# US 2019/0356982 A1 · Sound management systems for improving workplace efficiency > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0356982 A1 - Document ID: US20190356982A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/530,927 - Filed: 2019-08-02 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-04 - Assignees: Steelcase Inc. - Applicants: Steelcase Inc. - Inventors: Jean-Paul Labrosse; Scott Sullivan; Matthew N. Schneider - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190356982A1 ## CPC - H04R 1/1083: {Reduction of ambient noise (active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06)} - A61M 21/02: for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia (for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021) - A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20) - A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels - A61B 5/024: Measuring pulse rate or heart rate - A61M 2021/0027: {by the hearing sense} - A61M 2230/06: Heartbeat rate only - A61M 2230/30: Blood pressure (A61M2230/04 takes precedence) - A61M 2230/50: Temperature - H04R 2460/01: Hearing devices using active noise cancellation - H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers - 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) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A sound management system for use by a user located within an environment includes a memory device for storing a selection of sounds. The sounds can be music and/or various “colors” of noise (e.g., white, pink, and brown). A controller is used to select one particular stored sound based on a measured biological condition of the user, such as stress or fatigue, or an environmental condition of the environment, such as ambient noise. According to one embodiment, the system is used in conjunction with a sit/stand desk and the sound selection is made in response to changes in the desk height. The selected sound is selected to help abate or mitigate distracting sounds in the environment, such as people talking. The selected sounds are played to the user through headphones worn by the user, or through nearby speakers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sound management system for use with a height adjustable desk assembly including a height adjustable worktop that can be moved between at least first and second worktop heights, the sound management system comprising: a sound generator for generating any of a plurality of sounds wherein each sound is audibly different than the other sounds in the plurality of sounds; and a controller programmed to monitor a current configuration of the desk assembly, the controller periodically selecting different sounds based at least in part on if the worktop is currently at the first height or at the second height and controlling the sound generator to periodically generate the selected sounds. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the first and second different heights are a standing height and a sitting height, respectively. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 further including at least a first sensor device for detecting the current configuration of the desk assembly, the controller linked to the sensor for receiving information indicating the current configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 further including a speaker wherein the sound generator generates should via the speaker. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the sounds generated are substantially persistent while a user is using the desk assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 further including a user interface and wherein the user can manually control the sounds generated by the sound generator by overriding the controller selection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the controller also selects sounds at least in part based on prior configurations of the desk assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the controller also monitors frequency of changes to the desk assembly configuration and also selects sounds at least in part based on the frequency of changes to the desk assembly configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 for use with an assembly user's electronic calendar wherein the controller access the user's electronic calendar and selects sounds based at least in part on the user's electronic calendar entries. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the user uses a computer at the desk assembly and wherein the controller monitors user activities on the computer and selects sounds at least in part based on the monitored user activities. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sound management system of claim 10 wherein the monitored user activities include which application programs the user is currently using. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The sound management system of claim 10 wherein the monitored activities include how frequently the user interacts with the computer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 further including an ambient sound sensor and wherein the controller selects sounds at least in part based on ambient sounds detected by the sound sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The sound management system of claim 13 wherein the sounds are selected to at least in part to mask the detected ambient sounds. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the controller selects sounds by selecting at least one of a sound type and a sound characteristic. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the controller selects sounds by selecting each of a sound type and a sound characteristic. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The sound management system of claim 16 wherein the sound characteristic is at least one of volume, timbre, harmonics, rhythm and pitch. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the controller selects sounds at least in part based on a current time of day. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 further including a sensor for sensing user posture, the controller selecting sounds based at least in part on user posture. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 further including a memory device wherein the sound generator generates sounds by accessing data in the memory device that specifies sound characteristics and using that data to generate sounds. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The sound management system of claim 1 wherein the sound generator includes a synthesizer so that the sound generator synthesizes sounds. ### Claim 22 A sound management system for use with a height adjustable desk assembly that includes a height adjustable worktop, the sound management system comprising: a sound generator for generating any of a plurality of sounds wherein each sound is audibly different than the other sounds in the plurality of sounds; and a controller programmed to monitor posture of a person using the desk assembly, monitoring posture including determining at least each of if a user is sitting at the workstation or standing at the workstation, the controller periodically selecting different sounds based at least in part on the current posture of the user at the workstation and controlling the sound generator to periodically generate the selected sounds. ### Claim 23 A sound management system for use with a height adjustable desk assembly that includes a worktop that can be moved between first and second worktop heights, the sound management system comprising: a sound generator for generating any of a plurality of sounds wherein each sound is audibly different than the other sounds in the plurality of sounds; and a controller programmed to monitor a current configuration of the desk assembly, the controller periodically selecting different sounds based at least in part on the current height of the worktop and prior worktop height adjustment frequency and controlling the speaker to periodically generate the selected sounds.