Sound transmission assembly for mask

Abstract

The invention relates to a sound transmission assembly for a mask. According to one embodiment, there is provided a sound transmission assembly (100) for a respirator device, the respirator device comprising an oral mask (10) to be worn by a user of the respirator device, the sound transmission assembly (100) comprising: at least one vibration sensor assembly (110) arranged to generate an utterance signal based on vibrations sensed on an outer surface of the mask (10); and a sound application component (130) arranged to apply an utterance signal obtained from the at least one vibration sensor component (110).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to sound transmission in the context of a respirator device, the respirator device including a mask worn by the user of the respirator device. Background Technology

[0002] Different types of respirator devices are typically worn by people working or otherwise residing in environments where breathing would be harmful, difficult, dangerous, or even impossible for them, for protective purposes. Such respirator devices inherently include a mask worn by the user of the respirator device, such that the mask covers the user's mouth, thereby interfering with the user's verbal communication with other people, while in many use cases, verbal communication is crucial for the safety of the user of the respirator device and / or for performing the task at hand.

[0003] Respiratory devices come in various types depending on their specific purpose, and the masks included therein may partially or substantially completely cover the face of the user of the respirator. Such devices may also be referred to as respirators, breathing apparatuses, masks, face shields, breathing masks, etc. However, in this disclosure, the term respirator device is used to refer to any wearable device that includes a mask that covers the mouth of the user of the respirator device in a manner that interferes with verbal communication with other people.

[0004] Known solutions for mitigating interference with voice communication involve providing a microphone to a respirator device to capture audio signals representing speech uttered by a user wearing a mask of the respirator device. The signals captured by the microphone can be presented to the user's environment via a speaker and / or transmitted to another device via a communication channel. In such solutions, the microphone can be positioned inside or outside the respirator device's mask, while the speaker (if applicable) is typically positioned outside the mask on the outside of the respirator device. Both arrangements for placing the microphone present several challenges: a microphone placed inside the mask (i.e., in the 'clean space') causes moisture to build up inside, and it also needs to route electrical connections through the mask to a speaker (if applicable) located outside the respirator device, while a microphone placed outside the mask (i.e., in the 'dirty space') suffers from less natural sound quality because the speech captured there is first transmitted through the mask (e.g., via the respirator device's inlet or outlet), and it is also prone to capturing ambient noise that is not part of the speech uttered by the user wearing the respirator device's mask, and it is also affected by acoustic feedback from the speaker (if applicable) (also known as the Larsen effect). Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of the present invention is to provide an improved technique for transmitting words spoken by a user wearing a respirator mask for use in one or more sound applications.

[0006] According to one embodiment, a sound transmission component for a respirator device is provided, the respirator device including a mask to be worn by a user of the respirator device, the sound transmission component including: at least one vibration sensor component arranged to generate a speech signal based on vibrations sensed on an outer surface of the mask; and a sound application component arranged to apply the speech signal obtained from the at least one vibration sensor component.

[0007] According to another embodiment, a respirator device is provided, the respirator device including: a face mask to be worn by a user of the respirator device; and a sound transmission component according to the foregoing embodiment.

[0008] According to one embodiment, a method for sound transmission in a respirator device including a mask to be worn by a user of the respirator device is provided, the method comprising: generating a speech signal based on vibrations sensed on the outer surface of the mask; and applying the generated speech signal.

[0009] The exemplary embodiments of the invention presented in this patent application should not be construed as limiting the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "comprising" and its derivatives are used in this patent application as an open-ended limitation, which does not exclude the presence of features not listed.

[0010] Some features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, aspects of the invention relating to its construction and operation, as well as its additional objects and advantages, will be best understood from the following description of some exemplary embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0011] In the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example and not limitation, wherein...

[0012] Figure 1 A block diagram of some components of an example sound transmission component is shown;

[0013] Figure 2A The illustration schematically shows some components of a sound transmission component according to an example, as well as an exemplary mask of a respirator device worn by a person;

[0014] Figure 2B The illustration schematically shows some components of a sound transmission component according to an example, as well as an exemplary mask of a respirator device worn by a person;

[0015] Figure 3A Some components of a vibration sensor assembly according to an example are shown schematically;

[0016] Figure 3B Some components of a vibration sensor assembly according to an example are shown schematically;

[0017] Figure 4A A block diagram of some components of an example sound transmission component is shown;

[0018] Figure 4B A block diagram of some components of an example sound transmission component is shown;

[0019] Figure 4C A block diagram of some components of an example sound transmission component is shown;

[0020] Figure 5 The method is shown based on an example, and

[0021] Figure 6 A block diagram of some components of the device according to the example is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] As described above, this disclosure relates to techniques for transmitting speech made by a user of a respirator device and wearing a mask of the respirator device to a receiver and / or a remote receiver located in the user's physical environment. In this respect, the mask typically covers the user's mouth, and therefore undisturbed speech transmission by a masked user requires special measures, and this disclosure describes techniques for speech transmission within such a framework through various examples.

[0023] Based on the above discussion, a respirator device may also be referred to as a respirator, breathing apparatus, mask, breathing mask, face shield, etc. In this regard, the techniques described in this disclosure are applicable to any respirator device including a face shield worn by a person using the respirator device, such that the face shield covers the user's mouth in a manner that interferes with verbal communication with others. In various non-limiting examples, the respirator device of consideration may include an air-purifying respirator (APR) or an electrically powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with a half-face shield, or an APR, PAPR, or self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with a full-face shield. In this respect, a half-face shield typically covers the mouth and nose of the user wearing the shield, while a full-face shield also provides protection for the eyes of the user wearing the shield.

[0024] Figure 1A block diagram of some components of an example sound transmission assembly 100 is shown, wherein the sound transmission assembly 100 is provided for use with a respirator device of the aforementioned type. The sound transmission assembly 100 includes: a vibration sensor assembly 110 arranged to generate a speech signal based on vibrations sensed on the outer surface of the respirator device's mask; and a sound application assembly 130 arranged to apply the speech signal obtained from the vibration sensor assembly 110. Optionally, the sound transmission assembly 100 also includes a sound processing section 120 arranged to preprocess the speech signal obtained from the vibration sensor assembly 110 before it is transmitted for application by the sound application assembly 130. The vibration sensor assembly 110 is communicatively coupled to the sound application assembly 130, for example, via a connecting cable, to enable the speech signal generated in the vibration sensor assembly 110 to be provided to the sound application assembly 130. With the optional sound processing section 120 applied, the connecting cable is also used to supply the speech signal from the vibration sensor assembly 110 to the sound processing section 120.

[0025] In various examples, the sound application component 130 may include one or more sound application sub-components, each utilizing the speech signal obtained from the vibration sensor component 110 in a manner different from the other sound application sub-components. Non-limiting examples of the corresponding functions provided by such sound application sub-components include reproducing the speech signal at the sound transmission component 100 (locally), delivering the speech signal from the sound transmission component 100 to another device, and processing the speech signal at the sound transmission component 100 (locally).

[0026] Figure 2A and 2B The corresponding illustration schematically shows some (additional) components of the sound transmission assembly 100 according to a non-limiting example, and the respirator mask 10 to be worn by the user of the respirator device. At this point, Figure 2A The illustration shows a main housing 100a including at least some components of a sound transmission assembly 100 and a sensor housing 110a including at least some components of a vibration sensor assembly 110 separate from the mask 10. Figure 2B The illustration shows the main housing 100a mounted to the face mask 10 and the sensor housing 110a attached to the face mask 10.

[0027] In various examples, the sound application component 130 can be implemented as hardware or a combination of hardware and software. Depending on the respective characteristics and functions of one or more sound application sub-components of the sound application component 130, the hardware involved may include one or more circuits and / or one or more dedicated electrical and / or electromechanical components. Furthermore, when a combination of hardware and software is applied to implement the sound application component 130, the hardware involved includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause at least some aspects of the respective functions of one or more sound application sub-components of the sound application component 130 to be implemented. Where the sound transmission component 100 includes an optional sound processing section 120, hardware or a combination of hardware and software for implementing the sound application component 130 can be further applied to implement at least some aspects of the functions of the sound processing section 120.

[0028] According to one example, the hardware for implementing the sound application component 130 is housed in a main housing 100, which is mountable (or mounted) to and detachable from the face mask 10, while components constituting the vibration sensor assembly 110 are housed in a sensor housing 110a, which is in contact with the outer surface of the face mask 10 of the respirator device. The main housing 100a and / or the face mask 10 may be provided with mounting mechanisms that enable the main housing 100a to be mounted to and detached from the face mask 10. In one example, the sensor housing 110a forms part of the main housing 100a (e.g., Figure 2A and 2B As shown in the illustration, when the main housing 100a is mounted to the face mask 10, it contacts the outer surface of the face mask 10. In another example, the sensor housing 110a is separate from the main housing 100a and is detachably attachable (or attachable) to the face mask 10, and detachably removable from the face mask 10. In the latter example, the sensor housing 110a can be wire-coupled to the main housing 100a, with the connecting cable routed through it.

[0029] Typically, the vibration sensor assembly 110 includes a vibration sensor for capturing vibrations induced on the mask 10 by speech emitted by a user wearing the mask 10, and generates a speech signal from the vibrations sensed by the vibration sensor. In this respect, the vibration sensor assembly 110 may contact the outer surface of the mask 10 to capture vibrations induced therein. (Refer to below...) Figure 3A and 3B Various non-limiting illustrative examples of the vibration sensor assembly 110 are described.

[0030] Figure 3ASome aspects of the vibration sensor assembly 110 according to an example are illustrated by schematically showing a cross-section of the vibration sensor assembly 110. Specifically, according to... Figure 3A The example vibration sensor assembly 110 includes a vibration sensor 110c arranged to contact a sensor housing 110a to generate a speech signal from vibrations introduced into the vibration sensor 110c via the sensor housing 110a, which contacts the outer surface of the mask 10. In this respect, any vibration occurring on the outer surface of the mask 10 causes a corresponding vibration in the sensor housing 110a, which in turn transmits the vibration to the vibration sensor 110c in contact with it. A connecting cable 110d is coupled to the vibration sensor 110c to provide the speech signal generated therein to the sound application assembly 130 (and optionally, to the sound processing section 120).

[0031] Figure 3B Some aspects of a vibration sensor assembly 110 according to another example are illustrated by schematically showing a cross-section of the vibration sensor assembly 110. Specifically, according to... Figure 3B The example vibration sensor assembly 110 includes a sensor front end 110b arranged to contact the outer surface of the mask 10 and a vibration sensor 110c arranged to contact the sensor front end 110b to generate a speech signal from vibrations introduced to the vibration sensor 110c via the sensor front end 110b. In this respect, any vibration occurring on the outer surface of the mask 10 causes a corresponding vibration of the sensor front end 110b, which in turn transmits the vibration to the vibration sensor 110c in contact with it. Figure 3A As in the example, the connecting cable 110d is coupled to the vibration sensor 110c to provide the speech signal generated therein to the sound application component 130 (and optionally, to the sound processing section 120).

[0032] Still referencing Figure 3B In one example, a sensor front end 110b and a vibration sensor 110c are arranged within a sensor housing 110a such that one end of the sensor front end 110b protrudes from an opening at the end of the sensor housing 110a, while the other end of the sensor front end 110b contacts a first side of the vibration sensor 110c. The volume at a second side (opposite to the first side) of the vibration sensor 110c may include an elastic member 110e arranged to contact the second side of the vibration sensor 110c, thereby pushing the vibration sensor 110c against the sensor front end 110b to ensure that contact is maintained despite vibrational movement of the sensor front end 110b.

[0033] It is worth noting that this is a reference. Figure 3A and 3BThe structure and operating principle of the vibration sensor assembly 110 described in the corresponding illustrations are used as non-limiting examples, and in other examples, the same principles may be applied alternatively to the references. Figure 3A and 3B The described structures and operations differ from those of the described structures and operations. In particular, any structure that enables vibration to be transmitted from the outer surface of the mask 10 to the vibration sensor assembly 110 can be used for this purpose.

[0034] Based on the above, in some examples, the sensor housing 110a forms part of the main housing 100a and is designed with respect to the shape of the face mask 10, such that when the main housing 100a is mounted to the face mask 10, the vibration sensor assembly 110 contacts the outer surface of the face mask 10. In this arrangement, a dedicated attachment mechanism for attaching the vibration sensor assembly 110 to the face mask 10 is generally not required. In examples where the sensor housing 110a is separate from the main housing 100a, the vibration sensor assembly 110 and / or the face mask 10 may be provided with an attachment mechanism that enables the vibration sensor assembly 110 to be attached to the face mask 10, such that the vibration sensor assembly 110 contacts the outer surface of the face mask 10. While many different designs can be applied in this regard, in a non-limiting example, the attachment mechanism involves a recess provided in the face mask 10, wherein the recess has a shape and size that substantially matches the contour of the sensor housing 110a, and is therefore capable of receiving the sensor housing 110a. In this respect, the recess may have a circular cross-section, and the sensor housing 110a may have a substantially tubular shape, the cross-section of which substantially matches the cross-section of the recess. The recess in the mask 10 may be specifically configured for receiving the sensor housing 110a, or it may be used for other purposes. As an example of the latter, the recess may be a hydration hose receptacle provided in the mask 10.

[0035] Figure 4A It shows that according to Figure 1 The first example of the sound transmission component 100 within the framework includes a sound application component 130 comprising a speaker component 132 arranged to reproduce speech signals at the user's location (i.e., at the location of the respirator device). Optionally, the sound transmission component 100 according to the first example also includes a sound processing section 120 arranged to preprocess the speech signals obtained from the vibration sensor component 110 before transmitting them for reproduction via the speaker component 132. Thus, the sound transmission device 100 according to the first example can be applied to locally reproduce speech uttered by a user of the respirator device wearing the respirator device mask 10, thereby transmitting the user's speech to one or more other persons nearby.

[0036] The speaker assembly 132 may be mounted (or installed) to and detached from the mask 10. In this regard, the speaker assembly 132 and / or the mask 10 may be provided with a mounting mechanism that allows the main housing 100a to be mounted to and detached from the mask 10. According to one example, the speaker assembly 132 is disposed within the main housing 100a of the voice transmission assembly 100, and therefore it may be mounted (or installed) to the mask 10 and detached from the mask 10 together with the main housing 100a. The speaker assembly 132 includes one or more speaker elements and electrical connections that allow the supply of speech signals received from the vibration sensor assembly 110 (or, if applicable, from the sound processing section 120) for reproduction via the one or more speaker elements.

[0037] According to one example, the sound transmission assembly 100 also includes an isolation member arranged between the speaker assembly 132 and the mask 10 when the speaker assembly 132 is mounted to the mask 10. In other words, the speaker assembly 132 may be mounted (or installed) to the mask 10 such that the isolation member is arranged between the speaker assembly 132 and the mask 10. The isolation member is arranged to suppress (or even eliminate) the transmission of vibrations induced in the speaker assembly 132 during the reproduction of speech signals, thereby suppressing (or eliminating) feedback of vibrations occurring in the speaker assembly 132 to the vibration sensor assembly 110 via the mask 10. In various examples, the isolation member may be made of an elastic material that absorbs at least part of the vibrations, or the isolation member may include a mechanical device, such as a spring assembly, arranged to absorb at least part of the vibrations. In various examples, the isolation member may be a component of the speaker assembly 132, a component of the main housing 100a, or a separate component to be placed between the speaker assembly 132 and the mask 10 when the speaker assembly 132 (or the main housing 100a) is mounted to the mask 10.

[0038] If the first example is implemented using the optional sound processing section 120, the preprocessing applied therein may include amplifying the speech signal before it is reproduced by the speaker assembly 132. In this respect, amplification may be performed based on a predetermined amplification factor, or it may be performed based on a user-adjustable or user-selectable amplification factor. In the latter approach, the amplification factor may be determined based on user input received via a user interface (UI) of the sound transmission assembly 100, which may be located, for example, in the main housing 100a. Alternatively or additionally, the preprocessing applied to the speech signal in the sound processing section 120 before providing the speech signal for reproduction by the speaker assembly 120 may include other sound processing operations, such as one or more of the following: audio filtering (e.g., low-pass, high-pass, or band-pass filtering) for controlling the frequency content of the speech signal; audio equalization for ensuring the speech signal is naturally audible in terms of its spectral content; noise suppression for reducing or eliminating background noise that may be present in the speech signal; and echo cancellation for mitigating the effect of the speech reproduced by the speaker assembly 132 as vibrational feedback onto the surface of the mask 10.

[0039] Figure 4B It shows that according to Figure 1 The second example of the sound transmission component 100 within the framework includes a sound application component 130 comprising a communication interface 134 adapted to provide speech signals for transmission to one or more other devices via a communication device 140 coupled to the communication interface 134. Optionally, the sound transmission component 100 according to the second example also includes a sound processing section 120 arranged to preprocess the speech signals obtained from the vibration sensor component 110 before transmitting them to the communication interface 134. Thus, the sound transmission device 100 according to the second example is adapted to transmit speech uttered by a user of a respirator device wearing a mask 10 via the communication interface 134 and via the communication device 140 coupled thereto to one or more other devices for reproduction and / or further processing therein, thereby transmitting the user's speech to one or more locations, which may be corresponding locations near the user wearing the mask 10 and / or corresponding remote locations.

[0040] The communication interface 134 may be housed in the main housing 100a of the voice transmission assembly 100, thus allowing it to be mounted (or installed) to the face mask 10 and detached from the face mask 10 along with the main housing 100a. The communication interface 134 may be configured, for example, as a socket for receiving a plug connecting the communication device 140 to the voice transmission assembly 130 via a cable, or as a transceiver or transmitter arranged for communication with the communication device 140 according to a short-range wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth (BT) or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). The communication device 140 may employ any applicable communication technology to communicate with one or more other devices.

[0041] If the second example is implemented using the optional sound processing section 120, the preprocessing applied therein may include converting the speech signal from analog to digital form, encoding the (digital) speech signal, and / or encrypting the (digital) speech signal. Alternatively or additionally, the preprocessing applied to the speech signal in the sound processing section 120 before providing the speech signal to the communication interface 134 may include other sound processing operations, such as one or more of the following: audio filtering (e.g., low-pass, high-pass, or band-pass filtering) for controlling the frequency content of the speech signal, audio equalization for ensuring that the speech signal is naturally audible in terms of its spectral content, noise suppression for reducing or eliminating background noise that may be present in the speech signal, and echo cancellation for mitigating the effect of the speech reproduced by the speaker assembly 132 as vibration feedback to the surface of the mask 10.

[0042] Therefore, the first and second examples described above serve as corresponding examples of a method in which the sound application component 130 includes a single sound application subcomponent. In some examples, the single sound application subcomponent is implicitly selected as a target application for speech signals obtained from the vibration sensor component 110, and the speech signals are supplied to the single sound application subcomponent without explicit user selection. In other examples utilizing the single sound application subcomponent, the single sound application subcomponent can be selectively enabled or disabled based on user input received via the UI of the sound transmission component 100. Thus, if the single sound application subcomponent is enabled, speech signals are provided to it and associated audio functions (e.g., reproduction via the speaker component 132 or transmission to the communication interface 134) are applied, while if the single sound application subcomponent is disabled, speech signals are not provided to it and / or associated audio functions are not applied.

[0043] Figure 4C It shows that according to Figure 1A block diagram of some components of a third example sound transmission assembly 100 within the framework, wherein the sound application assembly 130 includes a speaker assembly 132 arranged to reproduce speech signals at a user's location (i.e., at the location of the respirator device) and a communication interface 134 adapted to supply speech signals for transmission to one or more other devices via a communication device 140 coupled to a communication interface 134. Thus, the speaker assembly 132 and the communication interface 134 serve as respective sound application sub-components of the sound application assembly 130. Optionally, the sound transmission assembly 100 according to the third example also includes a sound processing section 120 arranged to preprocess the speech signals obtained from the vibration sensor assembly 110 before passing them to the speaker assembly 133 and / or the communication interface 134. Therefore, the sound transmission device 100 according to the third example is suitable for local reproduction of speech made by a user of a respirator device wearing a mask 10, and / or suitable for transmitting speech to one or more other devices via communication interface 134 and via communication device 140 for reproduction and / or further processing therein, thereby enabling the speech made by the user to be transmitted to one or more other persons located near him / her, and to one or more locations that may be near the user wearing mask 10 and / or a corresponding remote location.

[0044] If the third example is implemented using the optional sound processing section 120, preprocessing can be applied to the speech signals provided to the speaker assembly 132 and the speech signals provided to the communication interface 134, respectively. Specifically, the characteristics of the preprocessing applied to the speech signals provided to the speaker assembly 132 can differ from the characteristics of the preprocessing applied to the speech signals provided to the communication interface 134, to take into account the potentially different audio characteristics and / or requirements of these sound application sub-components. In this respect, the discussion in the context of the first example regarding the preprocessing that can be applied to the speech signals provided to the speaker assembly 132 provided above, and the discussion regarding the preprocessing that can be applied to the speech signals provided to the communication interface 134 provided in the context of the aforementioned second example, also applies to the third example, with the necessary modifications.

[0045] The third example described above serves as an example of a sound application component 130 comprising two or more sound application sub-components, each arranged to utilize the speech signal obtained from the vibration sensor component 110 in a manner different from the other sound application sub-components. In some examples where the sound application component 130 comprises two or more sound application sub-components, the speech signal obtained from the vibration sensor component 110 may be provided to each sound application sub-component. This corresponds to (automatically) enabling each of the two or more sound application sub-components. In other examples where the sound application component 130 comprises two or more sound application sub-components, at least one (e.g., each) of the two or more sound application sub-components may be selectively enabled or disabled based on user input received via the UI of the sound transmission component 100. Thus, the UI may enable the selection of one or more of two or more sound application sub-components as the corresponding target application for the speech signal. Therefore, the speech signal may only be provided to those currently enabled voice application sub-components.

[0046] If the sound transmission component 100 (where the sound application component 130 includes two or more sound application sub-components) is implemented using an optional sound processing section 120, then, as discussed earlier in the context of the third example, the sound processing section 120 is arranged to apply a corresponding predetermined preprocessing to the speech signal before it is provided to a corresponding sound application sub-component, wherein the characteristics of the applied preprocessing are individually defined for each of the two or more sound application sub-components. This makes it possible to consider the potentially different audio characteristics and / or requirements of the two or more sound application sub-components. Furthermore, the preprocessing applied to the speech signal in the sound processing section 120 before it is provided to a given sound application sub-component can be selectively enabled or disabled, depending on whether the respective sound application sub-component is enabled or disabled.

[0047] In some examples of implementing the sound transmission component 100 using the sound processing unit 120, the sound processing unit 120 may include a speech activity detector (VAD) arranged to classify the speech signal obtained from the vibration sensor component 110 into speech or non-speech, and accordingly control the operation of the sound application component 130. The VAD may include a VAD algorithm known in the art, arranged to process the speech signal supplied to it into a time series of frames, and classify each frame into either speech or non-speech based on the temporal and / or spectral characteristics of the speech signal in the corresponding frame and / or temporally neighboring frames. VAD classification may be applied such that only those frames classified as speech (i.e., those time periods of the speech signal) are provided to the sound application component 130, while those frames classified as non-speech (i.e., those time periods of the speech signal) are not provided to the sound application component 130. Alternatively, the sound application component 130 can be selectively enabled or disabled based on VAD classification. For example, the sound application component 130 can be enabled for frames classified as speech (i.e., those time periods of the speech signal) and disabled for frames classified as non-speech (i.e., those time periods of the speech signal). In another example, for a sound application component 130 comprising two or more sound application sub-components, VAD can be employed such that VAD classification involves only a predetermined subset of the sound application sub-components. Speech signal classification based on VAD determination can generally help, for example, distinguish actual speech uttered by a user wearing a respirator mask from vibrations introduced into the mask from the user's environment.

[0048] The first, second, and third examples described above rely on the speaker assembly 132 and / or communication interface 134 as respective sound application sub-components of sound application component 130. However, these are non-limiting examples, and in other examples, sound application component 130 may include one or more other sound application sub-components in addition to or as an alternative to speaker assembly 132 and / or communication interface 134. Non-limiting examples of such other sound application sub-components relying on speech signals obtained from vibration sensor assembly 110 include voice-based control of (other) functions enabled by sound transmission assembly 110 or devices coupled thereto, and speech recognition for deriving textual descriptions of speech uttered by a user wearing mask 10 for storage and / or for transmission to one or more other devices.

[0049] The example of the sound transmission assembly 100 described above includes a single vibration sensor assembly 110. In other examples, the sound transmission assembly 100 may include two or more vibration sensor assemblies for attachment at different locations on the outer surface of the mask 10, while in general, the sound transmission assembly 100 according to this disclosure includes at least one vibration sensor assembly 110 of the aforementioned type. In various examples involving two or more vibration sensor assemblies 110, the speech signal provided to the sound application assembly 130 or a sound application sub-assembly of the sound application assembly 130 may be a speech signal generated at (or based on) one of the two or more vibration sensor assemblies 110, or the speech signal may be derived based on a corresponding speech signal generated at one or more vibration sensor assemblies 110.

[0050] In scenarios where one of the corresponding speech signals generated by two or more vibration sensor assemblies 110 is selected to be provided to the sound application assembly 130 or its sound application sub-assemblies, the selection can be made, for example, based on the corresponding characteristics of the generated speech signals (e.g., in terms of signal power, frequency response, and / or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)). Since the vibrations from the speech of a user wearing the mask 10 and the vibrations generated from acoustic feedback from the speaker assembly 132 (if applied) are typically captured at different locations on the surface of the mask 10 with different amplitudes and / or different frequency responses, the possibility of selecting one of the two or more generated speech signals allows, for example, the selection of the generated speech signal that has the highest signal power or provides the optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a given usage scenario. In scenarios where the speech signal to be provided to the sound application assembly 130 or its sound application sub-assemblies is derived based on the corresponding speech signals generated at two or more vibration sensor assemblies 110, sensor array techniques known in the art can be applied, for example, in the derivation of the speech signal. As described above, since the vibrations representing the speech of the user wearing the mask 10 and the vibrations caused by acoustic feedback are transmitted at different locations on the surface of the mask 10 with different amplitudes and / or different frequencies, this method enables the speech signal to be derived for use in the sound application component 130 as a combination of corresponding speech signals generated at different locations on the outer surface of the mask 10 in a manner that optimizes the SNR, signal power, and / or frequency response of the derived speech signal, while minimizing the effects of acoustic feedback.

[0051] Some aspects of the operation of the sound transmission component 100 described above can also be described as steps of a method. As an example in this regard, Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a method 200 for sound transmission in a respirator device (or within a respirator device) is shown, the respirator device including a mouthpiece mask 10, the method 200 comprising the following steps:

[0052] - Generate speech signals based on vibrations sensed on the outer surface of the mask 10 (box 202);

[0053] - The generated speech signal (box 204).

[0054] The various operations described with reference to blocks 202 and 204 relating to method 200 can be modified or supplemented in a variety of ways, for example, as described above and / or below with reference to the various characteristics and / or operations of sound transmission component 100. As a particular example in this regard, the application of the generated speech signal (see block 204) may include reproducing the generated speech signal via a speaker assembly 132 mounted to the mask 10 and / or providing the generated speech signal to a communication interface 134 for transmission by a communication device 140 coupled to the communication interface 134 to one or more other devices.

[0055] Figure 6 A block diagram of some components of an exemplary device 300 is shown. Device 300 may include Figure 6 Other components, elements, or portions not shown, such as those in the diagram, may be referred to as a computing device or computer device, and may be used, for example, to implement at least some aspects of the operation of the sound application component 130 and / or the sound processing section 120 (if applied). The device 300 includes a processor 316 and a memory 315 for storing data and computer program code 317. The memory 315 and a portion of the computer program code 317 stored therein may be further arranged to utilize the processor 316 to implement at least some aspects of the operation of the sound application component 130 and / or the sound processing section 120 (if applied).

[0056] Device 300 may include a communication section 312 for communicating with communication device 140, and the communication section 312 may be used to implement communication interface 134 (if applied). The communication section 312 enables wired or wireless communication with communication device 140. Device 300 may optionally further include one or more user I / O (input / output) components 318, which may be arranged to provide the UI of voice transmission component 100 together with processor 316 and a portion of computer program code 317. Processor 316 may be arranged to control the operation of device 300, for example, according to a portion of computer program code 317 and possibly also according to user input received via user I / O components 318 and / or according to information received via communication section 312.

[0057] Although processor 316 is depicted as a single component, it can be implemented as one or more separate processing components. Similarly, although memory 315 is depicted as a single component, it can be implemented as one or more separate components, some or all of which may be integrated / removable and / or provide permanent / semi-permanent / dynamic / cached storage.

[0058] The computer program code 317 stored in memory 315 may include computer-executable instructions that, when loaded into processor 316, control one or more aspects of the operation of device 300. As an example, the computer-executable instructions may be provided as one or more sequences of one or more instructions. Processor 316 is capable of loading and executing computer program code 317 by reading one or more sequences of one or more instructions included therein from memory 315. One or more sequences of one or more instructions may be configured, when executed by processor 316, to cause device 300 to perform at least some aspects of the operation of sound application component 130 and / or sound processing section 120 (if applied).

[0059] Therefore, the device 300 may include at least one processor 316 and at least one memory 315 including computer program code 317 for one or more programs, wherein the at least one memory 315 and the computer program code 317 are configured to utilize the at least one processor 316 to cause the device 300 to perform at least some aspects of the operation of the sound application component 130 and / or the sound processing section 120 (if applied).

[0060] The computer program stored in memory 315 can be provided, for example, as a corresponding computer program product including at least one computer-readable non-transitory medium on which computer program code 317 is stored, the computer program code causing device 300, when executed by device 300, to perform at least some aspects of the operation of sound application component 130 and / or sound processing section 120 (if applied). The computer-readable non-transitory medium can include a memory device or recording medium tangibly embodying the computer program. As another example, the computer program can be provided as a signal configured to reliably transmit the computer program.

[0061] The reference to processors in this article should not be construed as covering only programmable processors, but also special-purpose circuits such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), signal processors, etc.

Claims

1. A sound transmission assembly (100) for a respirator device, the respirator device including a face shield (10) to be worn by a user of the respirator device, the sound transmission assembly (100) comprising: At least one vibration sensor assembly (110) is arranged to generate speech signals based on vibrations sensed on the outer surface of the mask (10); as well as A sound application component (130) is arranged to apply the speech signal obtained from the at least one vibration sensor component (110).

2. The sound transmission component (100) according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the at least one vibration sensor assembly (110) includes: Sensor housing (110a) for arrangement to contact the outer surface of the mask (10); and A vibration sensor (110c) is arranged to contact the sensor housing (110a) to generate the speech signal from vibrations induced on it via the sensor housing (110a).

3. The sound transmission component (100) according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the at least one vibration sensor assembly (110) includes an attachment mechanism for attaching the respective vibration sensor assembly (110) to the face mask (10) such that the vibration sensor assembly (110) contacts the outer surface of the face mask (10).

4. The sound transmission component (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sound application component (130) includes a speaker assembly (132) that can be mounted to the mask (10) and is arranged to reproduce the speech signal at the user's location.

5. The sound transmission assembly (100) according to claim 4 further includes a sound processing section (120) arranged to apply predetermined preprocessing to the speech signal before the speech signal is reproduced by the speaker assembly (132).

6. The sound transmission component (100) according to claim 5, wherein, The predetermined preprocessing includes amplifying the speech signal.

7. The sound transmission assembly (100) according to claim 4 further includes an isolation member disposed between the speaker assembly (132) and the mask (10), wherein the isolation member is arranged to suppress the transmission of vibrations caused in the speaker assembly (132) to the mask (10).

8. The sound transmission component (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The sound application component (130) includes a communication interface (134) for providing the speech signal to be transmitted to one or more other devices via a communication device (140) coupled to the communication interface (134).

9. The sound transmission component (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The sound application component (130) includes two or more sound application sub-components, each of which is arranged to apply the speech signal obtained from the at least one vibration sensor component (110) in a manner different from other speech application sub-components; and The sound transmission component (100) also includes a user interface that enables selectively enabling or disabling at least one of the two or more sound application sub-components.

10. The sound transmission component (100) according to claim 9, wherein The two or more sound application sub-components include A speaker assembly (132), capable of being attached to the face mask (10) and arranged to reproduce speech signals at the user's location, and A communication interface (134) is provided for providing speech signals so that they can be transmitted from a communication device (140) coupled to the communication interface (134) to one or more other devices, and in, The user interface enables the selective enabling or disabling of at least one of the speaker assembly (132) and the communication interface (134).

11. The sound transmission component (100) according to claim 9, further comprising a sound processing unit (120), the sound processing unit (120) being arranged to apply a corresponding predetermined preprocessing to the speech signal before providing the speech signal to a corresponding one of the sound application subcomponents, wherein, The characteristics of the preprocessing are defined individually for each audio application subcomponent.

12. The sound transmission component (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a sound processing section (120), said sound processing section (120) including a voice activity detector (VAD), wherein, The VAD is configured to classify speech signals obtained from the at least one vibration sensor assembly (110) into speech or non-speech signals, and to control the operation of the sound application assembly (130) based on the classification.

13. A respirator device, comprising: A face shield (10) to be worn by the user of the respirator; as well as The sound transmission component (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

14. A method (200) for sound transmission in a respirator device, the respirator device including a face shield (10) to be worn by a user of the respirator device, the method (200) comprising: (202) A speech signal is generated based on vibrations sensed on the outer surface of the mask (10); as well as The speech signal generated by application (204).

15. The method (200) according to claim 14, wherein the speech signal generated by the application (204) comprises at least one of the following: The generated speech signal is reproduced via a speaker assembly (132) mounted to the mask (10), and the generated speech signal is provided to a communication interface (134) for transmission by a communication device (140) coupled to the communication interface (134) to one or more other devices.

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