US 11,925,232 B2
Hearing protector with positional and sound monitoring sensors for proactive sound hazard avoidance
Steven T. Awiszus, Woodbury, MN (US); Kiran S. Kanukurthy, Cottage Grove, MN (US); Eric C. Lobner, Woodbury, MN (US); Robert J. Quintero, St. Paul, MN (US); Micayla A. Johnson, Farmington, MN (US); Madeleine E. Filloux, St. Paul, MN (US); Caroline M. Ylitalo, Stillwater, MN (US); and Paul A. Martinson, Maplewood, MN (US)
Assigned to 3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 16/310,893
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 23, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/039003
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 18, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/223451, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 28, 2017.
Application 16/310,893 is a continuation of application No. 15/190,564, filed on Jun. 23, 2016, granted, now 10,610,708.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/408,564, filed on Oct. 14, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0175960 A1, Jun. 13, 2019
Int. Cl. H04R 1/08 (2006.01); A42B 1/0188 (2021.01); A42B 3/04 (2006.01); A42B 3/22 (2006.01); A61F 9/06 (2006.01); A61F 11/14 (2006.01); G02F 1/133 (2006.01); A42B 3/16 (2006.01); A62B 9/00 (2006.01); A62B 18/00 (2006.01); A62B 18/04 (2006.01); A62B 27/00 (2006.01); G06N 7/00 (2023.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); H04R 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC A42B 3/225 (2013.01) [A42B 1/0188 (2021.01); A42B 3/0453 (2013.01); A42B 3/046 (2013.01); A42B 3/0466 (2013.01); A61F 9/067 (2013.01); A61F 9/068 (2013.01); A61F 11/14 (2013.01); G02F 1/13318 (2013.01); A42B 3/16 (2013.01); A62B 9/00 (2013.01); A62B 9/006 (2013.01); A62B 18/00 (2013.01); A62B 18/045 (2013.01); A62B 27/00 (2013.01); G06N 7/00 (2013.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); H04R 1/1083 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a hearing protector;
at least one position sensor;
at least one sound monitoring sensor;
at least one computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one position sensor and the at least one sound monitoring sensor, the at least one computing device comprising a memory and one or more computer processors that:
receive, from the at least one sound monitoring sensor and over a time duration, indications of sound levels to which a worker is exposed;
determine, from the at least one position sensor and during the time duration, that the hearing protector is not positioned at one or more ears of the worker to attenuate the sound levels; and
generate, in response to the determination that at least one of the sound levels satisfies an exposure threshold during the time duration and the hearing protector is not positioned at one or more ears of the worker to attenuate the sound levels and that a noise level in a work environment of the worker is greater than or equal to a work environment noise threshold, an indication for output.