Method and system for source selective real-time monitoring and mapping of environmental noise

• US 9,510,123 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Budapesti Muszaki Es Gazdasagtudomanyi Egyetem
• Original Assignee: Budapesti Muszaki Es Gazdasagtudomanyi Egyetem
• Inventors: Gereb, Gabor
• Primary Examiner(s): Agustin, Peter Vincent
• Application Number:
  US14/390,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20150110276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/125 for representing acoustic field distribution using optical means G01H9/002; sonar systems for imaging G01S7/56, G01S15/89; acoustic holography G03H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40

Abstract

A method for source selective real-time monitoring and mapping of environmental noise, comprising the steps of ● identifying sources in the area; ● designing places for the monitoring stations; ● creating a data collecting and data processing center; ● measuring the noise impact, and observation of the sources with the sensors; ● defining the noise propagation; ● assemblying the monitoring stations including a sound measuring device, a computing unit and a communication unit; ● determining the resultant noise impact prevailing in the respective measurement points; ● determining the sources dominant in the individual moments on the basis of the data of the sensors; ● determining the average noise impact of the respective sources for a longer period; ● obtaining an average noise impact; ● extending the measurement into a noise impact map; ● calculating the effective noise impact of every noise source in every point of the area for every period; ● producing the effective noise impact map of the respective periods.

Claims

1. A method for source selective real-time monitoring and mapping of environmental noise, comprising the steps of:

surveying an area (k11), in a course of which sources (d11) must be identified which affect noise impact (d31) prevailing in respective points of the area (k11);

designing, in view of the sources (dl1), one or several measurement points (dl3) where monitoring stations (F1) are placed;

after the installation of the monitoring stations (F1), creating a data collecting and data processing center (F2),

measuring noise impact at the one or several measurement points (dl3), and observation of the sources (d11) with sensors (M2, M3, K1, É

l);

wherein

the sources (dl1) are grouped and they are treated together in subsequent separations;

noise propagation conditions (d12) of the area (k11) are defined by noise modelling, during which the noise impact (d31) differences prevailing between respective measurement points of the area (k11) are determined for each source (d11), the one or several measurement points where the monitoring stations (F1) are placed are determined in view of a combined knowledge of sources (d11) and noise propagation conditions (d12);

in the course of the above, the one or several measurement points (d13) are defined so that each of the previously determined sources (d11) cause a significant noise impact in at least one measurement point (d13);

subsequently, the monitoring stations (F1) are assembled so that a calibrated sound pressure level measuring device, a computing unit capable of a pre-processing of data and a communication unit capable of transmission of the data are assigned to each monitoring station (F1), and it is ensured that the sources (d11) contributing to the resultant noise impact (d31) in a dominant way are known at every moment and in every monitoring cycle;

following the installation of at least one monitoring station (F1), during the creation of a data collecting and data processing center (F2) firstly, the resultant noise impact (d31) prevailing in the respective one or several measurement points is determined by a summary of the data of one or several sound pressure level measuring devices, secondly, the sources (d11) dominant in individual moments in time are determined on the basis of the data of the one or several sensors located at the at least one monitoring station,

during which a dominance of the sources (d11) is inferred based on a specific parameter combination, by putting all the data of the sensors (É

) into a single parameter space, and a decision is made;

on the basis of the resultant noise impact (d31) known for the respective moments and the also known source dominance, an average noise impact (d36) of the respective sources (d11) is determined selectively for a longer period;

during which the noise impact measured at a given moment in time is assigned to the noise source (d11) identified by a previous decision, and resultant datum is stored in a summing unit of the noise source (d11),

at the end of a predefined period, the summing units are aggregated, the sum is divided over an entire monitoring period, and the average noise impact (d36) is obtained;

whereby a specific average noise impact of every noise source (d11) is known for every period of monitoring;

thereafter, a measurement is extended into a noise impact map (d38), so that, since the noise impact (d36) of every noise source (d11) is known for every period, the noise impact difference between the points of the area (k11) is determined for every noise source (d11), the effective noise impact of every noise source (d11) in every point of the area (k11) is calculated for every monitoring period, subsequently, the noise impacts are summarised in every point, every period, for all the noise sources (d11), and on the basis of the resultant noise impact levels, a noise impact map (d38) of respective periods is produced.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the noise impact (d36) is measured continuously at the measurement points and respective sources (d11) are observed continuously by the sensors (É

).

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein periodical noise impacts of the respective sources (d11) is determined and the noise impact map (d38) is calculated.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the noise impact map (d38) is updated in real time, by time period, an previously stored data is stored.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein a posteriori statistical analysis is performed on a basis of the previously stored data.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data collected at the one or several measurement points are extended a posteriori into a noise impact map (d38) by using noise impact difference values.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the noise sources (d11) are identified on a basis of their spatial location, with a direction-sensitive microphone system (M2, M3), based on their frequency and time characteristics and on visual signals.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the noise impact maps (d38) valid in specific periods are produced by assigning different colors to the resultant noise impact levels.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein during installation, an identifier of the noise source (d11) which is dominant at a given moment is loaded manually, simultaneously with the measurement, and a sample series is associated with the data of sensors (É

) and a system of decision-making rules is developed.