Always on headwear recording system

• US 10,635,382 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
• Original Assignee: Staton Techiya, LLC
• Inventors: Goldstein, Steven Wayne, Usher, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sellers, Daniel R
• Application Number:
  US14/246,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20140219464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,213 Days
• Field of Search: 381 58, 715727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/15 Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

An analysis system has at least one monitoring assembly that includes at least one microphone to monitor an acoustic field proximate the monitoring assembly. The at least one microphone produces at least one microphone signal responsive to the acoustic field. The analysis system further includes a data storage device configured to buffer the at least one microphone signal and an audio analysis system configured to analyze a content of the data storage device where the audio analysis system is configured to analyze the content of the buffer to process at least a sound into a response or action.

Claims

1. An analysis system comprising:

an earpiece;

a monitoring assembly, wherein the monitoring assembly includes an ambient microphone to monitor an acoustic field proximate to the monitoring assembly, wherein the ambient microphone produces a microphone signal in response to the acoustic field and the monitoring assembly further includes an ear canal microphone, wherein the monitoring assembly further comprises;

a first diaphragm configured to cover the ambient microphone and to modify sound signals presented at the ambient microphone, wherein the first diaphragm is acoustically tuned to absorb a selected frequency more than other frequencies, wherein the tuning of the first diaphragm adjusts a frequency response of an ambient sound transmitted in a first chamber of the earpiece; and

a second diaphragm positioned across from the first diaphragm and including a second chamber serving as an acoustic impedance transformer that increases sensitivity of the ear canal microphone and facilitates coupling of an ear canal receiver to an air space between the earpiece and an eardrum of a user of the earpiece;

a data storage device configured to buffer the microphone signal of the ambient microphone and configured to simultaneously record the sound signals presented at the ear canal microphone and at the ambient microphone, wherein the data storage device is configured to act as a circular buffer for continually or constantly buffering the microphone signal of the ambient microphone;

a second audio data storage device that records at least a portion of the microphone signal of the ambient microphone, at least a portion of the ear canal microphone signal, or both, upon a triggering event;

an audio content input signal;

an audio signal router and switching matrix for routing and selecting which to record among a signal from the ambient microphone, a signal from the ear canal microphone, or the audio content input signal; and

an audio analysis system configured to analyze a content of the data storage device, wherein the audio analysis system is configured to analyze the content of the data storage device to process a sound into a response or action.

2. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the sound is a speech sound that includes a verbal message or a keyword message or a verbal activation message.

3. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data storage device is configured to act as a circular buffer for continually or constantly buffering the microphone signal, and wherein the audio analysis system is configured to analyze the content of the circular buffer over a predetermined time period in response to a signature sound identification system automatically detecting a predefined non-speech sound.

4. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the audio analysis system is configured to analyze the content of the data storage device to detect a non-speech sound indicative of an accident or an emergency.

5. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the audio analysis system is configured to analyze the content of the circular buffer over a predetermined time period in response to a motion detecting indication that the monitoring assembly is in the vicinity of an accident.

6. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the second audio data storage device records at least a portion of the buffered microphone signal in response to an accident in the physical locality of the monitoring assembly.

7. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly is operatively coupled to the earpiece or operatively coupled to a mobile device, or both, and wherein the earpiece is wired or wireless.

8. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data storage device is configured to receive the ambient audio signal from a remote device.

9. The analysis system of claim 7, wherein the remote device includes one of a mobile phone, a media player, a computing device, a further earpiece, or a combination thereof.

10. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the first diaphragm is acoustically tuned for a spectral non-linearity response of the ear canal microphone.

11. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly includes:

an ambient sound microphone (ASM) to monitor an ambient acoustic field, wherein the ASM an ASM signal in response to the ambient acoustic field, wherein the data storage device continually or constantly stores the ASM signal.

12. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the audio analysis system is operatively coupled to the ambient microphone.

13. The analysis system of claim 12, wherein the audio analysis system comprises a remote server for analyzing the acoustic field.

14. The analysis system of claim 12, wherein the audio analysis system comprises a server for analyzing and storing the microphone signal from the acoustic field.

15. The analysis system of claim 6, wherein the mobile device comprises a processor and memory for analyzing the acoustic field.

16. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly comprises a memory used for storing, analyzing, and predicting a sound stimulus exposure to a user'"'"'s ear drum, wherein the sound stimulus exposure includes a signal from the ear canal microphone.

17. The analysis system of claim 1, further comprising:

a further data storage device coupled to the data storage device, wherein the audio analysis system is configured to activate the further data storage device to record the content of the data storage device.

18. The analysis system of claim 17, wherein the further data storage device is on a remote server and wherein the audio analysis system analyzes the content of a circular buffer or analyzes the content of the further data storage device, or both.

19. The analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a recording activation system to automatically and manually start a recording in response to an action or event and further comprising an externally triggered recording activation system.

20. The analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a signal processing assembly within an earphone and an ear canal receiver or speaker that has its signal recorded to analyze a performance of the signal processing assembly within the earphone.

21. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the audio analysis system performs a speech-to-text translation and outputs a text transcript.

22. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly communicates with an external device using one of a wired link or a wireless link.

23. The analysis system of claim 22, wherein the wired link is a communications cable or a wired link coupled to the monitoring assembly or wherein the wireless link is a radio communications link to the external device or a wireless link to the external device via an external assembly as part of a belt-pack or via a behind-the-ear assembly.

24. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly is coupled to a user interface having a touch sensitive screen, a button, or a combination thereof.

25. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data storage device is configured to simultaneously record the electronic sound signals presented at the ear canal microphone in an earphone and at the ambient microphone.

26. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data storage device is configured to simultaneously record the electronic sound signals presented at a fully occluded ear canal at the ear canal microphone and at the ambient microphone.

27. The analysis system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly communicates with an external device using a wired link in the form of a communications cable and the ambient microphone of the monitoring assembly is configured for use with an occluded or partially occluded ear.

28. A system comprising:

a monitoring assembly operatively coupled to an earpiece or mobile device, wherein the monitoring assembly includes a ambient microphone to monitor a first acoustic field proximate to the monitoring assembly, wherein the ambient microphone produces a first microphone signal in response to the first acoustic field, wherein the monitoring assembly further includes an ear canal microphone for monitoring a second acoustic field within an ear canal and producing a second microphone signal in response to the second acoustic field within the ear canal, wherein the monitoring assembly further comprises;

a first diaphragm configured to cover the ambient microphone, wherein the first diaphragm is configured to undertake beam-forming using a hole of the first diaphragm to increase a directional sensitivity of sound signals presented at the ambient microphone and the first diaphragm is acoustically tuned for a spectral non-linearity response of the ear canal microphone, wherein the first diaphragm is acoustically tuned to absorb a selected frequency more than other frequencies, wherein the tuning of the first diaphragm adjusts a frequency response of an ambient sound transmitted in a first chamber of the earpiece; and

a second diaphragm positioned across from the first diaphragm and including a second chamber serving as an acoustic impedance transformer that increases sensitivity of the ear canal microphone and facilitates coupling of an ear canal receiver to an air space between the earpiece and an eardrum of a user of the earpiece;

an audio content input signal;

an audio signal router and switching matrix for routing and selecting which to record among the first microphone signal produced in response to the first acoustic field, the second microphone signal produced in response to the second acoustic field within the ear canal, or the audio content input signal;

a data storage device configured to continuously buffer the first microphone signal and configured to record electronic sound signals presented at the ear canal microphone; and

an audio analysis system configured to analyze content of a buffer of the data storage device, wherein the audio analysis system is configured to analyze the content of the buffer to process a sound into a response;

wherein the response includes a communication of the content analysis for the user.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the ambient microphone is an omni-directional microphone.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the data storage device is configured to act as a circular buffer for continually or constantly buffering the first microphone signal, the ear canal microphone, or both the first microphone signal and the ear canal microphone, and wherein the audio analysis system is configured to analyze the content of the circular buffer over a predetermined time period in response to a motion detecting indication that the monitoring assembly is in the vicinity of an accident.