Noise reduction in aircraft

Abstract

Noise reduction in an aircraft. A system and method for performing noise reduction in a vehicle is provided herein, the vehicle including a noise reduction system and a plurality of zones. A noise reduction criterion for the vehicle is obtained. Based on the noise reduction criterion, a first zone of the plurality of zones in which noise reduction is to be performed is determined. The noise reduction system is controlled to perform noise reduction in the first zone, wherein performing noise reduction in the first zone causes the noise reduction system to make a resultant adjustment of noise levels in at least a second zone of the plurality of zones.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to noise reduction systems and, more particularly, to adjustable noise reduction systems for use in aircraft. Background Art

[0002] Modern aircraft are increasingly seeking to provide comfortable cabin accommodations for business or leisure. Current aircraft cabins may have features such as expanded in-flight entertainment (IFE) options, Internet connections for video conferencing and video streaming, reclining and / or lie-flat seats, etc. These features can help passengers improve their work efficiency during transportation or allow passengers to rest and relax during the journey.

[0003] In addition, modern aircraft may include various noise reduction systems. Some noise reduction methods are passive, such as soundproofing materials or cabin construction for the aircraft. Other methods are active: for example, synchronous phasing of aircraft propellers can be used to reduce noise in the aircraft cabin by setting appropriate phase differences between the propellers so that the sound waves generated thereby merge into a reduced composite sound wave. Another method of active noise reduction includes using sound wave transmitters, such as speakers, to generate sound waves that are used to cancel other ambient sounds detected in the cabin.

[0004] Conventional approaches have focused on minimizing the worst-case noise in the cabin, or ensuring substantially uniform noise reduction throughout the aircraft cabin. However, these approaches may be unsatisfactory for aircraft with a relatively small number of passengers or for aircraft where passengers may only be present in certain areas of the aircraft at any given time.

[0005] Therefore, there is room for improvement. Summary of the invention

[0006] According to a broad aspect, a method for performing noise reduction in a vehicle is provided, the vehicle comprising a noise reduction system and a plurality of zones. A noise reduction criterion for the vehicle is obtained. Based on the noise reduction criterion, a first zone of the plurality of zones is determined in which noise reduction is to be performed. The noise reduction system is controlled to perform noise reduction in the first zone, wherein performing noise reduction in the first zone causes the noise reduction system to make a resultant adjustment of noise level in at least a second zone of the plurality of zones.

[0007] In some embodiments, performing noise reduction in a first region results in an increased noise level in at least one second region.

[0008] In some embodiments, the resultant adjustment of the noise level produces an increase in the noise level in the at least one second region.

[0009] In some embodiments, the increase in the noise level sets the noise level to a predetermined maximum noise level.

[0010] In some embodiments, the predetermined maximum noise level is associated with at least one of an industry standard and a regulatory policy.

[0011] In some embodiments, the resultant adjustment of the noise level produces a reduction in the noise level in the at least one second region.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least one second area includes substantially the entire vehicle excluding the first area.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least one second area comprises a portion of the vehicle that is different from the first area.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first area includes a vicinity of a group of seats within a vehicle.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first area includes a vicinity of an entertainment device within a vehicle.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first area includes the vicinity of a rest area within a vehicle.

[0017] In some embodiments, obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining, from the personal electronic device, an indication of a location of the personal electronic device within the vehicle, wherein the first area includes at least the location.

[0018] In some embodiments, the indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to user input.

[0019] In some embodiments, the indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to the personal electronic device detecting a change in the location of the personal electronic device.

[0020] In some embodiments, a change in position of the personal electronic device is detected by sensing movement of a user of the personal electronic device.

[0021] In some embodiments, obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining an indication of the first area from a noise detection system of the vehicle based on sounds generated by passengers of the vehicle and detected by the noise detection system.

[0022] In some embodiments, obtaining noise reduction criteria includes obtaining noise reduction criteria in response to the occurrence of an event within a vehicle, wherein the event is one of: activation of an entertainment device within the vehicle, activation of a lighting system within the vehicle, activation of a climate control system within the vehicle, and entry of a passenger of the vehicle into a space within the vehicle.

[0023] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicates a location within a vehicle where an occupant of the vehicle is present.

[0024] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicate locations within a vehicle at which passengers of the vehicle are expected to be present.

[0025] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicates an operational status of an entertainment device of the vehicle.

[0026] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicates a time of day.

[0027] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria specifies at least one of: the first region, the at least one second region, an amount of noise reduction to be performed in the first region, and a type of adjustment to be used for synthesis in the at least one second noise reduction level.

[0028] In some embodiments, controlling a noise reduction system of a vehicle includes adjusting a weighting factor of a noise reduction algorithm governing the noise reduction system based on a noise reduction criterion.

[0029] In some embodiments, controlling a noise reduction system of a vehicle includes adjusting operation of at least one of an active noise reduction system and an engine synchrophasing module.

[0030] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria specifies the pitch of the noise to be reduced.

[0031] According to another aspect, a system for performing noise reduction in a vehicle is provided, the vehicle including a plurality of zones. The system includes: a noise reduction system capable of performing noise reduction in each of the plurality of zones, a processing unit communicatively coupled to the noise reduction system and configured to control its operation, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon. The instructions, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to perform: obtaining a noise reduction criterion for the vehicle; determining a first zone of the plurality of zones to be subjected to noise reduction based on the noise reduction criterion; and controlling the noise reduction system to perform noise reduction in the first zone, wherein performing noise reduction in the first zone causes the noise reduction system to perform a synthetic adjustment of the noise level in at least a second zone of the plurality of zones.

[0032] In some embodiments, performing noise reduction in a first region results in an increased noise level in at least one second region.

[0033] In some embodiments, the resultant adjustment of the noise level produces an increase in the noise level in the at least one second region.

[0034] In some embodiments, the increase in the noise level sets the noise level to a predetermined maximum noise level.

[0035] In some embodiments, the predetermined maximum noise level is associated with at least one of an industry standard and a regulatory policy.

[0036] In some embodiments, the resultant adjustment of the noise level produces a reduction in the noise level in the at least one second region.

[0037] In some embodiments, the at least one second zone includes substantially the entire vehicle excluding the first area.

[0038] In some embodiments, the at least one second area comprises a portion of the vehicle that is different from the first area.

[0039] In some embodiments, the first area includes a vicinity of a group of seats within a vehicle.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first area includes a vicinity of an entertainment device within a vehicle.

[0041] In some embodiments, the first area includes the vicinity of a rest area within a vehicle.

[0042] In some embodiments, obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining, from the personal electronic device, an indication of a location of the personal electronic device within the vehicle, wherein the first area includes at least the location.

[0043] In some embodiments, the indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to user input.

[0044] In some embodiments, the indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to the personal electronic device detecting a change in the location of the personal electronic device.

[0045] In some embodiments, a change in position of the personal electronic device is detected by sensing movement of a user of the personal electronic device.

[0046] In some embodiments, obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining an indication of the first area from a noise detection system of the vehicle based on sounds generated by passengers of the vehicle and detected by the noise detection system.

[0047] In some embodiments, obtaining noise reduction criteria includes obtaining noise reduction criteria in response to the occurrence of an event within a vehicle, wherein the event is one of: activation of an entertainment device within the vehicle, activation of a lighting system within the vehicle, activation of a climate control system within the vehicle, and entry of a passenger of the vehicle into a space within the vehicle.

[0048] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicates a location within a vehicle where an occupant of the vehicle is present.

[0049] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicate locations within a vehicle at which passengers of the vehicle are expected to be present.

[0050] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicates an operational status of an entertainment device of the vehicle.

[0051] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria indicates a time of day.

[0052] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria specifies at least one of: the first region, the at least one second region, an amount of noise reduction to be performed in the first region, and a type of adjustment to be used for synthesis in the at least one second noise reduction level.

[0053] In some embodiments, controlling a noise reduction system of a vehicle includes adjusting a weighting factor of a noise reduction algorithm governing the noise reduction system based on a noise reduction criterion.

[0054] In some embodiments, controlling a noise reduction system of a vehicle includes adjusting operation of at least one of an active noise reduction system and an engine synchrophasing module.

[0055] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria specifies the pitch of the noise to be reduced.

[0056] Features of the systems, devices, and methods described herein may be used in various combinations, and may also be used in various combinations on systems and computer-readable storage media. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] Other features and advantages of the embodiments described herein will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0058] Figure 1 is a diagram of an example aircraft;

[0059] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A diagram of a top cross-sectional view of a cabin of an example aircraft;

[0060] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A block diagram of an example implementation of a noise reduction system for an aircraft cabin;

[0061] Figure 4 It is used to implement Figure 3 a block diagram of an example computing system of one or more elements; and

[0062] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example method for performing noise reduction in a vehicle.

[0063] It will be noted that throughout the drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] refer to Figure 1 , illustrates an aircraft 100 having a fuselage 110, a pair of wings 140 (or more), engines 150, and a tail 160. The aircraft 100 may be any suitable aircraft, such as a corporate, private, commercial, or any other type of aircraft. For example, the aircraft 100 may be a narrow-body twin-engine jetliner. The aircraft 100 may be a fixed-wing aircraft or a rotary-wing aircraft. The fuselage 110 has a cockpit 120, which may be located at any suitable location on the aircraft 100, for example, at the front of the fuselage 110. The cockpit 120 is configured to accommodate one or more pilots, who control the aircraft 100 through one or more operator controls. The operator controls may include any suitable number of pedals, yokes, steering wheels, center sticks, flight sticks, joysticks, knobs, switches, computer-based inputs, and the like. Although two engines 150 are illustrated, it should be understood that the aircraft 100 may have any suitable number of engines, which may include turbojets, turbofans, turboprops, and the like.

[0065] It should be further noted that, although the above discussion has primarily focused on implementations related to aircraft, the techniques described herein may be applied to a variety of other vehicles, including cars, trucks, ships, trains, subways, cable cars, trams, airships, etc. Furthermore, at least some of the techniques described herein may be applied to fixed structures and buildings, including houses, offices, factories, etc.

[0066] refer to Figure 2 The fuselage 110 of the aircraft may contain a cabin 112 for receiving one or more passengers. The cabin 112 may be arranged in any suitable manner: for example, the cabin 112 may be composed of various cabin areas and / or spaces. In addition, the cabin 112 may be provided with various seats, electronic and entertainment systems, a toilet, a kitchen, etc. For ease of discussion, the cabin 112 will be described as being composed of multiple areas. Figure 2 20, 230, 240, and 250. Each zone may be associated with a particular purpose or activity that a passenger may perform in that zone. It should be noted that the specific examples of zones 210-250 described herein are examples provided for illustrative purposes only, and various other types of zones may be considered. In addition, it should be understood that zones 210-250 may be changed dynamically at appropriate times in response to appropriate triggers, or according to other rules and / or conditions, as described in more detail below.

[0067] exist Figure 2In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , the cabin 112 is divided into five areas: a seating area 210, a viewing area 220, a kitchen area 230, a conference area 240, and a rest area 250. The seating area 210 is provided with one or more seats 212 that can be placed in any suitable manner. The viewing area 220 is provided with one or more seats 222 and an entertainment device 224. The entertainment device 224 can be a television, a projector, or other suitable screen, and can optionally include a speaker or other sound generating device, one or more media sources, etc. The kitchen area 230 can be equipped with various utensils for food production, and can include a food preparation area 232. The conference area 240 can be provided with one or more seats 242 and an entertainment device 244 that can be substantially similar to the entertainment device 224, or any other suitable type of entertainment device, and a conference table 246. The rest area 250 can be provided with a seat 252 and a lighting device 254, and the seat 252 can be a reclining or lying seat. It should be further noted that each of the zones 210-250 may include or share one or more lighting systems, one or more heating, ventilation and climate control systems, one or more public address (PA) systems, etc. It should also be noted that Figure 2 Not necessarily to scale.

[0068] In some embodiments, the arrangement of seats 212, 222, 242, 252 in various regions can be dynamically adjusted as appropriate. For example, each of regions 210, 220, 240, 250 is configured to take one of a variety of seat configurations, which may include more than one seat configuration. Figure 2 In some embodiments, the position or orientation of the entertainment devices 224, 244 may be dynamically adjustable. Alternatively or additionally, the type of entertainment devices present in the areas 220, 240 may be dynamically adjustable. Other modifications to the cabin 112 and to the areas 210-250 are contemplated.

[0069] The aircraft 100 is additionally provided with a noise reduction (NR) system 202. Although illustrated herein as being contained within the cabin 112, it should be understood that the NR system 202 may be located outside the cabin 112, such as in other parts of the aircraft, or in any suitable combination of locations inside and outside the cabin 112, the NR system 202 being used to reduce the amount of noise present in the cabin 112 or in other parts of the aircraft (e.g., the cockpit 120). Noise may originate from many different sources, including the movement of the aircraft's engines 150, the flight surfaces on the wings 140 and / or the tail 160, and the air resistance experienced by the aircraft during a flight mission. Other noise sources are also contemplated, including hydraulic systems, electric motors, and other systems or components.

[0070] In some embodiments, the NR system 202 includes an active NR (ANR) system, which includes one or more speakers and one or more microphones. The ANR system additively cancels the sound waves in the cabin by canceling the sound waves in the cabin with auxiliary sound waves of equal size but opposite phase. The microphones can be placed around the cabin in any suitable arrangement and are configured to collect audio data indicating sound waves that traverse at least a portion of the cabin. The ANR system can then process the audio data, for example using a computing device, to determine appropriate reaction sound waves. Speakers that can be placed throughout the cabin in any suitable arrangement can then generate canceling sound waves to cancel the sound waves in the cabin. In some embodiments, the ANR system includes multiple local ANR systems that can work together to provide ANR for the cabin 112.

[0071] In some other embodiments, the NR system 202 includes a synchronous phasing module. As used herein, "synchronous phasing" refers to the practice of synchronizing the phases of the propellers or fan blades of an aircraft. Changing the phase difference between the engine propellers or fan blades will change the way the sound waves generated by the engines interact within the cabin. For example, changing the synchronous phasing of the propellers or fan blades can cause the sound waves generated by the first engine 150 in one part of the cabin to be additively canceled by the sound waves generated by the second engine 150 via destructive interference, and can cause the sound waves generated by the first and second engines 150 in another part of the cabin to be additively combined via constructive interference. Synchronous phasing technology can also be applied to other noise sources involving rotating machinery, including hydraulic pumps, generators, etc.

[0072] The NR system 202 may include any other suitable type of noise reduction device that may be combined with other technologies. In addition, it should be understood that the NR system 202 can be configured to implement any number of the above-mentioned NR technologies substantially simultaneously, continuously, or in any other suitable configuration.

[0073] In operation, the NR system 202 may be used to provide a "baseline" level of noise reduction, i.e., noise reduction is performed within the cabin 112 such that each zone within the cabin experiences substantially equal noise levels. For certain zones within the cabin 112, the "baseline" level of noise reduction may be improved by changing the operation of the noise reduction system 202. However, adjusting the operation of the noise reduction system 202 to improve noise reduction in one zone may result in increased noise levels elsewhere within the cabin 112. Thus, the "baseline" level of noise reduction provides an overall approach to reducing noise within the cabin 112 such that all zones within the cabin 112 are affected by comparable noise levels.

[0074] The baseline level of noise reduction provided by the NR system 202 may be sufficient to meet regulatory standards for acceptable noise levels within the cabin 112. Alternatively or additionally, the baseline level of noise reduction provided by the NR system 202 may reduce the noise in the cabin 112 to a level low enough to provide a predetermined level of comfort for passengers of the aircraft 100. For example, the NR system 202 may reduce the noise in the cabin 112 to a level below a predetermined threshold, such as 80 dB, 70 dB, 60 dB, etc. However, providing a baseline level of noise reduction may still result in passengers feeling uncomfortable with the noise level present in the cabin 112.

[0075] Thus, the NR system 202 is configured to provide a baseline level of noise reduction within the cabin 212. In addition, the NR system 202 may be configured to reduce noise within the cabin 212 on an adjustable, zone-by-zone basis. In other words, the noise reduction of the NR system 202 may be controlled to perform noise reduction in one or more of the zones 210-250, such as to adjust relative to the baseline noise, such as to improve the amount of noise reduction in one of the zones 210-250, which will in turn have an effect on the noise reduction levels in the other zones 210-250. For example, the NR system 202 may be controlled to perform noise reduction in the viewing area 220 to minimize the noise level near the seats 222 and / or near the entertainment devices 224 in the viewing area 220. In another example, the NR system 202 may be controlled to perform noise reduction in a zone including the meeting area 240 and the rest area 250.

[0076] When changing the level of noise reduction in one or more of the zones 210-250, resultant changes in other zones in the zones 210-250 will inherently occur. For example, reducing the noise level in the conference zone 240 from a baseline level of noise reduction may result in an increase in the noise level in the viewing zone 220. The adjusted noise level in the conference zone 240 is lower than the noise level in the conference zone when the NR system 202 performs the baseline level of noise reduction; conversely, the resultant adjustment of the noise reduction in the viewing zone 220 may result in a noise level that is higher than the noise level in the viewing zone when the NR system 202 performs the baseline level of noise reduction.

[0077] As discussed, performing noise reduction in selected areas of the areas 210-250 may result in the NR system 202 making a synthetic adjustment to the noise level of one or more areas of the remaining areas 210-250. For example, due to the inherent operation of the NR system 202, performing noise reduction in the viewing area 220 may increase the noise level in the kitchen area 230. In some cases, the NR system 202 may evaluate the synthetic adjustment in the remaining areas and perform noise reduction in the selected areas accordingly. For example, industry standards and / or regulatory policies may specify the maximum allowable noise level within the aircraft. The NR system may perform noise reduction in the selected areas so that the synthetic adjustment of the noise level in the remaining areas does not exceed a predetermined maximum noise level established, for example, by industry standards and / or regulatory policies. In some other cases, the synthetic adjustment of the noise level results in a reduction in the noise level of some areas of the remaining areas, while other areas of the remaining areas experience an increase in the noise level. It should be noted that in some cases, the remaining areas may cover substantially the entire cabin 112 or aircraft 100 except for the selected areas.

[0078] refer to Figure 3 In operation, the NR system 202 obtains noise reduction criteria from one of a plurality of potential sources including a personal electronic device (PED) 310, a noise detection system 320, and / or an aircraft system 330, the noise detection system 320 being able to detect certain non-aircraft sounds, including human voices, footsteps, etc., as well as noise generated by the aircraft 100. The noise reduction criteria provides information about at least one of the zones 210-250 in which noise reduction should be performed. The noise reduction criteria may be obtained in a variety of ways and may include a variety of additional information.

[0079] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria may be passenger location information obtained from the PED 310. The PED 310 may be, for example, a smartphone, a feature phone, a cell phone, a wearable smart device (e.g., a smart watch), a personal digital assistant, a laptop, a tablet, a phablet, or other similar personal computer. The PED 310 may belong to a passenger on the aircraft 100, or may be associated with the aircraft 100. For example, the PED 310 is permanently or temporarily installed in the aircraft 100 and used by the passenger during their time within the aircraft 100: for example, the PED may be a wristband, an access card, or other similar device that the passenger may carry with them. The PED 310 may provide the noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202 using any suitable wired or wireless medium. In some embodiments, the NR system 202 communicates with the NR system 202 via Wi-Fi, (Bluetooth) or via any other suitable wireless communication protocol to receive the noise reduction criteria. In other embodiments, the NR system 202 receives the noise reduction criteria via (Thunderbolt), Ethernet, or any other suitable wired communication protocol to receive noise reduction criteria.

[0080] In some other embodiments, the noise reduction criteria may be obtained from other systems within the aircraft 100. In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria are obtained from a noise detection system 320, which is configured to detect noises unrelated to the aircraft within the cabin 112, including voices, footsteps, etc. The noise detection system 320 may be composed of a plurality of microphones and / or accelerometers, which are placed throughout the cabin 112 and / or other locations within the aircraft 100. The noise detection system 320 may detect the presence of noise within the aircraft 100 and provide the noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202. For example, the noise detection system 320 may be configured to detect noises generated by passengers of the aircraft 100, including voices, footsteps, etc., and may identify one of the regions 210-250 as a selected region in which noise reduction should be performed. The noise detection system 320 may then send the noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202. Alternatively or in addition, the noise detection system 320 may detect the absence of noise generated by passengers of the aircraft 100 and provide the NR system 202 with noise reduction criteria indicating which areas may constitute the remaining areas and instruct the NR system 202 to perform noise reduction in the other areas constituting the selected areas. For example, if no noise is detected in the areas 220-250, the noise detection system 320 may provide the NR system 202 with noise reduction criteria indicating that noise reduction should be performed in the seating area 210 and that the areas 220-250 constitute the remaining areas. Still alternatively, the noise detection system 320 may issue noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202 at a specific time of the day after detecting the absence of noise generated by passengers of the aircraft 100 in one area. For example, at a time of the day during which passengers may be sleeping, the absence of noise in the rest area 250 may indicate that passengers are present in the rest area 250. As a result, the noise detection system 320 may issue noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202, indicating that noise reduction should be performed in the rest area 250.

[0081] In another example, the noise reduction criteria may be obtained from aircraft systems 330 of aircraft 100. Aircraft systems 330 may be configured to monitor the operation of various systems within aircraft 100 and may provide noise reduction criteria to NR system 202 based on events occurring within aircraft 100. Still other methods for obtaining noise reduction criteria are contemplated.

[0082] The noise reduction criteria may provide various information to the NR system 202 depending on the device communicating the noise reduction criteria and the nature of the noise reduction to be performed. In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria may be provided by the PED 310 described above. As part of the noise reduction criteria, the PED 310 may provide an indication of the location within the cabin 112 where the PED 310 is located. The PED 310 may detect its location in any suitable manner, such as by using GPS, by monitoring multiple WiFi, The noise reduction criteria may be triangulated using a network beacon, or in any other suitable manner. In some cases, the noise reduction criteria include an absolute location of the PED 310, and in other cases, the location of the PED 310 is based on a reference point within the aircraft 100. In other cases, the noise reduction criteria may indicate one of the spaces or regions 210-250 in which the PED 310 is located. Other approaches are also contemplated.

[0083] In some embodiments, the PED 310 may provide noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202 in response to user input from a passenger using the PED 310. For example, a passenger may indicate via the PED 310 that noise reduction should be performed in a particular area of ​​the zones 210-250 (e.g., the rest area 250). In response to the user input, the PED 310 may issue the noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202. In other cases, the PED 310 may automatically detect a change in the position of the PED 310, such as by sensing the movement of a passenger using the PED 310, or based on the known location of network beacons within the cabin 112. The PED 310 may be configured to provide noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202 in response to any suitable sensed movement or change in the position of the PED 310.

[0084] In some embodiments, PED 310 is also configured to provide information to NR system 202 for modifying the layout of zones 210-250. For example, a passenger may indicate via the PED that zones 210 and 220 should be combined into a single zone. In another example, a passenger may indicate via the PED that zone 210 should be subdivided into two smaller zones. Consider yet other examples.

[0085] In some other embodiments, noise reduction criteria may be provided to the NR system 202 based on the occurrence of an event within the aircraft 100 detected, for example, by the aircraft system 330. The aircraft system 330 may include various subsystems associated with different functions available on the aircraft 100. For example, the aircraft system 330 includes a cabin management subsystem that monitors the use of in-flight entertainment devices (such as the entertainment devices 224, 244). In another example, the aircraft system 330 includes a flight management subsystem that monitors the flight phase, time of day, etc. In a further example, the aircraft system 330 includes an avionics subsystem that monitors changes in the operation of the engines 150 of the aircraft 100. The aircraft system 330 may issue noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202 based on the monitoring.

[0086] In one example, aircraft system 330 can detect activation of an entertainment device within the aircraft, or a change in a setting of an entertainment device, such as one of entertainment devices 224, 244. The change in setting can include adjusting the volume, activating or deactivating a mute setting, starting, pausing, or ending playback of media content, or any other suitable setting.

[0087] In another example, aircraft system 330 may detect an event related to a change in a lighting system within cabin 112. A change in the lighting control system may include activating a light within one of zones 210-250, adjusting a brightness or color setting of a light within one of zones 210-250, or any other suitable event. In a further example, aircraft system 330 may detect an event related to a change in a climate control system within cabin 112. A change in the climate control system may include a change in a temperature or airflow setting for one of zones 210-250.

[0088] Still other types of events are contemplated. For example, the aircraft system 330 may detect the movement of passengers within the cabin 112, such as via any suitable type of movement detection system. The aircraft system 330 may use the detected movement of passengers to generate noise reduction criteria, which may then be provided to the NR system 202. For example, the aircraft system 330 may detect a passenger entering a space, which may substantially correspond to one of the zones 210-250, and the noise reduction criteria may select the corresponding zone as the zone in which noise reduction should be performed. In another example, the avionics may be preprogrammed to issue noise reduction criteria at a predetermined time of day or based on preset conditions. For example, the noise reduction criteria may be issued by the PED 310 based on an activity plan for one or more passengers stored on the PED 310. Certain planned activities may be associated with preset conditions: a calendar entry indicating a meeting may be associated with a "meeting time" preset condition, which will cause noise reduction to be performed in the meeting area 240. In another example, a calendar entry indicating a date night or family time may be associated with a "movie time" preset condition, which causes noise reduction to be performed in the viewing area 220. Still other approaches are contemplated.

[0089] Other time-based events are also contemplated. For example, the aircraft system 330 may issue noise reduction criteria based on the flight time for the ongoing mission of the aircraft 100. A short-haul mission may indicate that passengers are likely to be present in the seating area 210 and / or the viewing area 220, so noise reduction criteria may be provided to the NR system 202 to perform noise reduction in the areas 210, 220. In another example, noise reduction criteria may be issued based on the flight phase of the mission: during takeoff, noise reduction criteria may be issued to perform noise reduction in the seating area 210, and once the cruising altitude and speed are reached, noise reduction criteria may be issued to perform noise reduction in the viewing area 220.

[0090] In this manner, any of the PED 310, the noise detection system 320, and the aircraft system 330 can provide noise reduction criteria to the NR system 202 based on any suitable information. The noise reduction criteria can be based on the location of the passengers present or expected to be present in the cabin 112. For example, and with additional reference to Figure 2 , the aircraft system 330 may detect that the entertainment device 224 has been activated, but no passenger is present in the area 220. However, the activation of the entertainment device 224 may signal that a passenger is about to be present in the area 220, and the aircraft system 330 may preemptively provide the noise reduction system 202 with noise reduction criteria in anticipation of the passenger's presence in the area 220.

[0091] In some embodiments, the NR system 202 implements one or more artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms based on the usage patterns of the different areas 210-250 of the cabin 112 and the various elements disposed in the cabin to generate the noise reduction criteria 112. For example, when the aircraft 100 is scheduled to fly a particular route, the AI ​​algorithm may identify that passengers are often present in the meeting area 240. In response to subsequent scheduling of the particular route, the AI ​​algorithm may cause the NR system 202 to follow the noise reduction criteria, which specifies the meeting area 240 as an area for which noise reduction should be performed. In another example, the AI ​​algorithm may identify that passengers are often present in the rest area 250 at a particular time, such as at night (based on any suitable time zone). In response to the aircraft 100 being used for nighttime flights, the AI ​​algorithm may cause the NR system 202 to follow the noise reduction criteria, which specifies the sleeping area 250 as an area for which noise reduction should be performed after nightfall.

[0092] The AI ​​algorithm may be used as a backup if certain sensors or other information gathering devices within the cabin 112 fail. For example, if a motion detector within the cabin 112 fails, the AI ​​algorithm may be used to predict where passengers may be located within the cabin 112. Alternatively or additionally, the AI ​​algorithm may generate certain noise reduction criteria based on the usage pattern of the NR system 202, and these noise reduction criteria may be validated based on other information obtained by the PED 310, the noise detection system 320, and / or the aircraft system 330.

[0093] In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria may additionally indicate which type of synthetic adjustment should occur for one or more of the remaining areas. For example, the noise reduction criteria indicate that the synthetic adjustment in one or more of the remaining areas should cause the noise level to increase to a predetermined maximum value, for example, based on regulatory standards. In another example, the noise reduction criteria indicate that the synthetic adjustment in the remaining areas should maintain the baseline noise reduction level for certain areas in the remaining areas as much as possible. In a further example, the noise reduction criteria indicate that the synthetic adjustment in the remaining areas should cause the noise to increase to a predetermined level. In other embodiments, the noise reduction criteria do not specify what effect the synthetic changes should have on the remaining areas, and the NR system 202 can implement noise reduction on the selected area in any suitable manner.

[0094] Continue to refer Figure 2 and 3Once the noise reduction criteria are obtained at the NR system 202, the NR system 202 is configured to determine one of the areas 210-250 in which noise reduction should be performed based on the noise reduction criteria. In some cases, the noise reduction criteria may specify one of the areas 210-250. In other cases, the NR system 202 interprets the noise reduction criteria to determine in which area of ​​the areas 210-250 noise reduction should be performed. For example, if the noise reduction criteria indicates that there are passengers in area 220, the NR system 202 determines that noise reduction should be performed in area 220. In another example, if the noise reduction criteria indicates that there are passengers expected in area 240, the NR system 202 determines that noise reduction should be performed in area 240.

[0095] Once the NR system 202 has determined in which of the regions 210-250 to perform noise reduction, the operation of the NR system 202 may be controlled to perform noise reduction in the determined region. Performing noise reduction may include adjusting the response of the NR system 202 so that the noise level in the determined region reaches an optimal level, as determined by feedback from the noise detection system 320. Alternatively, the noise level in the determined region may be adjusted to a predetermined level, or a specified level indicated, for example, by a noise reduction criterion. Alternatively or in addition, performing noise reduction may include adjusting the response of the NR system 202 so that the resultant adjustment in one or more of the remaining regions matches certain predetermined criteria or criteria specified as part of the noise reduction criteria.

[0096] In some embodiments, the operation of the NR system 202 is controlled by one or more algorithms that weight the response of the NR system 202. For example, the algorithm can be used to weight the noise reduction contributions of different subsystems of the NR system 202 (e.g., the ANR system and the synchronous phasing module). Alternatively or in addition, the algorithm can be used to estimate the synthetic adjustment in the remaining areas 210-250, and the response of the NR system 202 can be based on the algorithm so that the synthetic adjustment in the remaining areas 210-250 matches the required adjustment indicated in the noise reduction criteria. Alternatively, noise reduction in the selected area can be selected based on sensing and response feedback from microphones and / or accelerometers of the noise detection system 320 located in the selected area. In some embodiments, the algorithm includes one or more machine learning algorithms that can be used to estimate or model the response of the NR system 202 and assist in setting operating parameters for the NR system 202. Other methods are also considered.

[0097] In some embodiments, different noise generating factors of the aircraft—engines 150, movement of flight surfaces on wings 140 and / or tail 160, air resistance experienced by aircraft 100, hydraulic systems, electric motors, etc.—generate noise having different pitches (i.e., different frequencies). NR system 202 may be configured to obtain a noise reduction criterion that specifies a particular pitch of noise to be reduced in one of regions 210-250, and NR system 202 may perform pitch-based noise reduction depending on the requirements specified in the noise reduction criterion.

[0098] For example, certain flight phases may be associated with an increase in noise of a particular pitch: takeoff, approach, and landing may cause increased noise from the hydraulic system of the aircraft 100, while the engine 150 may generate increased noise during the cruise portion of the flight mission. The NR system 202 may be configured to use the flight phase to adjust the noise reduction in one of the zones 210-250 based on the type of noise generated during certain flight phases. In addition, certain areas of the zones 210-250 may be more prone to noise with a particular pitch than other areas. For example, the seating area 210 and the viewing area 220 in the middle of the cabin 212 may be subjected to more noise from the hydraulic system; conversely, the meeting area 240 and the rest area 250 in the rear of the cabin 212 may be subjected to more noise from the engine 150. The hydraulic system and the engine 150 may generate noise of different pitches, and when performing noise reduction, the NR system 202 may take into account the pitch of the noise experienced by each zone 210-250. For example, when noise reduction is performed in the seating area 210, the response of the NR system 202 may be tuned differently than when noise reduction is performed in the meeting area 240 to account for differences in the noise tone in each area.

[0099] refer to Figure 4 , at least a portion of the NR system 202 may be implemented using a computing device 410. The computing device 410 includes a processing unit 412 and a memory 414 in which computer executable instructions 416 are stored. The processing unit 412 may include any suitable device configured to cause a series of steps to be performed, thereby implementing at least a portion of the functionality of the NR system 202. For example, the instructions 416, when executed by the computing device 410 or other programmable device, may cause the functions / actions / steps specified in the present disclosure to be performed. The processing unit 412 may include, for example, any type of general-purpose microprocessor or microcontroller, a digital signal processing (DSP) processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a reconfigurable processor, other appropriately programmed or programmable logic circuits, or any combination thereof.

[0100] The memory 414 may include any suitable known or other machine-readable storage medium. The memory 414 may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, including, for example, but not limited to, an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device or apparatus, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. The memory 414 may include any type of computer memory located inside or outside the device, such as a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a compact disk read-only memory (CDROM), an electro-optical memory, a magneto-optical memory, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), etc. The memory 414 may include any storage device (e.g., a device) suitable for retrievably storing computer-executable instructions 416 that can be executed by the processing unit 412.

[0101] refer to Figure 5 , a method 500 for performing noise reduction in a vehicle (e.g., an aircraft 100) is provided, the vehicle being divided into or comprising a plurality of zones, e.g., Figure 2 Schematically, areas 210 - 250 of the cabin 112 are shown.

[0102] At step 502, noise reduction criteria for a vehicle are obtained. The noise reduction criteria may specify the area in which noise reduction is to be performed. In some embodiments, the noise reduction criteria may further specify the desired noise level, and details about the synthetic changes in the remaining areas, including the type of noise changes, the synthetic noise level, etc.

[0103] At step 504, a first of the plurality of zones in which noise reduction is to be performed is determined based on the noise reduction criteria. In embodiments where the noise reduction criteria includes an indication of the first zone, the first zone may be determined from the noise reduction criteria itself. In embodiments where the noise reduction criteria includes other information, such as zones in which passengers are present or expected to be present, the first zone may be determined based on the other information provided as part of the noise reduction criteria.

[0104] At step 506, a noise reduction system, such as NR system 202, is controlled to perform noise reduction in the first zone. By performing noise reduction in the first zone, NR system 202 makes a synthetic adjustment of the noise level in at least a second zone of the plurality of zones. The synthetic adjustment occurs as an inherent side effect of the noise reduction adjustment performed for the first zone: because the behavior of NR system 202 is adjusted to perform noise reduction in the first zone, the level of noise reduction performed in the remaining zones is also affected.

[0105] The methods and systems described herein for performing noise reduction in a vehicle may be implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming or scripting language or a combination thereof to communicate with or assist in the operation of a computer system such as a computing device 410. Alternatively, the methods and systems described herein may be implemented in assembly or machine language. The language may be a compiled or interpreted language. Program code for implementing the methods and systems described herein may be stored on a storage medium or device, such as a ROM, a disk, an optical disk, a flash drive, or any other suitable storage medium or device. The program code may be readable by a general or special programmable computer to configure and operate the computer when the computer reads the storage medium or device to perform the process described herein. The embodiments of the methods and systems described herein may also be considered to be implemented by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon. The computer program may include computer-readable instructions that cause a computer (or more specifically at least one processing unit 412 of a computer 410) to operate in a specific and predefined manner to perform the functions described herein.

[0106] Computer executable instructions can have many forms, including program modules that are executed by one or more computers or other devices. Typically, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific tasks or implement specific data types. Typically, in various embodiments, the functionality of program modules can be combined or distributed as needed.

[0107] Various aspects of the methods and systems disclosed herein, and vehicles, such as aircraft, that themselves implement various aspects of the methods and systems disclosed herein, may be used individually, in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically discussed in the previously described embodiments, and therefore their application is not limited to the details and arrangements of the components set forth in the previous description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments. Although specific embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of the invention. The scope of the appended claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the entire specification.

Claims

1. A method for performing noise reduction in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a noise reduction system and a plurality of zones, the method comprising: Obtaining a noise reduction criterion for the vehicle; Based on the noise reduction criterion, determining a first area among the multiple areas where noise reduction is to be performed; as well as The noise reduction system is controlled to perform noise reduction in the first area, wherein performing noise reduction in the first area causes the noise reduction system to perform a composite adjustment of noise levels in at least a second area of ​​the plurality of areas.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Performing noise reduction in the first region results in an increased noise level in the at least one second region.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The resultant adjustment of the noise level produces an increase in the noise level in the at least one second region.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The resultant adjustment of the noise level produces a reduction in the noise level in the at least one second region.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The at least one second area includes substantially the entire vehicle excluding the first area.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The at least one second area comprises a portion of the vehicle that is different from the first area.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The first area includes a vicinity of a group of seats in the vehicle.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The first area includes the vicinity of entertainment equipment in the vehicle.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The first area includes the vicinity of a rest area in the vehicle.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: Obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining, from a personal electronic device, an indication of a location of the personal electronic device within the vehicle, wherein the first area includes at least the location.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to user input.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to the personal electronic device detecting a change in the location of the personal electronic device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: A change in position of the personal electronic device is detected by sensing movement of a user of the personal electronic device.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: Obtaining the noise reduction criterion includes obtaining an indication of the first area from a noise detection system of the vehicle based on sounds generated by passengers of the vehicle and detected by the noise detection system.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: Obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining the noise reduction criteria in response to the occurrence of an event within the vehicle, wherein the event is one of the following events: activation of an entertainment device within the vehicle, activation of a lighting system within the vehicle, activation of a climate control system within the vehicle, and entry of a passenger of the vehicle into a space within the vehicle.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The noise reduction criteria is indicative of a location within the vehicle at which an occupant of the vehicle is present.

17. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The noise reduction criteria are indicative of locations within the vehicle at which occupants of the vehicle are expected to be present.

18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The noise reduction criteria is indicative of an operational status of an entertainment device of the vehicle.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The noise reduction criterion is indicative of a time of day.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The noise reduction criteria specifies at least one of: the first region, the at least one second region, an amount of noise reduction to be performed in the first region, and a type of adjustment to be used for the synthesis in the at least one second noise reduction level.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Controlling the noise reduction system of the vehicle includes adjusting a weighting factor governing a noise reduction algorithm of the noise reduction system based on the noise reduction criterion.

22. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: Controlling the noise reduction system of the vehicle includes regulating operation of at least one of an active noise reduction system and an engine synchrophasing module.

23. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein: The noise reduction criterion specifies the tonality of the noise to be reduced.

24. A system for performing noise reduction in a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a plurality of zones, the system comprising: a noise reduction system capable of performing noise reduction in each of the plurality of zones; a processing unit communicatively coupled to the noise reduction system and configured to control operation of the noise reduction system; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to: Obtaining a noise reduction criterion for the vehicle; Based on the noise reduction criterion, determining a first area among the multiple areas where noise reduction is to be performed; as well as The noise reduction system is controlled to perform noise reduction in the first area, wherein performing noise reduction in the first area causes the noise reduction system to perform a composite adjustment of noise levels in at least a second area of ​​the plurality of areas.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein: Performing noise reduction in the first region results in an increase in the noise level of the at least one second region.

26. A system according to claim 24 or 25, wherein: The resultant adjustment of the noise level produces an increase in the noise level in the at least one second region.

27. The system of claim 24 or 25, wherein: The resultant adjustment of the noise level produces a reduction in the noise level in the at least one second region.

28. A system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The at least one second area includes substantially the entire vehicle excluding the first area.

29. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The at least one second area comprises a portion of the vehicle that is different from the first area.

30. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The first area includes a vicinity of a group of seats in the vehicle.

31. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The first area includes the vicinity of entertainment equipment in the vehicle.

32. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The first area includes the vicinity of a rest area in the vehicle.

33. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: Obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining, from a personal electronic device, an indication of a location of the personal electronic device within the vehicle, wherein the first area includes at least the location.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein: The indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to user input.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein: The indication is issued by the personal electronic device in response to the personal electronic device detecting a change in the location of the personal electronic device.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein: A change in position of the personal electronic device is detected by sensing movement of a user of the personal electronic device.

37. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: Obtaining the noise reduction criterion includes obtaining an indication of the first area from a noise detection system of the vehicle based on sounds generated by passengers of the vehicle and detected by the noise detection system.

38. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: Obtaining the noise reduction criteria includes obtaining the noise reduction criteria in response to the occurrence of an event within the vehicle, wherein the event is one of the following events: activation of an entertainment device within the vehicle, activation of a lighting system within the vehicle, activation of a climate control system within the vehicle, and entry of a passenger of the vehicle into a space within the vehicle.

39. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The noise reduction criteria is indicative of a location within the vehicle at which an occupant of the vehicle is present.

40. The system of any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The noise reduction criteria are indicative of locations within the vehicle at which occupants of the vehicle are expected to be present.

41. The system of any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The noise reduction criteria is indicative of an operational status of an entertainment device of the vehicle.

42. The system of any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The noise reduction criterion is indicative of a time of day.

43. The system according to any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The noise reduction criteria specifies at least one of: the first region, the at least one second region, an amount of noise reduction to be performed in the first region, and a type of adjustment to be used for the synthesis in the at least one second noise reduction level.

44. The system of claim 24, wherein: Controlling the noise reduction system of the vehicle includes adjusting a weighting factor governing a noise reduction algorithm of the noise reduction system based on the noise reduction criterion.

45. The system of any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: Controlling the noise reduction system of the vehicle includes regulating operation of at least one of an active noise reduction system and an engine synchrophasing module.

46. ​​The system of any one of claims 24 to 25, wherein: The noise reduction criterion specifies the tonality of the noise to be reduced.

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