Adaptive ANC based on environmental triggers

• US 10,679,602 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: META Platforms Technologies LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: Lovitt, Andrew, Miller, Antonio John, Robinson, Philip, Selfon, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojo, Oyesola C
• Application Number:
  US16/171,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20200135163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17823 Reference signals, e.g. ambient acoustic environment
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17827 Desired external signals, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/17837 by retaining part of the ambient acoustic environment, e.g. speech or alarm signals that the user needs to hear
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/111 Directivity control or beam pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3044 Phase shift, e.g. complex envelope processing
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3046 Multiple acoustic inputs, multiple acoustic outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3056 Variable gain
• 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 1/406 microphones

Abstract

The disclosed computer-implemented method may include applying, via a sound reproduction system, sound cancellation that reduces an amplitude of various sound signals. The method further includes identifying, among the sound signals, an external sound whose amplitude is to be reduced by the sound cancellation. The method then includes analyzing the identified external sound to determine whether the identified external sound is to be made audible to a user and, upon determining that the external sound is to be made audible to the user, the method includes modifying the sound cancellation so that the identified external sound is made audible to the user. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

applying, via a sound reproduction system, sound cancellation that reduces an amplitude of one or more sound signals;

identifying, among the one or more sound signals, an external sound whose amplitude is to be reduced by the sound cancellation;

analyzing the identified external sound to determine whether the identified external sound is to be made audible to a user;

upon determining that the external sound is to be made audible to the user, modifying the sound cancellation such that the identified external sound is made audible to the user;

detecting which direction the identified external sound originated from;

presenting the identified external sound to the user as coming from the detected direction; and

further modifying the sound cancellation to present subsequently occurring audio from the detected direction.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the sound cancellation signal further comprises increasing audibility of the identified external sound.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein increasing audibility of the identified external sound comprises compressing a modified sound cancelling signal, such that the modified sound cancelling signal is played back in a shortened timeframe.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein increasing audibility of the identified external sound comprises increasing volume along a specified frequency band.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identified external sound comprises one or more words.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein one or more policies are applied when determining that the external sound is to be made audible to the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identified external sound is ranked according to level of severity.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the sound cancellation is modified upon determining that the identified external sound has a minimum threshold level of severity.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the sound cancellation includes continuing to apply sound cancelling to external sounds received from a plurality of locations, while disabling sound cancelling for external sounds received from a specified location.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the sound cancellation includes continuing to apply sound cancelling to external sounds received from a specific person, while disabling sound cancelling for external sounds received from other persons.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein modifying the sound cancellation includes disabling sound cancelling for specific words detected in the external sounds, while continuing to apply sound cancelling to other words.

9. A system comprising:

at least one physical processor;

physical memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the physical processor, cause the physical processor to;

apply, via a sound reproduction system, sound cancellation that reduces an amplitude of one or more sound signals;

identify, among the one or more sound signals, an external sound whose amplitude is to be reduced by the sound cancellation;

analyze the identified external sound to determine whether the identified external sound is to be made audible to a user;

upon determining that the external sound is to be made audible to the user, modify the sound cancellation such that the identified external sound is made audible to the user;

determine that another electronic device within a specified distance of the system has detected an external sound that is pertinent to the user;

determine a current position of the other electronic device; and

directionally orient one or more microphones configured to listen to the external sounds toward the determined position of the electronic device.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an indication that an event has occurred within a specified distance of the user; and

determining that the event is pertinent to the user,

wherein the sound cancellation is modified based on the determination that the event is pertinent to the user.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising directionally orienting one or more microphones configured to listen to the external sounds toward the direction of the event.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein modifying the sound cancellation includes continuing to apply sound cancelling to external sounds received from a plurality of locations, while disabling sound cancelling for external sounds received from a specified location.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein modifying the sound cancellation includes continuing to apply sound cancelling to external sounds received from a specific person, while disabling sound cancelling for external sounds received from other persons.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein modifying the sound cancellation includes disabling sound cancelling for specific words detected in the external sounds, while continuing to apply sound cancelling to other words.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein modifying the sound cancellation comprises temporarily pausing sound cancelling, and resuming sound cancelling after a specified amount of time.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the system further includes a speaker for playing back a modified sound cancelling signal to the user.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

apply, via a sound reproduction system, sound cancellation that reduces an amplitude of one or more sound signals;

identify, among the one or more sound signals, an external sound whose amplitude is to be reduced by the sound cancellation;

analyze the identified external sound to determine whether the identified external sound is to be made audible to a user;

upon determining that the external sound is to be made audible to the user, modify the sound cancellation such that the identified external sound is made audible to the user;

determine that another electronic device within a specified distance of the system has detected an external sound that is pertinent to the user;

determine a current position of the other electronic device; and

directionally orient one or more microphones configured to listen to the external sounds toward the determined position of the electronic device.