CA2343157A1 - Adjustable quiet seat - Google Patents

Adjustable quiet seat Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2343157A1
CA2343157A1 CA002343157A CA2343157A CA2343157A1 CA 2343157 A1 CA2343157 A1 CA 2343157A1 CA 002343157 A CA002343157 A CA 002343157A CA 2343157 A CA2343157 A CA 2343157A CA 2343157 A1 CA2343157 A1 CA 2343157A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
seat
user
signal
combination
microphone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002343157A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Colin Fraser Ross
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ultra Electronics Ltd
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2343157A1 publication Critical patent/CA2343157A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10KSOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/16Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/175Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
    • G10K11/178Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
    • G10K11/1785Methods, e.g. algorithms; Devices
    • G10K11/17857Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10KSOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/16Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/175Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
    • G10K11/178Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
    • G10K11/1785Methods, e.g. algorithms; Devices
    • G10K11/17853Methods, e.g. algorithms; Devices of the filter
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10KSOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/16Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/175Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
    • G10K11/178Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
    • G10K11/1785Methods, e.g. algorithms; Devices
    • G10K11/17853Methods, e.g. algorithms; Devices of the filter
    • G10K11/17854Methods, e.g. algorithms; Devices of the filter the filter being an adaptive filter
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10KSOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/16Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/175Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
    • G10K11/178Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
    • G10K11/1787General system configurations
    • G10K11/17875General system configurations using an error signal without a reference signal, e.g. pure feedback
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10KSOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K11/00Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/16Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
    • G10K11/175Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
    • G10K11/178Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
    • G10K11/1787General system configurations
    • G10K11/17885General system configurations additionally using a desired external signal, e.g. pass-through audio such as music or speech
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10KSOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K2210/00Details of active noise control [ANC] covered by G10K11/178 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • G10K2210/30Means
    • G10K2210/321Physical
    • G10K2210/3217Collocated sensor and cancelling actuator, e.g. "virtual earth" designs
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10KSOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10K2210/00Details of active noise control [ANC] covered by G10K11/178 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • G10K2210/30Means
    • G10K2210/321Physical
    • G10K2210/3221Headrests, seats or the like, for personal ANC systems

Abstract

A noise reduction system in a personal seat comprising in combination a noise reduction system in a personal seat, the seat comprising in combination a loudspeaker and microphone mounted in a fixed positional relationship adjacent to the ear of a user, the combination being adjustable relative to the user's ear. The loudspeaker and microphone may be mounted in respective wings of the seat headrest.

Description

I
ADJUSTABLE QUIET SEAT
This invention relates to a noise reduction system for a personal seat, including reclining seats, bunks and the Like.
As shown in International patent application W089/11841, it is known to incorporate a noise reduction or attenuation system in the form of a loudspeaker and microphone combination attached to a personal seat adjacent to each ear of a person using the seat. A
controller controls energisation of the loudspeaker in accordance with the sound picked up by the microphone so as to cancel noise in the region of the microphone and, thus, the user's ear adjacent to the microphone. In order to bring the noise cancellation zone as near as possible to the user's ear, the microphone is mounted at the end of a telescoping/flexible arm. However, these arms are unsightly, inhibit free movement of the user, and can even be a hazard.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a noise reduction system in a personal seat comprises in combination a loudspeaker and microphone mounted in a fixed positional relationship adjacent to the ear of a user, the combination being adjustable relative to the user's ear.
For convenience, the loudspeaker and microphone are adjustably mounted in the body of the seat, preferably in the headrest thereof. For improved noise attenuation, the system includes two loudspeaker/microphone combinations on respective alternate sides of the seat, adjacent to each respective ear of the user.
In order that the user can optimise the noise attenuation effect of the system for his selected adjustment of the moveable portion of the seat back or headrest, the system preferably includes a gain control that is readily accessible to the user when seated.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) The system includes a controller for receiving the sound signals from the microphone and for transmitting a sound attenuating signal through the amplifier to the loudspeaker, the controller also including means for identifying the noise signal to be attenuated and for generating an appropriate interference signal for attenuation of the noise signal.
The invention therefore provides a noise reduction or attenuation system that is compact and convenient for the user to operate, that accommodates different user heights, head sizes and head positions, and that accommodates the user's preference as to the extant to which the adjustable portions of the seat enclose the user's head. The greater the degree of enclosure of the head, the greater the noise reduction that can be achieved, but the more restricted the user's head will be. On the other hand, the further the moveable portions are spaced away from the head, the more the gain of the controller has to be increased in order to increase the attenuation zone. However, the performance is not likely to be as good as when the head is more enclosed. The spatially fixed relationship of the loudspeaker and microphone relative to each other means that the system's response is stable once the position of the combination relative to the user's head has been set up, optimum acoustic performance being achieved at that position by adjustment of the gain control.
Optionally, video or audio entertainment sound signals can be input tv the system, to be emitted by the loudspeaker as a user-audible noise in addition to the noise-reduction signal which attenuates only other external noises. Optionally, an automatic gain control feature can be employed to adjust the gain without the need for user control. In that circumstance, the gain would be adjusted automatically to as high a level as possible with a reasonable stability margin.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows conceptually the general arrangerhent;
Figure 2 shows the incorporation of the system components in a seat headrest;
Figure 3 shows in plan view a headrest with pivotable wings incorporating the system components;
Figure 4 shows a seat including a vertically-slidable headrest;
Figure 5 shows a circuit for the controller gain adjustment; and Figure 6 shows another circuit including filters for introduction of an audible entertainment signal.
With reference firstly to Figure 1, the head of the user is shown at 1 l and, spaced from the left ear, are mounted a microphone I2 and a loudspeaker 13. As shown in more detail with reference to Figures 2A and 2B, which show respective front and side views of a headrest 14, the microphone and loudspeaker have a fixed spatial relationship to each other, the headrest as a whole being adjustable to vary the position with respect to the head of the user. Various adjustment systems may be utilised, as more particularly described by way of example with reference to Figures 3 and 4.
As shown in Figure 3, the system components are incorporated in respective wings 31,32 each pivoted about a vertical pivot axis 33,34 to the central portion 35 of the headrest which supports the rear of the user's head. As shown, the wings can be independently adjusted between a position in which they are in alignment with the central portion 35, as shown in dotted outline for wing 3I, and the position at right angles thereto.
In Figure 4, the seat has a seat base 41 and a seat back 42 to which is attached, via a track and slide arrangement 43, a headrest 44. The headrest can incorporate wings as shown in Figure 3.
Electrical cables or other links could be incorporated or contained in the tracks.
With reference to Figure 5, the gain adjustment circuit links the microphone 51 to the loudspeaker 52 via an actuator compensatiocr~circuit 54, a gain circuit 53 and a feedback compensation circuit 55. The actuator compensation circuit filters the signal it receives to compensate for the characteristic of the loudspeaker or actuator. When this compensation circuit 54 is set so that, in the absence of circuit 55 and with 53 disconnected, the output of 51 is at the same level as the input to 54, the gain circuit is normally a negative gain which would normally be in the range from minus 0.5 to minus 10. The gain circuit may include a low-pass filter or other filter to focus the noise attenuation on one part of the frequency response. With a gain of minus I .0, the attenuation would be greatest at the microphone.
As the gain is increased, the size of the attenuation region will also increase. The feedback compensation circuit removes the effect of the loudspeaker output on the signal received from the microphone. If it is desired to add an audible entertainment signal to the attenuation signal, the entertainment signal could be fed in at 56.
However, a preferable arrangement is shown in Figure 6 where the entertainment signal is introduced via filters 57 and 58. These filters are typically arranged so that the sum of the microphone signal {in response to the entertainment signal) and the output of filter 57 is as small as possible. Preferably, one or more of the circuits or filters 53,54,55,57,58 are made adaptive in response to changes in the system responses or the spectrum of the external noise to be .reduced with the aim of improving the noise reduction performance of the system whilst maintaining its good performance to the entertainment signal. There are various rearrangements of Figure 6 that can be made by, for example, combining or splitting f Iters, but they have essentially the same effect.

Claims (17)

Claims
1. A noise reduction system in a personal seat having a head region for the head and ears of the user seated in the seat, the system comprising a combination of a speaker and microphone which are fixed relative to one another and which are mounted on said seat adjacent to the head region, the combination being moveable relative to the hood region so as to adjust its location relative to the ear of a user.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the combination is moveable laterally of the seat towards and away from the ear of the user.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the combination is pivotally mounted on the seat.
4. The system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the combination is moveable vertically of the seat.
5. The system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in. which the combination is mounted on a body portion of the seat.
6. The system as claimed in, claim 5 in which the body portion comprises a head rest.
7. The system as claimed is claim 6 in which the combination is mounted in a moveable side portion of the head rest.
8. The system as claimed io claim 7 in which the side portion of the head rest is pivotable in an are about a pivot located towards the rear of the head of the user.
9. A system according to any preceding claim, including two speaker/microphone combinations on opposite sides of the seat, each adjacent to a respective ear of the user.
10. A system according to any preceding claim including a gain control that is readily accessible to the user when seated.
11. A system according to any preceding claim, including a controller for receiving the sound signals from the microphone and for transmitting a sound attenuating signal through an amplifier to the loudspeaker, the controller also including means for identifying the noise signal to be attenuated and for generating an appropriate interference signal for attenuation of the noise signal.
12. A system according to any preceding claim, including means for inputting video or audio entertainment sound signals and means for emitting said signals by the loudspeaker as a user-audible noise in addition to the noise-reduction signal which attenuates only other external noises,
13. A system according to claim 12, including an automatic gain control means to maximise attenuation at the expected user's head position whilst maintaining a reasonable stability margin.
14. A system according to any preceding claim and including a gain adjustment circuit linking the microphone to the loudspeaker via an actuator compensation circuit, a gain circuit and a feedback compensation circuit, the actuator compensation circuit filtering the signal it receives to compensate for the characteristic of the loudspeaker.
15. A system according to claim 14, in which the gain circuit includes a lover-pass filter or other filter to focus the noise attenuation on a required part of the frequency response.
16. A system according to claim 15, including an entertainment signal introduced via filters arranged so that the altered microphone signal response to the entertainment signal is as small as possible.
17. A system according to claim 16, in which one or more of the circuits or filters are made adaptive in response to changes in the system responses or the spectrum of the
CA002343157A 1998-09-04 1999-09-03 Adjustable quiet seat Abandoned CA2343157A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9819413.7 1998-09-04
GBGB9819413.7A GB9819413D0 (en) 1998-09-04 1998-09-04 Adjustable quiet seat
PCT/GB1999/002920 WO2000014722A1 (en) 1998-09-04 1999-09-03 Adjustable quiet seat

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2343157A1 true CA2343157A1 (en) 2000-03-16

Family

ID=10838417

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002343157A Abandoned CA2343157A1 (en) 1998-09-04 1999-09-03 Adjustable quiet seat

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1118075A1 (en)
AU (1) AU5639999A (en)
CA (1) CA2343157A1 (en)
GB (1) GB9819413D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2000014722A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10241132B4 (en) * 2002-09-03 2008-01-03 Peguform Gmbh Multi-part adjustment mechanism for a headrest
DE102012209563A1 (en) * 2012-06-06 2013-12-12 Lufthansa Technik Ag Airplane seat, audio system and airplane
FR2997219B1 (en) 2012-10-23 2014-12-05 Eurocopter France METHOD AND ACTIVE DEVICE FOR TREATING NOISE ON BOARD OF A VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A DEVICE
EP2840568B1 (en) * 2013-08-22 2022-06-08 Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH Acoustically active head rest
US20160100250A1 (en) * 2014-10-02 2016-04-07 AISIN Technical Center of America, Inc. Noise-cancelation apparatus for a vehicle headrest

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4042791A (en) * 1975-02-27 1977-08-16 Murriel L. Wiseman Stereophonic head rest
JPS60183900A (en) * 1984-03-02 1985-09-19 Mazda Motor Corp Device for improving sound in automobile
GB8903201D0 (en) * 1989-02-13 1989-03-30 Lotus Group Plc Noise suppression in vehicles
US5133017A (en) * 1990-04-09 1992-07-21 Active Noise And Vibration Technologies, Inc. Noise suppression system
NO175798C (en) * 1992-07-22 1994-12-07 Sinvent As Method and device for active noise cancellation in a local area
JPH07281675A (en) * 1994-04-12 1995-10-27 Fujitsu Ten Ltd Noise controller

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2000014722A1 (en) 2000-03-16
AU5639999A (en) 2000-03-27
EP1118075A1 (en) 2001-07-25
GB9819413D0 (en) 1998-10-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US11039241B2 (en) Controlling ambient sound volume
EP0694197B1 (en) Improved audio reproduction system
US5699436A (en) Hands free noise canceling headset
JP6965216B2 (en) Providing the naturalness of the surroundings with ANR headphones
US7110551B1 (en) Adaptive personal active noise reduction system
EP0631383B1 (en) Acoustic reproduction systems
US5737433A (en) Sound environment control apparatus
EP0533680B1 (en) Noise suppression system
US5388160A (en) Noise suppressor
US5497426A (en) Stethoscopic system for high-noise environments
US9549249B2 (en) Headphone for active noise suppression
CN112874400B (en) Noise-canceling headrest for vehicle seat
WO2018107141A1 (en) Acoustic transducer
US5239578A (en) Noise cancelling apparatus for a telephone handset
CA2090297A1 (en) Adaptive noise reduction circuit for a sound reproduction system
US3870834A (en) Personal stereophonic speaker system
US10176793B2 (en) Method, active noise control circuit, and portable electronic device for adaptively performing active noise control operation upon target zone
WO2004016037A1 (en) Method of increasing speech intelligibility and device therefor
CA2343157A1 (en) Adjustable quiet seat
WO2017120104A1 (en) Headphones with active noise cancellation adverse effect reduction
GB2401278A (en) Improved pick-up of voice sounds
WO1993021876A1 (en) Hands free noise canceling headset
JP3732681B2 (en) Audio sound canceling device
GB2434051A (en) Device for picking up and reproducing audio signals
JPH06351100A (en) Crosstalk sound control device

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Dead