Voice detection and discrimination apparatus and method

Voice detection and discrimination apparatus for controlling a voice operated system comprising

• a protective ear terminal element (1,2) for protecting the ear by providing acoustic attenuation,
• an inner electroacoustic transducer element (M2) on an inner side of the ear terminal element (1,2) for detecting a first acoustic field and providing a first electronic signal representing said first acoustic field,
• an outer electroacoustic transducer element (M1) on an outer side of the ear terminal element (1,2) for detecting a second acoustic field and providing a second electronic signal representing said second acoustic field,
• an electronics unit (11,E3) connected with said electroacoustic transducer elements (M1,M2) and comprising first comparison means (27) for comparison of said first and second electronic signals to obtain the difference between said two electronic signals, and second comparison means (28) for comparing said difference with given criteria, and
• output means (13,E12) connected to said electronics unit for providing an output signal depending on said second comparison, said output signal is an input signal to the voice operated system (29)
• wherein the signal strength comparison means (27) comprises means for estimating the acoustic attenuation of the ear terminal element (1,2) for establishing said predetermined difference.

Method of detecting a voice and for controlling a voice operated system, employing an ear terminal element (1,2) for protecting the ear by providing acoustic attenuation comprising the following steps;

• detecting (M2) the acoustic signal strength on the inner side of said ear terminal element,
• detecting (M1) the acoustic signal strength on the outer side of said ear terminal element,
• obtaining (23,26,27) a difference value representing the difference in the acoustic signal strength between the inner and outer side of said ear terminal element,
• deciding (28) if a voice is present using said value representing said difference and given criteria (28),
• providing an output signal depending on said decision using output means (13,E12), the output signal being an input to the voice operated system (29), and
• determining if said difference in the acoustic signal strength (27) between the inner and outer side of said ear terminal element (1,2) has decreased more than a given amount.

Voice detection and discrimination apparatus for controlling a voice operated system comprising

• a protective ear terminal element (1,2) for protecting the ear by providing acoustic attenuation,
• an inner electroacoustic transducer element (M2) on an inner side of the ear terminal element (1,2) for detecting a first acoustic field and providing a first electronic signal representing said first acoustic field,
• an outer electroacoustic transducer element (M1) on an outer side of the ear terminal element (1,2) for detecting a second acoustic field and providing a second electronic signal representing said second acoustic field,
• an electronics unit (11,E3) connected with said electroacoustic transducer elements (M1,M2) and comprising first comparison means (27) for comparison of said first and second electronic signals to obtain the difference between said two electronic signals, and second comparison means (28) for comparing said difference with given criteria,
• output means (13,E12) connected to said electronics unit for providing an output signal depending on said second comparison, said output signal is an input signal to the voice operated system (29), and
• a decision block with a detection prohibition function in order to enable a blocking function in the ear terminal when an incoming communication signal is introduced in the ear terminal.

Method of detecting a voice and for controlling a voice operated system, employing an ear terminal element (1,2) for protecting the ear by providing acoustic attenuation comprising the following steps;

• detecting (M2) the acoustic signal strength on the inner side of said ear terminal element,
• detecting (M1) the acoustic signal strength on the outer side of said ear terminal element,
• obtaining (23,26,27) a difference value representing the difference in the acoustic signal strength between the inner and outer side of said ear terminal element,
• deciding (28) if a voice is present using said value representing said difference and given criteria (28),
• providing an output signal depending on said decision using output means (13,E12), the output signal being an input to the voice operated system (29), and
• adjusting the said criteria according to the running average of the said difference.

Method of detecting a voice and for controlling a voice operated system, employing an ear terminal element (1,2) for protecting the ear by providing acoustic attenuation comprising the following steps;

• detecting (M2) the acoustic signal strength on the inner side of said ear terminal element,
• detecting (M1) the acoustic signal strength on the outer side of said ear terminal element,
• obtaining (23,26,27) a difference value representing the difference in the acoustic signal strength between the inner and outer side of said ear terminal element,
• deciding (28) if a voice is present using said value representing said difference and given criteria (28),
• providing an output signal depending on said decision using output means (13,E12), the output signal being an input to the voice operated system (29), and
• during normal operation, performing a verification operation where an estimate of the attenuation of the hearing protector is obtained by determining the difference in the sound levels as detected by the two electroacoustic transducer elements in a period where no voice but only noise is present, and the obtained attenuation is compared with a predetermined stored attenuation value.