Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a hearing protection device 10, 10′ for protection in different hearing situations A, B, C. The device 10, 10′ comprises a microphone 30, 30′, 32, 32′, a sound reproduction unit 38 having a loudspeaker 50, 50′, 52, 52′ and a controller 60 for processing an ambient electrical signal. The present disclosure further relates to a controller 60 for such a hearing protection 10, 10′. The present disclosure furthermore relates to a method of switching such a hearing protection device 10, 10′ in different hearing situations A, B, C.
Claims
1. A hearing protection device (10, 10′) for protection in different hearing situations (A, B, C), the device (10, 10′) comprises a. at least one ambient microphone (30, 30′, 32, 32′), configured to convert surrounding sound into an electrical ambient signal, b. a sound reproduction unit (38) for reproducing sound based on the electrical ambient signal from the at least one ambient microphone (30, 30′, 32, 32′), the unit (38) comprising at least one loudspeaker (50, 50′, 52, 52′) for converting the electrical loudspeaker signal into corresponding sound and c. a controller (60) operably coupled to the at least one ambient microphone (30, 30′, 32, 32′) and the sound reproduction unit (38), the controller (60) comprises a plurality of predetermined profiles for specific hearing situations (A, B, C), wherein the controller (60) is configured to associate a predetermined profile with a specific hearing situation (A, B, C) based on the electrical ambient signal from the at least one ambient microphone (30, 30′, 32, 32′), wherein the controller (60) processes the electrical ambient signal to the sound reproduction unit (38) according to parameters of the predetermined profile to generate an electrical loudspeaker signal for the at least one loudspeaker (50, 50′, 52, 52′) and wherein the sound reproduction unit (38) optionally comprises an amplifier (40, 42) for amplifying the electrical loudspeaker signal from the controller (60).
2. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, wherein the parameters of the predetermined profile comprise frequency response, amplification/attenuation, transient characteristics and/or combinations thereof.
3. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor (80, 82) for detecting conditions of or around the device (10, 10′), wherein the sensor (80, 82) converts conditions of or around the device (10, 10′) into an electrical sensor signal.
4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor (80, 82) comprises an acceleration sensor (80, 82), wherein the acceleration sensor (80, 82) converts acceleration to which the device is exposed into an electrical acceleration signal.
5. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit (84) operably coupled to the controller (60), the at least one ambient microphone (30, 32), and/or the sound reproduction unit (38) of the device (10, 10′), wherein the input unit (84) optionally comprises at least one button.
6. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 5, wherein the input unit (84) is attached to the device (10, 10′).
7. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 5, wherein the input unit (84) is separate from the device (10, 10′) and connectable thereto, optionally wirelessly connectable.
8. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, further comprising at least one voice sensor (74, 74′), preferably a voice microphone (74, 74′), operably coupled to the controller (60) and configured to generate an electrical voice signal based on a user's voice and a transmission unit (72, 72′) for transmitting electrical voice signals and/or for receiving electrical voice signals transmitted from other devices.
9. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 8, wherein the controller (10, 10′) is configured to adjust parameters of the hearing protection device (10, 10′) such that the electrical voice signal from the voice sensor (74, 74′) and/or the electrical voice signal as received by the transmission unit (72, 72′) is prioritized over the electrical ambient signal.
10. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, further comprising a first and a second cup (12, 14), each cup (12, 14) comprising at least one loudspeaker (50, 52), at least one ambient microphone (30, 32) and a headband (16) extending between the first and second cup (12, 14).
11. The device (10, 10′) according to claim 1, further comprising a first and second earplug (12′, 14′), each earplug (12′, 14′) comprises at least one loudspeaker (50′, 52′) and at least one ambient microphone (30′, 32′), and optionally a headband (16′) extending between the first and second earplug (12,′, 14′).
12. Method of switching a hearing protection device (10, 10′) according to claim 1 in different hearing situations (A, B, C), the method comprising the steps of d. providing a hearing protection device (10, 10′) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, e. converting surrounding sound by at least one ambient microphone (30, 30′, 32, 32′), into an electrical ambient signal, f. associating a predetermined profile with a specific hearing situation (A, B, C) based on the electrical ambient signal from the at least one ambient microphone (30, 30′, 32, 32′), g. processing the electrical ambient signal to a sound reproduction unit (38) of the hearing protection device (10, 10′) by the controller (60) according to parameters of a predetermined profile thereby generating an electrical signal to at least one loudspeaker (50, 50′, 52, 52′) of the hearing protection device (10, 10′).
13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the controller (60) is configured to associate the predetermined profile with parameters of the sound reproduction unit (60).
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the hearing protection device (10, 10′) further comprises at least one sensor (80, 82) for detecting conditions of or around the device (10, 10′), wherein the sensor (80, 82) converts conditions of or around the device (10, 10′ into an electrical sensor signal, wherein the sensor (80, 82) optionally is an acceleration sensor (80, 82) which converts acceleration to which the device (10, 10′) is exposed into an electrical acceleration signal.
15. A controller (60) for a hearing protection device (10, 10′) according to claim 1 for protection in different hearing situations (A, B, C), the controller (60) being operably couplable to at least one ambient microphone (30, 30′, 32, 32′) and to a sound reproduction unit (38) of a hearing protection device (10, 10′), the controller (60) comprises a plurality of predetermined profiles for specific hearing situations (A, B, C), wherein the controller (60) is configured to associate a predetermined profile with a specific hearing situation (A, B, C) and wherein the controller (60) is configured to process the electrical ambient signal to the sound reproduction unit (38) of the hearing protection device (10, 10′) according to parameters of the predetermined profile to generate an electrical loudspeaker signal for the at least one loudspeaker (50, 50′, 52, 52′).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0033] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional front view of a hearing protection device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustration of the hearing protection device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a front view of a user wearing a hearing protection device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0036] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of users wearing a hearing protection device according to the present disclosure where different users are in different hearing situations.
[0037] FIG. 5 is a front view of a user wearing a hearing protection device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates a hearing protection device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The hearing protection device 10 comprises a first and a second cup 12, 14 connected by a headband 16. The cups 12, 14 are mechanically connected to the headband 16 via cup mounts 18, 20. Cup mounts 18, 20 may be arranged as pivot joints or hinges to allow for some movement of the cups 12, 14 relative to the headband 16, for example, to provide sufficient fit to the head of a user of the hearing protection device 10. The first and second cups 12, 14 comprise a first and a second ambient microphone 30, 32 mounted therein. The first and second ambient microphones 30, 32 are each connected to a controller 60 arranged in one cup 14. Microphone amplifiers 34, 36 are arranged between the first and second ambient microphone 30, 32 and the controller 60, which have been omitted in FIG. 1 for simplification (see FIG. 2 here). The controller 60 may also be arranged in the other cup 12 and/or two controllers may be arranged such that one controller is arranged in each of the cups 12, 14. The cups 12, 14 further comprise a first and a second loudspeaker 50, 52 each connected to a first and a second amplifier 40, 42 such that each of the loudspeakers 50, 52 is connected to an amplifier 40, 42. The loudspeakers 50, 52 and the amplifiers 40, 42 form the sound reproduction unit 38 (not shown here, see FIG. 2). The loudspeakers 50, 52 are to convert an electrical loudspeaker signal from the amplifiers 40, 42 into sound which a user wearing the hearing protection device (not shown here) can listen to. The first and the second amplifier 40, 42 are each connected to the controller 60 and are configured to generate and/or amplify an electrical loudspeaker signal for the loudspeakers 50, 52. As an alternative, only one amplifier supplying both loudspeakers 50, 52 may be arranged (not shown here). The headband 16 comprises a connection 62 for connecting the first amplifier 40 mounted in the first cup 12 to the controller 60 mounted in the second cup 14. Similarly, the connection 62 connects the first ambient microphone 30 mounted in the first cup 12 to the controller 60 arranged in the second cup 14. The connection 62 is arranged as a multi-channel connection or bus connection to allow for simultaneous transmission of several different electrical signals, e. g. an electrical ambient signal from the ambient sensor or microphone, or an electrical loudspeaker signal to the loudspeaker. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the connection 62 provides for the general electrical connection between components in the first and second cup 12, 14. Further connections 62a, 62b, 62c are shown to provide for connection from the controller 60 in the second cup 14 to the ambient microphones 30, 32 being in the first or second cup 12, 14 as well as from the controller 60 to the amplifier 42 in the second cup 14. The first and the second cups 12, 14 further comprise a first and a second ear cushion 22, 24 such that one ear cushion 22, 24 is mounted to one cup 12, 14. The ear cushions 22, 24 provide for a soft and comfortable connection between the cups 12, 14 and the head, in particular the pinnas of the ears, of a user of the hearing protection device 10. The cushions 22, 24 further provide for a reasonable seal between head and the cups 12, 14 such that noise impacting on the user cannot reach or only reach to a low degree the ear drums of the user.
[0039] FIG. 2 schematically shows a block diagram of the hearing protection device 10. FIG. 2 shows a first and a second ambient microphone 30, 32 convert surrounding sound into electrical ambient signals. The microphones 30, 32 are connected to a first and a second microphone amplifier 34, 36 for amplifying an electrical ambient signal coming from the microphones 30, 32. The microphone amplifiers 34, 36 are in turn connected to the controller 60. The controller 60 processes the incoming electrical ambient signals from the microphones 30, 32 and microphone amplifiers 34, 36, respectively, such that the controller 60 determined the hearing situation the user of such a hearing protection device 10 may be in. The controller 60 is connected to a sound reproduction unit 38 comprising a first and a second amplifier 40, 42 which receive a processed electrical ambient signal from the controller 60. The sound reproduction unit 38 further comprises a first and second loudspeaker 50, 52. The amplifiers 40, 42 amplify the electrical loudspeaker signals coming from the controller 60 such that these can be converted into sound at the loudspeakers 50, 52 connected to the amplifiers 40, 42. The electrical loudspeaker signal going to the amplifiers 40, 42 and the loudspeakers 50, 52 is processed based on a profile associated by the controller 60 with a specific hearing situation determined by the controller 60. The controller 60 is also connected to a voice microphone 74 and to an antenna 72. The voice microphone 74 is configured to convert a voice sound into an electrical voice signal to be transmitted to the controller 60. The controller 60 transmits such an electrical voice signal coming from the voice sensor or microphone 74 via the antenna 72 to other communication equipment such that a voice communication between the user of the hearing protection device and other people or products such as other hearing protection devices, machines, vehicles, computer or the like is enabled. The controller 60 further comprises a first and a second sensor 80, 82 for detecting conditions of or around the hearing protection device 10 and the user of such device 10, respectively. Such conditions may, for example, be movements, acceleration, orientation, vibration, light exposure, temperature, vibrations or the like. For example, the sensor 80 may be an accelerometer for detecting acceleration of the device 10 and the user wearing it, respectively. The sensor 82 may, for example, be a temperature sensor to detect the ambient temperature which is impacting onto the device 10 and the user, respectively. FIG. 2 further shows an input unit 84 connected to the controller 60 for allowing to set up parameters of the controller 60 or for transferring data to the controller 60 via a human machine interface, for example, preferences of the user, preferences of the employer, environmental data, regulations and profile data. The input unit 84 comprises at least one button 86, which may be used for switching the input unit 84.
[0040] FIG. 3 shows a user 100 wearing a hearing protection 10 similar to the hearing protection 10 as shown in FIG. 1. The hearing protection device 10 comprises a first and a second cup 12, 14 mounted to a headband 16 via mounts 18, 20. Mounts 18, 20 are connected to headband mount 26, 28 formed by a section of the headband 16. An antenna 72 extends from one of the cups 12 for allowing improvement of a signal transmission, for example of an electrical voice signal from or to the hearing device 10. FIG. 3 further shows a microphone boom 70 extending from one of the cups 14 towards the voice microphone 74 such that the voice microphone 74 is held in a position close to the user's mouth. A good sound transfer of the mouth to the voice microphone 74 when the user is speaking is thereby achieved. As can be seen in FIG. 3, ear cushions 22, 24 are arranged between the cups 12, 14 and the user's head such that a good wearing comfort of the hearing protection device is achieved.
[0041] FIG. 4 shows exemplary hearing situations A, B, C. In these, the user 100, 100′, 100″ is exposed to sound in different ways. Thus, the need for hearing protection may be different for the user 100, 100′, 100″ in these different hearing situations A, B, C. In situation A, the user 100 wearing a hearing protection device is exposed to sound of a machine 110 as indicated with 105. The user 100 may also be exposed with other sound, for example coming from sound sources of another hearing situation, i. e. sound sources at B, C indicated by 105′, 105″. The user 100′ in hearing situation B is exposed to sound of a machine 130 indicated by 105″. The user 100′ may also be exposed to sound from other sound sources of hearing situations, i.e. sound sources at A, C as indicated by 105, 105″. The user 100″ in hearing situation C is exposed to sound of a forklift 120 indicated by 105′. The user 100″ may also be exposed to sound from other sound sources at hearing situations, i.e. sound sources at A, B as indicated by 105, 105′.
[0042] These different hearing situations A, B, C will now be described in more detail. As mentioned above, the user 100 in hearing situation A may be exposed to different sound. Also, the user 100 may be in danger to be hit by the forklift 120 from hearing situation C when it is driving along driveway 122. As hearing situation A indicated in FIG. 4 is in a rather open space, user 100 may also move around to a higher extent compared to the other hearing situations, in particular compared to hearing situation B, where the user 100″ is in an encapsulated environment. Thus, there is a need for the user 100 in hearing situation A to hear sound like an alarm sent off from the signal horn of the forklift 120 while crossing the walk way of the user 100. Although this sound may add up to the overall sound impacting and have negative effects on the user 100, it is very important for the user 100 to hear sound such as, for example, the alarm of a driving or crossing forklift 120. This leads to a prioritization in the signal processing of the hearing protection device, and it is not overall important to have an ideal sound attenuation of surrounding sound for user 100. This may compromise the best possible comfort of the user 100 to some extent, but is nevertheless important for user 100 in order to move safely in the respective environment.
[0043] FIG. 4 further shows another hearing situation B, in which the user 100″ of a hearing device is encapsulated by walls 140 such that the forklift 120 of hearing situation C may not come close to the user 100″. On the one hand, there may thus not be a need for the user 100′ of the forklift 120 to send an alarm off towards the user 100″ and for the user 100″ to hear such alarm sound, respectively. On the other hand, in particular if the walls 140 have a sound absorption function, the user 100″ may not or only to a little extent be able to hear such an alarm sound from the forklift 120 at all. The user 100″ is, of course, be exposed to sound generated by machine 130 the user 100″ is working at. This sound is indicated by 105″, which impacts onto the user 100″. This sound may also impact on the other users 100, 100′ in the other hearing situations A, B. As the user 100″ is in an encapsulated environment, i.e. no forklift 120 or the like is crossing, the hearing protection device—as mentioned above—may not need to take such external sound into account. Thus, there are less restrictions on the signal processing of the sound to the user 100″ in this specific environment or hearing situation B, respectively, to move safely in that environment.
[0044] As further shown in FIG. 4, the user 100′ in hearing situation C may have different sound impacting on the user 100′ and also different needs. The user 100′ is driving a forklift 120, as mentioned above, along driveway 122. Thus, sound emissions from the forklift 120 may impact on the user 100′ as indicated by 105′. As the forklift 120 is moving—similarly to user 100 in hearing situation A—in a rather open space, the user 100′ may also be exposed to other sound emissions, e. g. coming from machine 110 in hearing situation A. So, the hearing protection device (not shown here for simplification) worn by the user 100′ should not only take the sound emissions from the fork lift 120 into account, but also the other sound emission, e. g. from machine 110, or e.g. speech communication from A or B when setting up or switching parameters of the hearing protection device.
[0045] FIG. 5 shows a user 100 wearing a hearing protection 10′ similar to the hearing protection 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The hearing protection device 10′ comprises—different to that in FIGS. 1 and 3—a first and a second earplug 12′, 14′ mounted to a headband 16′ via mounts 18′, 20′. Mounts 18′, 20′ are connected to headband mount 26′, 28′ formed by a section of the headband 16′. An antenna 72′ extends from one of the earplugs 12′ for allowing improvement of a signal transmission, for example of an electrical voice signal from or to the hearing device 10′. FIG. 5 further shows a microphone boom 70′ extending from one of the earplugs 14′ towards the voice microphone 74′ such that the voice microphone 74′ is held in a position close to the user's mouth. A good sound transfer of the mouth to the voice microphone 74′ when the user is speaking is thereby achieved. Different to FIGS. 1 and 3, as can be seen in FIG. 5, no ear cushions 22, 24 are arranged between the earplugs 12′, 14′ and the user's head.
