Method and device configured for sound signature detection

• US 8,150,044 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
• Original Assignee: Personics Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldstein, Steven W., Clements, Mark A., Boillot, Marc A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandala, Victor A
• Application Number:
  US11/966,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20080240458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 381/56, 381/57, 381/60, 381/317
• US Class Current: 381/57
• 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 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically

Abstract

Methods for personalized listening which can be used with an earpiece are provided. A method includes capturing ambient sound from an Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM) of an earpiece partially or fully occluded in an ear canal, monitoring the ambient sound for a target sound, and adjusting by way of an Ear Canal Receiver (ECR) in the earpiece a delivery of audio to an ear canal based on a detected target sound. A volume of audio content can be adjusted upon the detection of a target sound, and an audible notification can be presented to provide a warning.

Claims

1. An acoustic device, comprising:

an Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM) configured to capture ambient sound;

at least one Ear Canal Receiver (ECR) configured to deliver audio to an ear canal; and

a processor operatively coupled to the ASM and the ECR, where the processor monitors the ambient sound for a target sound and adjusts the audio delivered to the ear canal based on the target sound, the processor generating a sound signature from the ambient sound and comparing the sound signature to a plurality of learned signature models to detect the target sound.

2. The acoustic device of claim 1, where the acoustic device is an earpiece, wherein the target sound is at least one among an alarm, a horn, and a noise.

3. The acoustic device of claim 1, where the acoustic device is an earpiece, wherein the processor monitors the ambient sound for spoken words associated with verbal warnings.

4. The acoustic device of claim 1, where the acoustic device is an earpiece, further comprising a memory to store, responsive to a directive by a user of the acoustic device, at least one target sound captured by the ASM for learning.

5. The acoustic device of claim 1, where the acoustic device is an earpiece, further comprising an audio interface operatively coupled to the processor configured to receive audio content from a media player or cell phone,

wherein the processor selectively adjusts a volume of the audio content delivered to the ear canal when the target sound is detected.

6. A method for personalized listening, the method comprising:

capturing ambient sound with an Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM);

monitoring the ambient sound for a target sound by generating a sound signature from the ambient sound and comparing the sound signature to a plurality of learned signature models to detect the target sound; and

adjusting a delivery of audio by an Ear Canal Receiver (ECR) in an earpiece to an ear canal based on the target sound.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

passing the target sound to the ECR for delivery to the ear canal.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

amplifying the target sound for delivery to the ear canal.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

attenuating the target sound for delivery to the ear canal.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating an audible message for delivery to the ear canal.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

mixing the target sound with audio content delivered to the earpiece in accordance with a priority of the target sound.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting and reporting from the sound signature a direction or a speed of a sound source generating the target sound.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting and reporting from the sound signature a spoken utterance in the ambient sound associated with verbal warnings.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

identifying the target sound from the sound signature and transmitting a warning notification to other devices.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the target sound is at least one among an alarm, a horn, a voice, and a noise.

16. A method for sound signature detection, the method comprising:

capturing ambient sound with an Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM); and

receiving a directive to learn a sound signature within the ambient sound,

where a voice command or an indication from a user is received and is used to initiate the steps of capturing and learning.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

saving the sound signature locally on an earpiece or remotely to a server.

18. A method for personalized listening, the method comprising:

capturing ambient sound via an earpiece that is at least partially occluded in an ear canal;

detecting a sound signature within the ambient sound that is associated with a target sound; and

mixing the target sound with audio content delivered to the earpiece in accordance with a priority of the target sound and a personalized hearing level (PHL),

where learned models are retrieved from a database, the sound signature is compared to the learned models, and the target sound is identified from the learned models in view of the comparison.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

enhancing auditory queues in the target sound relative to the audio content based on a spectrum of the ambient sound captured at an ambient sounds microphone (ASM).

20. A sound detection device comprising:

an ambient sound microphone configured to measure an ambient sound;

an ear canal microphone; and

a processor configured to compare the ambient sound to at least one target sound signature, and where the processor identifies an onset of an identified target sound signature in the ambient sound,

where the ear canal microphone is configured to emit an auditory warning when the processor identifies the onset.

21. The sound detection device according to claim 20, where the ear canal microphone is operatively connected to an earpiece.