EAR PROTECTION WITH VERIFICATION DEVICE

Abstract: Ear protecting device comprising a sealing section (2) for acoustically sealing the meatus (3) of a human, comprising a sound generator (SG) with a sound outlet (SSG) for being directed toward the user meatus (3); an inner microphone (M2) with a sound inlet (S2) from the meatus (3), arranged for measuring the resulting sound field in the meatus (3); connected to an electronics unit (11, E3) comprising a sound analyser coupled to said inner microphone (M2), for analyzing sound characteristics of the resulting sound field in the meatus (3), producing analyzed sound characteristics; storing means in the electronics unit (11, E8, E9, E10) for storing measured predetermined sound characteristics of a properly functioning ear protecting device; a comparing means in the electronics unit (11, E3) for comparing the inner microphone (M2) analyzed sound characteristics with the stored measured predetermined sound characteristics; indicating means coupled to said comparing means (11, E3) for being activated if said analyzed sound characteristics differ significantly from said predetermined sound characteristics.

Description: EAR PROTECTION WITH VERIFICATION DEVICE The invention concerns the physical design of an adaptive hearing protective earplug combined with an audio communications terminal . There exist a lot of solutions for hearing protection and audio communication in noisy environments based on earplugs and ear-muffs with earphones (loudspeakers) , boom microphones, cheek-bone microphones, or throat microphones. All these solutions have one of more of the following undesirable properties: heavy and clumsy. uncomfortable. inferior quality of sound pick-up and restoration. poor noise attenuation. - attenuate both desired and unwanted sounds. It is an object of this invention to provide an ear terminal having none of these shortcomings, being a lightweight, all-in-the-ear intelligent hearing protector with wireless communication. The noise attenuation is automatically adapted to the noise conditions and communication modes. The present invention therefore simultaneously protects the hearing and provides improved communication abilities in different noise environments. It is intended for continuous use during the working day or other periods when hearing protection and/or voice communication is needed. The invention also concerns a device for utilising the speech sound produced in the ear of a person carrying hearing protective communications ear plugs according to the invention. Present day devices intended to pick up speech from a person in a very noisy environment represent a technological challenge and take several forms. Common types include A microphone in close proximity to the mouth, carried on a microphone boom. The microphone is made with a characteristic emphasising the near field from the mouth. This type is sometimes referred to as "noise cancelling" . A vibration pickup in contact with the throat, picking up the vibrations of the vocal cord. A vibration pickup in contact with the wall of the meatus, the outer ear canal, picking up the vibrations of the tissue in the head. A similar pickup in contact with the cheek-bone. These device types are either fairly sensitive to acoustic noise masking the speech, or certain speech sounds are poorly transmitted, especially the high frequency consonant sounds necessary for good intelligibility. Persons exposed to high noise levels are required by health and safety regulations to wear hearing protectors. The protectors take the form either of sealing cups which enclose the ear, or ear plugs which block the ear canal. The latter type of protector is often preferred because of its small size and relatively good comfort. Thus it is an additional object of this invention to provide an ear plug with two desirable properties: The cavity sealed off in the inner portion of the meatus by the ear plug is relatively free of external noise, this is the purpose of the ear plug in protecting the hearing. The sound field in the cavity generated by the persons own voice contains all the frequency components necessary to reconstruct the speech with good intelligibility. The solution according to invention takes advantage of these facts. By using a microphone to pick up the acoustic sound field in the inner portion of the meatus and processing the microphone signal according to the invention, a speech signal of high quality and low noise masking is produced. It is an additional object of this invention to provide a system for increasing the user's feeling of naturalness of the user's own voice when using a hearing protective communications terminal according to the invention. Using ordinary earplugs or earmuffs, the user usually feels his own voice being distorted, a feature reducing the comfort of wearing hearing protectdrs. Ordinary hearing defenders changes the normal sound transmission path from the mouth to the eardrums . Thus the auditory feedback from the users own voice is affected resulting in an unintended change in the speech output. A normal response is to raise one's own voice level when using headsets or earplugs. The invention solves this problem by filtering and mixing in the user's own voice picked up by either the outer or the inner microphone at one ear and reproduce the signal at the loudspeaker in the other ear. It is also possible to reproduce the signal by the loudspeaker in the same ear, in which case feedback cancellation has to be applied. Thus the user's voice is felt more natural both with respect to frequency response and speech level. This feature will increase the level of acceptance for continuous use of hearing protectors during the whole working day. The own voice signal is added and reproduced in such a way that the noise reduction property of the hearing protector is maintained. An additional object of this invention is to provide a programmable personal noise exposure dose meter that measures the true exposure in the user's ear and calculates the hearing damage risk. Present day noise exposure dose meters, also called dosimeters, usually consist of a microphone and a small electronics unit that may be attached to the body or worn in a pocket. The microphone may be mounted on the electronics unit or it may be fastened to the collar or on the shoulder. ANSI SI.25 specifies dosimeters. Present day dosimeters have several shortcomings: - Dosimeters do not measure the noise that actually affects the hearing organ (e.g. when the user wears a hearing protector, helmet, etc.) . Even when the ear is not covered, measurements may be influenced by body shielding. - Dosimeters are susceptible to non-intentional or intentional errors, which may influence readings, such as wearers tapping or singing into dosimeter microphones or by wind-generated noise. Dosimeters are inaccurate if impulse or impact noise is present. The invention solves these problems by using a microphone that measures the sound at the eardrum and employs analysis procedures that take into account both stationary and impulsive sound. When the dose meter is part of a communications terminal this includes external noises, incoming communication signal, as well as possible malfunctioning of the equipment. It is also an object of this invention to provide a device for verifying in situ that a hearing protector is properly used. Present day hearing protectors take the form either of sealing cups which enclose the ear, or ear plugs which blocks the ear canal. For both types, it is critically important to avoid leakage of the noise sound through or around the sealing and blocking parts of the hearing protectors . Experience shows that several factors may compromise the sealing of a hearing protector and thereby increase the risk of hearing damage. These factors include Irregular surfaces which the sealing material is not able to follow properly. Examples are spctacles used with ear cups, and ear plugs used by persons with irregularly formed ear canals. Improper placement of the hearing protector. Experience and patience is required by the user to get a hearing protector mounted correctly. In cases where the user is wearing a helmet or cap, the hearing protector may be accidentally pushed out of position during use. Ageing of the materials in the sealing may reduce the resilience of the sealing and thereby allow leakage around the sealing. The result of leakage is reduced damping of potentially harmful noise. Ideally, the leakage should be detected and remedied prior to noise exposure. The leakage may not be clearly audible. Accordingly, noise situations may comprise of intermittent or impulsive components which may damage the hearing almost instantaneously if a hearing protector should be malfunctioning or imperfect without the user's knowledge. The invention solves these problems by an in si tu acoustical measurement, which is analysed and reported to the user in audible form, or to external equipment by means of communication signals. The devices necessary for the measurement are an integral part of the hearing protector. Verification may be activated by the user at any time, or be continuously running when the application is critical. Optionally, verification may be activated by other persons (or devices) than the user, e.g. to verify hearing protector function before admittance to a noisy area is allowed. The above mentioned problems are solved by the invention according to the attached claims. The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, the drawings illustrating the invention by way of examples. Fig. 1 is a simplified vertical section along the central axis of the meatus of the outer ear of an erect human, with an inserted ear terminal according to one embodiment of the invention also shown in vertical section along the axis, locally coincident with the meatus axis. Fig. 2 is an electrical wiring diagram showing the functional components and connections between electronic components in a preferred embodiment according to the invention. Fig. 3 is an illustration of one method according to the invention, showing that spectral analysis of sound picked up in the ear is compared with spectral analysis of sound picked up by a microphone at a standard distance, e.g. of 1 metre, under otherwise quiet conditions. Fig. 4 is an illustration of speech sound analysis and following sound source classification with filtering conducted according to the sound source classification, according to one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 5 is an illustration of another method according to the invention, illustrating an analysis of sound ω CO M M - 1 - 1 On o Cn o Cn O Cn the outer section 1 is formed to fit the concha around the outer portion of the meatus 3. The physical design represented by an embodiment of the invention enables some or all of the following functionalities: External sounds are attenuated by a combination of passive and active noise control. The passive attenuation is obtained by means of an earplug 1,2 with a sealing system 2 inserted in the outer part of the ear canal or meatus 3. The active noise control is achieved by using one or two microphones Ml, M2 and a loudspeaker SG together with electronic circuits in an electronics unit 11 mounted in the earplug system. The algoritmes for noise control are per se known and will not be described in any detail here, but may include active noise cancelling by feedback of acoustic signals converted by at least one of said microphones (Ml,M2) throught the sound generator (SG) . Restoration of desired sounds (external sounds and signals from the communication system) at the eardrum or tympanum 4 is achieved by using the same microphones Ml, M2, and loudspeaker SG and the electronics unit 11. Again, the algoritmes for obtaining this are per se known and will not be described in any detail here, but may include amplification of chosen frequencies converted by said the microphone (Ml) and generating a corresponding acoustic signal through said sound generator (SG) . The frequencies may for example be within the normal range of the human voice. 9. Ear terminal according to claim 1, comprising a sound generator (SG) arranged for being directed toward the meatus and being coupled to said electronics unit (11), wherein the electronics unit (11) comprises filtering means for active sound transmission e.g. by amplification of chosen frequencies converted by said outer microphone (Ml) and generating a corresponding acoustic signal through said sound generator (SG) . Pick-up of the user's voice is performed by a O CO ) K3 I- 1 h-> Cn o Cn o Cn o Cn Ω P- n cn Tj Tj 0 rt CΛ cn rt P- 1 1 1 O 0 φ Φ i-i o cn ø 4 Φ Φ s: 0 0 rt Ω Ω Φ Cfl P- Φ Ω Ω o < 0 Φ rt rt cn P- ø 0 rt φ Φ i-i P- P- cn rt ιp Φ H P- 3 0 Ω Ω O O P- P- 0 Φ O P- rt rt ^ Φ 03 m φ H O 03 Ω 03 g rt 03 <Q 03 TJ o Hi J ø 3 O 3 3 ø 4 0 0 ø o P- rt 0 Ω P- P- & Φ rt P- O 03 Λ Hi 0 P- 0 Φ ø 4 0 Φ Ω H 0 O 03 cn 03 H Φ P- Φ 03 lQ 0 ø H TJ i-i O Q ø Ω rt Hi H ø P. 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TJ 0 P- t o M 3 i-s Ω φ M M cn rt 03 Q ° M rt rt 0 03 CL ø 4 03 o P- M ø CL Φ «! tr 0 03 P- li- ro Φ 1<J o ro Φ Φ 03 cn Φ ø 4 ø 4 ro M σ P- Φ rt s: H tr sQ P- Tj CL P- H Φ Φ 03 *" 03 P- j CO 03 y Hi P. 03 0 rt CΛ cn ι-3 φ 03 CΛ <£_ P- ø 4 Φ P- H) tr ø CO CL 0 Φ M O P- Cfl l-i Φ H Ω P- to rt Ω σ P- 03 0 P- 03 rt P- rt • 03 3 . 0 φ Tj H 03 Hi TJ * Ω rt P- M O CΛ P- rt 3 sQ Ω 03 03 φ ø 4 tr rt HI 03 03 rt 0 Ω ro M O M ø 4 CO P- o α ø Cfl 03 Tj ø 4 Ω M Φ rt O ø 4 tr rt ø 4 cn t Φ 0 Hi H H 0 0 TJ ro 0 0 ι-i P- M M ω O CL ø 4 < ro Φ O ø 4 Φ ro • rt sQ O φ sQ O li O rt CL P- Φ fl ιQ P- φ J s P- Ω P- 03 Φ ro rt < ro P. M i-i cn 03 cn O P- Φ tr O Cfl <! ι-i Φ Ω Hi Ω P- o 4 s O 0 H 3 O o Φ Φ H ro • 3 P- li 3 cn cn 03 rt TJ • Φ ti ¬ Ω 0 o P- rt Ω P- P- 0 ϋ * tr 3 Φ Hi O 03 Hi ø" t 3 M P. 03 Φ Cfl M 03 rt φ Cfl ro o Φ 0 Φ P- Ϊ 0 rt < t P- M P 03 Ω Φ H o Φ ro M P- P- <<_ ø <! 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P- li cn cn Cfl Hi O rt cn ti- fl tr 03 £ CL TJ 03 P- ø 4 ti ¬ rt rt 0 < T) M P- O O cn O P- C J Φ ø 4 03 03 ø 4 O o TJ 0 M 3 0 Φ ro ø 4 P- φ ro Hi rt φ • ø Hi 0 03 TJ ø Hi Φ P. 03 ro 0 3 Φ ø rt 1-5 α φ ro 0 H Φ o 03 o ø" M IΛ ιQ rt φ iQ 03 φ 03 0 α Tj 0 ø 4 O CL P- CL P- 0 Tj H 1-5 Φ cn H CΛ P- li CO CL - rt 03 M CL • Ω Hi ui 0 rt 03 P- TJ — o Φ 03 rt O 03 φ O M Hi Φ Φ Φ 03 P- tr ø 4 M t φ M rt 3 H 1 P- 03 0 P. rt i-i o ro P- P- > Cn P. 0 iQ *< Φ "« * Ω ø ø 4 03 rt 0 Φ O rt sQ a 0 cn P. 0 Φ sQ P- P- ø 4 cn P. cn CΛ ø 4 0 03 O rt 03 03 03 cn cn 0 Φ • 03 P- Q Φ Φ rt 0 l-i O M 0 M H sQ • o CL M CL 0 CO CO to to M M Cn o Cn o Cn O Cn P- M t? cn ro ø sQ rt 1 1 1 1 1 1 rt P- Ω σ M TJ ι-3 Φ li Tj ro 3 03 w α 0 to O P- rt Cfl Φ o ø 4 0 03 ro CO P- φ tf M Φ H 3 ro 0 eS φ 03 • Ω Φ 0 03 ti ¬ 0 Ω TJ 0 li Φ Φ o σ 4 3 CL g cn rt 0 . 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CL ii 3 ro 0 ø o 0 P- rt t-t- H 03 rt ø 4 • ii tr 03 ø M φ P. rt M S O TJ TJ 03 M ϋ tr Ω 0 0 03 ro O ϋ P- P- H Cfl 03 Φ Tj C Hi ι-3 rt Cd < P- M 03 Hi O 3 ϋ 03 M ro Ω 03 0 *< Φ 03 03 M li M cn 0 o P- 3 H M o ro P- M P- Ω 0 Φ rt P- O • o tr 0 Ω O M Cn M M 3 t-t- ro 0 Cfl rt Φ ro li M o ø 03 03 0 Ω 03 M Hi __- ^ 03 Ω 0 sQ tr ti- 0 tirt o cn 3 P- cn ro 03 P- Ω H Hi • ro 0 ro rt P- rt • ft ι-3 Φ Ω φ < Φ PS CΛ ro ø" TJ P- Ω Tj Φ ø P- H Cfl CL O 03 Φ 2, Hi rt 03 P- rt H Φ rt ø 4 M Ω cn ro O P- rt li Φ Φ 0 O ro 03 03 ιQ 3 03 tr 03 03 P- 0 H μ. o o o O cn O H ø 4 ro Φ Φ cn • li 03 Ω P- 0 U iQ 0 H Cfl M 0 P- 0 P- rt rt Φ cn li li ø Hi o Ω 0 0 Φ Ω cn P- rt 03 ø 03 rt Hi 0 • 03 ø P. 0 p- 03 3 Φ ro 03 rt 03 tr P- Ω 3 rt cn 0 P- Tj Ω ø rt 0 rt ø li o ϋ M 03 P- 03 O Hi P- M ;v rt ø 4 tr ■ <: Ω O P- ro H s 0 li P- tiP- P- P- ø O li Φ cn M o 0 0 Hi O rt ro rt ø 4 M P- ro 0 3 P- 3 P- H ro <J rt 0 P- M 3 3 n ϋ li rt Φ cn P- ro CΛ φ rt 03 Ω Hi <i o Ω Φ 0 03 3 Ω Φ sQ rt 03 Φ Hi M cn 03 o Φ J3 " cn ro rt ø 4 P- Hi φ li 03 3 0 03 0 Ω O Cfl 0 ø o -> p- M 03 3 rt P. Cl tr cfl 03 o tr l-S P- 0 P- M o P- cn li P- O Φ 0 tr W P- Ω lili to sQ t-l- ø 4 O Ω o M 0 H O P- Ω Ω rt ro M li rt ro •<. rt 0 s 0 CO sQ Φ • 0 3 CU rt Φ rt o M 0 P. rt 1 0 P- P- ω >< TJ H rt 4 03 rt . 0 • en Ω 03 o ø 4 ø 4 P- 9 03 ro 03 s: ø 4 P. P- ro O S M 03 O ■ H o 0 rt 03 P- O M p. -≤ ro j li 3 g tQ rt li P- Φ P- rt ø 0 M Φ CO li U O P. P. O HI M sQ 0 cn ro ø 4 ii O φ ø ro o P. li ii H H rt 00 H H 03 P- M P- 0 ø 4 ø rt Φ j O ø 0 0 rt o Φ Φ •<; cn 0 "> 03 00 P- til-S cn 3 o cn Φ 3 03 H P- 0 li Ω sQ rt P- rt Hi M Φ Ω n H cn ^ cn ro Φ CΛ φ Hi " % 03 M O ø o Φ ø 4 Ω ir> ø 4 o Φ M rt M φ D 03 Ω TJ P- 0 Hi Ω < < cn M rt Ω Cfl O 03 s H CΛ Φ P- M 03 P. * tr X ) Ω 0 ø 4 O s rt ^ » cn O M tr s: Φ Cn rt Hi rt CO Cfl Ω O 0 M Q O 0 03 s; 0 •«, s; 0 tr Hi P- o o cn P- ø 4 P- H •< P- rt 0 3 03 Hi 03 Φ g ø P- li φ 03 rt P- rt o 0 rt cn ø P- rt o ii CΛ P- rt li 03 03 M O 0 ø rt <Q H M 03 O rt H H sQ ø 4 φ P- sQ ω ø 4 0 P- tisQ ø 4 P- M ■ < ι< li P. TJ φ Φ Φ CΛ Ω O ιQ 03 0 Φ Ω ro P- ϋ Ω cn li H Ω 03 P. Tj Ω ø 4 M Φ P. rt P. ϋ sQ 0 P- Hi cn 3 rt O 03 P, σ P- cn H O ro tio tr rt li ø 4 Φ 0 P- ø 4 P- 0 ø P- O CΛ 03 0 M P- Φ cn rt M ιQ 03 ro H M tr o Φ 03 cn Cfl Φ 03 Φ ϋ t-t- 0 P- rt 0 ii O M sQ u O O li P- Φ •< C 0 *« P- ii s ro ro 0 rt Φ <! 0 < ø 4 ø P- Ω P. ii 03 P- rt φ iQ sQ 03 0 O Ω li P- ii Φ rt — ro ω 0 rt o 03 P- 03 S o rt rt tr rt ø" tiΦ Φ 0 t-t- O Tj rt 3 rt M Hi 0 ø 4 H ø 4 03 P- 03 0 rt 0 ii P ø O 03 ø 4 ro ro rt 03 ro Cfl Φ P- p- CO 03 rt P- P- CΛ o rt M 0 03 sQ ro 03 M 3 rt Φ ii O Ω M P- H O ø H Ω P- ω Cfl P- ii P. Cfl φ tr ^ 3 03 rt Tj 3 Tj Cfl 03 0 03 CO Φ O o rt P- P- Ω 03 Ω P- M ro *< Φ TJ ϋ p- φ 3 P- rt Cfl M 0 o ø 1 sQ 3 0 tiø O ø Φ 3 3 li O o ø H 03 03 ø o P- Cfl 03 *» P- ø li P- 03 tiro P. ro o tr * s: Ω φ 03 0 " : Hi o f-f- ϋ sQ ro M 03 rt ^< ro P. TJ 03 li 3 ii ro P. rt P. M 0 o M Φ CO P- . 0 03 ii o ø Φ o x 4 03 li CΛ P- tr M rt • • P- rt TJ O sQ M tr Hi rt rt rt TJ 03 ii Tj li CΛ <1 O 3 Φ M ø 4 o 03 to sQ 03 o ro Φ 03 o ø 4 Φ li P. •< ro o ϋ cn P- o . 0 03 φ Hi 0 0 M CO t ϋ Ω ro H Φ — M s; 03 ø ø P- > 03 03 03 Cfl * * H 03 Φ O H Hi O Φ 0 TJ sQ Ω 3 0 φ rt li M P- 03 P. rt φ 0 M 3 li sQ TJ Φ O tr 03 ø 4 ro cn tr o P. P- M ø 4 ii M SD Φ ro ro M 0 ro H Φ ϋ M M P- O M Φ H > . ø P. •< 0 Φ Hi O ro o to ϋ Φ ti- P- Φ 3 P. cn rt P. via a connection to another equipment, e.g. a communication radio. One embodiment of the invention concerns the use of the ear terminal as an "in-the-ear voice pick-up". The sound of a person' s own voice as heard in the meatus is not identical to the sound of the same person's voice as heard by an external listener. The present embodiment of the invention remedies this problem. The microphone M2 illustrated in Fig. 3 picks up the sound in the inner portion of the meatus 3 sealed off by a sealing section 2 in an ear protecting communications device of the earplug type. The signal is amplified by the amplifier E4 illustrated in Fig. 2, A/D converted by the A/D converter E5, and processed in the digital signal processing (DSP) or microcomputer unit E3. The processing may be viewed as a signal dependent filtering taking into account the speech signal properties as well as computed estimates of the location of sound generation for the different speech sounds. Thereby the speech intelligibility and naturalness may be improved. Figs. 1 and 3 show examples of embodiments of the invention, with the microphone M2 being integrated in a hearing protective communications earplug. The acoustic transmission channel Tl connects microphone M2 to the inner portion of the meatus 3. Microphone M2 picks up the sound field produced by the person's own voice. The signal may be amplified in amplifier E4, A/D converted in A/D converter E5 and processed in the digital signal processing (DSP) or microcomputer unit E3. A processed signal from E3 may be transmitted in digital form through a digital interface E12 to other electrical units. In an alternative embodiment, the processed signal from E3 may be D/A converted and transmitted in analogue form to other electrical units. Fig. 4 illustrates one possible signal processing arrangement according to the invention. It illustrates an example of the type of signal dependent filtering which may be applied to the signal from microphone M2 in order to obtain a good reconstruction of the speech signal, making it highly intelligible, even in extremely noisy environments. After amplification in E4 and A/D-conversion E5, the microphone M2 signal is analysed in the DSP/uP processing unit E3. The analysis represented by block 21 in Fig. 4 may comprise a short term estimate of the spectral power in the microphone signal, a short term auto-correlation estimate of the microphone signal, or a combination of both. Based on these estimates, a running classification with corresponding decision represented by block 22 may be made in the processing unit E3 for the selection of the most suitable conditioning filter for the signal from microphone M2. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the selection may made between e.g. three filters Hl(f), H2(f) and H3(f) represented by blocks 23, 24 and 25, appropriate for vowel sounds, nasal sounds and fricative sounds respectively. The processed signal is present at output 26 of block 22. Other sound classifications using more sophisticated subdivisions between sound classifications and corresponding sound filters and analysis algorithms may be applied. The selection algorithm may comprise gradual transitions between the filter outputs in order to avoid audible artefacts. Filtering and selection is carried out in the processing unit E3 concurrently with the sound analysis and classification. The basis for the filter characteristics and the corresponding analysis and classification in the processing unit E3 may be derived from an experiment of the form shown in Fig. 3. An ear plug with a microphone M2 with the same properties as the one used for the voice pickup is used to pick up the voice of a test subject from the meatus 3 illustrated in the upper part of Fig. 3. Concurrently, the voice is recorded by a high quality microphone M3 in front of the subject, at a nominal distance of 1 meter, under an- echoic conditions. Estimates of the power spectral densities may be computed for the two signals by the analyses represented by blocks 27 and 28 respectively, and the corresponding levels Ll(f) and L2(f) are compared in comparator 29. The output from the comparator is represented by the transfer function H(f). The analyses may be short time spectral estimates, e.g. 1/9 octave spectra in the frequency range 100 Hz to 14000 Hz. The test sequences which the subject utters may comprise speech sounds held constant for approximately 1 second. For voiced sounds, the subject person may make the pitch vary during the analysis period. The transfer functions of the filters described in connection with Fig. 4 may be based on diagrams of H(f), the spectral density levels of the free field microphone M3 subtracted from the corresponding levels of the in-the-ear microphone M2. A simplest embodiment of the invention may reduce the system in Fig. 4 to one single time invariant filter. The analysis and selection processing may then be omitted. The transfer function of the single filter is still based on diagrams of the spectral density levels of the free field microphone subtracted from the corresponding levels of the in-the-ear microphone, described in connection with Fig. 3. The transfer function may be a combination of the results for the various speech sounds, weighted in accordance with their importance for the intelligibility and naturalness of the processed speech. Another embodiment of the invention is best understood under the term "Natural Own Voice", indicating that a person wearing an ear terminal shall perceive his own voice as being natural while having the meatus blocked by an earplug. The inner microphone M2 or the outer microphone Ml, or a combination of both, picks up the sound signal representing the users voice signal. The signal is amplified, A/D converted, and analysed in the digital signal processor E3. Based on previously measured transfer functions from the user' s speech to the microphone M2 (and/or Ml), the microphone signal may be filtered to regain the naturalness of the user's speech. The signal is then D/A-converted, amplified and reproduced at an internal loudspeaker SG. The internal loudspeaker SG may be arranged in a similar ear terminal 1,2 in the wearer's other ear to prevent local feedback in the earplug. In a more acoustically demanding arrangement the loudspeaker SG, arranged in the same meatus 3 as the inner pickup microphone M2 is situated, may be used, thus demanding feedback cancellation. The desired signal to the loudspeaker SG in the other ear may be transmitted via electric conductors outside of the wearer's head, or via radio signals. Fig. 6 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention with the natural own voice feature being integrated in two active hearing protective communications earplugs. Each earplug may comprise a main section 1 containing two microphones, an outer microphone Ml and an inner microphone M2, and a sound generator SG. The right and left earplugs are generally symmetrical, otherwise identical for both ears. Section 2 is the acoustic sealing of the hearing protector. An acoustic transmission channel Tl connects microphone M2 to the inner portion of meatus 3. Microphone M2 picks up the sound from the meatus 3. When the user is speaking and the ear canal is sealed, this signal is mainly the user's own voice signal. This signal is filtered and reproduced at the loudspeaker SG at the other ear. An acoustic transmission channel T2 connects sound generator SG to the inner portion of meatus 3. A block diagram of the electronic system is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows an example of the type of signal dependent filtering which may be applied to the microphone signal in order to obtain a good reconstruction of the voice. After amplification in E4 and A/D-conversion E5, the microphone M2 signal is analysed in the DSP/uP processing unit E3. The analysis represented by block 21 in Fig. 4 may comprise a short term estimate of the spectral power in the microphone signal, a short term auto-correlation estimate of the microphone signal, or a combination of both. Based on these estimates, a running classification with corresponding decision represented by block 22 may be made in the processing unit E3 for the selection of the most suitable conditioning filter for the signal from microphone M2. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the selection may made between e.g. three filters Hl(f), H2(f) and H3(f) represented by blocks 23, 24 and 25, appropriate for vowel sounds, nasal sounds and fricative sounds respectively. The processed signal is present at output 26 of block 22. Other sound classifications using more sophisticated subdivisions between sound classifications and corresponding sound filters and analysis algorithms may be applied. The selection algorithm may comprise gradual transitions between the filter outputs in order to avoid audible artefacts. Filtering and selection is carried out in the processing unit E3 concurrently with the sound analysis and classification. The basis for the filter characteristics and the corresponding analysis and classification in the processing unit E3 may be derived from an experiment of the form shown in Fig. 5. An ear plug with a microphone M2 with generally the same properties as the one used for the voice pickup is used to pick up the voice of a test subject from the meatus 3 illustrated in the upper part of Fig. 5. Concurrently, the voice is recorded by a high quality microphone M4 close to the subject's ear, under an-echoic conditions. Estimates of the power spectral densities may be computed for the two signals by the analyses represented by blocks 37 and 38 respectively,, and the corresponding levels Ll(f) and L2(f) are compared in comparator 39. The output from the comparator is represented by the transfer function H(f). The analyses may be short time spectral estimates, e.g. 1/9 octave spectra in the frequency range 100 Hz to 14000 Hz. The test sequences which the subject utters may comprise speech sounds held constant for approximately 1 second. For voiced sounds, the subject may make the pitch vary during the analysis period. The transfer functions of the filters described in connection with Fig. 4 may be based on diagrams of H(f), the spectral density levels of the free field microphone M4 subtracted from the corresponding levels of the in-the-ear microphone M2. A simplest embodiment of the invention may reduce the system in Fig. 4 to one single time invariant filter. The analysis and selection processing may then be omitted. The transfer function of the single filter is still based on diagrams of the spectral density levels of the free field microphone subtracted from the corresponding levels of the in-the-ear microphone, described in connection with Fig. 5. The transfer function may be a combination of the results for the various speech sounds, weighted in accordance with their importance for the naturalness of the processed speech. Another embodiment of the invention is called a "Personal Noise Exposure Dose Meter". Similar to the above embodiments, a microphone M2 picks up the sound in the meatus 3. One of the novel features is that this noise exposure is measured in the meatus, even while the ear is already noise protected. The signal from the microphone M2 is amplified, A/D converted, and analysed in a digital signal processing (DSP) or microcomputer unit E3 in the same way as described above. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the analysis covers both stationary or semistationary noise, and impulsive noise. The result of the analysis is compared to damage risk criteria and the user gets an audible or other form of warning signal when certain limits are about to be exceeded and actions have to be made. The warning signal may also be transmitted to other parties, e.g. industrial health care monitoring devices. The time record of the analysis may according to a preferred embodiment be stored in a memory, e.g. in the RAM E8 for later read-out and processing. Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention with the personal noise exposure dose meter integrated in an active hearing protective communications earplug, comprising a main section 1 containing two microphones^ an outer microphone Ml and an inner microphone M2, and a sound generator SG. Since this embodiment is part of a hearing- protecting earplug, a sealing section 2 is attached to the main section. An acoustic transmission channel Tl connects microphone M2 to the inner portion of the meatus 3. Microphone M2 therefore picks up the sound present in the meatus 3, just outside the eardrum (tympanum) 4. An acoustic transmission channel T2 connects sound generator SG to the inner portion of the meatus 3. The sound generator SG may provide audible information to the user, in form of warning signals or synthetic speech. All the electronics as well as the battery are provided in the main section 1. A block diagram of one possible implementation of this embodiment is shown in Fig. 2. The sound is picked up by the microphone M2, amplified, and AD-converted before it is fed to the processing unit E3 with DSP or uP (or both) as central processing units. The memory units E8 with RAM, E9 with ROM, and E10 with EEPROM may store programs, configuration data, and analysis results. Information to the user is generated in the central processing unit E3, DA- converted, amplified, and may be presented as audible information via the loudspeaker SG. The digital interface is used for programming, control, and readout of results. The signal processing for the computation of noise exposure is shown in the flow diagram in Fig. 7. The signal from microphone M2 is amplified, converted to digital form and analysed by algorithms in processing unit E3. First, sample-by-sample equalization represented by block 41 is applied to compensate for irregularities in the microphone response, the transmission channel Tl and the missing ear canal response due to the blocking of the canal by the earplug. The processed samples may according to the invention be evaluated in at least two ways. To obtain the stationary or semistationary noise dose, an A-weighting represented by block 42 is applied. Standards for this A- weighting exists: IEC 179, and the samples values are squared and accumulated in blocks 43 and 44 respectively. To obtain the peak value for assessing impulsive noise, a C- weighting represented by block 45 is applied according to internationally accepted standards, also IEC 179, and the peak value (regardless of sign) is saved in block 46. The noise dose and peak values are finally compared to predetermined limits in a decision algorithm represented by block 47 so that a warning may be given. The audible information to the user may be provided in form of warning signals or synthetic speech. The warning signal may also be transmitted to other parties, e.g. industrial health care monitoring devices. The time record of the two may also be stored in the memory of the processing unit E3 for later readout and further evaluation. In addition to the use in passive ear protection devices this embodiment of the invention may be used as ear protection when the terminal is used as a headphone coupled to CD players for similar, monitoring the noise dose submitted from ' the headphones to the ear over time, or in peaks. Another embodiment of the invention, called "Online verification/control of hearing protector performance", utilises the fact that a sound field locally generated in the cavity near the ear drum is influenced by leakage in the hearing protector. A small electro-acoustic transducer (sound source) SG and a microphone M2 are arranged in a sealing section 2 arranged for attenuating sounds entering the meatus cavity 3. A digital signal processing (DSP) or microcomputer unit E3 in the main section 1 or in the sealing section 2 is used to generate a predetermined signal which is D/A converted by the D/A converter E7, amplified by amplifier E6 and applied to the sound source SG, which generates a sound field in the closed part of the meatus 3. The microphone M2 picks up the sound in the meatus cavity 3. This signal is amplified by amplifier E4, A/D converted by A/D converter E5, and analysed in the digital signal processor or microprocessor E3. The result of the analysis is compared to stored results from previous measurements of the same type in a situation with good sealing conditions. The user may get audible or other messaged confirmation if the leakage is acceptably low, or a warning signal if leakage is unacceptably high. In the same manner, a signal may be transmitted to other instances, e.g. an external industrial health monitoring unit, with information about the leakage . One example may be that an ear terminal according to the invention is used for checking for leakage in the hearing protection while the wearer is at a gate controlling admittance to a noise exposed area. If leakage occurs, a signal may be transmitted from the ear terminal to a corresponding signal receiver at the gate, having means to block the gate for entrance until the leakage condition is remedied and verified. Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention where the verification device is integrated in a hearing protective earplug. This embodiment comprises an outer section 1 containing a microphone M2 and a sound generator SG. An inner sealing section 2 is attached to the outer section, but may be made in one integrated outer section/sealing section 1,2. An acoustic transmission channel T2 connects sound generator SG to the inner portion of the meatus 3. The sound generator SG produces a predetermined acoustic signal, which generates a sound field in the meatus 3. An acoustic transmission channel Tl connects microphone M2 to the inner portion of the meatus 3. Microphone M2 picks up the sound field being set up by the sound generator SG. The signal generation and analysis is carried out in a digital signal processing (DSP) or microcomputer unit E3 with appropriate amplifiers and converters as described in the previous paragraphs. All the electronics 11 as well as the power supply 12 are provided in the outer section 1. Fig. 8 illustrates a signal processing arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. This embodiment utilises a signal which produces reliable characterisation of the sound field in the cavity, preferably while not being annoying to the user. The signal may comprise one or more sinusoidal components presented simultaneously, or in sequence. Alternatively, a pseudorandom sequence may, be employed. In both cases, preferrably both the in-phase and the out-of-phase portions of the sound field are analysed and used in the verification algorithm. An example of the signal processing is shown in the flow diagram in Fig. 8. In the example, two pure tones of different frequencies f τ and f 2 are generated by algorithms in the processing unit E3. The generators are represented by blocks 81 and 82 respectively. The generators generate both the in-phase (sin) and out-of-phase (cos) components. The in-phase components are added together in block 83, converted to analogue form, amplified and applied to the sound generator SG. The resulting sound field is picked up by the microphone M2, amplified, converted to digital form and analysed by algorithms in the processing unit E3 for a series of detectors represented by blocks 84, 85, 86 and 87. The in-phase and out-of-phase components of the microphone M2 signal are analysed for each of the two frequencies. The detector algorithm performs a sample-by-sample multiplication of the two input signals and smoothes the result with a low-pass filter. The four detector outputs are applied to a decision algorithm represented by block 88 where they are compared to stored values. The decision result may be a digital "go" / "no go" real time signal indicating acceptable noise protection attenuation or unacceptable protection conditions. The result of the analysis is compared to stored results from previous measurements of the same type in a situation with good sealing conditions. The stored values for the decision algorithm may according to a preferred embodiment be based on previous laboratory experiments, but values for the decision algorithm may also be determined, e.g. making an average and setting a lower acceptance limit for a general-purpose embodiment of the invention. The number and values of frequencies and the smoothing characteristics of the detectors are chosen as a compromise between audibility and response time. If a continuously running verification should be necessary, low frequencies, e.g. in the range of 10-20 Hz, of sufficiently low levels may be utilised in order to avoid annoyance. The pure tones may then be partially or fully aurally masked by the residual noise transmitted by the hearing protector. The acoustic phenomenon on which the embodiment of the invention is based is illustrated by the electric analogy diagram in Fig. 9. In the diagram, the sound generator SG is modelled by its acoustic Thevenin equivalent represented by blocks 91 and 92. The sound pressure pi is generated by the Thevenin generator 91, resulting in a volume velocity through the Thevenin impedance Zl(f) 92. The microphone M2 is modelled by its acoustic impedance Z3(f) represented by block 93. The sound pressure p2 at the microphone entrance is converted to an electric signal by the microphone. For the purpose of the present illustration, all acouostic elements exposed to the sound pressure generated by the sound generator SG, except the microphone, are lumped together in the acoustic impedance Z2(f) represented by block 95. A leakage in the hearing protector may be modelled by a change in the variable acoustic impedance Z2(f) . The change will usually affect both the frequency dependent modulus and the frequency dependent phase of Z2(f) . This change leads to a change in the relationship between the sound pressures p2 and pi, which is analysed as described in connection with Fig. 8.

Claims: C l a i m s 1. Ear protecting device comprising a sealing section (2) for acoustically sealing the meatus (3) of a human and comprising an inner surface toward the meatus, comprising a sound generator (SG) with a sound outlet (S SG ) in the inner surface of the sealing section for being directed toward the user meatus (3) and for creating an acoustic sound field in the meatus; an inner microphone (M2) with a sound inlet (S2) from the meatus (3) through said inner surface, arranged for measuring the resulting sound field in the meatus (3) ; said inner microphone being connected to an electronics unit (11,E3) comprising a sound analyser coupled to said inner microphone (M2), for analyzing sound characterisics of the resulting sound field in the meatus (3) , producing analyzed sound characteristica; storing means in the elecronics unit (11,E8,E9,E10) for storing measured predetermined sound characteristics of a properly functioning ear protecting device; a comparing means in the electronics unit (11,E3) for comparing the inner microphone (M2) analyzed sound characteristics with the stored measured predetermined sound characteristics; indicating means coupled to said comparing means (11, E3) for being activated if said analyzed sound characterisics differ significantly from said predetermined sound characteristics. 2. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, wherein the indicating means in the electronics unit (11, E3) is arranged to generate a warning signal. 3. Ear protecting device according to claim 2, wherein said indicating means is arranged for sending said warning signal to said sound generator (SG) for releasing an audible signal (62) to the meatus (3) . 4. Ear protecting device according to claim 2, wherein the indicating device (72) comprises a radio transmitter. 5. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising a canal (Tl) comprised by the sound inlet (S2), the canal (Tl) being arranged through the sealing section (2) between the' inward facing surface of the sealing section (2) arranged for sealing off a space portion of the meatus (3), and the sound inlet (S2) of the inner microphone (M2) . 6. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising a pressure alignment channel (T3) for slow air throughput to and from the meatus (3) through the sealing section (2) . 7. Ear protecting device according to claim 6, wherein the pressure alignment channel (T3) includes a pressure release valve (V) . 8. Ear protecting device according to claim 7, comprising a bypass channel (T4) in the pressure alignment channel (T3). 9. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising an outer section (1) arranged for sitting adjacent to the outward facing portion of the sealing section (2) and that part of the inward facing portion of the outer section (1) is formed to fit the concha around the outer portion of the meatus (3) . 10. Ear protecting device according to claims 1, wherein the electronics unit comprises a filtering means coupled to said inner microphone for filtering the signal from said inner microphone, and the sound generation means is adapteed to generating sounds based on the filtered signal, said filtering means being preprogrammed to transform the signals based on the sounds received in the ear originating from the users voice, into a sound being recognized by the user as his own voice. 11. Ear protecting device according to claim 10, wherein the sound generator is positioned in a separate unit being placed in the users other ear. 12. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, comprising analyzing means coupled to said inner microphone (M2) and indicator means coupled to said analyzing means, said analyzing means analyzing the received sounds and comparing this with predetermined values for acceptable noise levels, and activating said indicating means when said acceptable noise levels are exceeded. 13. Ear protecting device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic unit (11,E3) includes filtering means coupled to said inner microphone (M2) for filtering the signal from said inner microphone (M2), said filtering means being programmable to transform the signals based on the sounds received in the ear by said inner microphone (M2) into sounds having essentially the characteristics of spoken sounds of the wearer of the ear protecting device as heared outside the mouth of the wearer. 14. Ear protecting device according to claim 13, comprising a connection interface (13,E12) for transmitting the filtered signal from the ear protecting device. 15. Ear protection device according to claim 1, comprising an outer microphone being acoustically isolated from said inner microphone. 16. Method for monitoring the performance of an ear protection device comprising a sealing section for positioning in the users ear and defining a limitted room in the meatus, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in the following steps: generating a sound field with chosen characteristics in said room using a sound generator, measurng the characteristics of the sound field using an inner microphone being directed toward the meatus, storing a set of characteristics for the defining a well functioning ear protection device in an electronics unit, repeated comparing of measured characteristics of the sound field with said stored characteristics defining a well functioning ear protection device using a sound analyser in the electronics unit, and when registering a significant deviation from the stored characteristics, generating an indicator signal to an indicator device.

Inventors: OTTESEN GEORG E, PETTERSEN ODD KR OE, SOERSDAL SVEIN, STENSBY SVERRE, SVEAN JARLE, OTTESEN, GEORG, E., PETTERSEN, ODD, KR., OE., SOERSDAL, SVEIN, STENSBY, SVERRE, SVEAN, JARLE
Applicants: OTTESEN GEORG E, PETTERSEN ODD KR OE, SINTEF TELE OG DATA, SOERSDAL SVEIN, STENSBY SVERRE, SVEAN JARLE, OTTESEN, GEORG, E., PETTERSEN, ODD, KR., OE., SOERSDAL, SVEIN, STENSBY, SVERRE, SVEAN, JARLE
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A61F11
IPC codes: H04R1, H04R25