Method and system for reducing background sounds in a noisy environment

Abstract

A method for reducing noise to a user to enable a conversation-of-interest to be heard, the noise originating from a noise source, the method comprising the steps of: operating at least one first device located at a first distance from the noise source, the user having noise-cancellation earphones connected to a second mobile device, the second mobile device located at a second distance from the noise source, the first distance less than the second distance; prehearing noise from the noise source using the at least one first device; analyzing the preheard noise to yield a respective analyzed noise signal; and processing the respective analyzed noise signal to effect noise cancellation for the noise-cancellation earphones.

1 . A method for reducing noise to a user to enable a conversation-of-interest to be heard, the noise originating from a noise source, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating at least one first device located at a first distance from the noise source, the user having noise-cancellation earphones connected to a second mobile device, the second mobile device located at a second distance from the noise source, the first distance less than the second distance;   prehearing noise from the noise source using the at least one first device;   analyzing the preheard noise to yield a respective analyzed noise signal; and   processing the respective analyzed noise signal to effect noise cancellation for the noise-cancellation earphones.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , whereby the at least first device is chosen from the list including: a mobile device; and a sound sensor having electronic communication capability. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , whereby the second device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , whereby the conversation-of-interest is heard by the user, chosen from the list including: transferred by the user's mobile device to the noise cancellation earphones; directly, without the use of noise cancellation earphones, and directly and transferred by the user's mobile device to the noise cancellation earphones. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , whereby the second device is a user-worn integrated device having the mobile device and the noise cancellation earphones. 
     
     
         6 . A method for reducing noise to a user to enable a conversation-of-interest to be heard, the noise originating from an acoustical and a non-acoustical source, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating a mobile device, the user having noise-cancellation earphones connected to the mobile device;   prehearing the noise using the mobile device;   analyzing the preheard noise to yield an analyzed noise signal; and   processing the analyzed noise signal to effect noise cancellation for the noise-cancellation earphones.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , whereby prehearing the noise is performed non-acoustically from the non-acoustical source. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , whereby the noise is preheard electronically, with timing of prehearing chosen from the list including: substantially simultaneously as the noise originates from the acoustical source; and before the noise originates from the acoustical source. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , whereby the mobile device is a user-worn integrated device having the mobile device and the noise cancellation earphones. 
     
     
         10 . A method for reducing noise to a user to enable a conversation-of-interest to be heard, the noise originating from an acoustical source, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating a mobile device, the user having noise-cancellation earphones connected to the mobile device;   sampling the noise using the mobile device;   analyzing the preheard noise to yield an analyzed noise signal; and   processing the analyzed noise signal to effect noise cancellation for the noise-cancellation earphones.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , whereby the noise is sampled from the acoustical source, the sample is compared to a database having noise recordings, and thereby identifying and retrieving an entire recording matching the noise, the entire recording subsequently used for noise cancellation. 
     
     
         12 . A system for reducing noise to a user to enable a conversation-of-interest to be heard, the noise originating from a noise source, the system comprising:
 at least one first device located at a first distance from the noise source;   the user having noise-cancellation earphones configured to be connected to a second mobile device, the second mobile device located at a second distance from the noise source, the first distance less than the second distance;   the at least one first device configured to prehear noise from the noise source;   the preheard noise being analyzed to yield a respective analyzed noise signal; and   the noise-cancellation earphones configured to effect noise cancellation, subsequent to processing of the respective analyzed noise signal.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least first device is chosen from the list including: a mobile device; and a sound sensor having electronic communication capability. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the second device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the conversation-of-interest is heard by the user, chosen from the list including: transferred by the user's mobile device to the noise cancellation earphones; directly, without the use of noise cancellation earphones. 
     
     
         16 .- 20 . (canceled)