Health-related information generation and storage
A detected sound signal may comprise speech or non-verbal sounds, and many non-verbal sounds contain health information. If the speech, or a non-verbal sound containing health information, was produced by an enrolled user, data relating to the sound can be stored in a storage element. A system also comprises a data modification block, for obfuscating received data to provide an obfuscated version of the stored data. The system then has a first access mechanism, for controlling access to the stored data such that only an authorised user can obtain access to said stored data, and a second access mechanism, for controlling access to said stored data such the second access mechanism only provides access to the obfuscated version of the stored data.
1. A computer-implemented method of extracting from an audio signal information relevant to health of a user of a device, the method comprising:
receiving, from a transducer of the device, an audio signal comprising a detected sound;
determining whether the detected sound comprises a non-verbal sound containing health information;
if it is determined that the detected sound comprises a non-verbal sound containing health information, determining, by receiving information relating to movement of an earphone being worn by the user, whether the non-verbal sound was produced by the user; and
if it is determined that the non-verbal sound was produced by the user, storing data relating to said non-verbal sound.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the non-verbal sound was produced by the user comprises performing a biometric process on the detected sound.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein performing the biometric process comprises comparing said detected sound with corresponding non-verbal sounds produced previously by the user.
4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein performing the biometric process comprises comparing said detected sound with corresponding non-verbal sounds produced previously by the user during an enrolment process.
5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the non-verbal sound was produced by the user comprises requesting the user to confirm whether they produced said non-verbal sound.
6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of storing data relating to said non-verbal sound comprises storing data relating to a time at which the sound was produced.
7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of storing data relating to said non-verbal sound comprises storing data relating to a duration of the sound.
8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of storing data relating to said non-verbal sound comprises storing data relating to audible features of the sound.
9. A method according to claim 8 , comprising performing an analysis of the non-verbal sound, and storing data relating to a result of said analysis.
10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of storing data relating to said non-verbal sound comprises keeping a count of a number of said non-verbal sounds produced.
11. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-verbal sound is a cough.
12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-verbal sound is a sneeze.
13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the non-verbal sound is an audible breathing sound.
14. A system comprising:
an input for receiving a signal representing a sound; and
a processor, for determining whether the detected sound comprises a non-verbal sound containing health information; if it is determined that the detected sound comprises a non-verbal sound containing health information, determining, by receiving information relating to movement of an earphone being worn by the user, whether the non-verbal sound was produced by the user; and, if it is determined that the non-verbal sound was produced by the user, storing data relating to said non-verbal sound.
15. A device comprising a system according to claim 14 , wherein the device comprises: a mobile computing device, a games console, a remote control device, a home automation controller or a domestic appliance, a toy, a machine, an audio player, a video player, or a mobile telephone.
16. A computer program product, comprising computer-readable code for causing a programmed processor to perform a method comprising:
determining whether a detected sound comprises a non-verbal sound containing health information;
if it is determined that the detected sound comprises a non-verbal sound containing health information, determining, by receiving information relating to movement of an earphone being worn by the user, whether the non-verbal sound was produced by the user; and
if it is determined that the non-verbal sound was produced by the user, storing data relating to said non-verbal sound.
17. A computer program product according to claim 16 , comprising a tangible computer-readable medium for storing said code.