DE102020211320A1 - Sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring and method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a sensor device (10) for structure-borne noise monitoring, comprising a housing (G); at least one acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS), by which an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) can be measured and a structure-borne noise of a user can be deduced, a further acceleration sensor (BS), wherein the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) and the further acceleration sensor (BS) are arranged in the housing (G) and the further acceleration sensor (BS) is set up to measure an acceleration of the housing (G).

Description

The present invention relates to a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring and a method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring.

State of the art

There is currently an enormous technical trend in earphone devices, so-called in-ear headphones, which can be worn wirelessly directly in the ear. Multiple microphones and inertial sensors may be included in these headphones. One of these sensors can be an acceleration sensor and is used, for example, to detect tap or double-tap interactions with the in-ear headphones, for example to pause music playback.

In the US 2013/0335226 A1 an earphone device is described which is set up for gaming purposes and medical monitoring purposes.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention creates a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring according to claim 1 and a method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring according to claim 10.

Preferred developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

Advantages of the Invention

The idea on which the present invention is based is to specify a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring and a method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring, in which a structure-borne noise, such as a user's pulse, can be detected and tracked via an acoustic acceleration sensor. In this case, an actual movement of the sensor device itself can be detected by means of a further acceleration sensor and the measurement signal of the acoustic acceleration sensor can be filtered from this acceleration, as a result of which the identification of the structure-borne noise can be improved. When such a sensor device is used in an inner earphone device, for example, a user's pulse or other sources of structure-borne noise can then be tracked and analyzed.

According to the invention, the sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring comprises a housing; at least one acoustic acceleration sensor, by means of which an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor can be measured and a structure-borne noise of a user can be inferred, the acoustic acceleration sensor being arranged in the housing; an evaluation device which is connected to the acoustic acceleration sensor and which is set up to receive and evaluate an infrasound signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor and to generate data from the evaluation device about the measured structure-borne noise of a user; and a communication device which is set up to communicate the infrasound signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor and/or data from the evaluation device to a receiver.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, this includes a further acceleration sensor, which is arranged in the housing and the further acceleration sensor is set up to measure an acceleration of the housing, the evaluation device being connected to the further acceleration sensor and set up to measure the further acceleration sensor and/or to receive and evaluate its signals and/or to compare them with the acoustic acceleration sensor, with an acceleration of the housing being taken into account and the measured structure-borne noise in a first signal, in particular the infrasound signal, being isolated from the acoustic acceleration sensor .

With the sensor device, an infrasound signal band of the acoustic acceleration sensor can also be taken into account, advantageously in an inner earphone.

Structure-borne noise can mean a spectrum in the wavelength range of infrasound, approximately less than or equal to 20 Hz.

By using an acoustic acceleration sensor, a measurement of a structure-borne noise of a user can take place, with such an acoustic acceleration sensor being able to have a particularly high bandwidth. This acoustic acceleration sensor can be used in an inner earphone device, such as headphones, in order to measure the structure-borne noise that can be produced by a person's vocal folds. In a first approximation, the acoustic path via the structure-borne noise can be untarnished by external noise influences, for example when a neighbor speaks loudly. The property that the wearer is mainly heard via the structure-borne noise path can be used to eliminate ambient noise, for example during a telephoto phoning with the inner earphone device, which can correspond to noise suppression (so-called active noise cancellation (ANC)).

In this regard, the first signal, i.e. the infrasound signal, of the acoustic acceleration sensor can be preconditioned in such a way that a measured signal component at a very low frequency (infrasound <20Hz) can be removed using a high-pass filter, since there is usually no relevant speech information. The remaining signal band can be used to implement ANC accordingly.

The acoustic acceleration sensor can be produced according to various known types of such acoustic acceleration sensors, which are not explained in more detail here. For example, the acoustic acceleration sensor can include a piezo element (crystal) as a sensitive surface, which can experience the determined acceleration, and can measure a movement of a surface on which it can rest. If the acoustic acceleration sensor rests with a sensitive surface on a part of the body or on the body itself, for example in the user's ear, infrasound vibrations that propagate through the body tissue can be registered by this acoustic acceleration sensor.

The additional acceleration sensor, there can also be several, can be an inertial sensor, which can measure the actual acceleration of the entire housing. This actual acceleration can then be subtracted from the signal of the acoustic acceleration sensor and the component of the structure-borne noise vibration filtered by the external acceleration can advantageously be recognized. This can be done by comparing the two signals from the two acceleration sensors, in which case, depending on the form of the signals, the acceleration of the housing can then be recognized in the signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor and can be calculated out.

Depending on the type, duration, frequency, etc. of the determined structure-borne noise, conclusions can then be drawn about the probable source of the structure-borne noise, for example the heartbeat. A detailed analysis of the frequency, the duration, the length, etc. can then also be used to draw conclusions about anomalies, which can enable an at least partial medical analysis.

The recipient can be an external computer, a database, a server, or a doctor to create and analyze a profile of the measured structure-borne noise, for example with regard to health aspects.

By using such an acoustic acceleration sensor, body-internal processes in the infrasound range, such as the user's pulse, can be measured by determining the structure-borne noise. It may also be possible to use the sensor device as part of an online doctor's examination in order to "listen" (auscultation) of the patient via the sensor device, in which case the measured structure-borne noise can be used to draw conclusions about internal processes in the body, for example to check for anomalies compared to known models.

Furthermore, a resting heart rate can be monitored in order, if this is registered, to initiate a switch-off of the receiver device (headphones) if the sleep state of the wearer is detected from the resting heart rate. The sensor device can be connected to a mobile phone or other electronic devices.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, this is designed as an inner earphone device that can be inserted into a human ear.

The designation of the inner earphone device refers to the fact that an acoustic hearing device can be plugged into the human ear, however, it is not intended to plug this hearing device into the inner ear, rather only as far into the auricle and at least partially into an outer area of the ear Ear canal so that the hearing device itself can be held in the ear.

The sensor device can have two hearing devices, one for each ear of a user. The housing of the sensor device can include a right-hand housing for a hearing device for a right ear and a left-hand housing for a hearing device for a left ear.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, the acoustic acceleration sensor is sensitive in a structure-borne sound range, in particular at less than or equal to 20 Hz, or in an infrasound range.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, the further acceleration sensor is connected to a damping device for the structure-borne noise or is at least partially surrounded by it.

The influence, in other words the measurability, of the structure-borne noise can be reduced by the additional acceleration sensor via the damping device. As a result, the signal from the further acceleration sensor can be aligned more precisely to the actual acceleration of the housing and this can be determined more precisely by the further acceleration sensor than the structure-borne noise. The damping device can be a fabric, a foam, or the like, which can at least partially surround the additional acceleration sensor. Since the acoustic acceleration sensor can advantageously be in contact or close to the source of the structure-borne noise more directly than the further acceleration sensor, or with the human tissue itself through which the structure-borne noise propagates, it can measure the structure-borne noise more precisely than the further acceleration sensor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, the further acceleration sensor is arranged in a second position in or on the housing and the acoustic acceleration sensor is arranged in a first position in or on the housing, with the structure-borne noise being less perceptible in the second position than in the first position .

The selected positions of the acceleration sensors in the housing (in the housings) can influence the connection to the structure-borne noise. Thus, the second position can be located further inside the housing than the first position, up to which the structure-borne noise can only reach a smaller extent than in the first position, which can be located further on the edge of the housing.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, the first position is at an edge of the housing and the second position is further inside the housing than the first position.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, the evaluation device is set up to assign the structure-borne noise to a pulse of a user.

According to a preferred embodiment of the sensor device, the evaluation device is set up to detect acceleration of the housing by the additional acceleration sensor and to take this signal into account in the signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor.

Numerous algorithms are known for signal separation, which will not be discussed in detail here. The signals from structure-borne noise and actual acceleration can differ in terms of duration, frequency, amplitude or other things. Due to the different positioning and/or a damping device, both signals of the acceleration sensors can be at least partially decoupled from one another. The additional acceleration sensor can be coupled more weakly to the structure-borne sound source than the acoustic acceleration sensor.

According to the invention, a sensor device according to the invention is provided in the method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring; generating an infrasound signal by the acoustic acceleration sensor and receiving the infrasound signal by the evaluation device; Determining an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor from the infrasound signal and inferring the structure-borne noise therefrom; Evaluation of the infrasound signal and determination of data from the evaluation device on the measured structure-borne noise of a user; and communicating the infrasound signal and/or data from the evaluation device to a receiver by means of a communication device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method, a second signal is generated by the further acceleration sensor and the second signal is received by the evaluation device, an acceleration of the housing is determined from the second signal; a comparison of the infrasound signal with the second signal and from this determination of data by the evaluation device on the measured structure-borne noise of a user, with an acceleration of the housing being recognized as the second signal and being taken into account in the infrasound signal, so that from the infrasound signal structure-borne noise is isolated.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method, a pulse of a user is detected and/or monitored from the determined structure-borne noise.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method, a sound from a loudspeaker is detected and separated from the first signal, ie the infrasound signal.

In the case of hearing devices or the sensor device, loudspeakers can also be included in the housing and play music, conversations or other things for the user. The sensor device is advantageously set up to the transmission spectrum of the speaker and the resulting To recognize structure-borne noise and to filter it out in the signal of the acoustic acceleration sensor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method, an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor is determined over at least two dimensions, advantageously spatial dimensions.

The sources of structure-borne noise usually propagate omnidirectionally in the body tissue. If another acceleration sensor now monitors a certain direction for the acceleration of the housing, this signal can be distinguished from that of structure-borne noise, since structure-borne noise can have the same or similar (in frequency) acceleration in several components, whereas the acceleration of the housing tends to do so can rarely be measured in several directions.

The method can advantageously also be distinguished by the already mentioned features of the sensor device and vice versa.

Further features and advantages of embodiments of the invention result from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

character list

The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments given in the schematic figures of the drawing.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer Sensoreinrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung einer Signalverarbeitung in eine Verfahren gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung einer Signalverarbeitung in eine Verfahren gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung; und
• 4 eine Blockdarstellung von Verfahrensschritten eines Verfahrens zum Betreiben einer Sensoreinrichtung für eine Körperschallüberwachung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung.

Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation of a sensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 2 a schematic representation of a signal processing in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 3 a schematic representation of a signal processing in a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and
• 4 a block diagram of method steps of a method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figures, the same reference symbols denote the same elements or elements with the same function.

1 shows a schematic representation of a sensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The sensor device 10 for structure-borne noise monitoring comprises a housing G; at least one acoustic acceleration sensor ABS, by means of which an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS can be measured and a structure-borne noise of a user can be deduced, the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS being arranged in the housing G; an evaluation device AE, which is connected to the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS and which is set up to receive and evaluate an infrasound signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS and to generate data from the evaluation device AE about the measured structure-borne noise of a user; and a communication device KE, which is set up to communicate the infrasound signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS and/or data from the evaluation device AE to a receiver.

Sensor device 10 can include a further acceleration sensor BS, which is arranged in the housing and the further acceleration sensor BS is set up to measure an acceleration of the housing G, with the evaluation device AE being connected to the further acceleration sensor BS and set up to measure the to operate another acceleration sensor BS and/or to receive and evaluate its signals and/or to compare them with the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS, with an acceleration of the housing G being taken into account and the measured structure-borne noise in a first signal M1, in particular the infrasound signal, from the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS is isolated from it.

The sensor device 10 can be formed as an inner earphone device 1 which can be inserted into a human ear. Only one housing G is shown here, that is to say an (inner) earphone, in which case the sensor device 10 can of course also be formed as two inner earphones, each with the same structure.

The source Q for the structure-borne noise is in the 1 shown symbolically, but which can generally be a pulse or other sources, through which the structure-borne noise can then spread over the body tissue and can reach the area of the housing G and can be detected there by the acoustic acceleration sensor.

A first signal M1 can be generated by the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS and a second signal M2 can be generated by the further acceleration sensor BS and both can be received and evaluated by the evaluation device AE. The signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor M1 can also at least partially include the actual acceleration of the housing G, in which case the actual acceleration can then be filtered out of the signal M1 by comparing and/or evaluating the two signals M1 and M2.

The further acceleration sensor BS can be arranged at a second position PS2 in or on the housing G and the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS can be arranged at a first position PS1 in or on the housing G, with the structure-borne noise being less perceptible at the second position PS2 than at the first position PS1. In this case, the first position PS1 can be located on an edge of the housing G and the second position PS2 can be located further inside the housing G than the first position P1. The influence of the structure-borne noise on the further acceleration sensor can thus be reduced and the actual acceleration of the housing G can be better inferred and taken into account better.

The additional acceleration sensor AS and the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS can be connected to the evaluation device AE via a data bus. The evaluation device AE can include a processor and a DSP (digital signal processor).

The communication device KE can include a radio interface, for example in order to transmit and/or receive data by cable or wirelessly to a receiver. For example, to evaluate the signals M1 and M2 in the evaluation device AE.

2 shows a schematic representation of a signal processing in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

After recording the first signal M1 at the acoustic acceleration sensor ABS and the second signal M2 at the further acceleration sensor AS, these two signals can be evaluated or compared together, for example to obtain a structure-borne noise signal M1* that has been at least partially corrected for the actual acceleration. The two signals M1 and M2 can be compared and/or evaluated by an evaluation device (not shown) in order to clean/filter the structure-borne noise signal in a low-frequency range (LF range) from the additional signal of the acceleration through the housing. Furthermore, it can be taken into account that a loudspeaker LS can be arranged in the housing of a receiver device and can itself also generate sound, for example low-frequency sound. The evaluation device can have a calibration K, which can take into account the sound generated by the loudspeaker LS and can also take it into account in the corrected structure-borne sound signal M1* and then generate an additionally corrected structure-borne sound signal M1*-K, from which the sound generated by the loudspeaker LS (seismic Signal in housing and body tissue and / or directly receivable acoustic sound) can be at least partially filtered out.

3 shows a schematic representation of a signal processing in a method according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

The NF signal (M1* in the 2 ), which after the 2 generated can also be cleaned up using multiple axes of the acoustic accelerometer. The structure-borne noise signal can be omnidirectional in a first approximation, ie a signal that can appear in approximately the same amplitude both in the x-axis and in the z-axis of a (XZ-plane) and can be recorded by one or more other acceleration sensors, can with high probability be based on structure-borne noise and not caused by movements of the housing. Technical methods for the corresponding suppression of interference signals can be carried out, for example, by means of an autocorrelation KR of both axes. Many methods based on the use of multiple axes to suppress interference signals attempt to discriminate the interference signals by exploiting the omnidirectionality of the useful signal. Mathematical methods can be manifold. the 3 shows an alternative to this, according to which a first acoustic acceleration sensor ABS1 and a second acoustic acceleration sensor ABS2 are evaluated by correlation methods KR with regard to different axes, in which the acceleration sensors can measure, for example by the evaluation device (not shown) and it can thus be concluded whether the detected signal is dominant in only one direction or is the same or similar in several directions.

4 shows a block diagram of method steps of a method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the method for operating a sensor device for structure-borne noise monitoring, a sensor device according to the invention is provided S1; generation S2a of an infrasound signal by the acoustic acceleration sensor and receiving S3 of the infrasound signal by the evaluation device; determining S4 an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor from the infrasound signal and concluding S5 on the structure-borne noise; Evaluation S6a of the infrasound signal and determination S7 of data from the evaluation device on the measured structure-borne noise of a user; and communicating S8 the infrasound signal and/or data from the evaluation device to a receiver by means of a communication device.

Furthermore, a second signal can be generated S2b by the further acceleration sensor and the second signal can be received by the evaluation device, an acceleration of the housing can be determined from the second signal; a comparison S6b of the infrasound signal with the second signal and from this determination of data by the evaluation device on the measured structure-borne noise of a user, with an acceleration of the housing being recognized as a second signal and being taken into account in the infrasound signal, so that from the infrasound Signal structure-borne noise is isolated.

Although the present invention has been fully described above with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiment, it is not restricted thereto but can be modified in a variety of ways.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• US 2013/0335226 A1 [0003]

Claims (14)

Sensor device (10) for structure-borne noise monitoring, comprising: - a housing (G); - At least one acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS), by which an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) can be measured and a structure-borne noise of a user can be deduced, wherein the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) is arranged in the housing (G); - An evaluation device (AE), which is connected to the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS), and which is set up to receive and evaluate an infrasound signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) and from this data from the evaluation device (AE) via the generate measured structure-borne noise of a user; and - A communication device (KE), which is set up to communicate the infrasound signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) and/or data from the evaluation device (AE) to a receiver. Sensor device (10) after claim 1 , which comprises a further acceleration sensor (BS), which is arranged in the housing and the further acceleration sensor (BS) is set up to measure an acceleration of the housing (G), the evaluation device (AE) with the further acceleration sensor (BS) is connected and is set up to operate the further acceleration sensor (BS) and/or to receive and evaluate its signals and/or to compare them with the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS), an acceleration of the housing (G) being taken into account and the measured one being taken into account Structure-borne noise in a first signal (M1), in particular the infrasound signal, from the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) is isolated from it. Sensor device (10) after claim 1 or 2 , which is formed as an inner earphone device (1) which can be inserted into a human ear. Sensor device (10) according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , in which the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) is sensitive in a structure-borne noise range, in particular at less than or equal to 20 Hz. Sensor device (10) according to one of claims 2 until 4 , referring back to claim 2 , In which the further acceleration sensor (BS) is connected to a damping device for structure-borne noise or is at least partially surrounded by it. Sensor device (10) according to one of claims 2 until 5 , referring back to claim 2 , in which the further acceleration sensor (BS) is arranged at a second position (PS2) in or on the housing (G) and the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) is arranged at a first position (PS1) in or on the housing (G). , the structure-borne noise being less perceptible at the second position (PS2) than at the first position (PS1). Sensor device (10) after claim 6 , in which the first position (PS1) is at an edge of the housing (G) and the second position (PS2) is further inside the housing (G) than the first position (P1). Sensor device (10) according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , in which the evaluation device (AE) is set up to assign the structure-borne noise to a pulse of a user. Sensor device (10) according to one of claims 2 until 8th , referring back to claim 8 , in which the evaluation device (AE) is set up to detect an acceleration of the housing (G) by the further acceleration sensor (BS) and to take this signal into account in the signal from the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS). Method for operating a sensor device (10) for structure-borne noise monitoring, comprising the steps: - providing (S1) a sensor device (10) according to one of Claims 1 until 9 ; - Generating (S2a) an infrasound signal (M1) by the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) and receiving (S3) the infrasound signal (M1) by the evaluation device (AE); - Determining (S4) an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) from the infrasound signal (M1) and deducing (S5) the structure-borne noise therefrom; - Evaluation (S6a) of the infrasound signal (M1) and from this determination (S7) of data from the evaluation device (AE) on the measured structure-borne noise of a user; and - communicating (S8) the infrasound signal (M1) and/or data from the evaluation device (AE) to a receiver by means of a communication device (KE). procedure after claim 10 , in which a second signal (M2) is generated (S2b) by the further acceleration sensor (BS) and the second signal is received (M2) is carried out by the evaluation device (AE), an acceleration of the housing (G) is determined from the second signal (M2); the infrasound signal (M1) is compared (S6b) with the second signal (M2) and from this data is determined by the evaluation device (AE) on the measured structure-borne noise of a user, with an acceleration of the housing (G) being recognized as the second signal and is taken into account in the infrasound signal (M1), so that structure-borne noise is isolated from the infrasound signal. procedure after claim 10 or 11 , in which a pulse of a user is detected and/or monitored from the determined structure-borne noise. Procedure according to one of Claims 10 until 12 , in which a sound from a loudspeaker is recognized and separated from the first signal. Procedure according to one of Claims 10 until 13 , in which an acceleration of the acoustic acceleration sensor (ABS) is determined over at least two dimensions.

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