Earhealth monitoring system and method II
View Patent ↗Methods of operating an audio device are provided. A method includes measuring sound pressure levels (SPL ECM ) for acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) during a time increment Δt and calculating a SPL_Dose Δt during the time increment Δt using SPL ECM .
1. A method, comprising:
measuring sound pressure levels (SPL ECM1 ) for a first acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) of an audio device during a time increment Δt, wherein measurements corresponding to SPL ECM1 are free field equivalent values which are measured while the audio device remains in a position; and
calculating a SPL_Dose Δt based on the SPL ECM1 , wherein SPL_Dose Δt indicates a cumulative exposure to the SPL ECM1 .
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring sound pressure levels (SPL ECM2 ) for a second acoustic energy received by the ECM of the audio device during the time increment Δt.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calculating a SPL_Dose total based on the SPL_Dose Δt .
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising comparing the SPL_Dose total to a threshold value.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising performing an action associated with a value of an action parameter if the SPL_Dose total is greater than or equal to the threshold value.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein performing the action comprises modifying an operation of the audio device, transmitting a notification signal, activating noise cancellation, causing the audio device to vibrate, inflating a bladder of the audio device, deflating a bladder of the audio device, outputting a light, outputting a warning, adjusting a noise reduction rating of the audio device, or a combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying the SPL ECM1 so that a threshold value is not exceeded.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring sound pressure levels (SPL ECM2 ) for a second acoustic energy received by the ECM of the audio device during the time increment Δt.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining a calibration relationship between an intensity of the second acoustic energy with a pressure measurement made during the time increment Δt.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting, based on the SPL ECM1 , a sound pressure level signal as an input to a minimum-level threshold detector, and further comprising determining, by utilizing the minimum-level threshold detector, whether the SPL ECM1 exceeds a minimum level threshold.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating, if the SPL ECM1 exceeds the minimum level threshold, a signal to trigger activation of a clock of a digital timer system.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating, if the SPL ECM1 is less than the minimum level threshold, a signal to trigger activation of a clock associated with a restorative period.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising not activating a clock of a digital timer system if the SPL ECM1 is at the minimum level threshold or within a margin of error of the minimum level threshold.
14. A system, comprising:
an audio device that performs operations comprising:
determining sound pressure levels (SPL ECM1 ) for a first acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) of the audio device during a time increment Δt, wherein measurements corresponding to SPL ECM1 are free field equivalent values which are measured while the audio device remains in a position; and
determining a SPL_Dose Δt based on the SPL ECM1 , wherein SPL_Dose Δt indicates a cumulative exposure to the SPL ECM1 .
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a sound pressure level exposure history based on a clock value received from a digital timer system.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise determining whether hearing damage will occur based on the SPL ECM1 .
17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise producing a signal to cancel sound pressure levels of the sound pressure levels that have a selected frequency.
18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise outputting a prompt to discontinue exposure to a sound source based on the SPL ECM1 exceeding a threshold.
19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise attenuating a sound signal if the SPL ECM1 exceeds a threshold.
20. An audio device that performs operations comprising:
measuring sound pressure levels (SPL ECM1 ) for acoustic energy received by an ear canal microphone (ECM) of the audio device during a time increment Δt, wherein measurements corresponding to SPL ECM1 are free field equivalent values which are measured while the audio device remains in a position; and
calculating a SPL_Dose Δt based on the SPL ECM1 , wherein SPL_Dose Δt indicates a cumulative exposure to the SPL ECM1 .