Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation Adverse Effect Reduction

• US 20170193979A1
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Published: 07/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Benway, Evan Harris, Woo, Kwangsee Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,978,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/1785 Methods, e.g. algorithms; Devices G10K11/1781, G10K11/1783 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17873 using a reference signal without an error signal, e.g. pure feedforward
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17875 using an error signal without a reference signal, e.g. pure feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17885 additionally using a desired external signal, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/08 Mouthpieces; Microphones; Attachments therefor
• 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 2410/05 Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for headphones are disclosed. In one example, a noise cancelling signal is generated with an active noise cancelling system, and the noise cancelling signal is output at a headphones speaker. An undesirable user effect resulting from the noise cancelling signal output at the headphones speaker is mitigated with a noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal output simultaneously with the noise cancelling signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

activating an active noise cancelling system on headphones;

generating a noise cancelling signal with the active noise cancelling system; and

outputting a noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal simultaneously with the noise cancelling signal at a headphones speaker to reduce a user discomfort resulting from the noise cancelling signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is output at a level of 35 dB or less.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is output at a level so that it is not discernable by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is configured responsive to the noise cancelling signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is a noise signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user adjustment of the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal at a headphones user input interface.

7. A method comprising:

generating a noise cancelling signal with an active noise cancelling system at headphones;

outputting the noise cancelling signal at a headphones speaker; and

mitigating an undesirable user effect resulting from the noise cancelling signal output at the headphones speaker with a noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal output simultaneously with the noise cancelling signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is output at a level of 35 dB or less.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is output at a level so that it is not discernable by a user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is configured responsive to the noise cancelling signal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is a noise signal.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a user adjustment of the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal at a headphones user input interface.

13. A headphones apparatus comprising:

one or more microphones to receive a background sound;

a first speaker;

a second speaker;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing one or more application programs executable by the one or more processors, the one or more application programs comprising instructions to generate a noise cancelling signal from the background sound and output the noise cancelling signal at the first speaker and the second speaker, wherein the one or more application programs further comprise instructions to output a noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal configured to reduce a user discomfort resulting from the noise cancelling signal.

14. The headphones apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or the one or more application programs further comprise instructions to generate the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal.

15. The headphones apparatus of claim 13, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is a noise signal.

16. The headphones apparatus of claim 13, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal operable to reduce the user discomfort is stored in the one or more memories.

17. The headphones apparatus of claim 13, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is output at a level of 35 dB or less.

18. The headphones apparatus of claim 13, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal is output at a level so that it is not discernable by a user.

19. The headphones apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or the one or more application programs further comprise instructions to configure the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal responsive to the noise cancelling signal.

20. The headphones apparatus of claim 13, wherein the noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal operable to reduce the user discomfort resulting from the noise cancelling signal is user adjustable at a user interface of the headphones apparatus.