Noise reduction scheme for a computer system

• US 7,567,677 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zaver, Vijay, Chan, Rix S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAO, LUNSEE
• Application Number:
  US09/216,378
• Time in Patent Office: 3,875 Days
• Field of Search: 381 711- 719, 381/72, 381/73.1, 381/74, 381/94.1, 381/94.7, 381/370, 700/94, 379/428.01, 379/430, 379/388.01, 379/388.02
• US Class Current: 381/71.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L

Abstract

A noise reduction scheme is incorporated into a computer system for reducing environmental background noise when a user is listening to audio output through a standard set of headphones. The noise reduction scheme utilizes the processing power of the computer system as well as built-in components of the computer for enhancing the audio quality heard by the user. Environmental background noise is received by a built-in microphone, wherein a reciprocal noise canceling signal is generated by the computer'"'"'s microprocessor. The reciprocal noise canceling signal is then mixed with audio from the computer system for reducing the environmental background noise heard by a user.

Claims

1. A personal computer comprising:

a housing;

a microphone built into the housing to detect noise ambient to the housing;

a processor integrated into the housing, the microphone being coupled to the processor;

a noise cancellation module operable on the processor, the noise cancellation module generating a noise cancellation signal responsive to the ambient noise detected by the microphone; and

a digital signal processor coupled to the noise cancellation module and configured to mix the noise cancellation signal with an audio signal provided from a desired source to output a mixed signal, the digital signal processor being connected to a standard headphone compatible audio output connection integrated on the housing such that the mixed signal is available at the audio output connection;

wherein the mixed signal reproduced by headphones connected to the audio output connection reduces noise perceived by a user wearing the headphones and listening to the mixed signal through the headphones;

wherein the noise cancellation module applies a key click profile to the ambient noise detected by the microphone to compensate for a keyboard noise level detected by the microphone in the noise cancellation signal.

2. The personal computer of claim 1 further comprising an optical disc drive integrated into the housing of the computer, the optical disc drive being configured to playback media to provide the audio signal to the digital signal processor.

3. The personal computer of claim 1 wherein the noise cancellation module comprises a software program running on the processor.

4. The personal computer of claim 3 wherein the processor is the central processing unit for the computer system.

5. The personal computer of claim 1 wherein the digital signal processor is located on a sound board integrated into the housing.

6. The personal computer of claim 1 wherein the computer system is a mobile computer.

7. The personal computer of claim 1 wherein the audio source comprises an optical disc player.

8. The personal computer of claim 1 wherein the mixed audio signal and noise cancellation signal are further directed to a speaker integrated into the case of the computer.

9. The personal computer of claim 1 additionally comprising at least one speaker integrated into the housing, the digital signal processor being connected to the at least one speaker such that the mixed signal is available to the at least one speaker and the standard headphone compatible output.

10. A method of reducing ambient noise normally heard by a user through headphones when listening to audio provided via a mobile computer system, comprising:

detecting noise ambient to a case of the mobile computer system through a microphone built-in to the case of the mobile computer system;

generating a noise cancellation signal based on the detected ambient noise; and

mixing the noise cancellation signal with an audio signal from an audio source on the mobile computer system;

supplying the mixed signal to a standard headphone compatible audio output connection on the case of the mobile computer system such that the mixed signal is available at the audio output connection;

wherein the mixed signal reproduced by headphones connected to the audio output connection reduces the ambient noise perceived by a user wearing the headphones and listening to the mixed signal through the headphones;

wherein the noise cancellation module applies a key click profile to the ambient noise detected by the microphone to compensate for a keyboard noise level detected by the microphone in the noise cancellation signal.

11. The method of claim 10 and further comprising converting the detected ambient noise to an electrical signal.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein generating the noise cancellation signal is performed by a processor of the mobile computer system, and mixing the noise cancellation signal is performed by a sound card of the mobile computing system that is connected to the standard headphone compatible audio output connection of the mobile computer system.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein generation of the noise cancellation signal is activated automatically when an optical disc drive of the mobile computer system is activated.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein generation of the noise cancellation signal is initiated manually via a software interface.

15. A machine readable medium having machine readable instructions stored thereon for causing a computer to perform the steps comprising:

detecting environmental background noise through a microphone integrated into a case of the computer;

converting the detected environmental background noise into an electrical signal;

generating a noise cancellation signal based on the electrical signal by a microprocessor integrated into the computer; and

mixing the noise cancellation signal with an audio signal provided by an application program operating on the computer or a device integrated into the computer; and

directing the mixed audio signal to a standard headphone compatible audio output connection on the case of the computer such that the mixed signal is available at the audio output connection;

wherein the mixed signal reproduced by headphones connected to the audio output connection reduces noise perceived by a user wearing the headphones and listening to the mixed signal through the headphones;

wherein the step of generating a noise cancellation signal includes applying a key click profile to the electrical signal to compensate for a keyboard noise level detected by the microphone in the noise cancellation signal generated.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein the step of generating a noise cancellation signal is initiated and performed automatically when an optical disc drive of the computer is active and producing the audio signal.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein the step of generating a noise cancellation signal is activated through a software interface.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein the mixing of the audio signal and noise cancellation signal is performed by a processor integrated into the case of the computer.

19. A personal computer comprising:

a portable housing having a keyboard portion and a monitor portion in a clamshell arrangement;

a microprocessor integrated into the keyboard portion of the housing;

at least one speaker integrated into the keyboard portion of the housing;

memory integrated into the housing and coupled to the microprocessor,

a storage device integrated into the housing and coupled to the microprocessor;

an audio source integrated into the housing and configured to produce an audio signal;

a microphone integrated into the display portion of the housing to detect noise ambient to the housing, the microphone being coupled to the microprocessor to provide a signal to the microprocessor corresponding to a level of the ambient noise;

a noise cancellation module operating on the microprocessor to generate a noise cancellation signal responsive to the signal corresponding to the level of detected ambient noise;

a digital signal processor configured to mix the noise cancellation signal with the audio signal provided from the audio source integrated into the housing to output a mixed signal, the digital signal processor being connected to a standard headphone compatible audio output connection on the housing of the mobile computer system such that the mixed signal is applied to the audio output connection, the digital signal processor being connected to the at least one speaker integrated on the housing of the mobile computer system such that the mixed signal is applied to the at least one speaker;

wherein the mixed signal reproduced by headphones connected to the audio output connection reduces noise perceived by a user wearing the headphones and listening to the mixed signal through the headphones; and

wherein the noise cancellation module applies a key click profile to the ambient noise detected by the microphone to compensate for a keyboard noise level detected by the microphone in the noise cancellation signal generated.

20. The personal computer of claim 19 and further comprising a display device integrated into the housing.

21. A personal computer system with integrated noise reduction, comprising:

a personal computer housing;

a processor integrated into the housing;

an audio source integrated into the housing and configured to produce an audio signal, the audio source including an optical disc drive configured to playback media to provide the audio signal;

a microphone integrated into the housing to detect noise ambient to the housing, the microphone being coupled to the microprocessor to provide a signal to the processor corresponding to an ambient noise level;

a noise cancellation module operable on the processor, the noise cancellation module generating a noise cancellation signal responsive to the signal from the microphone corresponding to the ambient noise level; and

a digital signal processor coupled to the noise cancellation module and configured to mix the noise cancellation signal with an audio signal provided from a desired source to output a mixed signal, the digital signal processor being connected to a standard headphone compatible audio output connection integrated on the housing such that the mixed signal is available at the audio output connection;

wherein the mixed signal reproduced by headphones connected to the audio output connection reduces noise perceived by a user wearing the headphones and listening to the mixed signal through the headphones; and

wherein the noise cancellation module applies a key click profile to the ambient noise detected by the microphone to compensate for a keyboard noise level detected by the microphone in the noise cancellation signal.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the noise cancellation module comprises a software program running on a processor.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the processor is the central processing unit for the computer system.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the digital signal processor is located on a sound card integrated into the housing.