Mask apparatus and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023015788-A1
Application number	US-202217847382-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2022
Priority date	Jul 19, 2021
Publication date	Jan 19, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a method for controlling a mask apparatus. The method for controlling the mask apparatus includes measuring a current pressure value with respect to a mask by using a pressure sensor, comparing each of a preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and a preset and a preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation to the current pressure value; updating the atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the atmospheric pressure minimum estimation according to the comparison result, and controlling a voice output of a speaker based on a difference between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for controlling a mask apparatus, the method comprising:
measuring a current pressure value with respect to a mask by using a pressure sensor; comparing each of a preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and a preset and a preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation to the current pressure value; updating the atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the atmospheric pressure minimum estimation according to the comparison result; and controlling a voice output of a speaker based on a difference between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling of the voice output of the speaker based on the difference between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation comprises:
calculating a difference value between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation; comparing the difference value to a reference pressure value; and controlling the voice output of the speaker according to the comparison result of the difference value and the reference pressure value.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein, when the difference value is less than the reference pressure value, a voice output function of the speaker is deactivated, or a voice is muted.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein, when the difference value is greater than the reference pressure value, a voice output function of the speaker is activated, or a mute state is released.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising controlling an operation of a fan module based on a difference between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the updating of the atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the atmospheric pressure minimum estimation according to the comparison result comprises: when the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation is less than the current pressure value,
updating the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation to the current pressure value; and updating the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation by reflecting a weight.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein, when the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation exceeds the current pressure value, the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation and the current pressure value are compared to each other, and
when the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation is equal to or greater than the current pressure value, the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation is updated to the current pressure value to update the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation by reflecting a weight.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein, when the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation exceeds the current pressure value, and the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation is less than the current pressure value, each of the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation is updated by reflecting the weight.

9 . A method for controlling a mask apparatus, the method comprising:
measuring a pressure value of a mask for a predetermined time by using a pressure sensor; calculating a difference value between a maximum pressure value and a minimum pressure value among pressure values measured for the predetermined time; and controlling a voice output of a speaker based on the difference value between the maximum pressure value and the minimum pressure value.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the controlling of the voice output of the speaker based on the difference value between the maximum pressure value and the minimum pressure value comprises:
comparing the difference value to a reference pressure value; and controlling the voice output of the speaker according to the comparison result of the difference value and the reference pressure value.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein, when the difference value is less than the reference pressure value, a voice output function of the speaker is deactivated, or a voice is muted.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein, when the difference value is greater than the reference pressure value, a voice output function of the speaker is activated, or a mute state is released.

13 . A mask apparatus comprising:
a mask body in which a microphone and a speaker are installed; a face guard coupled to the mask body so as to be in close contact with a user's face and having a breathing space therein; a pressure sensor installed in the mask body to measure a pressure of the breathing space; and a controller configured to:
compare a preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation to a preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation to a current pressure value measured by the pressure sensor;
update the atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the atmospheric pressure minimum estimation according to the comparison result; and
control a voice output of the speaker based on a difference between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation.

14 . The mask apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
calculate a difference value between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation; and control the voice output of the speaker according to the comparison result of the difference value and a reference pressure value.

15 . The mask apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein, when the difference value is less than the reference pressure value, the controller is configured to deactivate a voice output function of the speaker or mute a voice.

16 . The mask apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein, when the difference value is greater than the reference pressure value, the controller is configured to activate a voice output function of the speaker or release a mute state.

17 . The mask apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a fan module installed in the mask body,
wherein the controller is configured to control an operation of the fan module based on a difference between the updated atmospheric pressure maximum estimation and the updated atmospheric pressure minimum estimation.

18 . The mask apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein, when the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation is less than the current pressure value, the controller is configured to:
update the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation to the current pressure value; and update the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation by reflecting a weight.

19 . The mask apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein, when the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation exceeds the current pressure value, the controller is configured to compare the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation to the current pressure value, and
when the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation is equal to or greater than the current pressure value, the controller is configured to: update the preset atmospheric pressure minimum estimation to the current pressure value; and update the preset atmospheric pressure maximum estimation by reflecting a weight.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Sooyong
• Park Jinmoo
• Lee Seonghun
• Kwon Junchan
• Kim Minsoo

Classifications

• A61B2562/0247

  Pressure sensors · CPC title

• A61B5/7264

  Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems · CPC title

• A61B2560/0257

  using atmospheric pressure · CPC title

• A62B18/025 Primary

  Halfmasks (A62B23/02 takes precedence; surgical face masks A41D13/11) · CPC title

• A61B2562/0204

  Acoustic sensors · CPC title