Audio privacy method and system

• US 20070135176A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Chi, Chiu, Shin Cheung
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/570
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

Provided is a method and system for audio privacy that includes receiving a first sound signal at a microphone proximal to a user'"'"'s ear, generating a second sound signal based on the first sound signal and a stored filter, the second sound signal interfering with the first sound signal, and emitting the second sound signal from a speaker proximal to the user'"'"'s ear.

Claims

1. An audio privacy method comprising:

receiving a first sound signal at a microphone proximal to a user'"'"'s ear;

generating a second sound signal based on the first sound signal and a stored filter, the second sound signal interfering with the first sound signal; and

emitting the second sound signal from a speaker proximal to the user'"'"'s ear.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which the first sound signal includes ambient noise.

3. The method according to claim 1, in which the microphone and speaker are associated with a telephone.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including a third sound signal emitting proximal to the user'"'"'s ear, the interfering of the first and second sound signals improving the intelligibility of the third sound signal.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third sound signal comprises a human voice.

6. A personal conversation device, comprising:

a signal sampling module for receiving a first audio signal;

a signal interfering module for emitting a second sound signal; and

a signal processing module, operatively connected to receive the first audio signal from the signal sampling module and to generate a second sound signal to the signal interfering module, the second sound signal generated based on the first sound signal and a stored filter to substantially destructively interfere with the first sound signal.

7. The personal conversation device according to claim 6, the signal sampling module, signal interfering module and signal processing module together comprising a jewelry item.

8. The personal conversation device according to claim 6, the signal sampling module, signal interfering module and signal processing module together comprising a headset.

9. The personal conversation device according to claim 6, the signal sampling module, signal interfering module and signal processing module together comprising an eyeglass.

10. The personal conversation device according to claim 6, the signal processing module comprising an application specific integrated circuit.

11. A virtual sound wall device, comprising:

a signal sampling module;

a signal interfering module;

a signal processing module, operatively connected to the signal sampling module and signal interfering module, the signal processing module configured to generate a signal for the signal interfering module that interferes with a signal received from the signal sampling module; and

the signal sampling and signal interfering modules being located along a boundary separating a noisy area from a quiet space.

12. The virtual sound wall device according to claim 11, in which the signal processing module comprises a microprocessor and associated memory, the microprocessor being configured to perform the signal generating function of the signal processing module.

13. The virtual sound wall device according to claim 12, the signal sampling module configured to filter out sounds over a predetermined decibel level.

14. The virtual sound wall device according to claim 13, the predetermined decibel level being 100 decibels.

15. A method of providing a virtual sound wall comprising:

receiving, at a boundary between a noisy area and a desired quiet area, a first sound signal;

generating a second sound signal that substantially interferes with the first sound signal; and

emitting, at the boundary, the second sound signal.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising filtering the received first sound signal.

17. The method according to claim 16, the filtering being filtering out of sound in the frequency range of 120 Hz to 3800 Hz.

18. The method according to claim 16, the filtering being filtering out of sound in the frequency range of human speech.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising performing the receiving, generating and emitting steps at more than one location along the boundary.