Noise cancellation system, headset and electronic device

• US 9,613,615 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nystrom, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US14/745,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20160372104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 128866, 379391, 381 17, 381 71, 381 716, 381 92, 381 93, 381312, 381313, 381315, 381317, 381325, 381328, 381355, 381370, 381 7114, 381380, 381391, 381430, 4555691, 704227
• 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 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3026 Feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3027 Feedforward
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3219 Geometry of the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/506 Feedback, e.g. howling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• 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 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

The present invention relates to a noise cancellation system, a headset and an electronic device. The noise cancellation system may include a loudspeaker, a first microphone, a second microphone, a housing and a processing unit. The housing may be mounted at an ear of a user, wherein the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone are installed in the housing. The processing unit may be coupled to the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone, and may be configured to generate a noise cancelling signal based on at least one of a first audio signal from the first microphone or a second audio signal from the second microphone, wherein the noise cancelling signal, when being output via the loudspeaker, at least partially compensates for environmental noise in the ear of the user.

Claims

1. A noise cancellation system, comprising:

a loudspeaker,

a first microphone and a second microphone,

a housing configured to be mounted at an ear of a user, wherein the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone are installed in the housing, and

a processing unit coupled to the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone, and configured to generate a noise cancelling signal based on at least one of a first audio signal from the first microphone and a second audio signal from the second microphone, wherein the noise cancelling signal, when being output via the loudspeaker, at least partially compensates for environmental noise in the ear of the user, and

wherein the noise cancellation system is configured such that, when the housing is mounted at the ear of the user, the first microphone and the second microphone are located between the loudspeaker and an eardrum of the ear, and

wherein the noise cancelling signal is a feedback noise cancelling signal.

2. The noise cancellation system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the noise cancelling signal based on the first audio signal and the second audio signal.

3. The noise cancellation system according to claim 1, wherein the noise cancellation system is configured such that, when the housing is mounted at the ear of the user, the first microphone and the second microphone are located within an ear canal of the ear.

4. The noise cancellation system according to claim 1, wherein the noise cancellation system is configured such that, when the housing is mounted at the ear of the user, the loudspeaker is located at an auricle of the ear or in an ear canal of the ear.

5. The noise cancellation system according to claim 1, comprising:

a third microphone coupled to the processing unit and installed in the housing, wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the noise cancelling signal additionally based on a third audio signal from the third microphone,

wherein the first microphone and the second microphone are arranged at a first side of the loudspeaker, and the third microphone is arranged at a second side of the loudspeaker opposite to the first side.

6. The noise cancellation system according to claim 5, wherein the noise cancellation system is configured such that, when the housing is mounted at the ear of the user, the third microphone is located outside the ear canal of the ear.

7. The noise cancellation system according to claim 1, wherein the first microphone is a sound pressure sensing microphone and the second microphone is a sound pressure sensing microphone.

8. The noise cancellation system according to claim 7, wherein the first microphone is arranged at a first distance from the loudspeaker and the second microphone is arranged at a second distance from the loudspeaker, the first distance and the second distance being different.

9. The noise cancellation system according to claim 1, wherein the first microphone is a sound pressure sensing microphone and the second microphone is a sound pressure gradient sensing microphone.

10. The noise cancellation system according to claim 9, wherein the first microphone is arranged at a first distance from the loudspeaker and the second microphone is arranged at a second distance from the loudspeaker, the first distance and the second distance being equal.

11. The noise cancellation system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second microphones are arranged relative to the loudspeaker and the ear drum of the user so that the feedback noise cancelling signal is effective to at least partially compensate for an acoustic wave comprising the environmental noise in the ear of the user when the at least one of the first microphone or the second microphone are located at a node of a standing wave of a sound pressure of the acoustic wave or a node of a standing wave of a particle velocity of the acoustic wave.

12. The noise cancellation system according to claim 8, wherein the first and second microphones are arranged relative to the loudspeaker and the ear drum of the user so that the feedback noise cancelling signal is effective to at least partially compensate for an acoustic wave comprising the environmental noise in the ear of the user when one of the first microphone or the second microphone is located at a node of a standing wave of a sound pressure of the acoustic wave.

13. The noise cancellation system according to claim 10, wherein the first and second microphones are arranged relative to the loudspeaker and the ear drum of the user so that the feedback noise cancelling signal is effective to at least partially compensate for an acoustic wave comprising the environmental noise in the ear of the user when the first microphone is located at a node of a standing wave of a sound pressure of the acoustic wave and when the second microphone is located at a node of a standing wave of a particle velocity of the acoustic wave.

14. A headset comprising:

a loudspeaker,

a first microphone and a second microphone,

a housing configured to be mounted at an ear of a user, wherein the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone are installed in the housing,

an audio input for receiving an audio input signal to be output by the headset to the user, and

a processing unit coupled to the loudspeaker, the audio input, the first microphone and the second microphone, and configured to generate a noise cancelling signal based on at least one of a first audio signal from the first microphone and a second audio signal from the second microphone, to generate an audio output signal comprising the audio input signal and the noise cancelling signal, and to output the audio output signal via the loudspeaker, and

wherein the headset is configured such that, when the housing is mounted at the ear of the user, the first microphone and the second microphone are located between the loudspeaker and an eardrum of the ear, and

wherein the noise cancelling signal is a feedback noise cancelling signal and, when being output via the loudspeaker, at least partially compensates for environmental noise in the ear of the user.

15. The headset according to claim 14, wherein the first and second microphones are arranged relative to the loudspeaker and the ear drum of the user so that the feedback noise cancelling signal is effective to at least partially compensate for an acoustic wave comprising the environmental noise in the ear of the user when the at least one of the first microphone or the second microphone are located at a node of a standing wave of a sound pressure of the acoustic wave or a node of a standing wave of a particle velocity of the acoustic wave.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a connector for coupling the electronic device to a headset, the headset comprising a loudspeaker, a first microphone, a second microphone, and a housing configured to be mounted at an ear of a user, wherein the loudspeaker, the first microphone and the second microphone are installed in the housing, wherein the headset is configured such that, when the housing is mounted at the ear of the user, the first microphone and the second microphone are located between the loudspeaker and an eardrum of the ear,

an audio input for receiving an audio input signal to be output by the headset to the user, and

a processing unit coupled to the connector and configured to generate a noise cancelling signal based on at least one of a first audio signal from the first microphone and a second audio signal from the second microphone, to generate an audio output signal comprising the audio input signal and the noise cancelling signal, and to output the audio output signal to the loudspeaker, and

wherein the noise cancelling signal is a feedback noise cancelling signal and, when being output via the loudspeaker, at least partially compensates for environmental noise in the ear of the user.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a group consisting of:

a mobile telephone,

a mobile music playback device,

a mobile gaming device,

a computer, and

a tablet computer.

18. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the first and second microphones are arranged relative to the loudspeaker and the ear drum of the user so that the feedback noise cancelling signal is effective to at least partially compensate for an acoustic wave comprising the environmental noise in the ear of the user when the at least one of the first microphone or the second microphone are located at a node of a standing wave of a sound pressure of the acoustic wave or a node of a standing wave of a particle velocity of the acoustic wave.