US 8,862,273 B2 · Acoustic noise management through control of electrical device operations

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for automatically managing noise profile in a predefined area by determining a desired noise profile within the predefined area, monitoring noise levels and/or frequencies within the predefined area, and adjusting operational aspects of one or more noise emitting devices in order to achieve the desired noise profile within the predefined area. A noise management system according to embodiments may be centrally controlled or organized in a distributed manner with control modules on individual noise emitting devices interacting through wired or wireless media. Furthermore, the adjustment of the operations of the noise emitting devices in order to achieve the desired noise profile may be accomplished through computing an acoustic transfer function or measuring actual noise levels/frequencies.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A method to manage noise levels by control of operation of noise emitting devices, the method comprising:

identifying a desired noise profile of a first area, wherein the first area is proximate to the noise emitting devices;
monitoring noise characteristics within the first area to determine if the monitored noise characteristics exceed a limit defined by the identified noise profile;
in response to a determination that one or more of the monitored noise characteristics exceed the limit:
retrieving device noise profiles associated with each operating mode of the noise emitting devices;
estimating noise characteristics of the first area for each operating mode of each of the noise emitting devices using the retrieved device noise profiles;
adjusting an operation of at least one of the noise emitting devices to achieve the identified noise profile of the first area based on the estimated noise characteristics of the first area;
and
in response to a detection of a closed door between the first area and an adjacent second area:
determining a new noise profile through a measurement of an acoustic transfer function within the first area;
and
adjusting the operation of the at least one of the noise emitting devices to achieve the new noise profile.

8 more elements

A system to manage noise levels by control of operation of electrical devices that emit noise, the system comprising:

a communication module adapted to communicate with the electrical devices for adjustment of an operation of the electrical devices;
and
a controller configured to:
select a desired noise profile associated with an area, wherein the area is proximate to the electrical devices;
monitor noise characteristics of the area through the at least one sound detection device to determine if the monitored noise characteristics exceed a limit defined by the selected noise profile;
in response to a determination that the monitored noise characteristics exceed the limit:
retrieve device noise profiles associated with each operating mode of the electrical devices;
estimate noise characteristics of the area for each operating mode of each of the electrical devices using the retrieved device noise profiles, wherein the device noise profiles include a list of peak frequencies, sound levels corresponding to each operating mode, and a total sound pressure level for each operating mode;
adjust the operation of at least one of the electrical devices until the selected noise profile is achieved within the area based on the estimated noise characteristics of the area;
and
instruct the at least one of the electrical devices to turn off in response to a determination that the selected noise profile does not match the retrieved device noise profile associated with the operating mode of the at least one of the electrical devices.

8 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes instructions stored thereon to manage noise profiles by control of operation of noise emitting devices, the instructions comprising:

selecting a desired noise profile associated with a first area;
monitoring noise characteristics within the first area through at least one sound detection device to determine if the noise characteristics exceed a limit defined by the selected noise profile, wherein the first area is proximate to the noise emitting devices;
in response to a determination that the monitored noise characteristics exceed the limit:
retrieving device noise profiles associated with each operating mode of the noise emitting devices;
estimating the noise characteristics of the first area for each operating mode of each of the noise emitting devices using the retrieved device noise profiles;
adjusting an operation of at least one of the noise emitting devices by communicating with the noise emitting devices to achieve the selected noise profile of the first area based on the noise characteristics of the first area, through one or more of a power line, a wired connection and/or a wireless connection;
instructing the at least one of the noise emitting devices to turn off if the retrieved device noise profile associated with the operating mode of the at least one of the noise emitting device does not match the selected noise profile;
and
in response to another detection of a closed door between the first area and an adjacent second area:
determining a new noise profile through a measurement of an acoustic transfer function within the first area;
and
adjusting the operation of the at least one of the noise emitting devices to achieve the new noise profile.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Acoustic noise management through control of electrical device operations

Life of this patent

Acoustic noise management through control of electrical device operations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30