Localized projection of audible noises in medical settings

• US 10,388,120 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

Abstract

A localized sound projection system can coordinate the sounds of speakers to simulate the placement of an auditory cue in a 3D space. The system can include a plurality of speakers configured to output auditory signals and a sound localization controller configured to control the plurality of speakers to coordinate the auditory signals to simulate an origination location of a patient alarm. The sound localization controller can determine adjusted auditory signals and control a plurality of speakers to output the plurality of adjusted auditory signals. A method for dynamically controlling speaker settings in a medical environment can include determining volume settings corresponding to a speaker, monitoring a level of ambient noise corresponding to a room of a patient, controlling the volume settings of the speaker to reduce or increase a sound level output of a speaker. A patient monitoring system can be configured to physically manipulate medical devices in response to audible commands. The system can receive a plurality of vocal commands from a user and can manipulate various settings after confirmation from a user.

Claims

1. A system for providing localized projection of audible noises, the system comprising:

a plurality of speakers configured to output auditory signals; and

a sound localization controller configured to control the plurality of speakers to coordinate the auditory signals to simulate an origination location of a patient indicator, wherein the sound localization controller comprises a processor configured to;

receive an indication of an activation of the patient indicator,

determine the origination location of the patient indicator based at least in part on the indication of the activation of the patient indicator,

based at least in part on the origination location of the patient indicator, identify sound parameters for each of the plurality of speakers, wherein the sound parameters comprise at least one of a timing, an intensity, or a frequency of a sound signal,

determine a plurality of adjusted auditory signals based at least in part on the identified sound parameters, and

control the plurality of speakers to output the plurality of adjusted auditory signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient monitoring device configured to:

receive one or more patient signals from one or more physiological sensors;

determine measurements of physiological parameters of a patient from the received one or more patient signals;

monitor alarm criteria associated with the one or more measurements of the one or more physiological parameters; and

transmit the indication of the activation of the patient indicator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the origination location comprises at least one of a physiological sensor, a patient monitoring device, a patient, a patient room, or one of the plurality of speakers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjusted auditory signals comprises at least one alarm signal and at least one time-delayed alarm signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein plurality of speakers comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein the first speaker is located closer to the origination location than the second speaker, and wherein the first speaker outputs the at least one alarm signal and the second speaker outputs the at least one time-delayed alarm signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one time-delayed alarm signal is a time-delayed copy of the alarm signal.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one time-delayed alarm signal is time-delayed from the alarm signal by two milliseconds.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of speakers are located in a patient room.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of speakers are located in a nurses'"'"' station.

10. A method for providing localized projection of audible noises, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of an activation of a patient indicator;

determining an origination location of the patient indicator based at least in part on the indication of the activation of the patient indicator;

based at least in part on the origination location of the patient indicator, identifying sound parameters for each of a plurality of speakers, wherein the sound parameters comprise at least one of a timing, an intensity, or a frequency of a sound signal;

determining a plurality of auditory signals based at least in part on the identified sound parameters; and

controlling the plurality of speakers to output the plurality of auditory signals, wherein the auditory signals of the plurality of speakers produce an audible noise that sounds as if it is originating from a direction associated with the origination location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the origination location comprises a location on the monitored patient, a location of a patient room of the monitored patient, or a location of one of the plurality of speakers.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the origination location comprises a location corresponding to a least one of a chest, a head, or a foot of the monitored patient.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of speakers comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein the audible noise output by the first speaker comprises an alarm signal, wherein the audible noise output by the second speaker comprises time-delayed copy of the alarm signal output by the first speaker.

14. A system for providing localized projection of audible noises, the system comprising:

a plurality of speakers configured to output auditory signals; and

a sound localization controller configured to control the plurality of speakers to coordinate the auditory signals such that the auditory signals of the plurality of speakers produce an audible noise that sounds as if it is originating from a direction associated with an origination location, wherein the sound localization controller comprises a processor configured to;

receive an indication of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient,

determine the origination location based at least in part on the indication of the physiological parameter,

based at least in part on the origination location, identify for each of the plurality of speakers at least one sound parameter, wherein the at least one sound parameter comprises a timing, an intensity, or a frequency associated with the auditory signal of the particular speaker, and

control each of the plurality of speakers to output the plurality of auditory signals, wherein each speaker outputs a particular auditory signal having the identified at least one sound parameter that is associated with that particular speaker.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the origination location comprises a location on the monitored patient, a location of a patient room of the monitored patient, or a location of one of the plurality of speakers.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of speakers comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein the audible noise output by the first speaker comprises an alarm signal, wherein the audible noise output by the second speaker comprises time-delayed copy of the alarm signal output by the first speaker.

17. A method for providing localized projection of audible noises, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient;

determining an origination location based at least in part on the indication of the physiological parameter;

based at least in part on the origination location, identifying for each of a plurality of speakers at least one sound parameter, wherein the at least one sound parameter comprises a timing, an intensity, or a frequency associated with the auditory signal of the particular speaker; and

controlling each of the plurality of speakers to output the plurality of auditory signals, wherein each speaker outputs a particular auditory signal having the identified at least one sound parameter that is associated with that particular speaker, wherein the auditory signals of the plurality of speakers produce an audible noise that sounds as if it is originating from a direction associated with the origination location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the origination location comprises a location on the monitored patient, a location of a patient room of the monitored patient, or a location of one of the plurality of speakers.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of speakers comprises a first speaker and a second speaker, wherein the audible noise output by the first speaker comprises an alarm signal, wherein the audible noise output by the second speaker comprises time-delayed copy of the alarm signal output by the first speaker.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said identifying comprises accessing a database and selecting the at least one sound parameter that is associated with the origination location in the database.