Always on headwear recording system
A system that records audio and stores the recording is provided. The system includes first and second monitoring assemblies mounted in an earpiece that occludes and forms an acoustic seal of an ear canal. The first monitoring assembly includes an ambient sound microphone (ASM) to monitor an ambient acoustic field and produce an ASM signal. The second monitoring assembly includes an ear canal microphone (ECM) to monitor an acoustic field within the ear canal and produce an ECM signal. The system also includes a data storage device configured to act as a circular buffer for continually storing at least one of the ECM signal or the ASM signal, a further data storage device and a record-activation system. The record-activation system activates the further data storage device to record a content of the data storage device.
1. An Always-On Recording System (AORS) comprising:
a monitoring assembly mounted on a mobile phone, the monitoring assembly including an ambient sound microphone (ASM) to monitor an ambient acoustic field proximate to the mobile phone, the ASM producing an ASM signal responsive to the ambient acoustic field;
a data storage device configured to act as a circular buffer for continually storing the ASM signal;
a further data storage device coupled to the data storage device; and
a record-activation system including software configured to activate the further data storage device to record a content of the data storage device.
2. The system according to claim 1 , where the record-activation system is configured to activate the further data storage device responsive to detection of at least one of a speech sound, a non-speech sound or a transient sound in the content of the data storage device.
3. The system according to claim 1 , where the ambient sound microphone includes a plurality of ambient sound microphones.
4. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising:
a signal processing system configured to at least one of multiplex output signals from the circular buffer or encode the output signals to reduce a data rate before transmission of the output signals to the further data storage device.
5. The system according to claim 1 , where the system is further configured to receive one or more of an audio content signal from the mobile phone or at least one further audio signal from an other device.
6. The system according to claim 5 , where the other device includes at least one of an earphone device worn by a user of the mobile phone, a further earphone device worn by a different user, a media player or a computing device.
7. The system according to claim 5 , the system further comprising:
a signal processing circuit configured to process at least one of the ASM signal, the audio content signal or the at least one further audio signal; and
a signal router and switching matrix to select which signals among the ASM signal, the audio content signal and the at least one further audio signal are recorded into the data storage device.
8. The system according to claim 7 , the system further comprising:
a user AORS configuration system configured to control the signal router and switching matrix.
9. The system according to claim 7 , the system further comprising:
a signal processing system configured to at least one of multiplex output signals from the signal router and switching matrix or encode the output signals from the signal router and switching matrix to reduce a data rate.
10. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising:
a time-stamp audio index system configured to embed a time-coded index into the content transmitted to the further data storage device.
11. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising:
a diaphragm to cover the ASM.
12. The system according to claim 11 , where the diaphragm is an acoustic diaphragm covering the ASM with holes at specific locations configured to provide passive beam-forming.
13. The system according to claim 11 , where the diaphragm is tuned to resonate at pre-determined frequencies.
14. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising:
a Recording Status Alert System (RSAS) configured to provide an indication when the further data storage device records the content of the data storage device.
15. The system according to claim 14 , where the RSAS comprises:
a decision unit to determine whether the content of the circular buffer is being recorded to the further data storage device;
a first system to generate an audio signal when the further data storage device is activated to store the content of the data storage device; and
a second system to generate a further audio signal when the further data storage device is activated to stop storing the content of the data storage device.
16. The system according to claim 15 , where
the first system generates the audio signal at repeating intervals while the further data storage device stores the content; and
the RSAS transmits at least one of the audio signal or the further audio signal to at least one of the mobile phone, a remote location, the further data storage device or a visual display system.
17. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising:
a remote audio forensics analysis system configured to analyze either the content of the circular buffer or data stored on the further data storage device.
18. The system according to claim 17 , where the remote audio forensics analysis system includes a communication system configured to transmit at least one of the content of the circular buffer or the data of the further data storage device to a remote server for analysis of the ASM signal.
19. The system according to claim 18 , where the remote audio forensics analysis system is configured to receive results of the analysis from the remote server.
20. The system according to claim 19 , the system further including:
a text-to-speech translation system to translate the received results of the analysis from the remote server into speech.
21. The system according to claim 20 , the system further comprising:
a text-based acoustic event logging system for detecting and logging at least one event based on the received results of the analysis.
22. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising:
an analysis system which analyzes the ASM signal to determine if a user of the AORS has been involved in an accident.
23. The system according to claim 22 , where when the accident is determined the system automatically transmits an indication to a remote location that the user has been involved in the accident.
24. The system according to claim 1 , system further comprising:
a low-memory warning system configured to provide an indication when a remaining memory level of the further data storage device is less than a predetermined amount.
25. The system according to claim 1 , the system further comprising:
a signal processing circuit configured to at least one of amplify the ASM signal or equalize a frequency sensitivity of the ASM signal.