METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTELLIGENT ACOUSTIC SIGNAL PROCESSING IN ACCORDANCE WITH A USER PREFERENCE

• US 20080044040A1
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alan J. Werner Jr
• Original Assignee: Alan J. Werner Jr
• Inventors: Werner, Alan, Bugler, Malcolm
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/111
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/407 Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a “smart earplug” capable of selectively adjusting the output of an array of acoustic wave generation elements or speakers within a user'"'"'s ear canal in response to input signals, wherein at least one of the input signals has been at least partially attenuated.

Claims

1. An acoustic control apparatus, comprising:

input sensor for receiving an input acoustic signal to be processed, said input sensor including a microphone array, said microphone array manifesting vibration in response to interaction with the input acoustic signals from a plurality directions to generate a plurality of input signals, each representing an acoustic input from one of the plurality of directions relative to said input sensor;

a signal processing device for producing, in response to the input signals, at least one output signal dynamically controllable by a user, said signal processing device characterized by a uniform frequency response such that the output acoustic signal spectrum level is generally reflective of an input acoustic signal spectrum level, said signal processing device further including a mixing circuit to enable a mixing of at least two acoustic signals from the plurality of directions; and

an acoustic output port for generating the output acoustic signal produced by said signal processing device.

2. The acoustic control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising amplifiers operatively connected to said microphone array.

3. The acoustic control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of input signals is amplified by one of said amplifiers prior to processing by said signal processing device.

4. The acoustic control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said acoustic output port includes at least one speaker and where the apparatus further comprises at least one ear bud housing at least said microphone array, amplifier and speaker.

5. The acoustic control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said apparatus further comprises a user control housing that encloses said signal processing device, said mixing circuit and a power source, wherein said housing includes at least one user-adjustable control.

6. An acoustic signal processing system for processing acoustic signals in accordance with a user preference, comprising:

at least one microphone array, said microphone array generating a plurality of input signals in response to acoustic vibrations, each input signal representing an acoustic input from one of a plurality of directions relative to said microphone array;

a signal processing device for producing, in response to the plurality of input signals, at least one output signal, said signal processing device characterized by a uniform frequency response such that an output acoustic signal spectrum level is generally reflective of an input acoustic signal spectrum level, said signal processing device further including a mixing circuit, responsive to the user preference, to mix at least two acoustic signals from the plurality of directions; and

at least one speaker for generating the output acoustic signal in response to the output signal from said signal processing device.

7. The acoustic control apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising at least one amplifier operatively connected to said microphone array.

8. A method for controlling the sound perceived by a user, comprising:

receiving, using a micro-electronic microphone array, an input acoustic signal and generating a plurality of input signals representing the acoustic input from each of a plurality of directions relative to the array;

processing the input signals to produce at least one output signal such that the output signal spectrum level is generally reflective of an input acoustic signal spectrum level, including mixing of at least two acoustic signals from the plurality of directions to produce the at least one output signal; and

generating, by an output speaker responsive to the at least one output signal an acoustic signal directly in the canal of a user'"'"'s ear.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising amplifying at least one of the plurality of input signals representing the acoustic input prior to processing the input signals.