Systems and methods for noise cancellation and power management in a wireless headset

• US 8,489,026 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aminzay, Shaima Q
• Application Number:
  US13/647,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/570, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/569.1, 455/556.1, 455/90.2, 455/90.3, 455/3.05, 379/428.02, 379/430, 379/431, 379/433.03, 381/71.1, 381/71.6, 381/74, 381370-380, 381/381
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02166 Microphone arrays; Beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0216 characterised by the method used for estimating noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• 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 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This includes systems and methods for noise cancellation and power management in a wireless headset. The wireless headset can perform noise cancellation by using two or more omni-directional microphones to generate a noise canceling “cone.” Audio signals received outside of the cone can be filtered out. An accelerometer can be used to determine the location of the wireless headset and the system can then properly position the cone to face the user'"'"'s voice and filter out other audio signals. Additionally, by monitoring the ambient noise, the system can save power by turning off the noise cancellation system when the amount of ambient noise is below a threshold value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving with a wireless headset an audio signal;

in response to the receiving, transmitting the received audio signal from the wireless headset to an external device that is in communication with the wireless headset wherein the transmitted audio signal is processed with the external device; and

controlling with the external device a noise cancellation system of the wireless headset based on the processed audio signal, wherein processing the transmitted audio signal with the external device comprises comparing an amount of ambient noise that is present in the transmitted audio signal to a cutoff value; and

the controlling the noise cancellation system comprises turning off at least part of the noise cancellation system based on the result of the comparing of the amount of ambient noise relative to the cutoff value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the external device that is in communication with the wireless headset comprises a cellular telephone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cutoff value is a first cutoff value, wherein:

processing the transmitted audio signal with the external device further comprises determining that an amount of ambient noise that is present in the transmitted audio signal is greater than a second cutoff value; and

the controlling the noise cancellation system comprises turning on the noise cancellation system in response to a determination that the amount of ambient noise is greater than the second cutoff value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a position signal from the wireless headset to the external device, wherein the position signal is indicative of an angular position of the wireless headset wherein the transmitted position signal is processed with the external device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling the noise cancellation system for the wireless headset comprises controlling the noise cancellation system based on the processed position signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the turning off at least part of the noise cancellation system comprises turning off all but one omni-directional microphone of a plurality of omni-directional microphones of the noise cancellation system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the noise cancellation system further comprises discarding at least a portion of the received audio signal that is received from outside of a cone-shaped region that extends from the wireless headset.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the controlling the noise cancellation system further comprises:

determining an angular position of the wireless headset; and

in response to the determining the angular position of the wireless headset, determining a size of the cone-shaped region based on the determined angular position.

9. A machine readable non-transitory storage medium containing executable instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the system to perform a method comprising:

receiving at an external device, an audio signal from a wireless headset that is in communication with the external device;

processing the received audio signal with the external device; and

in response to the processing the audio signal, controlling with the external device a noise cancellation system of the wireless headset based on the processed audio signal, wherein the processing the audio signal with the external device comprises comparing an amount of ambient noise that is present in the audio signal to a cutoff value, wherein; and

the controlling the noise cancellation system comprises causing at least part of the noise cancellation system to be turned off based on the result of the comparing of the amount of ambient noise relative to the cutoff value.

10. The machine readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein the external device that is in communication with the wireless headset comprises a cellular telephone.

11. The machine readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 10, wherein the cutoff value is a first cutoff value, wherein:

the processing the audio signal with the external device comprises determining that an amount of ambient noise that is present in the received transmitted audio signal is greater than a second cutoff value; and

the controlling the noise cancellation system comprises causing the noise cancellation system to be turned on in response to a determination that the amount of ambient noise is greater than the second cutoff value.

12. The machine readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the external device, a position signal from the wireless headset, wherein the position signal is indicative of an angular position of the wireless headset; and

processing the position signal with the external device.

13. The machine readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the controlling the noise cancellation system for the wireless headset comprises controlling the noise cancellation system based on the processed position signal.

14. The machine readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein turning off at least part of the noise cancellation system comprises turning off all but one omni-directional microphone of a plurality of omni-directional microphones of the noise cancellation system.

15. The machine readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein the controlling the noise cancellation system further comprises discarding at least a portion of audio signal that is received from outside of a cone-shaped region that extends from the wireless headset.

16. The machine readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 15, wherein the controlling the noise cancellation system further comprises:

determining an angular position of the wireless headset; and

in response to the determining the angular position of the wireless headset, determining a size of the cone-shaped region based on the determined angular position.