Granted Patent B2

US 12,626,683 · App. 17/321,892 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventors: Steven Wayne Goldstein (Delray Beach, FL); John Usher (Beer, GB); Marc Andre Boillot (Plantation, FL)

Assignee: ST FamTech, LLC

G10K11/17827G10K11/002H04R1/1016H04R1/1083H04R3/002H04R3/005H04R29/001H04R2225/41H04R2460/05H04R2499/11

Abstract

Claims (36)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving an ambient sound gain;

receiving an ambient sound signal;

receiving an audio content signal;

detecting an acute sound by analyzing the ambient sound signal;

generating a new ambient sound gain by modifying the ambient sound gain if an acute sound is detected, wherein the new ambient sound gain is greater than the ambient sound gain;

reducing an audio content gain if an acute sound is detected;

generating a first modified ambient sound signal by applying the new ambient sound gain to the ambient sound signal if an acute sound is detected otherwise generating a second modified ambient sound signal by applying the ambient sound gain to the ambient sound signal, wherein the second modified ambient sound signal has a sound pressure level lower than the first modified ambient sound signal;

generating a modified audio content signal by applying the audio content gain to the audio content signal;

generating a mixed signal by mixing the modified audio content signal and the first modified ambient sound signal if the new ambient sound gain is generated otherwise the mixed signal is generated by mixing the second modified ambient sound signal and the modified audio content signal; and

sending the mixed signal to a speaker.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acute sound is a sound produced by a sound source external to the user.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the acute sound is a warning sound, a siren, a voice, a specific noise type or a combination thereof.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operation of generating a new ambient sound gain if an acute sound is detected reduces the ambient sound gain to generate the new ambient sound gain if a user's voice is the acute sound detected.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising conducting a safe-level check of the mixed signal.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising reducing the mixed signal based on the safe-level check.

7 . A device comprising:

a first microphone configured to generate an ambient sound signal;

a second microphone configured to generate an internal signal;

a speaker;

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor that executes the instructions to perform operations, wherein the processor is coupled to the first microphone, the second microphone, the speaker and the memory, and wherein the operations comprise:

receiving an ambient sound gain;

receiving an ambient sound signal;

receiving an audio content signal;

detecting an acute sound by analyzing the ambient sound signal;

generating a new ambient sound gain by modifying the ambient sound gain if an acute sound is detected, wherein the new ambient sound gain is greater than the ambient sound gain;

reducing an audio content gain if an acute sound is detected;

generating a first modified ambient sound signal by applying the new ambient sound gain to the ambient sound signal if an acute sound is detected otherwise generating a second modified ambient sound signal by applying the ambient sound gain to the ambient sound signal, wherein the second modified ambient sound signal has a sound pressure level lower than the first modified ambient sound signal;

generating a modified audio content signal by applying the audio content gain to the audio content signal;

generating a mixed signal by mixing the modified audio content signal and the first modified ambient sound signal if the new ambient sound gain is generated otherwise the mixed signal is generated by mixing the second modified ambient sound signal and the modified audio content signal; and

sending the mixed signal to a speaker.

8 . The device according to claim 7 , wherein the acute sound is a sound source external from the user.

9 . The device according to claim 7 , wherein the acute sound is a warning sound, a siren, a voice, a specific noise type or a combination thereof.

10 . The device according to claim 7 , further comprising conducting a safe-level check of the mixed signal.

11 . The device according to claim 10 , further comprising reducing the mixed signal based on the safe-level check.

Assignments (7)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (400)