Methods and systems for sound file creation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10880663-B1
Application number	US-201916447387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2019
Priority date	Jun 20, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

In an aspect, provided are methods and systems for performing a series of acoustic tests in a variety of testing environments comprising several types of construction assemblies. Prior to performing each acoustic test, a plurality of audio parameters corresponding to a given construction assembly can be used to configure an electronic device that captures audio produced by the acoustic test with a microphone and stores the captured audio as a computer sound file. Further, an acoustic testing device can be used during the acoustic test to gather data indicative of a result of the acoustic test. The result can then be mapped, along with information related to the given construction assembly, to the computer sound file.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, based on an acoustic test to be performed, a plurality of audio parameters, wherein the acoustic test is performed in a testing environment comprising a construction assembly;
determining, based on the construction assembly, a value for each audio parameter of the plurality of audio parameters;
configuring, according to the value for each audio parameter of the plurality of audio parameters, an electronic device to capture audio;
performing the acoustic test;
capturing, with a microphone of the electronic device, audio associated with the acoustic test;
storing the captured audio as a sound file;
receiving, from an acoustic testing device, a result of the acoustic test;
mapping, to the stored sound file: the result of the acoustic test, the value for each audio parameter of the plurality of audio parameters, and information related to the construction assembly; and
adjusting the value for at least one audio parameter of the plurality of audio parameters mapped to the stored sound file, wherein the adjusted value for the at least one audio parameter is based on values for the at least one audio parameter associated with a plurality of sound files for a plurality of acoustic tests.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the acoustic test comprises performing the plurality of acoustic tests for a plurality of construction assemblies in a plurality of testing environments, and wherein storing the captured audio as a sound file comprises storing the captured audio from each acoustic test of the plurality of acoustic tests as a separate sound file within the plurality of sound files.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
assembling, into a searchable library: the sound files, mapped results of the plurality of acoustic tests, and the information related to the plurality of construction assemblies; and
appending metadata to each sound file.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein appending the metadata to each sound file comprises appending, to each sound file, one or more of the mapped results of the plurality of acoustic tests, the information related to the plurality of construction assemblies, or a description of the plurality of testier environments.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting one or more of the values of the plurality of audio parameters in each of the plurality of sound files.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting one or more of the values of the plurality of audio parameters in each of the plurality of sound files comprises adjusting a gain level in one or more of the plurality of sound files such that the gain level of each sound file of the one or more sound files, relative to all remaining sound files of the plurality of sound files, is identical to an actual measured noise level of each acoustic test relative to each remaining acoustic test of the plurality of acoustic tests.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting one or more values of the plurality of audio parameters in each of the stored sound files comprises adjusting a noise level in one or more of the sound files to reduce non-acoustic test related noise, and wherein adjusting the noise level comprises one or more of trimming a sound file to a determined length or band-limiting the sound file to a determined frequency range.

8. A system comprising:
an impact source, configured to generate noise associated with a construction assembly according to an acoustic test performed in a testing environment wherein the testing environment comprises the construction assembly;
an acoustic testing device comprising an audio sensor and a transmitter, configured to:
determine, via the audio sensor, one or more values of one or more of a plurality of audio parameters associated with acoustic properties of the noise, and
transmit, to an electronic device via the transmitter, the one or more values of the plurality of audio parameters as a result of the acoustic test;

the electronic device comprising a microphone, memory, and a receiver, wherein the electronic device is configured to:
detect, via the microphone, audio associated with the noise,
store, in the memory, the detected audio as a sound file,
receive, from the acoustic testing device, the result of the acoustic test, and
map the result of the acoustic test and information related to the construction assembly to the stored sound file; and

a computing device configured to adjust the value for at least one audio parameter of the plurality of audio parameters mapped to the stored sound file, wherein the adjusted value for the at least one audio parameter is based on values for the at least one audio parameter associated with a plurality of sound files for a plurality of acoustic tests.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the impact source is further configured to generate noise associated with a plurality of construction assemblies, according to a plurality of acoustic tests in a plurality of testing environments, and wherein the electronic device is further configured to store detected audio from each of the plurality of acoustic tests as a separate sound file.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the electronic device is further configured to:
assemble and store into the memory, as a searchable library, the sound files and the information related to the plurality of construction assemblies; and
append metadata to each sound file.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein appending the metadata to each sound file comprises appending, to each sound file, one or more of: mapped results of the plurality of acoustic tests, the information related to the plurality of construction assemblies, or a description of the plurality of testier environments.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is further configured for adjusting one or more of the values of the plurality of audio parameters in each of the plurality of sound files.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein adjusting one or more values of the plurality of audio parameters in each of the plurality of sound files comprises adjusting a gain level in one or more of the plurality of sound files such that the gain level of each sound file of the one or more sound files, relative to all remaining plurality of sound files, is identical to an actual measured noise level of each acoustic test relative to each remaining acoustic test of the plurality of acoustic tests.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein adjusting one or more values of the plurality of audio parameters in each of the stored sound files comprises adjusting a noise level in one or more of the sound files to reduce non-acoustic test related noise, and wherein adjusting the noise level comprises one or more of trimming a sound file to a determined length or band-limiting the sound file to a determined frequency range.

15. A method comprising:
performing a plurality of acoustic tests for a plurality of construction assemblies, wherein each acoustic test of the plurality of acoustic tests is performed in a testing environment comprising a construction assembly;
storing, in a memory of an electronic device, captured audio from each respective acoustic test of the plurality of acoustic tests in respective sound files, wherein each respective sound file comprises a plurality of audio parameters;
adjusting one or more values of the plurality of audio parameters in each respective sound file, wherein the adjusted one or more values are based on values for at least one audio parameter of the plurality of audio parameters associated with each respective acoustic test of the pluralit

Assignees

• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Woodall Joseph M
• Brumbelow Julie B
• Morton Barrett R
• Dong David Wayland
• Loverde John

Classifications

• H04R29/00 Primary

  Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements {(for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308)} · CPC title

• G06F16/68 Primary

  Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually · CPC title

• G06T17/05

  Geographic models · CPC title