# US 10,313,788 B2 · Detecting speaker faults using acoustic echoes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,788 B2 - Document ID: US10313788B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/787,829 - Filed: 2017-10-19 - Published: 2019-04-25 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-19 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Stanley Chang; Alan Yao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313788B2 ## CPC - H04R 3/007: {Protection circuits for transducers} - G08B 6/00: Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems - G08B 29/126: {of annunciator circuits} - G10L 21/0232: Processing in the frequency domain - H04M 9/082: {using echo cancellers (echo cancellers per se H04B3/23)} - H04R 3/02: for preventing acoustic reaction {, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453)} - H04R 29/001: {for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence)} - G10L 2021/02082: {the noise being echo, reverberation of the speech} - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G10L: SPEECH ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES OR SPEECH SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING TECHNIQUES; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract An example apparatus for detecting loudspeaker faults includes a switch detector to detect that a loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled. The apparatus also includes an audio receiver to receive an echo energy threshold and audio from a microphone in a test area. The apparatus further includes an audio analyzer to detect that the echo energy threshold is not exceeded by an acoustic echo in the captured audio. The apparatus includes a fault generator to generate a loudspeaker fault in response to detecting the acoustic echo does not exceed the echo energy threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for detecting loudspeaker faults, comprising: a switch detector to detect that a loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled; an audio receiver to receive an echo energy threshold and audio from a microphone in a test area; an audio analyzer to detect that the echo energy threshold is not exceeded by an acoustic echo in the captured audio; a fault generator to generate a loudspeaker fault in response to detecting the acoustic echo does not exceed the echo energy threshold; and a backup activator to activate a backup response system comprising an automated braking system or an automated lane change system in response to detecting the loudspeaker fault. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, comprising logic to enable the loudspeaker fault detection switch in response to detecting an audible warning system is activated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the switch detector is to enable a microphone path to receive the audio in response to detecting the audible warning system is activated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fault generator is to generate the loudspeaker fault in response to detecting the acoustic echo does not exceed the echo energy threshold, that the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled, and that an output channel contains audio. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the output channel is time synced with the detected acoustic echo. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, comprising logic to enable the loudspeaker fault detection switch in response to detecting a test is initiated, wherein the fault generator is to generate the loudspeaker fault in response to detecting the acoustic echo does not exceed the echo energy threshold and the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microphone is proximately located to a loudspeaker configured to sound an audible warning. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acoustic echo corresponds to a test sound used to periodically test a loudspeaker. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acoustic echo comprises an audible warning from an audible warning system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a backup activator to activate a backup system in response to detecting the loudspeaker fault. ### Claim 11 A method for detecting loudspeaker faults, comprising: detecting, via a processor, an enabled loudspeaker fault detection switch; receiving, via a microphone in a test area, audio; detecting, via the processor, an acoustic echo in the captured audio does not exceed an echo energy threshold; generating, via the processor, a loudspeaker fault in response to detecting the acoustic echo does not exceed the echo energy threshold and the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled; and activating, via the processor, a backup response system comprising an automated braking system or an automated lane change system in response to detecting the loudspeaker fault. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the audio comprises enabling, via the processor, a microphone path of an audio codec in response to detecting that the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising periodically enabling the loudspeaker fault detection switch and driving a loudspeaker to generate a test sound, wherein the acoustic echo corresponds to the test sound. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled in response to detecting activation of an audible warning system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising generating the loudspeaker fault in response to detecting that the acoustic echo does not exceed the echo energy threshold, that the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled, and that an output channel contains audio. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising switching to a daily usage mode in response to detecting a disabled loudspeaker fault detection switch. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising detecting, via the processor, that an output channel contains audio, wherein the output channel is time synced with the detected acoustic echo. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising causing an audible warning to sound in response to detecting that the acoustic echo exceeds the echo energy threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, comprising activating, via the processor, a visual warning system in response to detecting the loudspeaker fault. ### Claim 20 At least one non-transitory computer readable medium for detecting loudspeaker faults having instructions stored therein that, in response to being executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to: detect that a loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled; receive audio from a microphone in a test area; detect that an acoustic echo in the captured audio does not exceed an echo energy threshold; generate a loudspeaker fault in response to detecting that the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled, that the acoustic echo does not exceed the echo energy threshold, and that an output channel contains audio; and activate a backup response system comprising an automated braking system or an automated lane change system in response to detecting the loudspeaker fault. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, comprising instructions to enable a microphone path of an audio codec in response to detecting that the loudspeaker fault detection switch is enabled. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, comprising instructions to enable the loudspeaker fault detection switch in response to detecting an activation of an audible warning system to be tested. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, comprising instructions to activate a visual warning system in response to detecting the loudspeaker fault.