Hearing damage limiting headphones
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device comprising:
- a processor configured to receive a digital audio signal;
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to—
monitor a sound pressure level corresponding to an amplitude of the digital audio signal;
determine an estimated amount of hearing damage based on an amount of time that the sound pressure level exceeds a regeneration threshold;
determine an estimated amount of hearing regeneration based on an amount of time that the sound pressure level is less than or equal to the regeneration threshold;
update a damage counter based on the estimated amount of hearing damage and the estimated amount of hearing regeneration; and
generate an adjusted audio signal, wherein generating the adjusted audio signal comprises adjusting the amplitude of the digital audio signal by an amount corresponding to a difference between the damage counter and a predetermined damage threshold; and
a transducer coupled to the processor, wherein the transducer is configured to output the adjusted audio signal.
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Abstract
A device includes an input for receiving an audio signal, a speaker to convert the audio signal into an audible sound, and a memory for storing remediation instructions and detection instructions. The device further includes a processor coupled to the input, the speaker, and the memory. The processor is configured to process the audio signal according to the detection instructions and the remediation instructions to modulate amplitude of the audio signal based on the remediation instructions.
122 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a processor configured to receive a digital audio signal; a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to— monitor a sound pressure level corresponding to an amplitude of the digital audio signal; determine an estimated amount of hearing damage based on an amount of time that the sound pressure level exceeds a regeneration threshold; determine an estimated amount of hearing regeneration based on an amount of time that the sound pressure level is less than or equal to the regeneration threshold; update a damage counter based on the estimated amount of hearing damage and the estimated amount of hearing regeneration; and generate an adjusted audio signal, wherein generating the adjusted audio signal comprises adjusting the amplitude of the digital audio signal by an amount corresponding to a difference between the damage counter and a predetermined damage threshold; and a transducer coupled to the processor, wherein the transducer is configured to output the adjusted audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A device comprising:
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a processor configured to receive a digital audio signal; a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to — monitor a sound pressure level corresponding to an amplitude of the digital audio signal; determine an estimated amount of hearing damage based on an amount of time that the sound pressure level exceeds a regeneration threshold; determine an estimated amount of hearing regeneration based on an amount of time that the sound pressure level is less than or equal to the regeneration threshold; update a damage counter based on the estimated amount of hearing damage and the estimated amount of hearing regeneration; generate an adjusted audio signal, wherein generating the adjusted audio signal comprises adjusting the amplitude of the digital audio signal by an amount corresponding to a difference between the damage counter and a predetermined damage threshold; and adjust the amplitude of the digital audio signal using a step function; and a transducer coupled to the processor, wherein the transducer is configured to output the adjuster audio signal.
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7. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer usable program code executable to perform acts for adjusting an amplitude of a digital audio signal, the acts comprising;
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determining a sound pressure level of sound output from a speaker during a period of time, wherein the sound pressure level is indicative of the amplitude of the digital audio signal; calculating an accumulated regeneration amount in a first portion of the period of time during which the sound pressure level is less than a regeneration threshold, wherein the regeneration threshold corresponds to a sound pressure level at which damage caused by the audio signal is less than a regeneration rate of a user'"'"'s ear; calculating an accumulated damage amount in a second portion of the period of time during which the sound pressure level exceeds the regeneration threshold; and generating an adjusted audio signal, wherein generating the adjusted audio signal comprises adjusting the amplitude of the digital audio signal by an amount corresponding to a difference between the regeneration amount and the damage amount. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a listening device, the method comprising:
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measuring a sound pressure level of an amplitude of an audio signal output from the listening device; estimating an amount of hearing damage based on an amount of time the sound pressure level exceeds a regeneration threshold; estimating an amount of hearing regeneration based on an amount of time the sound pressure level is less than the regeneration threshold; updating a damage counter based on the estimated amounts of hearing damage and hearing regeneration; and adjusting the amplitude of the audio signal before the damage counter exceeds a damage threshold, wherein a size of the adjustment of the amplitude is based at least in part on a difference between the damage counter and the damage threshold. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification