Measuring ear biometrics for sound optimization

• US 20070195963A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ko, Raymond, Jordan, Ed
• Application Number:
  US11/359,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20070195963A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/306 For headphones

Abstract

Adjusting sound using biometrical information is provided by measuring a response of a human'"'"'s ear to a test signal, comparing the measured response with a target response, obtaining deviations between the measured response and the target response, and adjusting sound using the obtained deviations.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting sound with:

measuring a response of a human'"'"'s ear to a test signal,

comparing the measured response with a target response,

obtaining deviations between the measured response and the target response, and

adjusting sound using the obtained deviations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is a frequency response and wherein the target response is a target frequency response.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein measuring the frequency response comprises measuring the frequency response at least of one of

A) the ear'"'"'s pinna;

B) the ear'"'"'s concha;

C) the ear canal; and

D) the ear cochlea.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the frequency response comprises generating at least one of

A) a reference tone;

B) a burst of white noise;

C) a maximum length sequence (MLS);

D) a pulse; and

E) pink noise,

or a derivative thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a response of a human'"'"'s ear to a test signal comprises measuring response for sounds, which are characterized by at least one of

A) pitch,

B) loudness, and

C) timbre.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising translating the measured response and the target response into a frequency spectrum.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the response is an auditory brainstem response and wherein the target response is a target auditory brainstem response.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the target response characterizes a required response for a target type of sound.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the target response characterizes a required response for a target type of environment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the sound using the obtained deviations comprises tone control.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the sound using the obtained deviations comprises equalizing the sound.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring a response of a human'"'"'s ear to a test signal comprises measuring the response for each ear individually.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the sound using the obtained deviations comprises filtering the sound in real-time.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the measured response with a target response comprises translating the response using at least one of

A) a default value,

B) an interpolated value, and

C) an extrapolated value,

where no evaluable response is measured,

15. A unit for adjusting sound comprising:

a test signal generator for generating a test signal,

a response signal sensor arranged for measuring a response of a human'"'"'s ear to the test signal,

a comparator arranged for comparing the measured response with a target response, and for obtaining deviations between the measured response and the target response, and

an adjusting unit arranged for adjusting sound using the obtained deviations.

16. The unit of claim 15, wherein the test signal generator comprises at least one loudspeaker for playing back the test signal.

17. The unit of claim 15, wherein the response signal sensor comprises at least one microphone for receiving the human'"'"'s ear response to the test signal.

18. The unit of claim 15, wherein the comparator is further arranged to translate the measured response and the target response into a frequency spectrum.

19. The unit of claim 15, wherein the response signal sensor comprises an auditory brainstem response measuring unit.

20. The unit of claim 15, wherein the adjusting unit comprises at least one of

A) a tone controller;

B) an equalizer;

C) a pitch resolution controller to enable recognition of absolute pitches;

D) a loudness controller for equal loudness curves; and

E) a quality or timbre controller to enable recognition of harmonic content, attack and decay,

and vibrato of a musical instruments.

21. An electronic device comprising a unit of claim 15.

22. A mobile communication device comprising a unit of claim 15.

23. A software program product, in which a software code for adjusting sound is stored, said software code realizing the following steps when being executed by a processing unit of an electronic device:

measuring a response of a human'"'"'s ear to a test signal,

comparing the measured response with a target response,

obtaining deviations between the measured response and the target response, and

adjusting sound using the obtained deviations.