Audio processing apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides an audio processing device, comprising: a volume measuring circuit configured to generate a plurality of volume values, wherein the plurality of volume values respectively correspond to a sound size emitted by an audio playing device at a plurality of time points or a sound size received by a microphone at a plurality of time points; a sound dose calculating circuit coupled to the volume measuring circuit and configured to generate a sound dose value corresponding to a measuring period according to the plurality of volume values and a content of a weight table; a control circuit coupled to the sound dose calculating circuit and configured to compare the sound dose value with a dose threshold value to determine whether to generate a control signal; and an indication signal generating circuit coupled to the control circuit and configured to generate a corresponding indication signal according to the control signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to audio dose monitoring technology, and more particularly to an audio processing device that can dynamically switch the comparison benchmark for audio dose or dynamically adjust the calculation basis for audio dose. Background Technology

[0002] In daily life, at work, or during various forms of entertainment, our ears are constantly exposed to various sounds and noises. Numerous studies have shown that prolonged exposure to high-volume or noisy environments can have adverse effects on a person's psychological or physiological well-being. For example, it may cause symptoms such as tension, irritability, and / or difficulty concentrating; it may also lead to high blood pressure, temporary hearing loss, or even permanent hearing damage.

[0003] In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning that approximately 1.1 billion young people worldwide were at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe ear-use habits, primarily caused by frequent exposure to loud volumes from personal audio devices or visits to noisy entertainment venues. However, with modern people spending increasingly more time using various consumer electronics and audio-visual equipment, more and more people are unknowingly facing the risk of hearing loss. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, how to conveniently and effectively monitor the audio dose received by users is a problem that needs to be solved.

[0005] This specification provides an embodiment of an audio processing apparatus, comprising: an audio playback device for generating sound according to an audio setting signal; and a sound dose monitoring circuit, comprising: a volume measurement circuit configured to generate multiple volume values ​​corresponding to the sound volume emitted by the audio playback device at multiple time points according to the audio setting signal; a sound dose calculation circuit coupled to the volume measurement circuit, configured to generate a sound dose value corresponding to a measurement period according to the multiple volume values ​​and the contents of a weighting table; a control circuit coupled to the sound dose calculation circuit, configured to generate the audio setting signal and compare the sound dose value with a dose threshold to determine whether to generate a control signal; and an indication signal generation circuit coupled to the control circuit, configured to generate a corresponding indication signal according to the control signal.

[0006] This specification also provides an embodiment of an audio processing device, comprising: a microphone for receiving sound; and a sound dose monitoring circuit, comprising: a volume measurement circuit configured to generate a plurality of volume values ​​corresponding to the sound levels received by the microphone at a plurality of time points; a sound dose calculation circuit coupled to the volume measurement circuit, configured to generate a sound dose value corresponding to a measurement period based on the plurality of volume values ​​and the contents of a weighting table; a control circuit coupled to the sound dose calculation circuit, configured to compare the sound dose value with a dose threshold to determine whether to generate a control signal; and an indication signal generation circuit coupled to the control circuit, configured to generate a corresponding indication signal based on the control signal.

[0007] This specification also provides an embodiment of a sound dose monitoring circuit for an audio processing device, comprising: a volume measurement circuit configured to generate a plurality of volume values, wherein the plurality of volume values ​​respectively correspond to the sound volume emitted by an audio playback device at a plurality of time points, or the sound volume received by a microphone at a plurality of time points; a sound dose calculation circuit coupled to the volume measurement circuit, configured to generate a sound dose value corresponding to a measurement period based on the plurality of volume values ​​and the contents of a weighting table; a control circuit coupled to the sound dose calculation circuit, configured to compare the sound dose value with a dose threshold to determine whether to generate a control signal; and an indication signal generation circuit coupled to the control circuit, configured to generate a corresponding indication signal based on the control signal.

[0008] One advantage of the above embodiments is that the sound dose monitoring circuit can be integrated into various audio processing devices frequently used by the user, so as to measure and monitor the sound dose received by the user at any time. Another advantage of the above embodiments is that the sound dose monitoring circuit can automatically generate a relevant indication signal when the sound dose received by the user exceeds a predetermined standard.

[0009] Other advantages of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following description and figures. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a simplified functional block diagram of an audio processing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the weight table according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a simplified functional block diagram of an audio processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 4This is a simplified schematic diagram of the weight table according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the weight table according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the weight table according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the relevant drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or method flows.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a simplified functional block diagram of an audio processing device 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The audio processing device 100 includes a sound dosage monitoring circuit 110, an audio playback device 120, a main microphone 130, an in-ear microphone 140, and a prompting device 150. In this embodiment, the sound dosage monitoring circuit 110 includes a volume measurement circuit 111, a weight table storage circuit 112, a sound dosage calculation circuit 113, an indication signal generation circuit 114, a transmission circuit 115, and a control circuit 116.

[0018] In the audio processing device 100, the audio playback device 120 can be coupled to the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 via various wired or wireless transmission methods, and is configured to generate or play various sounds or music according to the control of an audio setting signal ACS generated by the sound dose monitoring circuit 110. In practice, the audio playback device 120 can be implemented using various electronic devices capable of generating sound, such as wired headphones, wireless headphones, wired speakers, wireless speakers, smart speakers, smart TVs, desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.

[0019] The main microphone 130 is coupled to the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 and is configured to receive sounds near the user to generate corresponding sound signals. The main microphone 130 can transmit the generated sound signals to the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 via various wired or wireless transmission methods. If the audio processing device 100 has a voice communication function, the main microphone 130 can be used as a voice input device for the user.

[0020] An in-ear microphone 140 is coupled to the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 and can be placed inside a user's ear canal. The in-ear microphone 140 is configured to receive sound entering the user's ear canal and generate a corresponding sound signal. Similarly, the in-ear microphone 140 can transmit the generated sound signal to the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 via various wired or wireless transmission methods.

[0021] In practice, both the main microphone 130 and the in-ear microphone 140 can be implemented using various sound receiving devices that can convert the received sound into analog or digital sound signals.

[0022] The prompting device 150 is coupled to the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 and is configured to generate appropriate prompting signals or information according to the control or instruction of the sound dose monitoring circuit 110. In practice, the prompting device 150 can be implemented using various electronic devices capable of generating prompting signals or information, such as buzzers, speakers, light-emitting devices, displays, mobile phones, desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or wearable devices, etc.

[0023] In the sound dose monitoring circuit 110, the volume measurement circuit 111 is coupled to the main microphone 130, the in-ear microphone 140, and the control circuit 116, and is configured to generate multiple volume values ​​SV, wherein the multiple volume values ​​SV correspond to the sound level emitted by the audio playback device 120 at multiple time points, the sound level received by the main microphone 130 at multiple time points, or the sound level received by the in-ear microphone 140 at multiple time points.

[0024] During operation, the volume measurement circuit 111 can receive the sound signal generated by the main microphone 130 through various wired or wireless transmission methods, and convert the sound signal generated by the main microphone 130 at different time points into multiple first volume values ​​corresponding to the sound level received by the main microphone 130 at different time points.

[0025] Similarly, the volume measurement circuit 111 can receive the sound signal generated by the in-ear microphone 140 through various wired or wireless transmission methods, and convert the sound signal generated by the in-ear microphone 140 at different time points into multiple second volume values ​​corresponding to the sound level received by the in-ear microphone 140 at different time points.

[0026] Furthermore, the volume of the sound produced by the audio playback device 120 depends on the audio setting signal ACS generated by the control circuit 116. Therefore, the volume measurement circuit 111 can also convert the audio setting signal ACS generated by the control circuit 116 at different times into multiple third volume values ​​corresponding to the volume of the sound emitted by the audio playback device 120 at different times.

[0027] In one embodiment, the volume measurement circuit 111 may determine the basis for calculating the volume value SV based on a signal source pre-selected by the manufacturer or user of the sound dose monitoring circuit 110.

[0028] For example, if the pre-selected signal source is the audio playback device 120, the volume measurement circuit 111 can use the aforementioned plurality of third volume values ​​as multiple volume values ​​SV corresponding to different sampling time points. As another example, if the pre-selected signal source is the main microphone 130, the volume measurement circuit 111 can use the aforementioned plurality of first volume values ​​as multiple volume values ​​SV corresponding to different sampling time points. As yet another example, if the pre-selected signal source is the in-ear microphone 140, the volume measurement circuit 111 can use the aforementioned plurality of second volume values ​​as multiple volume values ​​SV corresponding to different sampling time points.

[0029] In another embodiment, the volume measurement circuit 111 can compare the magnitudes of a first volume value, a second volume value, and a third volume value corresponding to the same sampling time point, and dynamically switch the basis for generating the volume value SV based on the comparison result.

[0030] For example, if at a first sampling time point, the first volume value is greater than both the second and third volume values, then the volume measurement circuit 111 can use the first volume value as a volume value SV corresponding to the first sampling time point. Similarly, if at a second sampling time point, the third volume value is greater than both the first and second volume values, then the volume measurement circuit 111 can use the third volume value as a volume value SV corresponding to the second sampling time point. And again, if at a third sampling time point, the second volume value is greater than both the first and third volume values, then the volume measurement circuit 111 can use the second volume value as a volume value SV corresponding to the third sampling time point.

[0031] The volume measurement circuit 111 can dynamically determine the basis for generating the volume value SV corresponding to other sampling time points, in the manner described above.

[0032] In another embodiment, the volume measurement circuit 111 can compare the spatial distances between the user and the main microphone 130, the in-ear microphone 140, and the audio playback device 120, and dynamically switch the basis for generating the volume value SV based on the comparison result.

[0033] For example, if at a first sampling time point, the volume measurement circuit 111 determines that the audio playback device 120 is closer to the user than the main microphone 130 and the in-ear microphone 140, then the volume measurement circuit 111 can use a third volume value corresponding to the first sampling time point as a volume value SV corresponding to the first sampling time point. Similarly, if at a second sampling time point, the volume measurement circuit 111 determines that the main microphone 130 is closer to the user than the audio playback device 120 and the in-ear microphone 140, then the volume measurement circuit 111 can use a first volume value corresponding to the second sampling time point as a volume value SV corresponding to the second sampling time point. And again, if at a third sampling time point, the volume measurement circuit 111 determines that the in-ear microphone 140 is closer to the user than the audio playback device 120 and the main microphone 130, then the volume measurement circuit 111 can use a second volume value corresponding to the third sampling time point as a volume value SV corresponding to the third sampling time point.

[0034] The volume measurement circuit 111 can dynamically determine the basis for generating the volume value SV corresponding to other sampling time points, in the manner described above.

[0035] In practice, the volume measurement circuit 111 can generate a volume value SV at regular intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds, 0.25 seconds, 0.3 seconds, 0.5 seconds, 0.6 seconds, 1 second, 1.5 seconds, 2 seconds, 3 seconds), and can express the magnitude of the volume value SV using various suitable data formats, such as Pascal (Pa), micropascal (μPa), or decibel (dB). The time interval between two consecutive volume values ​​SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111 is referred to as a unit time length.

[0036] As explained above, if the unit time length is 1 second, the volume measurement circuit 111 will generate 60 volume values ​​SV in one minute and 3600 volume values ​​SV in one hour. If the unit time length is 2 seconds, the volume measurement circuit 111 will generate 30 volume values ​​SV in one minute and 1800 volume values ​​SV in one hour.

[0037] In the sound dosage monitoring circuit 110, the weight table storage circuit 112 is configured to store one or more weight tables, wherein each weight table records the correspondence between volume and weight value. For example, Figure 2 This is a simplified schematic diagram of a weight table 200 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the weight table 200, the volume value is presented in the form of decibel (dB).

[0038] like Figure 2As shown, the relationship between volume level and weight value is stepwise, and the weight value corresponding to an individual volume level represents, to some extent, the risk of hearing loss that may result from exposure to that volume level. Figure 2 In this embodiment, the weight value is doubled (or nearly doubled) for every increase of one level (approximately 3dB) in volume value.

[0039] The sound dose calculation circuit 113 is coupled to the volume measurement circuit 111 and the weight table storage circuit 112, and is configured to generate a sound dose value AD corresponding to a measurement period based on multiple volume values ​​SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111 and the contents of a specific weight table. The aforementioned measurement period can be set to various suitable time lengths, such as 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 5 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 3 days, or 7 days, etc.

[0040] During operation, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can convert multiple volume values ​​SV into multiple corresponding weight values ​​according to the contents of a specific weight table, and multiply the multiple weight values ​​by multiple corresponding unit time lengths to generate multiple weighted values, wherein the sum of the aforementioned multiple unit time lengths is equal to the total time length of the aforementioned measurement period.

[0041] Next, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can calculate a sum of the aforementioned multiple weighted values ​​as a sound dose value AD corresponding to the measurement period.

[0042] If the sound dose calculation circuit 113 receives a volume value SV of 80dB at a first time point, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can convert the volume value SV into the corresponding weight value "1" according to the contents of the weight table 200.

[0043] If the sound dose calculation circuit 113 receives a volume value SV of 91dB at a second time point, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can convert the volume value SV into the corresponding weight value "16" according to the contents of the weight table 200.

[0044] If the sound dose calculation circuit 113 receives a volume value SV of 65dB at a third time point, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can convert the volume value SV into the corresponding weight value "0" according to the content of the weight table 200.

[0045] If the sound dose calculation circuit 113 receives a volume value SV of 114dB at a fourth time point, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can convert the volume value SV into the corresponding weight value "4200" according to the contents of the weight table 200.

[0046] For example, suppose the aforementioned measurement period is 1 hour, and the unit time length (i.e., the interval between two consecutive volume values ​​SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111) is 1 second. In this case, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 will receive 3600 volume values ​​SV in one hour. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that among the aforementioned 3600 volume values ​​SV, 1200 volume values ​​SV have a magnitude of 60dB, 1800 volume values ​​SV have a magnitude of 85dB, and 600 volume values ​​SV have a magnitude of 100dB.

[0047] In this case, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 can, according to the contents of the weight table 200, convert 1200 volume values ​​SV of 60dB into corresponding weight values ​​"0", 1800 volume values ​​SV of 85dB into corresponding weight values ​​"4", and 600 volume values ​​SV of 100dB into corresponding weight values ​​"128".

[0048] In addition, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 can multiply the aforementioned 1200 weight values ​​"0" by the unit time length "1" to generate 1200 weighted values ​​"0", multiply the aforementioned 1800 weight values ​​"4" by the unit time length "1" to generate 1800 weighted values ​​"4", and multiply the aforementioned 600 weight values ​​"128" by the unit time length "1" to generate 600 weighted values ​​"128".

[0049] Next, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can calculate the sum of the above weighted values ​​(in this example, 84000 = 0*1200 + 4*1800 + 128*600), and can use the calculated sum as the sound dose value AD for the most recent hour.

[0050] For example, suppose the aforementioned measurement period is 30 minutes, and the unit time length (i.e., the interval between two consecutive volume values ​​SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111) is 2 seconds. In this case, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 will receive 900 volume values ​​SV within 30 minutes. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that among the aforementioned 900 volume values ​​SV, 100 volume values ​​SV have a magnitude of 55dB, 300 volume values ​​SV have a magnitude of 82dB, 270 volume values ​​SV have a magnitude of 88dB, and 230 volume values ​​SV have a magnitude of 94dB.

[0051] In this case, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 can, according to the contents of the weight table 200, convert 100 volume values ​​SV of 55dB into 100 corresponding weight values ​​"0", 300 volume values ​​SV of 82dB into 300 corresponding weight values ​​"2", 270 volume values ​​SV of 88dB into 270 corresponding weight values ​​"8", and 230 volume values ​​SV of 94dB into 230 corresponding weight values ​​"32".

[0052] In addition, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 can multiply the aforementioned 100 weight values ​​"0" by the unit time length "2" to generate 100 weighted values ​​"0", multiply the aforementioned 300 weight values ​​"2" by the unit time length "2" to generate 300 weighted values ​​"4", multiply the aforementioned 270 weight values ​​"8" by the unit time length "2" to generate 270 weighted values ​​"16", and multiply the aforementioned 230 weight values ​​"32" by the unit time length "2" to generate 230 weighted values ​​"64".

[0053] Next, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can calculate the sum of the above weighted values ​​(in this example, 20240 = 0*100 + 4*300 + 16*270 + 64*230), and can use the calculated sum as the sound dose value AD for the most recent 30 minutes.

[0054] In practice, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can use the sum of weighted values ​​in a specific measurement period as the sound dose value AD, in accordance with the above method, and can transmit the sound dose value AD to the control circuit 116 after the measurement period ends.

[0055] Alternatively, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can also perform a rolling calculation of the moving sum of the weighted values ​​over a specific measurement period and use the calculated moving sum as the sound dose value AD.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the control circuit 116 is coupled to the sound dosage calculation circuit 113, the indication signal generation circuit 114, and the audio playback device 120. The control circuit 116 is configured to generate an audio setting signal ACS for controlling the audio playback device 120, and the control circuit 116 can transmit the generated audio setting signal ACS to the audio playback device 120 via various wired or wireless transmission methods. As previously described, the audio playback device 120 can generate or play various sounds or music according to the control of the audio setting signal ACS.

[0057] In addition, the control circuit 116 is also configured to compare the sound dose value AD generated by the sound dose calculation circuit 113 with a dose threshold to determine whether to generate a control signal CTL.

[0058] The magnitude of the dose threshold is related to the length of the aforementioned measurement period. For example, in one embodiment, if the measurement period is 7 days, the control circuit 116 can set the dose threshold to 144000; if the measurement period is 1 day, the control circuit 116 can set the dose threshold to 20571; if the measurement period is 1 hour, the control circuit 116 can set the dose threshold to 857; and so on.

[0059] If the sound dose value AD exceeds the corresponding dose threshold, the control circuit 116 can determine that the sound dose received by the user during the aforementioned measurement period has reached a level that endangers the user's hearing health. In this case, the control circuit 116 generates and transmits a control signal CTL to the indication signal generation circuit 114.

[0060] The indicator signal generation circuit 114 is configured to generate a corresponding indicator signal INS based on the control signal CTL generated by the control circuit 116.

[0061] The transmission circuit 115 is coupled to the indicator signal generation circuit 114 and is configured to transmit the indicator signal INS to the prompting device 150 via various wired or wireless transmission methods. The prompting device 150 then generates corresponding prompt signals or information to alert the user that the exposed sound dose has reached a warning level. For example, the prompting device 150 may generate various warning lights, sounds, music, voice messages, text messages, and / or images based on the indicator signal INS to remind the user to take appropriate protective measures.

[0062] In some embodiments, the control circuit 116 may also actively adjust the audio setting signal ACS when the sound dose value AD exceeds the dose threshold, so as to reduce the volume of the sound or music emitted by the audio playback device 120.

[0063] In practice, the aforementioned volume measurement circuit 111 can be implemented using various suitable circuits or chips with signal receiving, signal processing, and signal conversion capabilities. The weighting table storage circuit 112 can be implemented using various volatile or non-volatile storage devices. The sound dosage calculation circuit 113 can be implemented using various microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital arithmetic circuits, digital signal processing circuits, or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The indicator signal generation circuit 114 can be implemented using various suitable circuits with instruction processing and signal generation capabilities. The transmission circuit 115 can be implemented using various wired or wireless transmission interfaces. For example, depending on the communication method required with the prompting device 150, the transmission circuit 115 may be implemented using one of the following interfaces, or a combination of multiple interfaces: a signal line, an Inter-IC Sound (I2S) interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART) interface, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interface, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) interface, a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCI-E) interface, a Network Interface Card (NIC) interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a Bluetooth interface, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface, and a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface. The control circuit 116 can be implemented using various microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital arithmetic circuits, digital signal processing circuits, or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).

[0064] The different functional blocks in the aforementioned sound dose monitoring circuit 110 can be implemented using different circuits, or they can be integrated into a single circuit chip. For example, the volume measurement circuit 111 can be integrated with the sound dose calculation circuit 113. Alternatively, the sound dose calculation circuit 113 can be integrated with the control circuit 116. Another example is that the indicator signal generation circuit 114 can be integrated with the control circuit 116. In practice, the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 can also be integrated with the audio playback device 120 into a single device, or the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 can be integrated with the prompting circuit 150 into a single device.

[0065] As described above, the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 can measure the sound volume emitted by the audio playback device 120, the sound volume received by the main microphone 130, and the sound volume received by the in-ear microphone 140, and generate a sound dose value AD corresponding to the measurement results. When the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 determines that the sound dose value AD exceeds a predetermined threshold, it will instruct the prompting device 150 to generate a relevant prompt signal or prompt information so that the user can be aware of the monitoring results of the sound dose monitoring circuit 110.

[0066] In practical applications, as long as the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 is integrated into various audio processing devices 100 that users frequently use, the sound dose received by the user can be measured and monitored at any time.

[0067] Another advantage of the aforementioned audio processing device 100 is that the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 can automatically generate a relevant indication signal when the sound dose received by the user exceeds a predetermined standard, so as to remind the user to take relevant protective measures. In this way, the risk of hearing damage to the user can be effectively reduced.

[0068] Different users have different physiological characteristics and conditions, so their sensitivity and / or tolerance to the received sound dose may vary. In addition, in some applications, the audio processing device 100 may be used by a single user, while in other applications, the audio processing device 100 may be used by multiple users (e.g., multiple family members or multiple colleagues) in turn.

[0069] Therefore, in some embodiments, the control circuit 116 is also configured to switch the magnitude of the aforementioned dose threshold under a predetermined condition, that is, to switch the comparison criterion of the sound dose value AD generated by the sound dose calculation circuit 113.

[0070] In one embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to the user of the audio processing device 100 being older than a predetermined age. During operation, the control circuit 116 can set different sound dose value comparison references for different age ranges. For example, for users under 15 years old, the control circuit 116 can set the sound dose value AD comparison reference to a first dose threshold TH1; for users between 15 and 20 years old, the control circuit 116 can set the sound dose value AD comparison reference to a second dose threshold TH2; for users between 20 and 30 years old, the control circuit 116 can set the sound dose value AD comparison reference to a third dose threshold TH3; and for users over 30 years old, the control circuit 116 can set the sound dose value AD comparison reference to a fourth dose threshold TH4.

[0071] In some applications that place greater emphasis on the user's hearing health or physical and mental well-being, the control circuit 116 can set the aforementioned second dose threshold TH2 to be greater than the first dose threshold TH1, set the third dose threshold TH3 to be greater than the second dose threshold TH2, and set the fourth dose threshold TH4 to be greater than the third dose threshold TH3.

[0072] In some applications that prioritize the user's entertainment experience, the control circuit 116 can set the aforementioned fourth dose threshold TH4 to be greater than the first dose threshold TH1, set the second dose threshold TH2 to be greater than the fourth dose threshold TH4, and set the third dose threshold TH3 to be greater than the second dose threshold TH2.

[0073] In this way, the control circuit 116 will automatically switch the aforementioned dose threshold value if the user of the audio processing device 100 is older than a predetermined age (e.g., 15 years old).

[0074] In practice, the control circuit 116 can be used with various suitable mechanisms to determine the user's age. For example, in embodiments where the prompting device 150 is implemented using a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or wearable device, the control circuit 116 can require the user to input basic data such as age in advance through the prompting device 150. Alternatively, the control circuit 116 can require the user to provide basic data such as age in advance through other input devices (not shown). Furthermore, the control circuit 116 can be used with various image acquisition circuits (not shown) with facial recognition capabilities to automatically estimate the user's age.

[0075] In another embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to a change in a predetermined physiological indicator of the user of the audio processing device 100 exceeding a predetermined degree. For example, the control circuit 116 may set the aforementioned dose threshold to a first dose threshold TH1 when the user's heart rate or blood pressure is normal, and may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2 when the user's heart rate or blood pressure increases by more than 20%. When the user's heart rate or blood pressure increases by more than 40%, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the second dose threshold TH2 to a different third dose threshold TH3.

[0076] For example, the control circuit 116 can set the aforementioned dose threshold to a first dose threshold TH1 when the user's respiratory rate is normal, and can switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2 when the user's respiratory rate increases by more than 15%. When the user's respiratory rate increases by more than 50%, the control circuit 116 can switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the second dose threshold TH2 to a different third dose threshold TH3.

[0077] In some applications, the control circuit 116 may set the aforementioned second dose threshold TH2 to be less than the first dose threshold TH1, and set the third dose threshold TH3 to be less than the second dose threshold TH2.

[0078] In practice, the control circuit 116 can employ various suitable mechanisms or be paired with various suitable detection devices to detect the user's predetermined physiological indicators. For example, in an embodiment where the prompting device 150 is implemented using a wearable device, the control circuit 116 can utilize the prompting device 150 to detect the user's predetermined physiological indicators. As another example, the control circuit 116 can be paired with various physiological indicator tracking devices (not shown in the figure) with physiological indicator detection capabilities to track changes in the user's predetermined physiological indicators.

[0079] In another embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to the user of the audio processing device 100 being in a menstrual period. For example, during the user's menstrual period, the control circuit 116 can switch the aforementioned dose threshold from a first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2. After the user's menstrual period ends, the control circuit 116 can switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the second dose threshold TH2 back to the original first dose threshold TH1. In some applications, the control circuit 116 can set the aforementioned second dose threshold TH2 to be lower than the first dose threshold TH1.

[0080] In practice, the control circuit 116 can be used with various suitable mechanisms to determine whether the user is menstruating. For example, in embodiments where the prompting device 150 is implemented using a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or wearable device, the control circuit 116 can require the user to pre-set their menstrual cycle data via the prompting device 150. Alternatively, the control circuit 116 can require the user to pre-provide their menstrual cycle data via other input devices (not shown).

[0081] In another embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to the user of the audio processing device 100 being in a gestation period. For example, during the user's pregnancy, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from a first dose threshold TH1 to a different third dose threshold TH3. After the user gives birth, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the third dose threshold TH3 back to the original first dose threshold TH1. In some applications, the control circuit 116 may set the aforementioned third dose threshold TH3 to be lower than the first dose threshold TH1.

[0082] In practice, the control circuit 116 can be used with various suitable mechanisms to determine whether a user is pregnant. For example, in embodiments where the notification device 150 is implemented using a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or wearable device, the control circuit 116 can request the user to provide the date of commencement of pregnancy and delivery via the notification device 150. Alternatively, the control circuit 116 can request the user to provide the date of commencement of pregnancy and delivery in advance via other input devices (not shown).

[0083] In another embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to the audio processing device 100 operating during nighttime. For example, the control circuit 116 can set the aforementioned dose threshold to a first dose threshold TH1 when the audio processing device 100 operates during daytime, and switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2 when the audio processing device 100 operates during nighttime. The control circuit 116 can set the relative magnitude between the aforementioned second dose threshold TH2 and the first dose threshold TH1 according to the application design requirements.

[0084] In practice, the control circuit 116 can employ various suitable mechanisms or be combined with various suitable devices to determine the operating time of the audio processing device 100. For example, in an embodiment where the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 has a built-in clock (not shown), the control circuit 116 can use the built-in clock to determine the operating time of the audio processing device 100. As another example, in an embodiment where the prompting device 150 is implemented using a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or wearable device, the control circuit 116 can use the prompting device 150 to confirm the operating time of the audio processing device 100. Furthermore, the control circuit 116 can also use other devices to connect to the internet to query the current time of the geographical location of the sound dose monitoring circuit 110.

[0085] In another embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to an ambient temperature change of the audio processing device 100 exceeding a predetermined magnitude. For example, the control circuit 116 may set the aforementioned dose threshold to a first dose threshold TH1 when the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 is normal, and may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2 when the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 increases by more than 10%. When the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 increases by more than 20%, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the second dose threshold TH2 to a different third dose threshold TH3. In some applications, the control circuit 116 may set the aforementioned second dose threshold TH2 to be less than the first dose threshold TH1, and set the third dose threshold TH3 to be less than the second dose threshold TH2.

[0086] For example, when the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 decreases by more than 10%, the control circuit 116 can switch the aforementioned dose threshold from a first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2. When the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 decreases by more than 20%, the control circuit 116 can switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the second dose threshold TH2 to a different third dose threshold TH3. In some applications, the control circuit 116 can set the aforementioned second dose threshold TH2 to be greater than the first dose threshold TH1, and set the third dose threshold TH3 to be greater than the second dose threshold TH2.

[0087] In practice, the control circuit 116 can employ various suitable mechanisms or be paired with various suitable detection devices to detect the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100. For example, in an embodiment where the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 has a built-in temperature detector (not shown), the control circuit 116 can use this built-in temperature detector to detect the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100. As another example, in an embodiment where the prompting device 150 is implemented using a wearable device, the control circuit 116 can use the prompting device 150 to detect the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100. Furthermore, the control circuit 116 can also use other devices to connect to the Internet to query the current temperature of the geographical location of the sound dose monitoring circuit 110.

[0088] In another embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to a change in the user of the audio processing device 100, and the age difference between the new user and the original user exceeding a predetermined value. For example, if the new user is more than 5 years older than the original user, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from a first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2. Alternatively, if the new user is more than 15 years older than the original user, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the first dose threshold TH1 to a different third dose threshold TH3. And again, if the new user is more than 10 years younger than the original user, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from the first dose threshold TH1 to a different fourth dose threshold TH4.

[0089] The control circuit 116 can set the relative values ​​between the aforementioned first dose threshold TH1, second dose threshold TH2, third dose threshold TH3, and fourth dose threshold TH4 according to the design requirements of the application.

[0090] In practice, the control circuit 116 can be used with various suitable detection or identity verification mechanisms to determine whether the user of the audio processing device 100 has changed. For example, the control circuit 116 can be used with various iris recognition devices (not shown), fingerprint recognition devices (not shown), or facial recognition devices (not shown) to determine whether the user of the audio processing device 100 has been replaced by someone else. Alternatively, the control circuit 116 can require the user to input identification codes or passwords through other input devices (not shown), so that the control circuit 116 can determine whether the user of the audio processing device 100 has been replaced by someone else.

[0091] Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the control circuit 116 can use the aforementioned methods to determine the age of the original user and the new user. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0092] In another embodiment, the aforementioned predetermined condition refers to a change in the user of the audio processing device 100, and the gender of the new user being different from that of the original user. For example, when the user of the audio processing device 100 changes from a male user to a female user, the control circuit 116 may switch the aforementioned dose threshold from a first dose threshold TH1 to a different second dose threshold TH2.

[0093] For example, when the user of the audio processing device 100 changes from a female user to a male user, the control circuit 116 can switch the aforementioned dose threshold from a second dose threshold TH2 to a different first dose threshold TH1.

[0094] The control circuit 116 can set the relative magnitudes of the aforementioned first dose threshold TH1 and second dose threshold TH2 according to the design requirements of the application.

[0095] In practice, the control circuit 116 can use the aforementioned methods to determine whether the gender of the user of the audio processing device 100 has changed. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0096] In some embodiments, the control circuit 116 may switch the dose threshold value when any of the aforementioned predetermined conditions are met, that is, switch the comparison reference of the sound dose value AD generated by the sound dose calculation circuit 113. In other embodiments, the control circuit 116 may switch the dose threshold value only when two or more of the aforementioned predetermined conditions are met.

[0097] As described above, the control circuit 116 can adaptively switch the dose threshold value used for comparison with the sound dose value AD generated by the sound dose calculation circuit 113 based on differences in the user's physiological condition, differences between users, differences in ambient temperature, and / or differences in usage time. This approach can significantly increase the flexibility and application range of the sound dose monitoring circuit 110, and make the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 and the audio processing device 100 more closely suited to the needs of different users and / or different usage scenarios.

[0098] From another perspective, the architecture and operation of the aforementioned sound dose monitoring circuit 110 can provide users with more personalized adaptive hearing protection functions that can automatically adjust to different conditions.

[0099] In addition, the architecture and operation of the aforementioned sound dose monitoring circuit 110 also enable the audio processing device 100 to support multi-user applications, which can greatly improve the application value of the audio processing device 100.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 3 The diagram shown is a simplified functional block diagram of the audio processing device 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] Compared to the above Figure 1 Implementation examples, Figure 3 The sound dose monitoring circuit 110 further includes a compensation circuit 317. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the compensation circuit 317 is coupled to the volume measurement circuit 111 and is configured to compensate for multiple volume values ​​SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111 under a first target condition.

[0102] In one embodiment, the aforementioned first target condition refers to the audio playback device 120 being equipped with a passive noise suppression structure (not shown in the figure). As mentioned earlier, the audio playback device 120 can be implemented using wired or wireless headphones, and the volume measurement circuit 111 can generate volume values ​​SV at individual sampling time points according to the various methods described above.

[0103] In practical applications, the audio playback device 120 may incorporate various noise reduction structures to enhance its sound field performance. For example, the audio playback device 120 may feature a more comprehensive headphone cover, use earmuff pads with better sound absorption, use a thicker headphone cover, or have its main body shape designed to better fit the ear canal.

[0104] The aforementioned noise reduction structures can cause the volume received by the user when wearing the audio playback device 120 to be lower than the actual volume of the external environment. Therefore, the user may not realize that they are actually exposed to an unhealthy high-volume environment, such as noisy entertainment venues, bars, stadiums, etc.

[0105] Therefore, when a noise reduction structure is provided on the audio playback device 120, the compensation circuit 317 can instruct the volume measurement circuit 111 to compensate for the volume value SV at individual sampling time points based on the noise suppression effect generated by the aforementioned noise reduction structure.

[0106] For example, if the noise reduction effect produced by the aforementioned noise reduction structure is -5 dB, the compensation circuit 317 can generate and transmit a volume compensation value C-SV to the volume measurement circuit 111, instructing the volume measurement circuit 111 to add a compensation amount of 3 to 5 dB to each volume value SV, thereby forming a compensated volume value SV'. As another example, if the noise reduction effect produced by the aforementioned noise reduction structure is -10 dB, the compensation circuit 317 can generate and transmit a volume compensation value C-SV to the volume measurement circuit 111, instructing the volume measurement circuit 111 to add a compensation amount of 8 to 10 dB to each volume value SV, thereby forming a compensated volume value SV'.

[0107] In another embodiment, the aforementioned first objective condition refers to the audio playback device 120 having an active noise cancellation (ANC) function. As previously mentioned, the audio playback device 120 can be implemented using wired or wireless headphones. It is well known that some headphones have active noise cancellation, which can improve the sound field effect of the audio playback device 120.

[0108] The aforementioned active noise cancellation function will also cause the volume received by the user when wearing the audio playback device 120 to be lower than the actual volume of the external environment. Therefore, the user may not realize that he / she is actually exposed to an unhealthy high-volume environment, such as noisy entertainment venues, bars, stadiums, etc.

[0109] Therefore, when the audio playback device 120 has an active noise reduction function, the compensation circuit 317 can instruct the volume measurement circuit 111 to compensate for the volume value SV at individual sampling time points based on the noise reduction effect generated by the aforementioned active noise reduction function.

[0110] For example, if the noise reduction effect produced by the aforementioned active noise cancellation function is -15 dB, the compensation circuit 317 can generate and transmit a volume compensation value C-SV to the volume measurement circuit 111, instructing the volume measurement circuit 111 to add a compensation amount of 12 to 15 dB to each volume value SV, so as to form a compensated volume value SV'. As another example, if the noise reduction effect produced by the aforementioned active noise cancellation function is -30 dB, the compensation circuit 317 can generate and transmit a volume compensation value C-SV to the volume measurement circuit 111, instructing the volume measurement circuit 111 to add a compensation amount of 25 to 30 dB to each volume value SV, so as to form a compensated volume value SV'.

[0111] Subsequently, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 can be compared with the aforementioned Figure 1 In this embodiment, the compensated volume value SV' is used to calculate the corresponding sound dose value AD.

[0112] Therefore, the compensation circuit 317 performed on the volume value SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111 under the first target condition is equivalent to the calculation basis for adjusting the sound dose value AD.

[0113] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can instruct the volume measurement circuit 111 to compensate for the multiple volume values ​​SV generated when any of the aforementioned first target conditions are met, that is, to adjust the calculation basis of the sound dose value AD.

[0114] In other embodiments, the compensation circuit 317 will only instruct the volume measurement circuit 111 to compensate for the generated multiple volume values ​​SV if both of the aforementioned first target conditions are met.

[0115] As mentioned earlier, the audio processing device 100 may be used by a single user or by multiple users (e.g., multiple family members or multiple colleagues) taking turns. Different users have different physiological characteristics and conditions, so their sensitivity and / or tolerance to the received sound dose may vary.

[0116] exist Figure 3 In one embodiment, the compensation circuit 317 is also coupled to the weight table storage circuit 112 and the sound dose calculation circuit 113, and is configured to adjust the contents of the weight table used by the sound dose calculation circuit 113 under a second target condition.

[0117] In one embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to the user of the audio processing device 100 being older than a predetermined age. In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can set different weight tables for different age ranges and instruct the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 to use the corresponding weight table according to the user's age group, that is, adjust the content of the weight table used by the sound dosage calculation circuit 113.

[0118] For example, the compensation circuit 317 can set a corresponding first weight table for users aged 20 to 30 (e.g., Figure 2 The weight table shown is 200.

[0119] For example, the compensation circuit 317 can set a second weight table with a higher weight value than the first weight table for users under the age of 15 (e.g., Figure 4 The weight table shown is 400). Figure 4 In one embodiment, the weight value corresponding to each volume value in weight table 400 is increased by 15% compared to the corresponding weight value in weight table 200. For example, compensation circuit 317 can set a third weight table (e.g., for users aged 15 to 20) with weight values ​​between the first and second weight tables. Figure 5The weight table shown is 500. Figure 5 In one embodiment, the weight value corresponding to each volume value in weight table 500 is increased by 10% compared to the corresponding weight value in weight table 200. For example, compensation circuit 317 can set a fourth weight table (e.g., for users older than 30) with weight values ​​different from the aforementioned first, second, and third weight tables. Figure 6 The weight table shown is 600). Figure 6 In this embodiment, the weight values ​​corresponding to each volume value in the first half of the weight table 600 are reduced by 5% compared to the corresponding weight values ​​in the weight table 200, but the weight values ​​corresponding to each volume value in the second half of the weight table 600 are increased by 5% compared to the corresponding weight values ​​in the weight table 200.

[0120] The compensation circuit 317 can also be configured with the same weight table for users of different age groups.

[0121] During operation, the compensation circuit 317 can generate and transmit a weight adjustment instruction C-WT to the sound dose calculation circuit 113 based on the age of the user of the audio processing device 100, so as to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to switch the weight table used to automatically adjust the contents of the weight table used.

[0122] For example, when the user of the audio processing device 100 is under 15 years old, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 400. As another example, when the user of the audio processing device 100 is between 15 and 20 years old, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 500. As another example, when the user of the audio processing device 100 is between 20 and 30 years old, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 200. As yet another example, when the user of the audio processing device 100 is over 30 years old, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 600.

[0123] In other words, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 will automatically adjust the contents of the weight table used, according to the instructions of the compensation circuit 317, if the user of the audio processing device 100 is older than a predetermined age (e.g., 15 years old).

[0124] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to determine the user's age. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0125] In another embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to a change in a predetermined physiological indicator of the user of the audio processing device 100 exceeding a predetermined level. For example, when the user's heart rate or blood pressure is normal, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 200. If the user's heart rate or blood pressure increases by more than 20%, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 500. If the user's heart rate or blood pressure increases by more than 40%, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 400. For example, when the user's breathing rate is normal, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 200. If the user's breathing rate increases by more than 15%, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 500. If the user's breathing rate increases by more than 50%, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 400.

[0126] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to detect the user's predetermined physiological indicators. For the sake of brevity, these will not be repeated here.

[0127] In another embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to the user of the audio processing device 100 being in a menstrual period. For example, during the user's menstrual period, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 400 or 500. After the user's menstrual period ends, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 200.

[0128] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to determine whether the user is menstruating. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0129] In another embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to the user of the audio processing device 100 being in a pregnancy. For example, during the user's pregnancy, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of weight tables 400, 500, or 600. After the user gives birth, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of weight table 200.

[0130] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to determine whether the user is pregnant. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0131] In another embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to the audio processing device 100 operating at night. For example, when the audio processing device 100 operates during the day, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 500, and when the audio processing device 100 operates at night, it can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 200 or 600.

[0132] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to determine the operating time of the audio processing device 100. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0133] In another embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to an ambient temperature change of the audio processing device 100 exceeding a predetermined value. For example, when the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 is normal, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 200. It can also use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 500 when the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 increases by more than 10%. When the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 increases by more than 20%, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 400.

[0134] For example, when the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 decreases by more than 10%, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 600. When the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100 decreases by more than 20%, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 500.

[0135] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to detect the ambient temperature of the audio processing device 100. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0136] In another embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to a change in the user of the audio processing device 100, and the age difference between the new user and the original user exceeds a predetermined value. For example, assuming that the sound dose calculation circuit 113 calculates the sound dose value AD corresponding to the original user who is 18 years old based on the content of the weight table 500, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to change to calculate the sound dose value AD based on the content of the weight table 200 if the new user is more than 10 years older than the original user.

[0137] For example, if the new user is more than 30 years older than the original user, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 600. Alternatively, if the new user is more than 10 years younger than the original user, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 400.

[0138] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to determine whether the user of the audio processing device 100 has changed, and to determine the age of the original user and the new user. For the sake of brevity, these will not be repeated here.

[0139] In another embodiment, the aforementioned second target condition refers to a change in the user of the audio processing device 100, and the gender of the new user being different from that of the original user. For example, assuming that the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 calculates the sound dosage value AD corresponding to a male user based on the content of the weight table 200, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment instruction C-WT to instruct the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 to change to calculating the sound dosage value AD based on the content of the weight table 600 when the user of the audio processing device 100 changes from a male user to a female user.

[0140] For example, when the user of the audio processing device 100 changes from a female user back to a male user, the compensation circuit 317 can use the weight adjustment indicator C-WT to instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to calculate the sound dose value AD according to the contents of the weight table 200.

[0141] In practice, the compensation circuit 317 can use the aforementioned methods to determine whether the gender of the user of the audio processing device 100 has changed. For the sake of brevity, these methods will not be repeated here.

[0142] Subsequently, the sound dosage calculation circuit 113 can be compared with the aforementioned Figure 1 In this embodiment, the corresponding sound dose value AD is calculated using the contents of the adjusted weight table.

[0143] Therefore, the aforementioned compensation circuit 317 adjusts the content of the weight table used by the sound dose calculation circuit 113 under the second target condition, which is equivalent to adjusting the calculation basis of the sound dose value AD.

[0144] In some embodiments, the compensation circuit 317 may instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to adjust the weight table used, i.e., adjust the basis for calculating the sound dose value AD, when any of the aforementioned second target conditions are met.

[0145] In other embodiments, the compensation circuit 317 will only instruct the sound dose calculation circuit 113 to adjust the weight table used when two or more of the aforementioned second target conditions are met.

[0146] Please note that the contents of the aforementioned weight tables 200, 400, 500, and 600 are only some exemplary embodiments and are not intended to limit the actual implementation of the present invention. In practice, the number of columns, the range of volume values, and / or the interval size of volume values ​​in individual weight tables may be designed to differ from the aforementioned embodiments.

[0147] As explained above, the compensation circuit 317 can adaptively adjust the calculation basis of the sound dose value AD based on differences in the user's physiological condition, differences between users, differences in ambient temperature, and / or differences in usage time. This, in turn, affects the result of the control circuit 116 comparing the sound dose value AD with the corresponding dose threshold. This approach can significantly increase the flexibility and application range of the sound dose monitoring circuit 110, and make the sound dose monitoring circuit 110 and the audio processing device 100 more closely meet the needs of different users and / or different usage scenarios.

[0148] From another perspective, the architecture and operation of the aforementioned sound dose monitoring circuit 110 can provide users with more personalized adaptive hearing protection functions that can automatically adjust to different conditions.

[0149] In addition, the architecture and operation of the aforementioned sound dose monitoring circuit 110 also enable the audio processing device 100 to support multi-user applications, which can greatly improve the application value of the audio processing device 100.

[0150] In practice, the aforementioned compensation circuit 317 can be implemented using various microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital arithmetic circuits, digital signal processing circuits, or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). In some embodiments, the compensation circuit 317 can also be integrated with the sound dosage calculation circuit 113, or the compensation circuit 317 can be integrated with the control circuit 116.

[0151] The aforementioned Figure 1 The description of the connection relationships, implementation methods, operation modes, and related advantages of other components in the document also applies to... Figure 3 Examples of these embodiments are omitted here for brevity. Please note that the foregoing... Figure 1 and Figure 3 The architecture of the audio processing device 100 in this embodiment is merely an exemplary embodiment and is not intended to limit the actual implementation of the present invention. For example, in some embodiments, one of the main microphone 130, in-ear microphone 140, audio playback device 120, and prompting device 150 may be omitted. For example, in some embodiments, the main microphone 130 and in-ear microphone 140 may be omitted. For example, in some embodiments, the main microphone 130 and audio playback device 120 may be omitted. For example, in some embodiments, the in-ear microphone 140 and audio playback device 120 may be omitted.

[0152] In some embodiments, the aforementioned compensation circuit 317 may only compensate for the multiple volume values ​​SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111 without adjusting the contents of the weight table used by the sound dose calculation circuit 113. Alternatively, the compensation circuit 317 may only adjust the contents of the weight table used by the sound dose calculation circuit 113 without compensating for the multiple volume values ​​SV generated by the volume measurement circuit 111.

[0153] Certain terms are used in this specification and the claims to refer to specific elements, and those skilled in the art may use different terms to refer to the same element. This specification and the claims do not distinguish elements by differences in name, but by differences in function. The term "comprising" in this specification and the claims is an open-ended term and should be interpreted as "comprising but not limited to". Furthermore, the term "coupled" here includes any direct and indirect connection means. Therefore, if the text describes a first element coupled to a second element, it means that the first element can be directly connected to the second element through electrical connection or signal connection methods such as wireless transmission or optical transmission, or indirectly electrically or signalally connected to the second element through other elements or connection means.

[0154] The use of "and / or" in this specification includes any combination of one or more of the listed items. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified in this specification, any singular term implies multiple plural terms.

[0155] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0156] [Symbol Explanation]

[0157] 100... Audio processing device

[0158] 110...Audio dose monitoring circuit

[0159] 111...Sound level measuring circuit

[0160] 112...Weighting table storage circuit

[0161] 113...Audio dose calculating circuit

[0162] 114...Indication signal generating circuit

[0163] 115...Transmission circuit

[0164] 116...Control circuit

[0165] 120... Audio playback device

[0166] 130...Main microphone

[0167] 140...In-ear microphone

[0168] 150...prompt device

[0169] Weighting table for 200, 400, 500, 600...

[0170] 317...compensation circuit

[0171] ACS...Audio Configuration Signal

[0172] AD...audio dose value

[0173] CTL... control signal

[0174] C-SV...sound level compensating value

[0175] C-WT...Weight adjustment instruction

[0176] INS...indication signal

[0177] SV...sound level value

[0178] SV'...compensated sound level value.

Claims

1. An audio processing device (100), comprising: An audio playback device (120) is used to generate sound according to an audio setting signal; and A sound dose monitoring circuit (110) includes: A volume measurement circuit (111) is configured to generate multiple volume values ​​corresponding to the sound volume emitted by the audio playback device (120) at multiple time points based on the audio setting signal; A sound dose calculation circuit (113) is coupled to the volume measurement circuit (111). The sound dose calculation circuit is configured to generate a sound dose value corresponding to a measurement period based on the plurality of volume values ​​and the contents of a weight table (200). A control circuit (116) coupled to the sound dose calculation circuit (113) is configured to generate the audio setting signal and compare the sound dose value with a dose threshold to determine whether to generate a control signal; and An indicator signal generation circuit (114) is coupled to the control circuit (116), the indicator signal generation circuit being configured to generate a corresponding indicator signal based on the control signal. in, The control circuit (116) generates the control signal when the sound dose value exceeds the dose threshold, and the control circuit (116) is also configured to switch the magnitude of the dose threshold under a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition is selected from a group of the following conditions: The user of the audio processing device (100) is older than a predetermined age; The user of the audio processing device (100) experiences a predetermined physiological indicator change exceeding a predetermined level; The user of the audio processing device (100) is in a menstrual period; The user of the audio processing device (100) is pregnant; The audio processing device (100) operates at night; The ambient temperature variation of the audio processing device (100) exceeds a predetermined value; The user of the audio processing device (100) has changed, and the age difference between the new user and the original user exceeds a predetermined value; and The user of the audio processing device (100) has changed, and the gender of the new user is different from that of the original user.

2. The audio processing apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The sound dose calculation circuit (113) can convert the multiple volume values ​​into multiple corresponding weight values ​​according to the contents of the weight table (200), and multiply the multiple weight values ​​by multiple corresponding unit time lengths to generate multiple weighted values, wherein the sum of the multiple unit time lengths is equal to the total time length of the measurement period. The sound dose calculation circuit (113) can also calculate a sum of the multiple weighted values ​​as the sound dose value corresponding to the measurement period.

3. The audio processing apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The sound dose monitoring circuit (110) also includes: A transmission circuit (115) is coupled to the indication signal generating circuit (114), the transmission circuit being configured to transmit the indication signal to a prompting device (150).

4. An audio processing device (100), comprising: A microphone (130; 140) is used to receive sound; and A sound dose monitoring circuit (110) includes: A volume measurement circuit (111) is configured to generate multiple volume values ​​corresponding to the sound levels received by the microphone (130; 140) at multiple time points; A sound dose calculation circuit (113) is coupled to the volume measurement circuit (111). The sound dose calculation circuit is configured to generate a sound dose value corresponding to a measurement period based on the plurality of volume values ​​and the contents of a weight table (200). A control circuit (116) coupled to the sound dose calculation circuit (113) is configured to compare the sound dose value with a dose threshold to determine whether to generate a control signal; and An indication signal generation circuit (114) is coupled to the control circuit (116), the indication signal generation circuit being configured to generate a corresponding indication signal based on the control signal. in, The control circuit (116) generates the control signal when the sound dose value exceeds the dose threshold, and the control circuit (116) is also configured to switch the magnitude of the dose threshold under a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition is selected from a group of the following conditions: The user of the audio processing device (100) is older than a predetermined age; The user of the audio processing device (100) experiences a predetermined physiological indicator change exceeding a predetermined level; The user of the audio processing device (100) is in a menstrual period; The user of the audio processing device (100) is pregnant; The audio processing device (100) operates at night; The ambient temperature variation of the audio processing device (100) exceeds a predetermined value; The user of the audio processing device (100) has changed, and the age difference between the new user and the original user exceeds a predetermined value; and The user of the audio processing device (100) has changed, and the gender of the new user is different from that of the original user.

5. The audio processing apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The sound dose calculation circuit (113) can convert the multiple volume values ​​into multiple corresponding weight values ​​according to the contents of the weight table (200), and multiply the multiple weight values ​​by multiple corresponding unit time lengths to generate multiple weighted values, wherein the sum of the multiple unit time lengths is equal to the total time length of the measurement period. The sound dose calculation circuit (113) can also calculate a sum of the multiple weighted values ​​as the sound dose value corresponding to the measurement period.

6. The audio processing apparatus (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The sound dose monitoring circuit (110) also includes: A transmission circuit (115) is coupled to the indication signal generating circuit (114), the transmission circuit being configured to transmit the indication signal to a prompting device (150).

Images