Preserving Privacy of a Conversation from Surrounding Environment

• US 20150057999A1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Leorin, Simone, Duong, Nghiep Duy, Verthein, William George, Shaw, Steven Wei
• Granted Patent: US 9,361,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/226
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/175 using interference effects; Masking sound
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/12 Rooms, e.g. ANC inside a room, office, concert hall or automobile cabin
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3011 Single acoustic input
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3046 Multiple acoustic inputs, multiple acoustic outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0272 Voice signal separating
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/03 characterised by the type of extracted parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/12 for acoustic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/34 involving multiple cooperating jammers
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/41 characterized by the control of the jamming activation or deactivation time control of jamming activation and deactivation time only for the purpose of alternating between jamming mode and target monitoring mode H04K3/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/825 by jamming

Abstract

Various embodiments provide an ability to analyze an audio input signal and generate a counter audio signal based, at least in part, on the audio input signal. In some cases, combining the audio input signal with the counter audio signal renders the audio input signal incoherent and/or unintelligible to accidental listeners and/or listeners to whom the audio input signal is not directed towards. Alternately or additionally, the counter signal can mask the audio input signal to the accidental listeners.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, with a device, an audio input signal intended for one or more recipients;

analyzing, using the device, the audio input signal effective to determine one or more properties associated with the audio input signal;

generating, using the device, a counter signal based, at least in part, on the one or more properties associated with the audio input signal; and

sending, using the device, the counter signal outwardly from the device effective to modify audible acoustic effects proximate to the device and associated with the audio input signal.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the audio input signal comprises analyzing the audio input signal over a series of capture blocks.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the counter signal comprises an inverse signal configured to reduce or cancel out the audible acoustic effects associated with the audio input signal.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the counter signal comprises a linguistic translation of the audio input signal.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein sending the counter signal comprises radiating the counter signal using a speaker.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the audio input signal to the one or more intended recipients.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the one or more intended recipients are one or more participants in a communication link.

8. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

multiple audio speakers operably coupled to the at least one processor;

at least one microphone operably coupled to the at least one processor;

one or more computer-readable storage memories operably coupled to the at least one processor;

processor-executable instructions embodied on the one or more computer-readable storage memories which, responsive to execution by the at least one processor, are configured to;

receive an audio input signal intended for one or more recipients via the at least one microphone;

analyze the audio input signal effective to determine one or more properties associated with the audio input signal;

generate a counter signal based, at least in part, on the one or more properties associated with the audio input signal; and

radiate the counter signal outwardly from the system, using at least a first speaker of the multiple speakers, effective to modify audible acoustic effects proximate to the system and associated with the audio input signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the system comprises a headset.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the counter signal comprises an inverse signal configured to reduce or cancel out the audible acoustic effects associated with the audio input signal.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the counter signal comprises an acoustic alert.

12. The system of claim 8 further configured to transmit the audio input signal to the one or more intended recipients.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more intended recipients are participants in a communication link associated with the system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication link comprises a Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) link.

15. The system of claim 13 further configured to:

receive a second audio input signal over the communication link from the one or more intended recipients; and

radiate the second audio input signal using at least a second audio speaker of the multiple audio speakers.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more properties comprises word content.

17. One or more computer-readable storage memories embodying one or more processor-executable instructions which, responsive to execution by at least one processor, are configured to implement:

an audio input analysis module configured to;

receive an audio input signal intended for one or more recipients; and

analyze the audio input effective to determine one or more properties associated with the audio input signal; and

an audio output generation module configured to;

generate an inverse signal based, at least in part, on the one or more properties associated with the audio input signal;

send the inverse signal outward from a device associated with the at least one processor effective to modify audible acoustic effects proximate to the device and associated with the audio input signal.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage memories of claim 17, wherein the audio output generation module is further configured to:

generate an acoustic alert comprising at least one tone;

combine the acoustic alert with the inverse signal; and

send the combined acoustic alert and inverse signal outward from the device.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage memories of claim 18, wherein the processor-executable instructions are further configured to selectively enable and disable generating and combining the acoustic alert with the inverse signal.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage memories of claim 17, wherein the audio input analysis module is further configured to analyze the audio input signal using a series of uniform capture blocks.