DE102014018843A1 - User-Guided Active Noise Canceling (ANC) control unit for headphones - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to enabling headphones to perform active noise cancellation for a particular user. Each separate user may provide individualized noise suppression head amps for one or more noise environments. When the user wears the headphones in a quiet environment, a user may use a computer to initiate a determination of a controlled model of each auricle specifically for the user. When the user wears the headphones in a target noise environment, the user may use the computer to initiate the determination of operating parameters of a control unit for each earpiece of the headphones. The computer can provide the operating parameters of each control unit to the headphones. And the operation of each control unit can be updated based on the determined operating parameters. The updated headphones can be used by the user to provide active noise cancellation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a partial continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 13 / 434,350, filed Mar. 29, 2012, entitled "CONTROLLERS FOR ACTIVE NOISE CONTROL SYSTEMS," the advantage of which is disclosed in 35 U.S.C. §120 and 37 C.F.R. §1.78, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates generally to noise canceling headphones, and more particularly but not exclusively to the design of headphone control units for a particular user for a current noise environment.

BACKGROUND

The Active Noise Canceling (ANC) technology has been developing for many years with a variety of headphones incorporating ANC technology (also known as ambient noise reduction and acoustic noise canceling headphones). These ANC headphones often use a single read-only controller. Typically, headphone manufacturers conduct extensive research and make various factory tests and adjustments to interpret the parameters of the ROM controller. Manufacturers can then mass-produce headphones that use the designed read-only controller. However, because of the variability of the physical characteristics of one headphone to another, the physical characteristics of the user's ear, and how users wear the headphones, each headset may perform differently from user to user and may not provide optimal performance for each user. Some ANC headphones may use adaptive systems, but these systems are often complex and typically require large amounts of computing resources that are generally unavailable in a headphone system. Thus, the invention has been made in relation to these and other considerations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments will be described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to similar parts in all different figures, unless otherwise specified.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the ensuing detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 Fig. 12 is a system diagram of an environment in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented;

2 shows an embodiment of a computer used in a system such as that in FIG 1 shown, may be included;

3 shows an embodiment of active noise cancellation headphones used in a system such as that in FIG 1 shown, may be included;

4A to 4C Illustrate block diagrams of a system for updating a control unit of a pinna of headphones;

5 Fig. 10 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of an overview process for determining a controller design for each earpiece and updating the pinna control units based on this design;

6 Fig. 10 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of a process for determining a closed loop model of a pinna of headphones while the headphones are being worn by a user;

7 Fig. 10 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of a process for determining controller coefficients for a current noise environment associated with a user wearing the headphones;

8th Fig. 10 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing an alternative embodiment of a controller noise coefficient determination process for a current noise environment associated with a user wearing the headphones;

9 Fig. 10 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of a process for determining changes in ambient noise and automatically redesigning the earphone control units of the headphones;

10A to 10B Block diagrams of embodiments of a system for determination of a model of a head tube model;

11 a block diagram of a system for determining coefficients for a feedforward control unit illustrated;

12 a block diagram of a system for determining coefficients for a feedback control unit illustrates;

13 Fig. 12 illustrates a block diagram of a system for determining coefficients for a hybrid feed-forward feedback control unit; and

14A to 14D Illustrate use case examples of a graphical user interface for calibrating headphones to a user for a current noise environment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, various embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and by way of illustration show specific embodiments by which the present invention may be practiced. However, the embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and are not to be considered as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the embodiments to those skilled in the art. Among other things, the various embodiments may be methods, systems, media or devices. Accordingly, the various embodiments may be all-embodying hardware embodiments, wholly software embodiments, or software and hardware aspects combining embodiments. The following detailed description is therefore not to be interpreted as limiting.

Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms have the meanings expressly assigned herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "here" refers to the specification, claims and drawings associated with the present application. The phrase "in one embodiment" as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Further, the phrase "in another embodiment" as used herein does not necessarily refer to a different embodiment, although it may. Thus, as described below, various embodiments of the invention may be readily combined without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

In addition, the term "or" as used herein is an inclusive "or" operator and is equivalent to the term "and / or" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "based on" is not exclusive and is based on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, throughout the specification, the meaning of "a / e" and "the" includes plural referents. The meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on".

As used herein, "the headset" or "the headphones" refers to a device having one or more pinnae, typically two pinnae, and a headband adapted to position the pinnae of a user's ears. It will be appreciated that the headband may fit over a user's head, behind a user's head or in any other position to hold the earpieces over the user's ear. In some other embodiments, each pinna may include an earloop or other support structure to maintain a position of the pinna. In some embodiments, headphones may also be referred to as "noise canceling headphones."

The term "pinna" as used herein refers to a device that fits into or over the ear and converts electrical signals into sound waves. Each earpiece may include one or more microphones and one or more speakers. The speakers can provide music, audio, or other audible sounds to the user. In some embodiments, each ear cup may be allowed to provide active noise cancellation (ANC) of a noise environment associated with the user wearing the headphones. In various embodiments, the earphones may include other auricular structures / designs, such as but not limited to earphones, earbuds, speakers, or the like.

The term "noise environment" or "ambient noise" as used herein refers to ambient noise level associated with a user wearing the headphones. In some embodiments, the noise environment may include all the sounds that surround the user and are audible to the user. In further embodiments, the noise environment may include all sounds audible to the user, except for desired sounds generated by the auricle speaker (for example playing music). The noise environment may also be referred to as background noise and / or interference that differs from the desired sound source.

As used herein, the term "controller" or "hardware controller" refers to a device or component that can determine and / or generate noise cancellation signals. Examples of control units may include, but are not limited to, feed forward control units, feedback control units, hybrid feed forward feedback control units, or the like. In various embodiments, a control unit may have a design or at least one operating parameter that determines the operation of the control unit. In some embodiments, the operating parameters of a control unit may include and / or use one or more coefficients to define the transfer function for generating noise cancellation signals. In some embodiments, the controller may be a read-only controller. In various embodiments, the controller may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

As used herein, "fixed control unit" or "non-adaptive control unit" refers to a control unit whose design / operating parameters (eg, coefficients) are not based on input signals from one or more microphones during operation of the headphones to change.

As used herein, the term "controlled system" refers to the relationship between an input signal and an output signal based on physical properties associated with an auricle placed above or adjacent an ear of a user. Various components which may form the controlled system may include, but are not limited to, physical characteristics of the user (eg, size and / or shape of the ear, length of the user's hair, whether the user is wearing glasses or the like), the inner shape of the pinna, the speaker, an auricular microphone (which can be used to record residual noise levels), other circuitry associated with the speaker and / or microphone (e.g., delays in buffers, filters, analog Digital transducer characteristics, digital-to-analogue converter characteristics or the like), mechanical characteristics of the headphones (e.g., the pressure of the pinna on the user's head) or the like, or any combination thereof.

As used herein, the term "controlled model" of an auricle refers to an estimate of the trajectory for a particular user using a particular auricle. In various embodiments, each earpiece of the earphones may have a different plant model determined for each of a plurality of different users. In at least one embodiment, as described herein, the pacing model of an auricle may be determined based on a comparison of a reference signal provided to a speaker within the pinna and an audio signal received from a microphone within the pinna.

The following briefly describes embodiments of the invention to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This short description should not be a comprehensive overview. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to demarcate or otherwise constrain the scope. Its purpose is merely to present some concepts in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description given below.

In short, various embodiments are directed to enabling headphones to perform active noise cancellation for a particular user. Each of a plurality of users may be allowed to separately design and / or calibrate each earpiece of a pair of headphones for themselves and for one or more noise environments. When designing the headphones for a user, a user may wear the headphones in a quiet place with a current quiet environment. The user may use a smartphone or other remote computer to initiate the process of determining a closed-loop model for each auricle for that particular user. In some embodiments, the headphones and remote computers may communicate via wired or wireless communication technology.

In some embodiments, a closed loop model for each auricle may be determined for a particular user. The plant model may be based on at least one reference audio signal provided by at least one loudspeaker within each pinna (eg, inside the pinna) and an audio signal simultaneously picked up by a microphone located within each of the pinnae (Fig. eg inside the auricle). In some embodiments, the closed-loop model for a corresponding pinna may be based on a comparison of the received pinna Signal and the reference signal (which may also be referred to as a sampling signal) are determined. In at least one of various embodiments, the headphones may provide the received signal to the remote computer and the remote computer may determine the plant model.

Once the plant model for each ear is determined for a particular user, the user can calibrate each earpiece of the earphone for a particular sound environment. The user may wear the headphones in a location that includes a current target noise environment that the user wishes to suppress. Again, the user may use the remote computer to initiate the process of determining at least one operating parameter (also referred to as a design) of a controller for each earpiece of the headphones. In various embodiments, the operating parameters / design may be determined for each control unit corresponding to each pinna based on at least the corresponding closed-loop model of each pinna and at least one further audio signal from the current noise environment simultaneously picked up by at least one microphone, each pinna corresponds (at least one microphone may be internal, external or both, depending on a type of control unit used). Each control unit may be a feedback control unit, a feedforward control unit or a hybrid feedback control feed-forward control unit. In various embodiments, the headphones may provide the further recorded signals to the remote computer, and the remote computer may determine the layout of each control unit.

In some embodiments, the operating parameters may be determined using a microphone disposed within each pinna to acquire at least one current audio signal of the current noise environment within each pinna and at least one microphone using a further microphone located outside the pinna to record further current audio signal of the current noise environment outside of each auricle. The operating parameters of each control unit may be determined on the basis of the closed loop model of each pinna and a comparison of at least one recorded current audio signal (i.e., an internal current noise environment) and at least one further recorded current audio signal (i.e., external current noise environment) for each pinna. In some embodiments, determining at least one operating parameter for each control unit may include determining at least one coefficient for a non-adaptive operating mode for each control unit, wherein at least one coefficient defines a transfer function used by each hardware control unit to provide the active noise suppression ,

The operation of each control unit of each auricle may be updated on the basis of the particular operating parameters (or design) for each respective control unit. In at least one of various embodiments, each controller may be updated by storing the operating parameters of each controller in a memory corresponding to each controller and / or pinna. In various embodiments, once determined, the remote computer may provide the operating parameters to the headphones for storage on a memory of the headphones. Each control unit may be updated based on the determined operating parameters. The updated headphones may be used by at least the user to provide active noise cancellation of the current noise environment or another noise environment. In some other embodiments, the operating parameters for each control unit may be automatically determined, and each control unit may be updated automatically based on a change in the current noise environment.

Although it is primarily described herein that the remote computer determines the plant model and operating parameters, embodiments are not so limited. For example, in some embodiments, each pinna may include sufficient computing power and memory to perform the process of determining a plant model and / or controller operating parameters for a corresponding pinna. In some embodiments, the headphones may provide the plant model and / or the controller operating parameters to a remote computer. In various embodiments, the remote computer may be used to manage user profiles (each user profile may include the plant model for a particular user) and / or noise environment profiles (each noise environment profile may include controller parameters for each auricle for one or more noise environments for each user profile) , As described herein, the remote computer may be used to switch between different user profiles and / or different noise environment profiles. However, embodiments are not so limited. For example, in some embodiments the headphones include an additional interface (eg, one or more buttons) to allow a user to switch between one or more control unit operating parameters for one or more users (eg, different closed-loop control models).

Illustrative operating environment

1 shows components of one embodiment of an environment in which various embodiments of the invention may be practiced. Not all of the components may be required to practice the various embodiments, and variations in the arrangement and type of components may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. As shown, the system can 100 from 1 Network Noise Canceling Headphones 110 , removed computer 102 to 105 and a wireless communication technology 108 include.

At least one embodiment of remote computers 102 to 105 will be in connection with the computer below 200 from 2 described in more detail. In short, in some embodiments, remote computers may be used 102 to 105 be designed with noise suppression headphones 110 to communicate to determine a controlled system of each earpiece of the headphones, which is specific to each user, and to design a controller training for each auricle for a current sound environment, as described herein. In various embodiments, remote computers may be used 102 to 105 from the headphones 110 separated and / or removed.

In some other embodiments, at least some of remote computers may 102 to 105 work over a wired and / or wireless network to work with noise canceling headphones 110 or other computer devices to communicate. Generally, remote computers can 102 to 105 Comprise computing devices that can communicate over a network to send and / or receive information, perform various online and / or offline activities, or the like. It should be noted that embodiments described herein are not limited by the number or type of remote computers used, and more or less remote computer and / or types of computing devices than in 1 illustrated can be used. In some embodiments, remote computers may also be referred to as client computers.

Devices as remote computers 102 to 105 may include various computing devices, typically connected to a network, or other computing device using a wired and / or wireless communication medium. Remote computers may include portable and / or non-portable computers. Examples of remote computers 102 to 105 may include, but are not limited to, desktop computers (eg, remote computers 102 ), Personal computers, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable electronic devices, network PCs, laptop computers (eg, remote computers 103 ), Smartphones (for example, remote computers 104 ), Tablet computers (for example, remote computers 105 ), Mobile phones, display pagers, radio frequency (RF) devices, infrared (IR) devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, portable computing devices, entertainment / home media systems (eg televisions, game consoles, audio Equipment or the like), home appliances (eg, thermostats, refrigerators, home security systems, or the like), multimedia navigation systems, automotive communication and entertainment systems, integrated devices that combine the functionality of one or more of the above devices, or the like. As such, remote computers can 102 to 105 Computers with a wide range of skills and features include.

Remote computers 102 to 105 may access and / or use various computing applications to enable remote computer users to perform various online and / or offline activities. Such activities may include, but are not limited to, headset calibration / interpretation 110 , Generating documents, collecting / monitoring data, capturing / manipulating images, managing media, managing financial information, playing games, managing personal information, surfing the Internet, or the like. In some embodiments, remote computers may be enabled 102 to 105 be connected to a network through a browser or a web-based application.

Remote computers 102 to 105 may further be configured to provide information identifying the remote computer. Such identification information may include, but is not limited to, a type, capability, design, name, or the like of the remote computer. In at least one embodiment, a remote computer may uniquely identify itself by any of a variety of mechanisms, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address, telephone number, Mobile Identification Number (MIN), Media Access Control (MAC) Address, Electronic Serial Number (ESN), or other Device Identifier.

At least one embodiment of noise cancellation headphones 110 will be described below in connection with headphones 300 from 3 described in more detail. In a nutshell, noise cancellation headphones may be used in some embodiments 110 be designed with one or more of remote computers 102 to 105 in order to determine a controlled system of each earpiece of the earphone specific to each user and to form a control unit design (e.g., to determine one or more operating parameters defining an operation of a control unit) for each ear cup for a current one Noise environment as described here.

Remote computers 102 to 105 can with noise canceling headphones 110 via a wired technology 112 and / or wireless communication technology 108 communicate. In various embodiments, the wired technology may be used 112 a typical headphone cable with a jack for connecting to an audio input / output port of remote computers 102 to 105 include.

The wireless communication technology 108 may include virtually any wireless technology for communicating with a remote device, such as, but not limited to, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or the like. In some embodiments, the wireless communication technology 108 a network designed to couple network computers to other computing devices, including remote computers 102 to 105 , Noise canceling headphones 110 or similar. In some other embodiments, it may be the wireless communication technology 108 remote computers 102 to 105 allow to communicate with other computing devices such as, but not limited to, other remote devices, various client devices, server devices, or the like. In various embodiments, information communicated between devices may include various types of information including, but not limited to, processor readable instructions, client requests, server responses, program modules, applications, raw data, control data, system information (eg, log files ), Video data, voice data, image data, text data, structured data or the like. In some embodiments, this information may be communicated between devices using one or more technologies and / or network protocols described herein.

In some embodiments, such a network may include various wired networks, wireless networks, or any combination thereof. In various embodiments, the network may be enabled to use various forms of communication technology, topology, computer-readable media, or the like for communicating information from one electronic device to another. For example, in addition to the Internet, the network may include LANs, WANs, Personal Area Networks (PANs), Campus Area Networks (CANs), Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), direct communication links (such as through a universal serial bus (USB) port). or similar. or any combination thereof.

In various embodiments, communication links within and / or between networks may include, but are not limited to twisted wire pair, optical fibers, outdoor lasers, coaxial cable, Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), waveguides, acoustics, full or partial digital leased lines ( such as T1, T2, T3, or T4), E-bearers, Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDNs), Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs), wireless links (including satellite links), or other links and / or bearer mechanisms Experts are known. Additionally, communication links may further utilize any of a variety of digital signaling technologies including, without limitation, DS-0, DS-1, DS-2, DS-3, DS-4, OC-3, OC-12, OC-48, or the like. In some embodiments, a router (or other network interface device) may serve as a link between different networks - including those based on different architectures and / or protocols to allow information to be transferred from one network to another. In other embodiments, remote computers and / or other related electronic devices could be connected to a network via a modem and a temporary telephone connection. In essence, the network may include any communication technology through which information can travel between computing devices.

The network, in some embodiments, may include various wireless networks that may be configured to couple various portable network devices, remote computers, wired networks, other wireless networks, or the like. Wireless networks can include any of a variety of subnets that may further overlay independent ad hoc networks or the like to an infrastructure-oriented connection for at least remote computers 103 to 105 provide. Such subnets may be mesh networks, wireless LAN (WLAN) networks, cellular networks or the like. include. In at least one of the various embodiments, the system may include more than one wireless network.

The network may use a plurality of wired and / or wireless communication protocols and / or technologies. Examples of different generations (eg third (3G), fourth (4G) or fifth (5G)) of communication protocols and / or technologies that may be used by the network may include, but are not limited to, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (Ev-DO), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), Ultra Wide Band (UWB), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), any part of Open Systems Interconnection ( OSI) M Telecom Protocols, Session Initiated Protocol / Real-Time Transport Protocol (SIP), Short Messaging Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), or any of a variety of other communication protocols and / or technologies. In essence, the network may include communication technologies through which information is shared between remote computers 102 to 105 , Noise canceling headphones 110 , other unillustrated computing devices, other networks or the like may migrate.

In various embodiments, at least a portion of the network may be implemented as an autonomous system of nodes, communication links, paths, terminals, gateways, routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, forwarders, repeaters, optical-to-electrical converters, or the like, connected by various communication links can. These autonomous systems may be designed to self-organize based on current operating conditions and / or rule-based approaches so that the network topology of the network may be modified.

Exemplary computer

2 shows an embodiment of a remote computer 200 which can include many more or less components than the ones shown. The remote computer 200 For example, at least one embodiment of the in 1 shown remote computer 102 to 105 represent.

The remote computer 200 can be a processor 202 in communication with a store 204 over a bus 228 include. The remote computer 200 can also have a power supply 230 , a network interface 232 , an audio interface 256 , an ad 250 , a keyboard 252 , an illuminator 254 , a video interface 242 , an input / output interface 238 , a haptic interface 264 , a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver 258 , an open-air gesture interface 260 , a temperature interface 262 , (one) camera (s) 240 , a projector 246 , a pointer device interface 266 , a processor readable stationary storage device 234 and a processor readable removable storage device 236 include. The remote computer 200 may optionally communicate with a base station (not shown) or directly with another computer. And in one embodiment, although not shown, a gyroscope may be within the remote computer 200 used to provide orientation of the remote computer 200 to measure and / or maintain.

The power supply 230 can the remote computer 200 supply electricity. A rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery may be used to provide power. The power may also be provided by an external power source, such as an AC adapter or a powered docking station, which supplements and / or recharges the battery.

The network interface 232 includes circuitry for coupling the remote computer 200 with one or more networks and is designed for use with one or more communication protocols and technologies, including but not limited to protocols and technologies that implement: any part of the OSI model, GSM, CDMA, Time Division Multiple Access ( TDMA), UDP, TCP / IP, SMS, MMS, GPRS, WAP, UWB, WiMax, SIP / RTP, GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, LTE, UMTS, OFDM, CDMA2000, EV-DO, HSDPA, or any of a variety of others wireless communication protocols. The network interface 232 is sometimes known as a transceiver, transceiver device, or Network Interface Card (NIC). In some embodiments, the network interface 232 it allow the remote computer 200 with the headphones 300 from 3 communicated.

The audio interface 256 may be adapted to generate and receive audio signals, such as the sound of a human speech. For example, the audio interface 256 be coupled to a speaker and microphone (not shown) to facilitate telecommunications with others and / or to generate an audio acknowledgment for any action. A microphone in the audio interface 256 can also be used for input or control of the remote computer 200 be used, for. Using voice recognition, sound-based touch detection, and the like. In further embodiments, this microphone may be used to detect changes in the noise environment, which, if detected, may initialize an automatic determination of new auricular controller control unit designs and automatic updating of the headphones with the new control unit designs for the altered sound environment.

The ad 250 For example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), gas plasma, electronic ink, light emitting diode (LED), organic LED (OLED), or any other type of light reflective or translucent display that can be used with a computer. The ad 250 can also have a touch interface 244 which is adapted to receive input from an object such as a stylus or a finger from a human hand, and may use resistive, capacitive, surface acoustic wave (SAW), infrared, radar, or other technologies to feel a touch and / or gesture.

The projector 264 may be a hand-held remote projector or an integrated projector that can project an image on a remote wall or any other reflective object, such as a remote screen.

The video interface 242 may be configured to capture video images such as a still image, a video segment, an infrared video, or the like. For example, the video interface 242 be coupled with a digital video camera, a web camera or the like. The video interface 242 may include a lens, an image sensor, and other electronics. Image sensors may include complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integration circuitry, charge-coupled device (CCD), or any other light sensing circuitry.

The keyboard 252 may include any input device configured to receive input from a user. For example, the keyboard 252 include a push-button digit dial or a keyboard. The keyboard 252 may also include command buttons associated with selecting and sending pictures.

The Illuminator 254 may provide a status indication and / or provide light. The Illuminator 254 can remain active for specific time periods or in response to events. If the illuminator 254 is active, he can, for example, the keys on the keyboard 254 backlight and remain on while the mobile computer is powered. The Illuminator 254 These buttons may also backlight in different patterns when certain actions are taken, such as selecting another mobile computer. The Illuminator 254 may also cause light sources positioned within a transparent or translucent housing of the mobile computer to light up in response to actions.

The remote computer 200 can also have an input / output interface 238 for communicating with external peripheral devices or other computers, such as other mobile computers and network computers. The peripheral devices may include headphones (eg, the headphones 300 from 3 ), Display screens, a remote speaker system, a remote speaker and microphone system, and the like. The input / output interface 238 can use one or more technologies, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), Infrared, Wi-Fi, WiMax, Bluetooth ^™ , Wired Technologies, or the like.

The haptic interface 264 may be arranged to give tactile feedback to a user of a mobile computer. For example, the haptic interface 264 used to the remote computer 200 to vibrate in a certain way when another user of a computer is calling. The temperature interface 262 Can be used for a user of a remote computer 200 to provide a temperature measurement input and / or a temperature change output. The open air gesture interface 260 can be physical gestures of a user of a remote computer 200 for example, using a single or stereo video camera, radar, gyroscopic sensor within a computer held or carried by the user, or the like. The camera 240 Can be used to physical Eye movements of a user of a remote computer 200 to pursue.

The GPS transmitter / receiver 258 can be the physical coordinates of a remote computer 200 on the earth's surface, which typically output a location as latitude and longitude values. The GPS transmitter / receiver 258 may also use other geopositioning mechanisms, including, but not limited to, triangulation, Assisted GPS (AGPS), Enhanced Observed Time Difference (E-OTD), Cell Identifier (CI), Service Area Identifier (SAI), Enhanced Timing Advance (ETA), Base Station Subsystem (BSS) or the like to the physical location of the remote computer 200 on the surface of the earth. It is clear that under different conditions the GPS transmitter / receiver 258 a physical location for the remote computer 200 can determine. In at least one embodiment, the remote computer may be 200 however, by other components, provide other information that may be used to determine a physical location of the mobile computer, including, for example, a media access control (MAC) address, IP address, and the like.

Human interface components may be peripheral devices that are from the remote computer 200 are physically separated, with a remote input and / or output to the remote computer 200 enable. For example, information that is routed through the human interface components as described herein may be the display 250 or the keyboard 252 instead through the network interface 232 be directed to suitable remote human interface components. Examples of peripheral human interface components that may be remotely located include, but are not limited to, audio devices, pointing devices, keyboards, displays, cameras, projectors, and the like. These peripheral components can communicate via a piconet such as Bluetooth ^™ , Zigbee ^™, and the like. A non-limiting example of a mobile computer having such peripheral human interface components is a portable computer that could include a remote pico projector along with one or more cameras remotely communicating with a separately located mobile computer to share the gestures of a user An image that is projected by the pico projector onto a reflective surface such as a wall or the user's hand.

A remote computer may include a browser application configured to receive and send web pages, web-based messages, graphics, text, multimedia, and the like. The mobile computer browser application may include virtually any programming language, including Wireless Application Protocol Messages (WAP) and the like. In at least one embodiment, the browser application is enabled with a Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), WMLScript, JavaScript, Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), HyperText Markup Language (HTML), eXtensible Markup Language (XML), HTML5 and the like.

The memory 204 may include a RAM, ROM and / or other types of memories. The memory 204 illustrates an example of computer readable storage media (devices) for storing information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. The memory 204 can a bios 208 for controlling a low operation of the remote computer 200 to save. The memory can also be an operating system 206 for controlling the operation of the remote computer 200 to save. It will be appreciated that this component may include a ^{general-purpose} operating system such as a version of UNIX or LINUX ^™ or a dedicated mobile computer communications system such as Windows Phone ^™ or the Symbian® operating system. The operating system may include or be connected to a Java virtual machine that enables control of hardware components and / or operating system operations through Java application programs.

The memory 204 may also include one or more data stores 210 include that from the remote computer 200 can be used to, among other things, applications 220 and / or to store other data. For example, the data store 210 Also used to store information that has different capabilities of the remote computer 200 describe. The information may then be provided to another device or computer based on a variety of events, including being sent as part of a header during a communication, sent on demand, or the like. The data store 210 can also be used to store social networking information, including address books, friend lists, aliases, user profile information, or the like. The data store 210 may further include program code, data, algorithms, and the like for use by a processor, such as a processor 202 , To perform and perform actions. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the data memory 210 also on another component of the remote computer 200 which includes, but is not limited to, a non-transitory processor-readable removable storage device 236 , a processor readable stationary storage device 234 , or even externally from the mobile computer.

In some embodiments, the data store may 210 user profiles 212 to save. The user profiles 212 may include one or more profiles for each of a plurality of users. Each profile may include a plant model for each earpiece of the earphone for a respective user (as using embodiments of the process 600 from 6 can be determined). In various embodiments, each profile may include one or more noise environment profiles. Each noise environment profile may include a controller design (eg, control unit coefficients) for each controller of each ear cup of the headphones (as using embodiments of the process 700 from 7 or process 800 from 8th can be determined).

applications 220 may include computer-executable instructions that when viewed from the remote computer 200 execute, send, receive, and / or otherwise process the instruction and data. The applications 220 For example, a policy determination application may be used 222 and a controller design application 224 include. It is clear that the functionality of the controlled system application 222 and the controller design application 224 can be used as separate applications or as a single application.

The controlled system determination application 222 may be configured to determine a controlled system of an auricle that is specific to a user as described herein. In any case, the controlled system determination application 222 be configured to use various embodiments, combinations of embodiments, processes or parts of processes as described herein.

The controller design application 224 may be configured to determine a design of at least one ear cup control unit specific to a user for a particular sound environment, as described herein. In any case, the controller design application may 224 be configured to use various embodiments, combinations of embodiments, processes or parts of processes as described herein. Although illustrated separately, the controlled system determination application 222 and the controller design application 224 separate applications or a single application and may allow a user to access user profiles 212 to access stored information. In at least one of various embodiments, a mobile application (or app) may be configured to support the functionality of the policy determination application 222 and the controller design application 224 to include and access to user profiles 212 to enable.

Other examples of application programs include calendars, search programs, e-mail client applications, IM applications, SMS applications, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) applications, contact managers, task managers, transcoders, database programs, word processors, security applications, spreadsheet programs, etc.

Exemplary headphones

3 shows an embodiment of active noise suppression headphones used in a system such as in FIG 1 may be included, for. B. can the headphones 300 an embodiment of the noise canceling headphones 110 be.

The headphones 300 can have a headband 326 and one or more pinnae, such as the pinna 302 and the auricle 314 , include. The headband 326 may be configured to hold the pinnae over and / or adjacent the ears of a user. In some embodiments, the ear cups 302 and 314 be designed to provide active noise cancellation of ambient noise levels. Each auricle may be configured to cover the left ear of a user, the right ear, or universally to cover one of the two ears. For ease of illustration and description, the ear cups will be described without reference to the left or right ear, it being understood, however, that the embodiments described herein may be used for such distinction.

The auricle 302 can be an external microphone 304 , an internal microphone 306 , a speaker 308 and a control unit 310 include. The speaker 308 may be configured to produce sound, such as music or other audible signals. In some embodiments, the speaker may be 308 Create sounds that suppress or minimize ambient noise. In at least one of various embodiments, the pinna 302 include multiple speakers.

The control unit 310 may be designed to provide noise cancellation signals based on inputs from the external microphone 304 , internal microphone 306 or to generate and / or otherwise determine from both. The control unit 310 may be a feed-forward control unit, a feedback control unit, or a feed-forward hybrid feedback control unit. These types of controllers are well known, but in short, a feedforward controller may use a signal from the external microphone 304 is generated to generate the noise canceling signal. A feedback control unit may use a signal from the internal microphone 306 is generated to generate the noise canceling signal. And a hybrid feed-forward feedback control unit can receive the signals from both the external microphone 304 as well as internal microphone 306 use to generate the noise cancellation signal. In various embodiments, the control unit 310 implemented in hardware and referred to as a hardware controller. In other embodiments, the control unit 310 be implemented in software or a combination of hardware and software.

In some embodiments, the control unit may 310 insofar as it is a fixed value control unit or non-adaptive control unit, as the control unit (or the design of the control unit, eg, control unit coefficients) itself does not change on the basis of the inputs from the microphones. In various embodiments, the control unit 310 a discrete digital control unit or an analogue control unit. In at least one of various embodiments, the control unit may 310 be updated with one or more coefficients to allow a non-adaptive mode of operation by the control unit.

As described here, it may be possible for the control unit 310 accesses one or more coefficients (eg, operating parameters) that define a transfer function for generating the noise cancellation signals. The control unit 310 can be implemented by a digital signal processor, a microcontroller, other hardware chips / circuits or the like. In some embodiments, the control unit may 310 be part of a hardware chip that sends signals to the speaker 308 provides signals from the microphones 304 and 306 receives, provides noise suppression functionality and communicates with a remote computing device as described herein. In various embodiments, one or more chips may be used to perform various aspects / functions of embodiments as described herein.

In at least one of various embodiments, the control unit may 310 include and / or associated with a memory device (not illustrated), such as but not limited to on-chip memory (eg, chip register, RAM, or the like), off-chip RAM, or the like 310 save used coefficients. As described herein, these coefficients may be changed and / or otherwise overwritten within the memory for different users, different noise environments, or the like.

The external microphone 304 may be configured to receive noise signals external to the pinna 302 are (eg external noise environment). In some embodiments, the external microphone 304 isolated and / or shielded to produce sounds or other audio signals coming from within the pinna 302 come (for example, from the speaker 308 generated sound), to minimize.

The internal microphone 306 can be designed to record noise signals that are internal to the pinna 302 are (eg internal noise environment). In some embodiments, the internal microphone 306 near the speaker 308 be positioned as between the speaker 308 and an opening of the pinna to the user's ear.

In various embodiments, the pinna 314 include similar components and provide similar functionality as the pinna 302 , For example, the external microphone 316 and the internal microphone 318 each embodiments of the external microphone 304 and the internal microphone 306 but they are making noises related to the pinna 314 instead of the auricle 302 from. Similarly, the control unit 322 an embodiment of the control unit 310 his and the speaker 320 may be an embodiment of the speaker 308 be.

It is clear that the headphones 300 may include additional components that are not illustrated. For example, in various embodiments, the headphones 300 an interface device for communicating with a remote computing device, such as the remote computer 200 from 2 , include. In some embodiments, the headphones may include a single interface device for communicating with the remote computing device. In other embodiments, each auricle comprise a separate interface device. An interface device may include a wired connection to the remote computing device and / or a wireless interface (eg, Bluetooth).

In at least one of various embodiments, the interface device may include a line that may be directly connected to the computing device to transmit and / or receive signals (eg, analog or digital signals) to and from the computing device. An example of such a conduit may include a typical headphone cable with a jack for connection to an MP3 player, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or the like. In some other embodiments, the interface device may include a wireless communication interface for transmitting and / or receiving signals to the computing device via a wireless protocol. Such wireless protocols may include, but are not limited to, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or the like. In various embodiments, the headphones may be enabled 300 Signals coming from the external microphone 304 , internal microphone 306 , external microphone 316 and / or internal microphone 318 to the remote computing device (eg, a mobile computer) through the headphone interface device.

Exemplary system representation

4A to 4C illustrate block diagrams of a system for updating a control unit of a pinna of headphones.

4A FIG. 12 illustrates a block diagram of a system for determining a closed loop model of a headset earphone for a particular user. The system 400A can an earcup 402 and a remote computer 412 include. It will be appreciated that a similar system may be used for another ear cup of the same pair of headphones using the same remote computer.

In some embodiments, the remote computer may be 412 an embodiment of the remote computer 200 from 2 be that can be removed from the headphones. In various embodiments, the pinna 402 an embodiment of the auricle 302 from 3 be. The auricle 402 can be an external microphone 404 , an internal microphone 406 , a speaker 408 and a control unit 410 each comprising embodiments of the external microphone 304 from 3 , the internal microphone 306 from 3 , the speaker 308 from 3 and the control unit 310 from 3 could be.

A user can be instructed to wear the headphones. The user can wear the headphones on his head as he or she wishes. Because users wear headphones in different manners (eg, over the ears, behind the ear, or the like) and have different physical characteristics (eg, size of the ears, length of hair, wear glasses, or the like), the model of the pinna may be for each separate user.

While the user is wearing the headphones and is in a current quiet environment (eg, a room with very little to no ambient noise), the remote computer may 412 be instructed to initiate the process for determining the controlled system model. In some embodiments, the plant model may be determined while the user is wearing the headphones in a noisy or non-quiet environment. In at least one such embodiment, an initial, default or current controller design may be used to suppress or reduce the noisy environment. In at least one of various embodiments, the user may use a mobile application or other application / program to begin the plant model determination process.

After initiation, the remote computer can 412 a signal y (k) to the loudspeaker 408 provide. In some embodiments, signal y (k) may be referred to as a reference signal or sample signal. In some embodiments, the signal y (k) may be processed before it is removed from the loudspeaker 408 is spent as in 10A shown (where the signal y (k) in 4A equal to the signal Spk (k) in 10A is). In some embodiments, the signal y (k) may be provided by the controller 410 to the speaker 408 go without adding noise canceling signals, leaving the speaker 408 generated sound is an audible representation of the signal y (k). Although many embodiments described herein are in the digital domain (represented in terms of time k), embodiments are not so limited. In at least one of various embodiments, that may be from the speaker 408 output signal y (k) are referred to as the reference audio signal.

The internal microphone 406 can record a signal m _i (k) while the signal y (k) from the speaker 408 is played simultaneously. In some embodiments, this may be from the internal microphone 406 received signal to obtain the signal m _i (k), as in 10A shown (where the signal m _i (k) in 4 equal to the signal M _i (k) in 10A is). The headphones can the signal m _i (k) to the remote computer 412 (eg using a wired or wireless communication technology). In some embodiments, the signal m _i (k) may be recorded and / or otherwise pre-sent to the remote computer 412 in a memory (not illustrated) of the auricle 402 or the headphones are stored.

The remote computer 412 can use the y (k) and m _i (k) signals to model the auricle model 402 for the user wearing the headphones. The remote computer 412 can use embodiments in conjunction with 10B described to the model of the auricle 402 on the basis of the signals y (k) and m _i (k), the signal m _i (k) in 4A is equal to the signal Mic (k) in 10B , and wherein the signal y (k) in 4A is equal to the signal Spk (k) in 10B , As in 10B An adaptive filter may be used to determine the plant model (or plant plant impulse response plant (k)). In some embodiments, the plant model may be referenced as plant (k) = m _i (k) / y (k) or Z (plant (k)) = Z (m _i (k)) - Z (y (k)). where Z () represents the Z transformation.

In various embodiments, the remote computer may be 412 the controlled system model of each auricle 402 save for the user as in a user profile. As described herein, the plant model can also be determined for a second ear cup of the headphones. So can the remote computer 412 store a user profile that may include a policy model for each ear cup of the headphones for a particular user. In some other embodiments, each auricle may be allowed to store its corresponding closed-loop model for one or more user profiles. In at least one of various embodiments, the headphones may include an interface (eg, one or more buttons) to toggle between different user profiles (eg, different policy models). Similarly, the headphones may include another interface (eg, one or more other buttons) for switching between noise environment profiles (eg, controller designs) for a currently selected user profile.

After the model of the auricle 402 is intended for the particular user, the system can 400B from 4B may be used to determine the design or operating parameters (eg, controller coefficients) of the corresponding control unit for a current noise environment associated with the user. It should be noted that elements with like reference numerals in different figures may be embodiments of each other. For example, the auricle 402 in 4B an embodiment of the auricle 402 in 4A its the remote computer 412 in 4B may be an embodiment of the remote computer 412 in 4A be, etc.

As described herein, the plant model may be determined while the user is wearing the headset in a quiet location. And the control unit coefficients may be determined while the user wears the headset in a location that includes the target noise environment that the user wants to suppress. However, embodiments are not so limited, and in other embodiments, the plant model may be determined while the user is wearing the headset in a noisy environment (which may be the target noise environment or another noise environment). In various embodiments, the system 400B be used separately in different noise environments to determine control unit coefficients for each of a plurality of different noise environments for each separate user. In various embodiments, the controlled-system model need not be redetermined for each target noise environment. Instead, the plant model may be for separate users; separate interpretations for the same user (eg the user with or without glasses); from time to time (eg, random or periodic) to account for wear and / or aging of the headphones or the like.

The external microphone 404 can record a signal m _e (k), which is the noise environment outside the pinna 402 can represent (illustrated as N _e (k)). At the same time, the internal microphone 406 receive the signal m _i (k), which is the noise environment within the pinna 402 can represent (illustrated as N _i (k)). The headphones can send the signals m _e (k) and m _i (k) to the remote computer 412 provide. In some embodiments, the pinna 402 or the headphones store these signals before providing them to the remote computer.

The remote computer 412 may use the signals m _e (k) and m _i (k) to calculate the control unit coefficients or operating parameters for the current sound environment for the auricle 402 for the user wearing the headphones. The remote computer 412 can use embodiments in conjunction with 11 to 13 to determine the control unit coefficients on the basis of the signals m _e (k) and m _i (k), the signal m _i (k) in 4B equal to the signal m _i (k) in 11 to 13 is, and where the signal m _e (k) in 4B equal to the signal m _e (k) in 11 to 12 is. It is clear that in 11 to 13 described embodiments may be used to determine the control unit coefficients for different types of control units, such as a feedforward control unit, feedback control unit or hybrid feedforward control unit.

In various embodiments, the system 400B can be used to determine control unit coefficients for a plurality of different noise environments. For example, a user sitting in an airplane can use the 4B initiated process to determine control unit coefficients for the aircraft engine noise environment (assuming that the plant model has already been determined for the user, as in 4A shown). The user may be allowed to store the determined control unit coefficients for each earpiece of the headphones as a particular noise environment profile. In some embodiments, the remote computer may be 412 store one or more noise environment profiles for each of several users. The same user can later sit in a car and check the in 4B re-initiate the process described to determine the control unit coefficients for the road noise environment. Again, the user may be allowed to store these new controller coefficients, as in a user profile stored on a remote computer 412 is stored (which may be used at a later time to update the control units of the headphones without redefining the control unit coefficients and / or the plant model).

After determining the control unit coefficients for the current noise environment associated with the user, the system may 400C from 4C used to send the coefficients to the control unit 410 provide. In various embodiments, the control unit coefficients may be in one of the control units 410 associated memory device are stored.

It is clear that the system 400C can be used to previously determined control unit coefficients for the pinna 402 provide. In some embodiments, the user may be allowed to switch between previously stored noise environment profiles (or toggle between different user profiles with different policy models of the same earcups for different users) by embodiments of the system 400C be used. For example, the user may use a mobile application or another program / application to select a desired pre-stored noise environment profile. The remote computer 412 may provide the control unit coefficients corresponding to the selected noise environment profile to the headphones.

It will also be understood that various functionalities made by the headphones and / or the remote computer as described herein may be interchangeable and made on another device. For example, in some embodiments, each earpiece of the earphone may be configured and stored (without the use of the remote computer) for its corresponding plant model and / or controller design for one or more users and / or one or more noise environments. In other embodiments, the remote computer may be used to determine and store the plant models and controller designs for each ear cup. In still other embodiments, each pinna may determine and store a corresponding plant model, and a remote computer may store / manage a copy of the plant model that may be used by the remote computer (or headphones) to determine a controller design. As such, a user interface of the headphones and / or the remote computer may allow the user to update the controller designs for each auricle with predetermined and stored controller designs. These example embodiments are not intended to be limiting or exhaustive, but instead provide insights into a variety of combinations of embodiments described herein.

General operation

Now, the operation of certain aspects of the invention will be described with reference to FIG 5 to 9 described. In at least one of various embodiments, each may be used in conjunction with 5 to 9 described processes 500 . 600 . 700 . 800 and 900 through a pair of headphones (eg headphones 300 from 3 ) and / or one or more computers (eg, remote computer 200 from 2 ) and / or executed thereon. In addition, various embodiments described herein may be used in a system such as the system 100 from 1 be implemented.

5 FIG. 12 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally illustrating one embodiment of a An overview process for determining a controller design for each earpiece and updating the ear cup controllers based on this design. The process 500 starts after a start block, at block 502 where a controlled model of each earpiece can be determined for a particular user. The determination of a controlled system model for an auricle of the earphones used by a particular user will be described below 6 described in more detail. In short, however, a closed-loop model for each earpiece of the earphone may be provided to the user based on at least one reference audio signal provided by at least one loudspeaker within the ear cup and an audio signal simultaneously picked up by a microphone disposed within each ear cup to be determined. In some embodiments, the process may 600 from 6 used separately for each earpiece associated with the headphones while the headphones are worn by the user in a current quiet environment.

In various embodiments, the block 502 be used separately for each of several different users. In at least one embodiment, a separate user profile may be generated for each user of the headphones. The profile for each user may include a corresponding closed-loop model of each earpiece of the headphones.

While users wear and use the headphones, the acoustic design of the headphones may change due to wear on the headphones. Thus, in some embodiments, the plant model of each earpiece of the earphone may be for a user through the reuse of embodiments of the block 502 to be updated.

The process 500 can to block 504 go on where a design for a control unit of each auricle for a current sound environment can be determined, which is assigned to the user wearing the headset. In some embodiments, determining a design for a controller may also be referred to herein as determining at least one operating parameter for a controller. In at least one of various embodiments, at least one operating parameter may include one or more coefficients that define a transfer function used by a controller to provide active noise cancellation.

In various embodiments, the controller may be a read-only controller that may use stored coefficients and at least one input signal to determine and / or generate a noise cancellation signal. In at least one of various embodiments, the controller may operate in a non-adaptive mode of operation. In some embodiments, the controller may be a hardware controller.

Embodiments for designing an auricular control unit will be described below in connection with FIG 7 and 8th described in more detail. However, in a nutshell, at least one operating parameter for each hardware controller corresponding to each auricle may be determined based on at least the model of each of the auricle and at least one audio signal from the current noise environment simultaneously picked up by at least one microphone, each Auricle corresponds. In various embodiments, one or more control unit coefficients may or may not be determined for a respective earcup. In some embodiments, the process may 700 from 7 (or the process 800 from 8th ) are used for each earpiece associated with the headphones used by the user. In at least one of various embodiments, the control unit may be a fixed value active noise cancellation control unit. In some embodiments, the control unit may be a feedback control controller, a feedforward control unit, or a hybrid feedback control feed-forward control unit.

In at least one of various embodiments, a user profile may be modified to include one or more noise environment profiles for the user corresponding to the user profile. In various embodiments, the block 504 be used separately for a plurality of separate and / or different noise environments. For example, the block 504 may be used separately to determine "aircraft noise level" control unit coefficients, a different set of "road noise level" control unit coefficients, a third set of "crowd noise" control unit coefficients, or the like. It will be understood that these environmental sounds are not to be considered as limiting, but instead a controller design (eg, controller coefficients) may be determined for almost any noise environment.

In other embodiments, each user profile for multiple users may separately include a plurality of noise environment profiles include. Thus, in some embodiments, the block 504 for each separate user in different noise environments to determine the controller design for different noise environments for each user.

Although embodiments are described as the user wearing the headphones in a current noise environment for which the user wants to suppress noise, embodiments are not so limited. In some embodiments, the control design for each ear cup may be determined for a target noise environment based on a simulated sound environment. In at least one of various embodiments, a remote computer may provide a simulated noise environment for the headphones (eg, played by the speaker in the headphones and / or output by a separate speaker associated with the remote computer). In various embodiments, the simulated noise environment may be a prior audio record of similar noise environments. In some embodiments, an application executing on the remote computer may include a plurality of simulated noise environments, including, but not limited to, subway noise levels, aircraft engine noise levels, road noise levels, or the like. In some embodiments, the user may access other simulated noise environments on the Internet previously recorded / generated by the user, or the like.

By using embodiments described herein using the simulated noise environment (rather than the current noise environment), the headphones may be calibrated for a particular noise environment before the user enters that noise environment. For example, if a user knows he may be using the headphones at a later date / time in a subway, the user may initialize the process to determine the controller designs using a simulated subway noise environment to obtain an initial set of controller coefficients (ie, control unit design) before calculating before the user gets on the subway. Once in the subway, the user may manually initiate the process of determining / updating control unit coefficients, the process may be automatically initiated as a new noise environment, or the user may continue to use the pre-calculated control unit coefficients, or the like, as described herein.

The process 500 can at block 506 where an operation of each auricular control unit may be updated based on the corresponding particular control unit design (or operating parameters). In at least one of various embodiments, a memory (eg, RAM) associated with each control unit and / or earpiece may be modified to override a previous layout with a new layout for the corresponding control unit (e.g. the control unit coefficients generated by the process 700 from 7 or the process 800 from 8th be determined).

As described herein, the control unit coefficients may be determined on a remote computer separate from the headphones, such as, but not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet computer, or other computing device (eg, computer 200 from 2 ). In at least one of various embodiments, the remote computer may transmit and / or otherwise provide the controller coefficients for each ear cup to the headphones after being determined by the remote computer. In at least one of various embodiments, the control unit coefficients may be provided to the headphones through a wired or wireless communication technology, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or the like.

In some embodiments, the controller coefficients may not be provided to the headphones, but instead may be held by the remote computer. In at least one such embodiment, the remote computer may be used, assuming a sufficiently low latency of communications sent between the headphones and the remote computer, to determine the noise cancellation signals for the current noise environment based on the updated control unit and to provide active noise cancellation ,

The process 500 next to block 508 continue where the updated headphones may be used to provide active noise cancellation of the current noise environment or other noise environment for at least the user. In some embodiments, the design or operating parameters (eg, coefficients) of the controllers for each ear cup may be automatically updated based on changes in ambient noise, as discussed below in connection with FIGS 9 will be described in more detail.

In some embodiments, the updated headphones may be used with another device that is different from the device used to determine the controller designs. For example, a user may use a smartphone to update the headphones, but may use a separate MP3 player to play music through the updated headphones.

After the block 508 can the process 500 end and / or return to a call process to take other actions.

6 FIG. 12 illustrates a logic flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process for determining a closed-loop model of a headset earphone when the headphones are worn by a user in a quiet sound environment. In some embodiments, the process may 600 be used separately for each different earpiece of the headphones. In further embodiments, the process 600 be used for any different target user who can use the headphones.

In various embodiments, a user may be instructed to wear the headphones in a quiet place before the process 600 the execution begins. In at least one of various embodiments, at least the blocks 602 and 604 while the user is wearing the headphones in a quiet place.

The process 600 starts after a start block, at block 602 where a closed-loop detection sampling signal, or reference signal, may be provided to a speaker within the ear cup of the headphones. In some embodiments, a remote computer may connect the closed-loop control sense signal to the headphones by a wired (eg, sending an analog signal through a headphone wire using a headphone jack of the remote computer) and / or wireless communication technology (eg, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi). Fi or the like) and / or otherwise provide. In various embodiments, the controlled system determination scan may include various sound recordings that may or may not be audible to the user when output from the speaker, but that may be picked up by a microphone that is within the pinna.

The process 600 can to block 604 continue where an internal microphone may be used to simultaneously receive an audio signal by providing the closed-loop control sampling audio signal, or reference audio signal, from the loudspeaker. In at least one of various embodiments, this internal microphone may be internal to the pinna and may be used to record sounds within the pinna. In some embodiments, the internal microphone may be positioned near the speaker, such as between the speaker and an opening of the pinna to the user's ear. In some embodiments, this internal microphone may be the same as or different from the internal microphone that may be used to determine noise cancellation signals (eg, if the controller includes a feedback control unit and / or a hybrid feed-forward feedback control unit is).

In any case, the process can 600 at the block 606 continue where the recorded signal from the internal microphone to the remote computer can be provided. In some embodiments, the headphones may provide the captured signal to the remote computer in near real time while it is being captured. In further embodiments, the recorded signal may be stored in a memory of the headphones before being provided to the remote computer. In various embodiments, the headphones may use wired and / or wireless communication technology (eg, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) to provide the captured signal to the remote computer. In some embodiments, the computer may store the captured signal for further processing.

The process may next block 608 continue where a model of the auricular model can be determined on the basis of a comparison of the recorded signal and the controlled-path determination sampling signal (ie reference signal). In various embodiments, the remote computer may be used to determine the plant model. An embodiment for determining the controlled system model is described below in conjunction with 10A and 10B described in more detail.

After the block 608 can the process 600 end and / or return to a call process to take other actions.

7 FIG. 12 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of a process for determining controller coefficients for a current noise environment associated with a user wearing the headset. In at least one of various embodiments, the process may be 700 used to To determine control unit coefficients of a feedforward control unit or a hybrid feed-forward feedback control unit.

In some embodiments, the process may 700 be used separately for each different earpiece of the headphones. In further embodiments, the process 700 be used for any different target noise environment in which the user can use the headphones. In various embodiments, a user may be instructed to wear the headphones in a location that includes the target noise environment that the user desires to suppress. In at least one of various embodiments, at least the blocks 702 and 704 while the user is wearing the headphones in the target noise environment. As described above, the blocks 702 and 704 using a simulated noise environment provided by the remote computer as the current noise environment.

The process 700 can, after a start block, at block 702 begin where an internal microphone of an auricle can be used to record a current sound environment. In some embodiments, the internal microphone may record sounds inside the corresponding auricle. In at least one of various embodiments, the internal microphone may generate a signal representative of the current noise environment within the pinna. The signal is in 4B . 11 and 13 as signal m _i (k). In some embodiments, this internal microphone may be the same microphone as that used in embodiments shown in block 604 from 6 to be discribed.

In some embodiments, additional noise may not be provided by a pinna speaker. In further embodiments, the process 700 can be used while the user is listening to music or other audio, so that the additional audio signals can be removed from the signal picked up by the internal microphone.

The process 700 can to block 704 go on where an external microphone of the pinna can be used to record the current sound environment. In some embodiments, the external microphone may record sounds outside the corresponding auricle. In at least one of various embodiments, the external microphone may reproduce a signal representative of the current noise environment outside the pinna. The signal is in 4B . 11 and 13 as signal m _e (k).

In various embodiments, the external microphone and the internal microphone may simultaneously record the current noise environment so as to have two separate recordings of the current noise environment in the particular time intervals.

The process 700 can at block 706 continue where the recorded signals can be provided to the remote computer. In at least one of various embodiments, the block 706 Embodiments of the block 606 from 6 use to provide signals to the remote computer.

The process 700 next to block 708 go on, where control unit coefficients for the control unit of the auricle on the basis of the recorded signals and the controlled system model of the same auricle can be determined (as in block 502 from 5 certainly). In various embodiments, the remote computer may be used to determine the control unit coefficients. An embodiment for determining the control unit coefficients for a feed-forward control unit will be described below in connection with FIG 11 described in more detail. And an embodiment for determining the control unit coefficients for a hybrid feed-forward feedback control unit will be described below 13 described in more detail.

After the block 708 can the process 700 end and / or return to a call process to take other actions.

8th FIG. 12 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing an alternative embodiment of a process for determining controller coefficients for a current noise environment associated with the user wearing the headset. In at least one of various embodiments, the process may be 800 used to determine control unit coefficients of a feedback control unit.

In some embodiments, the process may 800 be used separately for each different earpiece of the headphones. In further embodiments, the process 800 be used for any different target noise environment in which the user can use the headphones. In various embodiments, a user may be instructed to wear the headphones in a location that supports the headphones Target noise environment includes that the user wishes to suppress. In at least one of various embodiments, at least the block 802 while the user is wearing the headphones in the target noise environment.

The process 800 can, after a start block, at block 802 begin where an internal microphone of an auricle can be used to record a current sound environment. In at least one of various embodiments, the block 802 Embodiments of the block 702 from 7 use to record the current noise environment inside the pinna.

The process 800 can to block 804 continue where the received signal can be provided to the remote computer. In at least one of various embodiments, the block 804 Embodiments of the block 706 from 7 use to provide the captured signal to the remote computer.

The process 800 can to block 806 go on, where control unit coefficients for the pinna control unit can be determined on the basis of the recorded signal and the control model of the same pinna (as in block 502 from 5 certainly). In at least one embodiment, the remote computer may be used to determine the control unit coefficients. An embodiment for determining the control unit coefficients for a feedback control unit will be described below in connection with FIG 12 described in more detail.

After the block 806 can the process 800 end and / or return to a call process to take other actions.

9 FIG. 12 illustrates a logic flow diagram generally showing one embodiment of a process for determining changes in ambient noise and automatically redesigning the earphone controls of the headphones. The process 900 can, after a start block, at block 902 begin where a current noise environment for headphones used by a user can be determined. In at least one of various embodiments, the current noise environment may be determined based on repetitive and / or continuous noise patterns. For example, the noise level of an aircraft may have a noise pattern while road noise level while driving may have another noise pattern.

In some embodiments, the headphones may be designed based on a previously stored noise environment profile. In further embodiments, controller coefficients for the current noise environment may be automatically determined (eg, using embodiments of the block 504 from 5 ), and the headphones may be automatically updated with the control unit coefficients for the current noise environment (eg, using embodiments of the block 506 from 5 ).

The process 900 can go to the decision block 904 continue where a determination is made as to whether a new noise environment is detected. In some embodiments, a new noise environment may be detected based on a comparison of the current noise environment with the noise environment at an earlier time (eg, if at Block 902 the noise environment is stored for comparison with other noise environments). In some embodiments, different thresholds may be used to determine if a new noise environment is being detected, rather than an anomaly or deviation. For example, a new noise environment may be detected when the engines of an aircraft are off (eg, the difference between the current noise environment and a previous noise environment may be above a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time). In contrast, a question from a cabin crew member may be an ambient noise anomaly, but not a new noise environment (eg, if the difference between the current noise environment and a previous noise environment does not continue for a period of time that exceeds a predetermined time period).

However, changes in the noise environment need not be as abrupt as turning off the engines of an aircraft. Instead, smaller variations in the noise environment may indicate a new noise environment. For example, the noise environment may change between the approach of the aircraft on the runway and the flight at cruising altitude. In some embodiments, the lower the changes in ambient noise, the longer the change must be detected before determining that a new noise environment is present.

If a new noise environment is detected, the process may 900 then to the block 906 flow; otherwise the process can 900 a loop to the decision block 904 to continue monitoring to detect a change in the noise environment.

At block 906 new control unit coefficients for the new noise environment can be determined. In at least one of various embodiments, the block 906 Embodiments of the block 504 from 5 use to design a control unit for each earpiece of the headset for the new sound environment (eg, to determine new control unit coefficients).

In further embodiments, the new control unit coefficients may be determined based on a set of previously determined control unit coefficients. In various embodiments, a determination may be made as to whether the new noise environment matches an earlier noise environment with previously stored control unit fades. If the new noise environment matches the previous noise environment, then the new controller coefficients may be determined from a previously stored noise environment profile consistent with the previous / new noise environment. For example, it is assumed that a user has previously determined and stored control unit designs for a subway noise environment. If the user enters the subway and the system detects that the new noise environment matches a previously stored noise environment (ie, the subway), then the previously stored coefficients for the previous noise environment may be loaded into the headphones (ie, operating parameters for each controller, each auricle can be automatically updated based on the previously stored operating parameters) instead of calculating a new set.

In at least one of various embodiments, the new noise environment may be compared to a stored sample of previous noise environments for which control unit coefficients were previously determined (eg, a noise environment profile may include a recorded sample of the noise environment in addition to the particular controller training). If the comparison is within a predetermined threshold, the new noise environment may then be determined to match the previous noise environment.

The process 900 can to block 908 go on, where the control unit of each earpiece of the headphones can be updated with the new control unit coefficients. In at least one of various embodiments, the block 908 Embodiments of the block 506 from 5 use to update the pinna control units.

After the block 908 can the process 900 a loop to the decision block 904 to detect another change in the noise environment. Through the loop process 900 For example, when a new noise environment is detected, the headphones may be new controller designs, may be automatically determined, and the headphones may be automatically updated with new auricle controller designations (eg, new controller coefficient) based on the newly detected noise environment.

It will be understood that the embodiments described in the various flowcharts may be performed in parallel, in series, or a combination thereof, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Accordingly, one or more blocks or combinations of blocks in the various flowcharts may be made simultaneously with other blocks or combinations of blocks. In addition, one or more blocks or combinations of blocks may or may be made in a sequence that varies from the sequence illustrated in the flowcharts.

Further, the embodiments described herein and shown in the various flowcharts may be implemented as wholly hardware embodiments (eg, special purpose hardware), complete software embodiments (eg, processor readable instructions), or a combination thereof. The embodiments described herein and shown in the various flowcharts may be implemented by computer instructions (or processor readable instructions). These computer instructions may be provided to one or more processors to create a machine such that execution of the instructions on the processor effects a series of operations to be performed to provide a means for implementing the embodiments described herein and incorporated herein by reference be shown the different flow charts. In some embodiments, these computer instructions may be stored on machine-readable storage media, such as processor readable non-transitory storage media.

Exemplary controlled system model determination system

10A to 10B illustrate block diagrams of embodiments of a system for determining a closed loop model for a headphone ear.

The system 1000A can use a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 1002 , one Reconstruction Low Pass Filter (LPF) 1004 , a power amplifier 1006 , a speaker 1008 , a microphone 1010 , a preamp 1012 , an antialiasing LPF 1014 and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 1016 include.

An input signal Spk (k) may be in the DAC 1002 be entered. The output from the DAC may go into the reconstruction LPF 1004 whose output is the power amplifier 1006 can be supplied. The output signal from the power amplifier can be in the speaker 1008 be entered. The microphone 1010 can the ambient noise and from the speaker 1010 Record generated noises. The output signal of the microphone 1010 can the preamp 1012 be supplied. The output from the preamplifier 1012 can in the antialiasing LPF 1014 be entered. The output signal from the antialiasing LPF 1012 can in the ADC 1016 be entered. The output signal of the ADC 1016 the signal may be Mic (k).

In a practical application of an adaptive control unit, the use of a digital control unit may employ additional components including a DAC, ADC, a reconstruction low-pass filter (LPF), an amplifier, and an anti-aliasing LPF. This is because although the control unit may be digital, i. H. it operates on discrete time signals, the signal under control can be an analog signal.

The output of an ADC converter is typically a sequence of piecewise constant values. This means that it will typically contain multiple harmonics above the Nyquist frequency, and thus, to properly reconstruct a smoothed analog signal, these higher harmonics may be removed. Failure to remove these harmonics could result in aliasing. This is the role of the reconstruction low pass filter.

Aliasing is also a problem when the signal is reconverted from analog to digital. If the analog signal contains much higher frequencies than the sample rate, then the digital sample can not be reconstructed to the correct analog signal. To avoid aliasing, the input to an ADC can be low-pass filtered to remove frequencies above half the sampling rate. This is the role of the antialiasing filter.

In a practical implementation of the in 10A For example, in an ANC system, the signal Spk (k) could be the output of a digital control unit. The Z domain transfer function from the sampled input signal Spk (k) to the sampled output Mic (k) may be the effective feedback response seen by the digital controller. This transfer function, P (z), may correspond to the controlled system response that is effectively seen by the digital controller. The transfer function of the system under control and for the digital controllers may include the impulse responses of the ADC, reconstruction LPF, power amplifier, speaker, microphone, preamplifier, anti-aliasing LPF and ADC.

A digital output of the controlled system may be Mic (k) and may be recorded in response to an input signal Spk (k). The digital input signal Spk (k) may be raw experimental data. The coefficients of the controlled system (ie the controlled system model) can now be calculated using an adaptive algorithm, such as by the system 1000B in 10B shown.

wobei b_i die Gewichtungskoeffizienten des adaptiven Filters 1018 in 10B sein können.The signal Spk (k) may be an input to an adaptive filter 1018 be. The output of the adaptive filter may be an input to a summing point 1022 be. At the summing point, the output of the adaptive filter 1018 are subtracted from the recorded signal Mic (k) to produce an error signal e (k). An adaptive algorithm may be used to update the coefficients of the adaptive filter to minimize this error signal. The adaptive algorithm can be used in an adaptive algorithm module 1020 be performed. The adaptive algorithm module 1020 can pass the values of the coefficients to the adaptive filter 1018 output. If such coefficients are found that the error signal is zero, then the output of the adaptive filter may be equal to the signal Mic (k), and therefore the coefficients of the adaptive filter are such that the adaptive filter accurately models the process. In practice, the adaptive algorithm may be run until the error signal has converged. The coefficients of the controlled system are found when the error signal has converged. Once the coefficients of the controlled system are found, the corresponding transfer function of the controlled system can be calculated, for example, by the equation:

where b _{i is} the weighting coefficients of the adaptive filter 1018 in 10B could be.

Exemplary Control Unit Coefficient Determination Systems

11 illustrates a block diagram of a system for determining coefficients for a forward control unit for an auricle. In various embodiments, the system 1100 from 11 can be used separately for each separate ear and / or control unit.

In various embodiments, the microphone may be 1102 and microphone 1104 an external or internal microphone of the same auricle (eg auricle 404 from 4B ). Similarly, the microphone can 1102 and microphone 1104 Embodiments of the external microphone 404 from 4B or internal microphone 406 from 4B be. In some embodiments, the functionality of the control unit 1106 , the rule track 1110 , the rule estimation 1108 and the Least Mean Square (LMS) delay-less module 1112 - illustrated as an element 1150 - on a remote computer, such as the remote computer 412 from 4B , be simulated. Thus, in some embodiments, the remote computer may be configured to control the actions of the components of the element 1150 make.

The microphone 1102 may record and / or record an external noise (eg, an external noise environment). This noise can be converted by the microphone into a noise signal m _e (k). In various embodiments, the signal m _e (k) may be from the headphones (eg, headphones 300 from 3 ) to a remote computer (eg remote computer 200 from 2 ) (eg by Bluetooth). In this situation, the interfering signal m _e (k) may be the reference signal x (k). The reference signal may be an input to the control unit 1106 be. In some embodiments, the control unit may 1106 a simulation of an adaptive filter such as a finite impulse response (FIR) filter, an infinite impulse response filter or the like.

The output of the control unit 1106 may be the signal y (k), which is the input signal to the controlled system 1110 can be. In various embodiments, it can be assumed that the controlled system 1110 similar to or equivalent to the controlled system estimation 1108 is that out of the in 10A to 10B obtained process and / or can be determined. The output of the controlled system 110 can be an input to the summing point 1114 be. At the summing point, the output signal of the controlled system can 1110 and a second interfering signal m _i (k) are summed together to produce an error signal e (k). The interfering signal m _i (k) may be the signal coming from the microphone 1104 which can record and / or record the internal noise of the external ear (ie the internal noise environment).

The reference signal x (k) can be the input to the controlled system estimation 1108 be. The output of the controlled system estimation 1108 may be a filtered reference signal x ^ (k). The filtered reference signal and the error signal e (k) may enter the delay-less subband LMS (Error Square) module 1112 be entered. The delay-less subband LMS module can calculate the control unit coefficients and can input the values of the calculated coefficients into the control unit 1106 enter. This process can continue until the error signal e (k) has converged. If the error signal is zero, then the output of the controlled system 1110 be a signal which suppresses the noise signal m _i (k).

In some embodiments, the delay-less subband LMS module 1112 use the Filtered-Reference Least Mean Square (FXLMS) algorithm. An advantage of implementing the FXLMS algorithm in subbands may be that it can allow to minimize the error signal within each subband, thereby allowing the noise to be damped across a wide frequency band without the number of coefficients used in the controller significantly increase. The presence of a large number of coefficients in the controller may require significant computational effort, and the use of a subband structure may be a more efficient way of attenuating noise across a wide frequency band. The number of subbands may depend on the sampling frequency of the system and may increase with increasing sampling frequency.

As described herein, the particular controller coefficients may be derived from the remote computer (eg, device simulation controller 1106 , Controlled system 1110 , Controlled system estimation 1108 and delay-less subband LMS module 1112 ) to the headphones for the pinna that are the microphones 1102 and 1104 assigned.

12 Figure 12 illustrates a block diagram of a system for determining coefficients for a feedback control unit. In various embodiments, the system 1200 from 12 can be used separately for each separate ear and / or control unit.

In various embodiments, the microphone may be 1204 an internal microphone of an auricle (eg auricle 404 from 4B ) be. Thus, in some embodiments, the microphone 1104 an embodiment of the internal microphone 406 from 4B be. In some embodiments, the functionality of the control unit 1206 , the rule track 1210 , of the Controlled system estimation 1208 , the rule estimation 1216 and the delay-less subband LMS module 1212 - illustrated as an element 1250 - on a remote computer, such as the remote computer 412 from 4B , be simulated. Thus, in some embodiments, the remote computer may be configured to handle the actions of the components of the element 1250 make

In various embodiments, the controlled system estimation 1208 and 1210 may be the same plant estimation and may be from the in 10A to 10B obtained and / or determined process shown. In at least one of various embodiments, it can be assumed that the controlled system 1210 similar to or equivalent to the controlled system estimation 1208 and or 1216 is.

The output of the control unit 1206 the signal may be y (k). In some embodiments, the control unit may 1206 preprogrammed to output the signal y (k) in response to an input signal x (k-n) and preprogrammed coefficients. These coefficients may be replaced and / or modified based on the coefficients provided by the delay-less subband LMS module 1212 be determined as described here. In some embodiments, the control unit may 1206 a simulation of an adaptive filter such as a finite impulse response (FIR) filter, an infinite impulse response filter or the like.

The output signal y (k) can be in the controlled system 1210 and plant estimation 1216 be entered. At the summit point 1214 can be the output of the controlled system 1210 and an interference signal m _i (k) are summed together to produce an error signal e (k). The interfering signal m _i (k) may be the signal coming from the microphone 1204 is output, which has recorded the internal noise (ie noise environment inside the auricle). The output signal of the controlled system estimation 1216 and the error signal may be at a second summing point 1218 are summed together to produce a reference signal x (k), which may be an estimate of the interfering signal m _i (k). The reference signal x (k) can be in the control unit 1206 and a second controlled system estimate 1208 be entered. The output of the second controlled system estimation 1208 may be a filtered reference signal x ^ (k). The filtered reference signal x ^ (k) and the error signal e (k) may enter the delayless subband LMS module 1212 be entered. The delay-less subband LMS module 1212 can new coefficients of the control unit 1206 calculate and can these new values in the control unit 1206 enter. Similar to the delay-less subband LMS module 1112 from 11 can be the delay-less subband LMS module 1212 use the subbands to get the control unit coefficients. This process can continue until the error signal e (k) has converged. If the error signal is zero, then the output of the controlled system 1210 be a signal which cancels the noise signal m _i (k).

13 Figure 12 illustrates a block diagram of a system for determining coefficients for a hybrid feed-forward feedback control unit.

The system 1300 can be used to adaptively obtain first and second controllers for use in a hybrid ANC system. A section 1326 may be the feed forward portion of the hybrid system, and a section 1328 may be the feedback control part of the hybrid system.

The microphone 1302 outside the ANC system, noise can be recorded as signal m _e (k). These recorded sounds are used as reference signal x _ff (k) and can be used in a control unit 1306 be entered. The output of the control unit 1306 may be a signal y _ff (k) which is in a first summing point 1309 can be entered. The output signal of the summing point 1309 can in the controlled system 1310 be entered. The output signal of the controlled system 1310 can be in a second summation point 1314 be entered. At the summit point 1314 can be the output signal of the controlled system 1310 and an interference signal m _i (k) are summed to produce an error signal e (k). The interfering signal may be the signal output from a microphone which has recorded the internal noise of the external ear. The error signal e (k) may be converted into a first delayless subband LMS algorithm module 1312 , a second delayless subband LMS module 1322 and a third summation point 1324 be entered. The feedforward reference signal x _ff (k) may be included in the first controlled system estimate 1308 and the output signal may be a filtered feedforward reference signal x ^ _ff (k) which enters the delayless subband LMS algorithm module 1312 can be entered. The delay-less subband LMS algorithm module 1312 may be new values for the coefficients of the control unit 1306 to calculate. The updated values of the coefficients can be in the control unit 1306 be entered.

A feedback control reference signal x _fb (k) may be input to a second control unit 1316 be entered. The output signal from the control unit 1316 may be a signal y _fb (k). The output signal y _fb (k) can be converted into a second Controlled system estimation 1318 and the first summation point 1309 be entered. At the summit point 1309 For example, the first control output y _ff (k) may be summed with the second control output y _fb (k). At the summit point 1324 can the output from the controlled system estimation 1318 and the error signal e (k) are summed to produce the feedback control reference signal x _fb (k). The signal x _fb (k) can be included in the third controlled system estimation 1320 be entered. The output of the controlled system estimation 1320 may be a filtered feedback control reference signal x ^ _fb (k). This filtered reference signal may be in the delay-less subband LMS algorithm module 1322 be entered. The delay-less subband LMS algorithm module 1322 may be new values for the coefficients of the control unit 1316 to calculate. The updated values of the coefficients can be in the control unit 1316 be entered.

wobei x(k – n) das Eingangssignal sein kann; c_n(k), n = 0, 1, ... N – 1 die Koeffizienten der Steuereinheit zur Zeit k sein können; und N die Anzahl von Koeffizienten der Steuereinheit sein kann.The in the controlled system estimates 1308 . 1318 and 1320 Control line coefficients used in this circuit can be calculated using the in 10A and 10B can be obtained. The coefficients of the control units used in the feedforward and feedback control portions of an ANC implementing circuit can be obtained by using the delayless adaptive FXLMS algorithm in subbands. The fixed coefficients of the control units 1306 and 1316 can be obtained after the convergence of the error signal. The first controller could be a finite impulse response controller. The second control unit could be a finite impulse response control unit. Each controller could be preprogrammed to output a signal in response to its input signal and coefficients, as shown by the equation:

where x (k-n) may be the input signal; c _n (k), n = 0, 1, ... N - 1 may be the coefficients of the control unit at time k; and N may be the number of coefficients of the control unit.

Illustrative use cases

14A to 14D illustrate application examples of embodiments of a graphical user interface for calibrating headphones for a user for a current noise environment.

The example 1400A can be a screen capture of a graphical user interface (GUI) for an application that resides on a smartphone, tablet, or remote computer (such as a remote computer 200 from 2 ) is performed. The example 1400A may allow a user to use a noise canceling headset (eg, headphones 200 from 2 ). The example 1400A can include at least two buttons, the button 1402 and 1404 , The button 1402 may allow a user to create a new user profile. In such embodiments, any new headphone user may choose the button 1402 Click and / or otherwise select to create your own user profile. If the user has the button 1402 can open another GUI or window, like the example 1400B from 14B ,

The button 1404 may allow a user to use, create, and / or otherwise edit a noise environment profile for a previously determined user profile. In such embodiments, each user may be allowed to use a predetermined sound environment. In other embodiments, each user may be enabled to create a new noise environment. If the user has the button 1404 then another GUI or window may open, like the example 1400C from 14C ,

The example 1400B from 14B may be an embodiment of the example 1400A however, it may be a screenshot of a GUI that allows a user to create a new user profile. The input 1406 may allow the user to enter a name of the new user profile. instructions 1408 can provide information to the user, such as "putting on headphones" and "in a quiet room - press the button to select new user". The button 1410 may be activated to initiate the process of determining a plant model for each ear cup of the headphones, the plant model being specific to that user. In at least one of various embodiments, the selection of the button 1410 in conjunction with 6 initiate the described process. The example 1400B may include other instructions, such as instructions 1412 that provide the user with other information.

After the user profile has been created, the user can create a noise environment profile. The example 1400C from 14C may be an embodiment of the example 1400A but may be a screenshot of a GUI that allows a user to create a new noise environment profile. environment settings 1418 may be a list of any previously generated and / or stored noise environment profile. In some embodiments, the user may be allowed to use and / or switch between noise environment profiles by selecting a corresponding environmental profile, such as by selecting the buttons 1419 . 1420 or 1421 , By selecting the buttons 1419 . 1420 or 1421 For example, controller coefficients for the corresponding selected noise environment profile may be provided to the headphones as discussed above in connection with Block 506 from 5 described.

It allows a user to create a new sound environment by clicking the button 1422 clicked on and / or otherwise selected. In at least one of various embodiments, the selection of the button 1422 in conjunction with 7 and or 8th initiate the described process. In some embodiments, the user may be enabled to use the button 1424 select the one associated with 9 to initiate the described process for automatically updating (and / or recalibrating / re-designing) the headphones based on changes in the noise environment.

After the noise environment profile has been created, the user can save the new noise environment profile. The example 1400D from 14D may be an embodiment of the example 1400A but may be a screenshot of a GUI that allows a user to save the newly created noise environment profile. It can be enabled by the user by typing 1430 enter a name for the new environment profile. In some embodiments, the user may be allowed to make manual tuning adjustments for different frequency bands, such as by using sliders 1432 , In some embodiments, the loudspeakers may generate a sample audio signal, whereby the user may hear the difference of noise suppression effects while the user is manipulating the sliders 1432 established. The user can click the button 1434 select to save the new noise environment profile in its profile, after saving it under the profiles 1418 from 14C can be seen. Once the new environment is saved, it can be used to update the headphone controller designs.

The above description, examples and data provide a complete description of the preparation and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention is based on the claims hereinafter appended hereto.

Claims (20)

A method of providing active noise cancellation for headphones worn by a user, comprising: when the headphones are worn by the user in a current quiet environment, determining a closed loop model for each earpiece of the headphones for the user based on at least one reference audio signal provided by at least one loudspeaker within each ear cup and an audio signal simultaneously is picked up by a microphone located within each ear cup; when the headphones are worn by the user in a current noise environment, determining at least one operating parameter for each control unit corresponding to each auricle based on at least the corresponding closed-loop model of each auricle and at least one further audio signal from the current noise environment simultaneously from at least one microphone is absorbed, which corresponds to each auricle; Updating at least one operation of each control unit for each auricle based on the at least one particular operating parameter for each control unit; and Use the updated controllers to provide active noise cancellation when the headphones are worn by at least the user. The method of claim 1, wherein updating each control unit comprises: Storing the at least one operating parameter of each control unit in a memory corresponding to each control unit. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one operating parameter for each control unit comprises: Determining at least one coefficient for a non-adaptive mode of operation for each controller, the at least one coefficient defining a transfer function used by each controller to provide active noise cancellation. The method of claim 1, wherein each control unit is configured as one of a feedback control unit, feed-forward control unit, or a hybrid feedback control feed-forward control unit. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plant model for each auricle comprises: Determining the controlled system model based on at least a comparison of the received audio signal and the reference audio signal. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one operating parameter for each control unit comprises: Using the microphone disposed within each ear cup to record at least one current audio signal of the current sound environment within each ear cup; Using another microphone located outside each ear cup to pick up at least one other actual audio signal of the current sound environment outside each ear cup; and Determining the at least one operating parameter of each control unit based on the controlled system model of each auricle and a comparison of the at least one recorded current audio signal and the at least one recorded further current audio signal for each auricle. The method of claim 1, further comprising: if a change in the current noise environment is detected, automatically determining at least one new operating parameter for each control unit corresponding to each auricle based at least on the corresponding closed-loop model of each auricle and at least one new audio signal from the changed current noise environment simultaneously from the at least one a microphone is recorded that corresponds to each auricle; and automatically updating at least one operation of each control unit for each auricle based on the at least one new operating parameter for each control unit. A system for providing active noise cancellation for headphones worn by a user, comprising: an interface device for communicating with a remote computer; at least one earcup, each comprising at least one loudspeaker, at least one microphone and a control unit; and a hardware processor designed to execute instructions that enable actions: wherein, when the headphones are worn by the user in a current quiet environment, actions are taken comprising: Using the at least one speaker of each pinna to provide at least one reference audio signal within each pinna, and simultaneously recording an audio signal through a microphone located within each pinna; and Providing the recorded audio signal to the remote computer to determine a closed loop model for each earpiece of the headphones for the user; wherein, when the headphones are worn by the user in a current noise environment, other actions are taken comprising: Simultaneously receiving at least one further audio signal from the current noise environment by the at least one microphone corresponding to each auricle; and Providing the at least one further recorded audio signal to the remote computer for use in determining at least one operating parameter for each control unit corresponding to each pinna based on at least the respective closed loop model of each pinna and the received at least one further audio signal for each pinna; Updating the at least one operation of each control unit for each auricle based on the at least one particular operating parameter for each control unit; and Using the updated control units to provide active noise cancellation when the headphones are worn by at least the user. The system of claim 8, wherein updating each control unit comprises: Storing the at least one operating parameter of each control unit in a memory corresponding to each control unit. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the at least one operating parameter for each control unit comprises: Determining at least one coefficient for a non-adaptive mode of operation for each controller, the at least one coefficient defining a transfer function used by each controller to provide active noise cancellation. The system of claim 8, wherein each control unit is configured as one of a feedback control unit, feed-forward control unit, or a hybrid feedback control feed-forward control unit. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the closed-loop model for each auricle comprises: determining the closed-loop model based on at least a comparison of the received audio signal and the reference audio signal. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the at least one operating parameter for each control unit comprises: Using the microphone disposed within each ear cup to record at least one current audio signal of the current sound environment within each ear cup; Using another microphone located outside each ear cup to pick up at least one other actual audio signal of the current sound environment outside each ear cup; and Determining the at least one operating parameter of each control unit based on the controlled system model of each auricle and a comparison of the at least one recorded current audio signal and the at least one recorded further current audio signal for each auricle. The system of claim 8, further comprising: if a change in the current noise environment is detected, simultaneously recording automatically at least one new audio signal from the changed current noise environment by the at least one microphone corresponding to each auricle; Providing the at least one new audio signal to the network computer to automatically determine at least one new operating parameter for each control unit corresponding to each auricle based on at least the corresponding closed loop model of each auricle and the at least one new audio signal for each auricle; and automatically updating at least one operation of each control unit for each auricle based on the at least one new operating parameter for each control unit. A hardware chip for providing active noise cancellation for headphones worn by a user, comprising: a communication interface adapted to enable at least wireless communication between the headphones and a remote computer; a processor adapted to execute instructions that enable actions, comprising: when the headphones are worn by the user in a current quiet environment, performing actions that include: Using the at least one speaker to provide at least one reference audio signal within each pinna, and simultaneously recording an audio signal through a microphone located within each pinna; and Providing the recorded audio signal to the remote computer to determine a closed loop model for each earpiece of the headphones for the user; wherein, when the headphones are worn by the user in a current noise environment, other actions are taken comprising: Simultaneously receiving at least one further audio signal from the current noise environment by the at least one microphone corresponding to each auricle; and Providing the at least one further recorded audio signal to the remote computer for use in determining at least one operating parameter for each control unit corresponding to each pinna based on at least the respective closed loop model of each pinna and the received at least one further audio signal for each pinna; Updating the at least one operation of each control unit for each auricle based on the at least one particular operating parameter for each control unit; and Using the updated control units to provide active noise cancellation when the headphones are worn by at least the user. The hardware chip of claim 15, wherein determining the at least one operating parameter for each control unit comprises: Determining at least one coefficient for a non-adaptive mode of operation for each controller, the at least one coefficient defining a transfer function used by each controller to provide active noise cancellation. The hardware chip of claim 15, wherein each control unit is configured as one of a feedback control unit, feed-forward control unit, or a hybrid feedback control feed-forward control unit. The hardware chip of claim 15, wherein determining the closed-loop model for each auricle comprises: Determining the controlled system model based on at least a comparison of the received audio signal and the reference audio signal. The hardware chip of claim 15, wherein determining the at least one operating parameter for each control unit comprises: using the microphone disposed within each pinna to receive at least one current audio signal of the current noise environment within each pinna; Using a further microphone located outside each auricle, at least one to record further current audio signal of the current noise environment outside each auricle; and determining the at least one operating parameter of each control unit based on the closed-loop model of each auricle and a comparison of the at least one recorded current audio signal and the at least one recorded further current audio signal for each auricle. The hardware chip of claim 15, further comprising: if a change in the current noise environment is detected, simultaneously recording automatically at least one new audio signal from the changed current noise environment by the at least one microphone corresponding to each auricle; Providing the at least one new audio signal to the network computer to automatically determine at least one new operating parameter for each control unit corresponding to each auricle based on at least the corresponding closed loop model of each auricle and the at least one new audio signal for each auricle; and automatically updating at least one operation of each control unit for each auricle based on the at least one new operating parameter for each control unit.

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