Noise cancellation apparatus

• US 5,825,897 A
• Filed: 08/18/1997
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrea Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Andrea Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Andrea, Douglas, Topf, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US08/912,459
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 381/71.6, 381/71.7, 381/71.13, 381/72, 381/74, 381/93
• US Class Current: 381/71.6
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17823 Reference signals, e.g. ambient acoustic environment
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17857 Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17873 using a reference signal without an error signal, e.g. pure feedforward
• 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: H04B 1/12 Neutralising, balancing, or compensation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/19 Arrangements of transmitters, receivers, or complete sets to prevent eavesdropping, to attenuate local noise or to prevent undesired transmission; Mouthpieces or receivers specially adapted therefor circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping H04M1/68; telephone cabinets E04H1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6008 in the transmitter circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• 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 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/403 Linear arrays of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/006 Microphone matching
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for reducing ambient noise for use with a headset or a boom headset attached to a boom microphone device or the like. The apparatus can include a sensor microphone to detect a background noise signal, a desired input audio transmission, and signal processing means for canceling the noise signals to create an inverted anti-noise signal within an acoustical waveguide located adjacent to the earphone of headset. The method for reducing noise according to this invention is provided by an open loop circuit allowing the input audio signal from an operator or caller to be transmitted to the user'"'"'s ear without the disturbance of unwanted ambient noise. The method provides adjustments to the gain and/or phase of a noise signal for canceling the noise component detected, within an acoustical waveguide to produce a quiet zone for the desired audio speech to be transmitted. The apparatus can also include a noise cancellation microphone transmitter system having a first and second microphone arranged such that the first microphone receives a desired speech input and the background noise present in the vicinity of the speech, and the second microphone receives substantially only the background noise. The background noise from the second microphone is converted into a corresponding electrical signal and subtracted from a signal corresponding to the speech and background noise obtained from the first microphone so as to produce a signal representing substantial the speech.

Claims

1. A method for independently calibrating an open loop active noise reduction apparatus including a housing comprising a speaker to produce an acoustic anti-noise signal in the housing, a microphone to detect an external noise signal, an acoustical waveguide having zero phase shift over a desired bandwidth to isolate and direct the acoustic anti-noise signal from the microphone, and an amplitude adjustment means to calibrate the acoustic anti-noise signal to create a quiet zone in the housing for operation with an independent electrical assembly, wherein the apparatus is calibrated separately from the electrical assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

producing the external noise signal having a gain and phase response detected by the microphone in the housing;

inputting an external noise signal received by the microphone through acoustic-electra processing means in the electrical assembly to produce an electrical anti-noise signal;

transmitting to the speaker the electrical anti-noise signal having an equal gain and opposite phase response to the external noise signal detected by the microphone; and

balancing the gain and phase response of the electrical anti-noise signal by the amplitude adjustment means located in the noise reduction apparatus to match the gain and phase response of the external noise signal to yield a theoretical zero in the quiet zone.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein said step of balancing adjusts a calibration pot to balance the gain and phase response of the electrical anti-noise signal.

3. A method for independently calibrating an active noise reduction apparatus including a housing comprising a speaker to produce an acoustic anti-noise signal in the housing, a microphone to detect an external noise signal, an acoustical waveguide having zero phase shift over a desired bandwidth to isolate and direct the acoustic anti-noise signal from the microphone, and an amplitude adjustment means to calibrate the acoustic anti-noise signal to create a quiet zone in the housing for operation with an independent electrical assembly, wherein the apparatus is calibrated separately from the electrical assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting an external noise signal received by the microphone through acoustic-electro processing means in the electrical assembly to produce an electrical anti-noise signal;

transmitting to the speaker the electrical anti-noise signal having an equal gain and opposite phase response to the external noise signal detected by the microphone; and

balancing the gain and phase response of the electrical anti-noise signal by the amplitude adjustment means located in the noise reduction apparatus to match the gain and phase response of the external noise signal to yield a theoretical zero in the quiet zone.

4. The method in claim 3, wherein said step of balancing adjusts a calibration pot to balance the gain and phase response of the electrical anti-noise signal.

5. The method in claim 3, wherein said active noise reduction apparatus is an open loop active noise reduction apparatus.