ACOUSTIC NOISE REDUCTION AUDIO SYSTEM HAVING TAP CONTROL
First Claim
1. An acoustic noise reduction (ANR) audio system having tap control, comprising:
- a first ANR module having a first ANR input to receive a first audio input signal, a second ANR input to receive a first supply current from a power supply, and an ANR output to provide a first audio output signal having reduced acoustic noise;
a first current sensor having a sensor output and configured for communication with the power supply, the first current sensor providing a signal responsive to a characteristic of the first supply current at the sensor output;
a first signal conditioner module having an input in communication with the sensor output of the first current sensor and having a first signal conditioner output, the first signal conditioner module providing a first conditioned signal at the first signal conditioner output in response to the signal responsive to the characteristic of the first supply current; and
an audio and mode control module having a first input to receive a source audio signal, a second input in communication with the first signal conditioner output, and a first output in communication with the first ANR input of the first ANR module, the audio and mode control module controlling at least one of a mode of operation of a headphone system and an attribute of the first audio input signal in response to the first conditioned signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Acoustic noise reduction (ANR) headphones described herein have current detection circuitry that is used to detect current consumed by ANR circuitry as a result of pressure changes due to a tapping of a headphone. Tapping may be performed to change an audio feature or operating mode. The current detection circuitry senses a characteristic of the current that can be used to determine an occurrence of a tap event. Examples of a characteristic include an amplitude, waveform or duration of the sensed current. Advantageously, the ANR headphones avoid the need for control buttons to initiate the desired changes to the audio feature or operating mode. Error detection circuitry included in the ANR headphones can distinguish between a valid tap events and an occurrence of a different type of event that may otherwise be improperly be interpreted as a tap event.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An acoustic noise reduction (ANR) audio system having tap control, comprising:
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a first ANR module having a first ANR input to receive a first audio input signal, a second ANR input to receive a first supply current from a power supply, and an ANR output to provide a first audio output signal having reduced acoustic noise; a first current sensor having a sensor output and configured for communication with the power supply, the first current sensor providing a signal responsive to a characteristic of the first supply current at the sensor output; a first signal conditioner module having an input in communication with the sensor output of the first current sensor and having a first signal conditioner output, the first signal conditioner module providing a first conditioned signal at the first signal conditioner output in response to the signal responsive to the characteristic of the first supply current; and an audio and mode control module having a first input to receive a source audio signal, a second input in communication with the first signal conditioner output, and a first output in communication with the first ANR input of the first ANR module, the audio and mode control module controlling at least one of a mode of operation of a headphone system and an attribute of the first audio input signal in response to the first conditioned signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling an audio system having a first acoustic noise reduction (ANR) module configured to receive an audio input signal and a first ANR headphone coupled to the first ANR module, the method comprising:
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sensing a first supply current provided to the first ANR module, the first supply current being responsive to an acoustic pressure change in a first ANR headphone; determining from the sensed first supply current that a tap event occurred, the tap event having a tap sequence that comprises one or more headphone taps; and changing at least one of a mode of operation of the audio system and an attribute of the audio input signal in response to the tap sequence of the tap event. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A headphone comprising:
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a first microphone for detecting a pressure change in a first cavity of the headphone, the first cavity comprising an ear canal of a wearer of the headphone; first acoustic noise reduction (ANR) circuitry configured to receive a first audio input signal and coupled to the first microphone for generating a noise cancellation signal to cancel noise detected by the first microphone; a power supply coupled to the first ANR circuitry and providing a first supply current to the first ANR circuit; a first current sensor monitoring the first supply current; and a processor configured to determine whether the first supply current is indicative of a tap event that causes a pressure change in the first cavity of the headphone that is detected by the first microphone, wherein if the processor determines that a tap event has occurred, the processor is further configured to change at least one of a mode of operation of the headphone and an attribute of the first audio input signal in response to the tap event. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification