NOISE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20100150367A1
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Ko
• Granted Patent: US 8,116,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/71.600
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17813 characterised by the analysis of the acoustic paths, e.g. estimating, calibrating or testing of transfer functions or cross-terms
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17823 Reference signals, e.g. ambient acoustic environment
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17833 by using a self-diagnostic function or a malfunction prevention function, e.g. detecting abnormal output levels
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17854 the filter being an adaptive filter
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17857 Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17881 the reference signal being an acoustic signal, e.g. recorded with a microphone
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/002 Damping circuit arrangements for transducers, e.g. motional feedback circuits

Abstract

A noise control device according to the present invention is capable of reducing noises respectively arriving in a plurality of spaces which are acoustically independent from each other. The noise control device comprises: sound output means, which are respectively provided in the plurality of spaces so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of spaces, each for outputting a sound to a corresponding space; noise detection means, which is provided in at least one of the plurality of spaces, for detecting a noise arriving in the at least one of the plurality of spaces; and signal generation means which is a single means for generating, based on the noise detected by one of the noise detection means, a cancellation signal for canceling the noise, and outputting the generated cancellation signal to each of the plurality of sound output means.

Claims

4-1. The noise control device according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of the first noise detection means are provided in the plurality of spaces, respectively,

the noise control device further comprising third signal generation means, which are provided respectively corresponding to the plurality of the first noise detection means, each for generating, based on the noise detected by a corresponding one of the first noise detection means, the cancellation signal having a higher frequency than a predetermined frequency, and outputting the generated cancellation signal to one of the sound output means which is provided in a same space as that of the corresponding one of the first noise detection means, and

the first signal generation means generates, based on the noise detected by one of the plurality of first noise detection means, the cancellation signal having a frequency no higher than the predetermined frequency, and outputs the generated cancellation signal to each of the plurality of sound output means.

10. An integrated circuit for reducing noises respectively arriving in a plurality of spaces which are acoustically independent from each other, the integrated circuit comprising:

an input terminal to which an output from one of noise detection means is inputted, which noise detection means is provided in at least one of the plurality of spaces and detects a noise arriving in the at least one of the plurality of spaces in which the noise detection means is provided;

signal generation means which is a single means for generating, based on the output from said one of the noise detection means which is inputted to the input terminal, a cancellation signal for canceling the noise detected by said one of the noise detection means; and

an output terminal for outputting the cancellation signal, which is generated by the signal generation means, to each of sound output means which are respectively provided in the plurality of spaces so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of spaces and each of which outputs a sound to a corresponding space.

11. A headphone apparatus for reducing noises respectively arriving in two spaces which are acoustically independent from each other and which are respectively formed near left and right ears of a user, the headphone apparatus comprising:

left ear sound output means, which is provided at a space formed near the left ear, for outputting a sound in the space;

right ear sound output means, which is provided at a space formed near the right ear, for outputting a sound in the space;

noise detection means, which is provided in at least one of the two spaces, for detecting a noise arriving in the at least one of the two spaces; and

signal generation means which is a single means for generating, based on the noise detected by one of the noise detection means, a cancellation signal for canceling the noise, and outputting the generated cancellation signal to the left ear sound output means and to the right ear sound output means.