Electronic devices for controlling noise

• US 9,495,952 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Hyun Jin, Momeyer, Brian Lee, Toman, Jeremy Patrick, Chan, Kwokleung, Nelson, Hui-ya Liao, Oliveira, Louis Dominic
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul S
• Application Number:
  US13/569,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20130039507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 381/71.1, 381/71.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17813 characterised by the analysis of the acoustic paths, e.g. estimating, calibrating or testing of transfer functions or cross-terms
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17817 between the output signals and the error signals, i.e. secondary path
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17821 characterised by the analysis of the input signals only
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17854 the filter being an adaptive filter
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17855 for improving speed or power requirements
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17857 Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17881 the reference signal being an acoustic signal, e.g. recorded with a microphone
• 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: G10K 2210/1053 Hi-fi, i.e. anything involving music, radios or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/129 Vibration, e.g. instead of, or in addition to, acoustic noise
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3055 Transfer function of the acoustic system
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/321 Physical
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/501 Acceleration, e.g. for accelerometers
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/504 Calibration

Abstract

An electronic device for controlling noise is described. The electronic device includes a force sensor for detecting a force on the electronic device. The electronic device also includes noise control circuitry for generating a noise control signal based on a noise signal and the force. Another electronic device for controlling noise is also described. The electronic device includes a speaker that outputs a runtime ultrasound signal, an error microphone that receives a runtime ultrasound channel signal and noise control circuitry coupled to the speaker and to the error microphone. The noise control circuitry determines at least one calibration parameter and determines a runtime channel response based on the runtime ultrasound channel signal. The noise control circuitry also determines a runtime placement based on the runtime channel response and the at least one calibration parameter and determines at least one runtime active noise control parameter based on the runtime placement.

Claims

1. An electronic device for controlling noise, comprising:

a force sensor configured to detect a pressing force between the electronic device and a user; and

noise control circuitry configured to generate a noise control signal based on a noise signal and an adaptive filter that is adapted based on the force, wherein the noise control circuitry is configured to adapt the adaptive filter by scaling a first base transfer function with a first scaling function of the force and scaling a second base transfer function with a second scaling function of the force and wherein the first scaling function decreases in magnitude as the force increases, and the second scaling function increases in magnitude as the force increases.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone for capturing the noise signal.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a speaker for outputting the noise control signal.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein adapting the adaptive filter is based on a correlation between a transfer function and the force.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein adapting the adaptive filter comprises:

determining a first scaling factor and a second scaling factor based on the force;

multiplying the first base transfer function by the first scaling factor to produce a first product;

multiplying the second base transfer function by the second scaling factor to produce a second product; and

multiplying a negative of the first product by a reciprocal of the second product to produce filter coefficients; and

controlling the adaptive filter using the filter coefficients to generate the noise control signal.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein adapting the adaptive filter is performed according to an equation

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force sensor continually measures the force and provides a force signal based on the force.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the adaptive filter is continually adapted based on the force signal.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein generating the noise control signal does not involve an iterative convergence process but involves a direct calculation.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device does not use an error microphone signal for generating the noise control signal.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a plurality of force sensors for detecting the force on the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of force sensors are positioned proximate corners of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of force sensors are positioned proximate a speaker on the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is positioned behind a speaker on the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is a gasket-type force sensor.

16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force is a force between the electronic device and a user'"'"'s ear or face.

17. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a wireless communication device.

18. A method for controlling noise by an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a pressing force between an electronic device and a user; and

generating a noise control signal based on a noise signal and adapting an adaptive filter based on the force, wherein adapting the adaptive filter based on the force comprises scaling a first base transfer function with a first scaling function of the force and scaling a second base transfer function with a second scaling function of the force, and wherein the first scaling function decreases in magnitude as the force increases, and the second scaling function increases in magnitude as the force increases.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising capturing the noise signal.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising outputting the noise control signal.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein adapting the adaptive filter is based on a correlation between a transfer function and the force.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein adapting the adaptive filter comprises:

determining a first scaling factor and a second scaling factor based on the force;

multiplying the first base transfer function by the first scaling factor to produce a first product;

multiplying the second base transfer function by the second scaling factor to produce a second product; and

multiplying a negative of the first product by a reciprocal of the second product to produce filter coefficients; and

controlling the adaptive filter using the filter coefficients to generate the noise control signal.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein adapting the adaptive filter is performed according to an equation

24. The method of claim 18, wherein a force sensor continually measures the force and provides a force signal based on the force.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the adaptive filter is continually adapted based on the force signal.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein generating the noise control signal does not involve an iterative convergence process but involves a direct calculation.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic device does not use an error microphone signal for generating the noise control signal.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein a plurality of force sensors are used for detecting the force on the electronic device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of force sensors are positioned proximate corners of the electronic device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of force sensors are positioned proximate a speaker on the electronic device.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein a force sensor is positioned behind a speaker on the electronic device for detecting the force.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein a gasket-type force sensor is used for detecting the force.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein the force is a force between the electronic device and a user'"'"'s ear or face.

34. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic device is a wireless communication device.

35. A computer-program product for controlling noise, comprising a non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

code for causing an electronic device to detect a pressing force between the electronic device and a user; and

code for causing the electronic device to generate a noise control signal based on a noise signal and an adaptive filter that is adapted based on the force, comprising code for causing the electronic device to adapt the adaptive filter by scaling a first base transfer function with a first scaling function of the force and scaling a second base transfer function with a second scaling function of the force and wherein the first scaling function decreases in magnitude as the force increases, and the second scaling function increases in magnitude as the force increases.

36. The computer-program product of claim 35, wherein the code for causing the electronic device to adapt the adaptive filter is based on a correlation between a transfer function and the force.

37. The computer-program product of claim 35, wherein an error microphone signal is not used for generating the noise control signal.

38. The computer-program product of claim 35, wherein the force is a force between the electronic device and a user'"'"'s ear or face.

39. An apparatus for controlling noise, comprising:

means for detecting a pressing force between the apparatus and a user; and

means for generating a noise control signal based on a noise signal and adapting an adaptive filter based on the force, wherein the means for generating the noise control signal is configured to adapt the adaptive filter by scaling a first base transfer function with a first scaling function of the force and scaling a second base transfer function with a second scaling function of the force, and wherein the first scaling function decreases in magnitude as the force increases, and the second scaling function increases in magnitude as the force increases.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein adapting the adaptive filter is based on a correlation between a transfer function and the force.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein an error microphone signal is not used for generating the noise control signal.

42. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the force is a force between the apparatus and a user'"'"'s ear or face.