Treadmill Motor Noise Cancellation via Anti-Phase Waveform
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available treadmills often produce noise from their motors and other components, which can be distracting and undesirable for users and others nearby, interfering with listening to music or other sounds during exercise.
Innovation Solution
A noise control system integrated into the treadmill, comprising a microphone and processor that detects and analyzes noise patterns, generates an anti-phase waveform to cancel or reduce the motor noise, allowing the system to emit this waveform through speakers to effectively quiet the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a motor is used to drive the tread belt, then the treadmill can provide continuous movement and support aerobic exercise, but motor noise is generated that interferes with user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the harmful motor noise using microphones and converts it into a useful anti-phase waveform through signal processing. The processed anti-phase noise is then emitted via speakers to cancel the original motor noise, transforming the harmful noise into a beneficial noise-cancellation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces several intermediary elements: microphones as intermediaries to capture noise, a processor as an intermediary to generate anti-phase waveforms, and speakers as intermediaries to emit cancellation sounds. These intermediaries facilitate the noise cancellation process between the motor noise source and the user's auditory experience.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If noise cancellation technology is added to the treadmill, then motor noise can be reduced or eliminated, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The processor in the treadmill serves multiple functions: it controls the motor, processes audio signals from microphones, generates anti-phase waveforms, and manages the speakers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated noise cancellation hardware, thereby managing complexity while achieving noise reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The treadmill's own processor and existing audio components are utilized for noise cancellation rather than requiring completely separate dedicated systems. The treadmill essentially serves itself by using its computational resources and audio infrastructure to cancel its own motor noise.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The noise control system significantly reduces or eliminates the noise from the treadmill, enhancing the user's exercise experience by allowing them to listen to music or other sounds without interference and improving the overall environment's quietness.
Implementation Method 1
A noise control system integrated into the treadmill, comprising a microphone and processor that detects and analyzes noise patterns
Implementation Method 2
generates an anti-phase waveform to cancel or reduce the motor noise, allowing the system to emit this waveform through speakers
Implementation Method 3
emit this waveform through speakers to effectively quiet the environment
Data Source
AI summary
A treadmill having a running deck comprising a motor arranged to drive movement of a tread belt, a processor, memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable by the processor to determine an anti-phase waveform based on waveform attributes of a noise emitted from the treadmill and to cause a sound of the anti-phase waveform to be emitted into a surrounding environment.