Sound Exposure Limiter
AssigneePlantronics, Inc.
InventorsIain McNeill, Kwangsee Allen Woo, John S. Graham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for user sound exposure limiting are disclosed. In one example, an accumulated sound dose exposure from a headset speaker is determined for a plurality of sequentially monitored time intervals during a current listening session, wherein the current listening session comprises a total session time. It is determined whether a predicted sound dose exposure for the total session time exceeds or falls below a permitted sound dose exposure limit, the predicted sound dose exposure determined from the accumulated sound dose exposure. A threshold intervention level at which a time-weighted-average limiter at a headset applies attenuation to an audio signal output at a headset speaker is adjusted.
Claims25
A method for limiting a headset user noise exposure comprising:
- determining a current sound subdose for a current pre-determined time interval a headset user is exposed to resulting from an audio signal output at a headset speaker;
- determining a predicted sound dose exposure for a total time period from the current sound subdose;
- determining whether the predicted sound dose exposure for the total time period exceeds a permitted total time period sound dose limit or falls below the permitted total time period sound dose limit;
- determining an accumulated sound dose exposure, the accumulated sound dose exposure comprising a sum of the current sound subdose with all prior determined sound subdoses from prior pre-determined time intervals;
- adjusting an intervention threshold responsive to the accumulated sound dose exposure and the predicted sound dose exposure for the total time period;
- and
- attenuating an output level of the audio signal from the headset speaker responsive to determining the intervention threshold is exceeded by the audio signal.
A method for limiting a headset user sound exposure comprising:
- determining an accumulated sound dose exposure from a headset speaker for a plurality of sequentially monitored time intervals during a current listening session, wherein the current listening session comprises a total session time;
- determining whether a predicted sound dose exposure for the total session time exceeds or falls below a permitted sound dose exposure limit, the predicted sound dose exposure determined from the accumulated sound dose exposure;
- and
- adjusting a threshold intervention level at which a time-weighted-average limiter at a headset applies attenuation to an audio signal output at the headset speaker, the threshold intervention level adjusted responsive to whether the predicted sound dose exposure for the total session time exceeds or falls below the permitted sound dose exposure limit.
A head-worn device comprising:
- a communications interface;
- a speaker for outputting an audio signal into a user ear;
- an amplifier;
- a time-weighted-average limiter;
- a processor;
- and
- one or more memories storing one or more application programs comprising instructions executable by the processor to cause the head-worn device to perform operations comprising determining an accumulated sound dose exposure from the audio signal output at the speaker, determining whether a predicted sound dose exposure for a total session time exceeds or falls below a permitted sound dose exposure limit, the predicted sound dose exposure determined from the accumulated sound dose exposure, and adjusting a threshold intervention level at which the time-weighted-average limiter applies attenuation to the audio signal output at the speaker, the threshold intervention level adjusted responsive to whether the predicted sound dose exposure for the total session time exceeds or falls below the permitted sound dose exposure limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.