Quiet Toilet Apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017356176-A1
Application number	US-201615176453-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 8, 2016
Priority date	Jun 8, 2016
Publication date	Dec 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A quiet toilet apparatus disclosed. Microphones and circuitry are used to receive and detect one or more virtual point source locations and propagation directions of unwanted toilet noise. Speakers are used to create one or more synthesized wave fronts resulting in cancelation and reduction of unwanted toilet noise. The speakers, microphones and circuitry may be located within a toilet seat of a toilet or at a remote location. A user device or remote device may be connected to the noise reduction toilet apparatus for data recording, collection, reporting, and electronic noise filtering.

First claim

1 . A toilet apparatus comprising:
one or more microphones that detect unwanted sound waves associated with the toilet apparatus; circuitry which determines one or more virtual point source locations of unwanted sound wave signals based on the detected unwanted sound waves; a power supply that powers the circuitry; and one or more speakers that transmit one or more synthesized inverted unwanted wave fronts based on the one or more virtual point source locations.

2 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more synthesized inverted unwanted wave fronts are transmitted in a similar propagation direction compared to the propagation direction of the unwanted sound waves.

3 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more microphones, the circuitry, the power supply, and the one or more speakers are all attached to a toilet seat of the toilet apparatus.

4 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the toilet apparatus is at least partially made from sound absorptive or anechoic material.

5 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a shape of the toilet apparatus is configured to direct sound waves in a pattern, direction, or linear path.

6 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a toilet bowl, wherein a bottom portion of the toilet seat sits flat against a rim of the toilet bowl of the toilet apparatus.

7 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of microphones is attached to a toilet seat of the toilet, a lid of the toilet seat, a toilet bowl of the toilet, or a tank of the toilet.

8 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of speakers is attached to a toilet seat of the toilet, a lid of the toilet seat, a toilet bowl of the toilet, or a tank of the toilet.

9 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more microphones is used for voice recognition or for cancelation of the unwanted sound waves over a telephonic transmission.

10 . The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry obtains feedback from at least one of the one or more microphones to optimize noise cancelation.

11 . A method of reducing toilet noise comprising:
detecting one or more virtual point source locations of unwanted sound waves associated with the toilet with one or more microphones; generating one or more synthesized inverted unwanted wave signals with one or more circuits based on the detected unwanted sound waves; powering the one or more circuits with one or more power sources; and transmitting with one or more speakers one or more synthesized inverted unwanted wave fronts to a location within a toilet bowl and to a location outside of the toilet bowl.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more synthesized inverted unwanted wave fronts are transmitted in a similar propagation direction compared to the propagation direction of the unwanted sound waves.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more microphones, the circuitry, the power supply, and the one or more speakers are all attached to a toilet seat of the toilet.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the toilet and a toilet seat of the toilet is at least partially made from sound absorptive or anechoic material.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a shape of the toilet is configured to direct sound waves in a pattern, direction, or linear path.

16 . The method of claim 11 further comprising a toilet bowl, wherein a bottom portion of the toilet seat sits substantially flat against a rim of the toilet bowl of the toilet.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of microphones is attached to a toilet seat of the toilet, a lid of the toilet seat, a toilet bowl of the toilet, or a tank of the toilet.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of speakers is attached to a toilet seat of the toilet, a lid of the toilet seat, a toilet bowl of the toilet, or a tank of the toilet.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more microphones is used for voice recognition or for cancelation of the unwanted sound waves over a telephonic transmission.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry obtains feedback from at least one of the one or more microphones to optimize noise cancelation.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Allen Dan
• Swenson Ben
• Larsen Joshua
• Reynolds Jared

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Allen Dan
• Swenson Ben
• Larsen Joshua
• Reynolds Jared

Classifications

• G10K2210/105

  Appliances, e.g. washing machines or dishwashers · CPC title

• E03D2201/20

  Noise reduction features · CPC title

• E03D9/00 Primary

  Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories (hand tools for cleaning the toilet bowl A47K11/10; seats or covers for closets A47K13/00; body supports, other than seats for closets A47K17/02; devices for preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes E03C1/10 ){; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells (cleaning, disinfecting or deodorising the seat A47K13/30)} · CPC title

• E03D11/02

  Water-closet bowls (auxiliary chambers with connections to flushing water for bowl-cleaning utensils E03D9/06; modified for using upwardly-directed sprays E03D9/08; seats or covers A47K13/00 ){; Bowls with a double odour seal optionally with provisions for a good siphonic action; siphons as part of the bowl (parts or details of bowls E03D11/13)} · CPC title

• G10K11/1788

  Physics · mapped topic