a noise reduction rating of the audio device, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the SPL_ECM1 so that a threshold value is not exceeded.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring sound pressure levels (SPL_ECM2) for a second acoustic energy received by the ECM of the audio device during the time increment Δ

t.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a calibration relationship between an intensity of the second acoustic energy with a pressure measurement made during the time increment Δ

t.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, based on the SPL_ECM1, a sound pressure level signal as an input to a minimum-level threshold detector, and further comprising determining, by utilizing the minimum-level threshold detector, whether the SPL_ECM1 exceeds a minimum level threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating, if the SPL_ECM1 exceeds the minimum level threshold, a signal to trigger activation of a clock of a digital timer system.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating, if the SPL_ECM1 is less than the minimum level threshold, a signal to trigger activation of a clock associated with a restorative period.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising not activating a clock of a digital timer system if the SPL_ECM1 is at the minimum level threshold or within a margin of error of the minimum level threshold.

14. A system, comprising:

an audio device that performs operations comprising;

determining sound pressure levels (SPL_ECM1) for a first acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) of the audio device during a time increment Δ

t, wherein measurements corresponding to SPL_ECM1 are free field equivalent values which are measured while the audio device remains in a position; and

determining a SPL_Dose<sub>Δ

t</sub> based on the SPL_ECM1, wherein SPL_Dose<sub>Δ

t</sub> indicates a cumulative exposure to the SPL_ECM1.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise determining a sound pressure level exposure history based on a clock value received from a digital timer system.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether hearing damage will occur based on the SPL_ECM1.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise producing a signal to cancel sound pressure levels of the sound pressure levels that have a selected frequency.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise outputting a prompt to discontinue exposure to a sound source based on the SPL_ECM1 exceeding a threshold.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise attenuating a sound signal if the SPL_ECM1 exceeds a threshold.

20. An audio device that performs operations comprising:

measuring sound pressure levels (SPL_ECM1) for acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) of the audio device during a time increment Δ

t, wherein measurements corresponding to SPL_ECM1 are free field equivalent values which are measured while the audio device remains in a position; and

calculating a SPL_Dose<sub>Δ

t</sub> based on the SPL_ECM1, wherein SPL_Dose<sub>Δ

t</sub> indicates a cumulative exposure to the SPL_ECM1.