Crowdsourced Noise Monitoring Systems and Methods

• US 20180144762A1
• Filed: 11/17/2017
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microroyalties, LLC
• Original Assignee: Microroyalties, LLC
• Inventors: Guerrieri, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,553,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/45 characterised by the type of analysis window
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/51 for comparison or discrimination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

Systems and methods for crowdsourced noise monitoring are provided. An example for crowdsourced noise monitoring includes a noise monitoring system receiving and storing audio files and context data associated with a noise event in a database. A log of the audio files and context data can be created. Noise complaints can also be received from users by the noise monitoring system. Additional logs of the noise complaints can then be created. The log of the noise event and the additional logs of the noise complaints are analyzed to determine whether the noise complaints are related to the noise event. If the noise complaints are related to the noise event, the log and additional logs can automatically be forwarded to an authorized user.

Claims

1. A method for crowdsourced noise monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more audio monitoring devices, audible sounds of a noise event;

determining, by the one or more audio monitoring devices, whether a noise level of the noise event is above a threshold decibel level;

if the noise level is above the threshold decibel level, recording, by the one or more audio monitoring devices, the audible sounds of the noise event, the recorded audible sounds comprising at least a first audio file and context data associated with the noise event;

sending, by the one or more audio monitoring devices, the first audio file and context data to a noise monitoring system, the noise monitoring system in communication with the one or more audio monitoring devices via a network;

storing, by the noise monitoring system, the first audio file and context data associated with the noise event in a database; and

creating, by the noise monitoring system, a first log of the noise event, the first log comprising the first audio file and context data associated with the noise event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the context data comprises at least one of location, calibrated decibel level of the noise event, time and day of the noise event, known background noise sources, and user-input data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold decibel level is determined by comparing the noise level of the noise event to a baseline noise level for a predefined area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold decibel level is determined based on an average or median noise level for a predetermined time interval in a predefined area, the predetermined time interval being at least one of time of day, time of week, period of time, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the noise monitoring system, one or more noise complaints from one or more users;

storing, by the noise monitoring system, the one or more noise complaints in the database;

creating, by the noise monitoring system, one or more second logs of the one or more noise complaints; and

analyzing, by the noise monitoring system, whether the one or more second logs of the one or more noise complaints are associated with the noise event, the analyzing comprising comparing the first log associated with the noise event to the one or more second logs of the one or more noise complaints.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more noise complaints are received by the noise monitoring system from at least one of telephone call, mobile phone call, mobile device application, short message service (SMS) message, voicemail, email, and web server.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the one or more second logs comprises at least one of second audio file, second context data, name of user, form the one or more noise complaints was received, and text of the one or more noise complaints.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

analyzing, by the noise monitoring system, the first log associated with the noise event to determine type of the noise event; and

automatically forwarding, by the noise monitoring system, to at least one authorized user the first log associated with the noise event and the one or more second logs associated with the one or more noise complaints, the at least one authorized user being determined based on the type of the noise event.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

encrypting the first log and the one or more second logs; and

allowing access to the first log and the one or more second logs only to an authorized user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more audio monitoring devices can receive and record video, the recorded video further being sent to the noise monitoring system via the network.

11. A system for crowdsourced noise monitoring, the system comprising:

one or more audio monitoring devices, the one or more audio monitoring devices configured to;

receive audible sounds of a noise event;

determine whether a noise level of the noise event is above a threshold decibel level; and

if the noise level is above the threshold decibel level, record the audible sounds of the noise event, the recorded audible sounds comprising at least a first audio file and context data associated with the noise event; and

a noise monitoring system in communication with the one or more audio monitoring devices via a network, the noise monitoring system being configured to;

receive the first audio file and context data associated with the noise event from the one or more audio monitoring devices;

store the first audio file and context data associated with the noise event in a database; and

create a first log of the noise event, the first log including at least the first audio file and context data associated with the noise event.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the context data comprises at least one of location, calibrated decibel level of the noise event, time and day of the noise event, known background noise sources, and user-input data.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the threshold decibel level is determined by comparing the noise level of the noise event to a baseline noise level for a predefined area.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the threshold decibel level is determined based on an average or median noise level for a predetermined time interval in a predefined area, the predetermined time interval being at least one of time of day, time of week, period of time, and combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 11, the noise monitoring system further configured to:

receive one or more noise complaints from one or more users;

store the one or more noise complaints in the database;

create one or more second logs of the one or more noise complaints; and

analyze whether the one or more second logs of the one or more noise complaints are associated with the noise event, the analyzing comprising comparing the first log associated with the noise event to the one or more second logs of the one or more noise complaints.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more noise complaints are received by the noise monitoring system from at least one of telephone call, mobile phone call, mobile device application, short message service (SMS) message, voicemail, email, and web server.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more second logs comprises at least one of second audio file, second context data, name of user, form the one or more noise complaints was received, and text of the one or more noise complaints.

18. The system of claim 15, the noise monitoring system further configured to:

analyze the first log associated with the noise event to determine type of the noise event; and

automatically forward to at least one authorized user the first log associated with the noise event and the one or more second logs associated with the one or more noise complaints, the at least one authorized user being determined based on the type of the noise event.

19. The system of claim 15, the noise monitoring system further configured to:

encrypt the first log and the one or more second logs; and

allow access to the first log and the one or more second logs only to an authorized user.

20. A method for crowdsourced noise monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving audio files and context data associated with a noise event;

storing the audio files and context data in a database;

creating a first log of the audio files and context data;

receiving a plurality of noise complaints from a plurality of users;

creating a plurality of second logs of the plurality of noise complaints;

analyzing the first log and the plurality of second logs to determine whether the plurality of noise complaints are related to the noise event; and

if the plurality of noise complaints are related to the noise event, automatically forwarding the first log and the plurality of second logs to an authorized user.