SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A REDUCTION OF AUDIABLE NOISE PERCEPTION FOR A HUMAN USER
First Claim
1. A system for providing a reduction of auditory noise perception for a human user, comprisinga signal processing unit,means for providing a first input signal to the signal processing unit, andat least one microphone for providing a second input signal representative of said auditory noise to the signal processing unit,the signal processing unit comprising masking means for providing an output signal to at least one loudspeaker so as to provide a masking sound signal by the loudspeaker to the human user,wherein the masking means of the signal processing unit is adapted to provide a psycho-acoustic masking effect to the human user with respect to the said auditory noise by comprising means to form the output signal by an adjustment of the intensity of the provided first input signal, the adjustment being based on the intensity of the second input signal and properties of the human auditory perception, so that the masking sound signal provided by the loudspeaker is suited to elevate the human user'"'"'s auditory perception threshold of at least a part of the auditory noise signal represented by the second input signal to a level that reduces or eliminates the perception thereof by the human user.
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Abstract
A system is disclosed where the well-known psycho-acoustic masking effect, i.e. frequency and/or temporal masking is applied to reduce the human perception of a noise signal. An input signal, such as music or another entertainment signal, is adjusted based on the intensity of the auditory noise by applying existing knowledge about the properties of the human auditory perception and is provided to the human user as a masking sound signal, so that the masking sound elevates the human auditory perception threshold for at least some of the noise signal, whereby the user'"'"'s perception of that part of the noise signal is reduced or eliminated. The masking sound may be combined with active noise control where a sound in anti-phase with the noise signal is provided for further reduction of the human perception of the noise signal.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for providing a reduction of auditory noise perception for a human user, comprising
a signal processing unit, means for providing a first input signal to the signal processing unit, and at least one microphone for providing a second input signal representative of said auditory noise to the signal processing unit, the signal processing unit comprising masking means for providing an output signal to at least one loudspeaker so as to provide a masking sound signal by the loudspeaker to the human user, wherein the masking means of the signal processing unit is adapted to provide a psycho-acoustic masking effect to the human user with respect to the said auditory noise by comprising means to form the output signal by an adjustment of the intensity of the provided first input signal, the adjustment being based on the intensity of the second input signal and properties of the human auditory perception, so that the masking sound signal provided by the loudspeaker is suited to elevate the human user'"'"'s auditory perception threshold of at least a part of the auditory noise signal represented by the second input signal to a level that reduces or eliminates the perception thereof by the human user.
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11. Method of providing a reduction of auditory noise perception for a human user, comprising the steps of
providing a first input signal to a signal processing unit, providing a second input signal representative of said auditory noise to the signal processing unit, providing an output signal from masking means of said signal processing unit to at least one loudspeaker so as to provide a masking sound signal by the loudspeaker to the human user, wherein the masking means of the signal processing unit is provides a psycho-acoustic masking effect to the human user with respect to the said auditory noise by forming the output signal by an adjustment of the intensity of the provided first input signal, the adjustment being based on the intensity of the second input signal and properties of the human auditory perception, so that the masking sound signal provided by the loudspeaker elevates the human user'"'"'s auditory perception threshold of at least a part of the auditory noise signal represented by the second input signal to a level that reduces or eliminates the perception thereof by the human user.
Specification