Intelligent Dynamic Soundscape Adaptation

• US 20180352364A1
• Filed: 06/06/2017
• Published: 12/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Plantronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Prasad, Vijendra G.R., Sherburne, Philip, Benway, Evan Harris, Castillo, Erick
• Granted Patent: US 10,142,762 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/012 Comfort noise or silence coding
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/26 Pre-filtering or post-filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0216 characterised by the method used for estimating noise
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for addressing open space noise are disclosed. In one example, a method for masking open space noise includes receiving a microphone output signal from a microphone, the microphone one of a plurality of microphones in an open space. The method includes detecting a presence of a noise source from the microphone output signal, and determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with a noise masking sound. The method further includes increasing a volume of a noise masking sound output from a loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is capable of being masked, the loudspeaker located in a same geographic sub-unit of the open space as the microphone. The loudspeaker is one of a plurality of loudspeakers in the open space.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a microphone output signal from a microphone, the microphone one of a plurality of microphones in an open space;

detecting a presence of a noise source from the microphone output signal;

determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with a noise masking sound, wherein determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with the noise masking sound comprises determining a signal-to-noise ratio from the microphone output signal or determining a loudness level of the noise source; and

increasing a volume of a noise masking sound output from a loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is capable of being masked, the loudspeaker located in a same geographic sub-unit of the open space as the microphone, the loudspeaker one of a plurality of loudspeakers in the open space.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising decreasing the volume of the noise masking sound output from the loudspeaker responsive to detecting a reduction or a termination of the noise source from the microphone output signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising decreasing the volume of the noise masking sound output from the loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is not capable of being masked.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the volume of the noise masking sound output from the loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is not capable of being masked.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume of the noise masking sound output from the loudspeaker is increased an amount responsive to a detected level of the noise source.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the noise source from the microphone output signal comprises detecting a voice activity.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

9. A system comprising:

a plurality of microphones to be disposed in an open space;

a plurality of loudspeakers to be disposed in the open space; and

a computing device comprising;

a communications interface configured to receive a plurality of microphone output signals from the plurality of microphones and configured to transmit noise masking signals for output at the plurality of loudspeakers;

a processor; and

a memory storing an application program comprising instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a microphone output signal from a microphone, the microphone one of the plurality of microphones;

detecting a presence of a noise source from the microphone output signal;

determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with a noise masking sound, wherein determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with the noise masking sound comprises determining a signal-to-noise ratio from the microphone output signal or determining a loudness level of the noise source; and

increasing an output level of a noise masking signal at a loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is capable of being masked, the loudspeaker located in a same geographic sub-unit of the open space as the microphone, the loudspeaker one of the plurality of loudspeakers.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second microphone output signal from a second microphone, the second microphone one of the plurality of microphones;

detecting a presence of the noise source from the second microphone output signal;

determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with a second noise masking sound; and

increasing an output level of a second noise masking signal at a second loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is capable of being masked, the second loudspeaker located in a same geographic sub-unit of an open space as the second microphone, the second loudspeaker one of the plurality of loudspeakers.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second noise masking signal is output at a different level than the noise masking signal.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising decreasing the volume of the noise masking sound output from the loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is not capable of being masked.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising maintaining the volume of the noise masking sound output from the loudspeaker responsive to a determination that the noise source is not capable of being masked.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the volume of the noise masking sound output from the loudspeaker is increased an amount responsive to a detected level of the noise source.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein detecting the presence of the noise source from the microphone output signal comprises detecting a voice activity.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of loudspeakers in an open space;

detecting a noise source in the open space utilizing one or more microphones in the open space;

determining a first region, a second region, and a third region within the open space responsive to detecting the noise source, wherein the noise source is located in the first region, the second region is outside of and adjacent to the first region, and the third region is outside of and adjacent to the second region;

identifying a subset of the plurality of loudspeakers located in the second region;

adjusting a first output level of a first noise masking signal from a first loudspeaker of the subset of the plurality of loudspeakers located in the second region and adjusting a second output level of a second noise masking signal from a second loudspeaker of the subset of the plurality of loudspeakers located in the second region, the first output level different from the second output level; and

maintaining a third output level of a third noise masking signal from a third loudspeaker of the plurality of loudspeakers located in the third region.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising maintaining a fourth output level of a fourth noise masking signal from a fourth loudspeaker of the plurality of loudspeakers located in the first region.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising reducing a fourth output level of a fourth noise masking signal from a fourth loudspeaker of the plurality of loudspeakers located in the first region.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the second region comprises determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with a noise masking sound.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with the noise masking sound comprises determining a signal-to-noise ratio from a signal output from a microphone disposed in the second region.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein determining whether the noise source is capable of being masked with the noise masking sound comprises determining a loudness level of the noise source.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting the noise source in the open space utilizing one or more microphones in the open space comprises detecting a voice activity.

25. A method comprising:

receiving a microphone output signal from each of a plurality of microphones arranged within an open space, each microphone in proximity to a corresponding loudspeaker arranged to output a noise masking sound into the open space;

detecting a first level of an undesirable noise source from a first microphone output signal from a first microphone, a second level of the undesirable noise source from a second microphone output signal from a second microphone, and a third level of the undesirable noise source from a third microphone output signal from a third microphone; and

reducing or maintaining a first noise masking sound output at a first corresponding loudspeaker responsive to detecting the first level, increasing a second noise masking sound output at a second corresponding loudspeaker responsive to detecting the second level, and increasing a third noise masking sound output at a third corresponding loudspeaker responsive to detecting the third level.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

detecting the undesirable noise source is below a threshold level from a fourth microphone output signal from a fourth microphone; and

maintaining a fourth noise masking sound output at a fourth corresponding loudspeaker responsive detecting the undesirable noise source is below the threshold level.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the third microphone is located at a distance further from a location of the noise source than a location of the second microphone, and the third noise masking sound output is less than the second noise masking sound output.