Patents by Inventor PAULA P. COLLINS

PAULA P. COLLINS has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10264999
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for collecting, interpreting, and utilizing noise exposure data may include sensors to obtain an analog signal representative of impulse noise sound pressure and an analog signal representative of continuous noise sound pressure. At least one ADC may generate digital signals by sampling the analog signals at rates equal to or greater than twice the reciprocal of a minimum impulse noise rise time. Accelerometers may obtain data in close proximity to and remote from the sensors. At least one processor may include a first combining node to combine the digital signals to represent both the continuous noise and the impulse noise, a shock-artifact detection filter to identify a time frame including a shock artifact based on the accelerometry data, a frequency filter to generate a background-removed audio signal, an adaptive filter to estimate the shock artifact, and a second combining node to produce a shock-artifact-free audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacirignola, Trina Rae Vian, Christopher J. Smalt, David F. Aubin, Jr., David C. Maurer, Mary Katherine Byrd, Christine M. Weston, Kerry A. Johnson, Shakti Davis, Olha Townsend, Paul T. Calamia, Edward H. Chen, Paula P. Collins
  • Patent number: 10225672
    Abstract: Loud sounds with fast rise times, like gunfire and explosions, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Unfortunately, current models do not adequately explain how impulsive sounds cause NIHL, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent NIHL on battlefields and other hostile or rugged environments. Fortunately, the impulsive sounds experienced by soldiers and others working in rugged environments can be recorded using a compact, portable system that acquires, digitizes, and stores high-bandwidth audio data. An example of this system can be mounted on a helmet or other article and used to record hours of audio data at a bandwidth of 20 kHz or higher, which is broad enough to capture sounds with rise times less than 50 ms. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes these broadband audio signals at rate of 40 kHz or higher to preserve the impulse information. A processor transfers the digitized samples from a buffer to a memory card for later retrieval using an interrupt-driven processing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacirignola, Trina Rae Vian, David F. Aubin, Jr., Thomas F. Quatieri, Kate D. Fischl, Paula P. Collins, Christopher J. Smalt, Paul D. Gatewood, Nicolas Malyska, David C. Maurer
  • Publication number: 20180288542
    Abstract: Loud sounds with fast rise times, like gunfire and explosions, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Unfortunately, current models do not adequately explain how impulsive sounds cause NIHL, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent NIHL on battlefields and other hostile or rugged environments. Fortunately, the impulsive sounds experienced by soldiers and others working in rugged environments can be recorded using a compact, portable system that acquires, digitizes, and stores high-bandwidth audio data. An example of this system can be mounted on a helmet or other article and used to record hours of audio data at a bandwidth of 20 kHz or higher, which is broad enough to capture sounds with rise times less than 50 ms. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes these broadband audio signals at rate of 40 kHz or higher to preserve the impulse information. A processor transfers the digitized samples from a buffer to a memory card for later retrieval using an interrupt-driven processing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Joseph J. LACIRIGNOLA, Trina Rae VIAN, David F. AUBIN, JR., Thomas F. QUATIERI, Kate D. FISCHL, Paula P. COLLINS, Christopher J. SMALT, Paul D. GATEWOOD, Nicolas MALYSKA, David C. MAURER
  • Patent number: 10074397
    Abstract: Loud sounds with fast rise times, like gunfire and explosions, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Unfortunately, current models do not adequately explain how impulsive sounds cause NIHL, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent NIHL on battlefields and other hostile or rugged environments. Fortunately, the impulsive sounds experienced by soldiers and others working in rugged environments can be recorded using a compact, portable system that acquires, digitizes, and stores high-bandwidth audio data. An example of this system can be mounted on a helmet or other article and used to record hours of audio data at a bandwidth of 20 kHz or higher, which is broad enough to capture sounds with rise times less than 50 ms. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes these broadband audio signals at rate of 40 kHz or higher to preserve the impulse information. A processor transfers the digitized samples from a buffer to a memory card for later retrieval using an interrupt-driven processing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacirignola, Trina Rae Vian, David F. Aubin, Jr., Thomas F. Quatieri, Kate D. Fischl, Paula P. Collins, Christopher J. Smalt, Paul D. Gatewood, Nicolas Malyska, David C. Maurer
  • Publication number: 20180140233
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for collecting, interpreting, and utilizing noise exposure data may include sensors to obtain an analog signal representative of impulse noise sound pressure and an analog signal representative of continuous noise sound pressure. At least one ADC may generate digital signals by sampling the analog signals at rates equal to or greater than twice the reciprocal of a minimum impulse noise rise time. Accelerometers may obtain data in close proximity to and remote from the sensors. At least one processor may include a first combining node to combine the digital signals to represent both the continuous noise and the impulse noise, a shock-artifact detection filter to identify a time frame including a shock artifact based on the accelerometry data, a frequency filter to generate a background-removed audio signal, an adaptive filter to estimate the shock artifact, and a second combining node to produce a shock-artifact-free audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacirignola, Trina Rae Vian, Christopher J. Smalt, David F. Aubin, JR., David C. Maurer, Mary Katherine Byrd, Christine M. Weston, Kerry A. Johnson, Shakti Davis, Olha Townsend, Paul T. Calamia, Edward H. Chen, Paula P. Collins
  • Publication number: 20170019741
    Abstract: Loud sounds with fast rise times, like gunfire and explosions, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Unfortunately, current models do not adequately explain how impulsive sounds cause NIHL, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent NIHL on battlefields and other hostile or rugged environments. Fortunately, the impulsive sounds experienced by soldiers and others working in rugged environments can be recorded using a compact, portable system that acquires, digitizes, and stores high-bandwidth audio data. An example of this system can be mounted on a helmet or other article and used to record hours of audio data at a bandwidth of 20 kHz or higher, which is broad enough to capture sounds with rise times less than 50 ms. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes these broadband audio signals at rate of 40 kHz or higher to preserve the impulse information. A processor transfers the digitized samples from a buffer to a memory card for later retrieval using an interrupt-driven processing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacirignola, Trina Rae Vian, David F. Aubin, JR., Thomas F. Quatieri, Kate D. Fischl, Paula P. Collins, Christopher J. Smalt, Paul D. Gatewood, Nicolas Malyska, David C. Maurer
  • Patent number: 9478229
    Abstract: Loud sounds with fast rise times, like gunfire and explosions, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Unfortunately, current models do not adequately explain how impulsive sounds cause NIHL, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent NIHL on battlefields and other hostile or rugged environments. Fortunately, the impulsive sounds experienced by soldiers and others working in rugged environments can be recorded using a compact, portable system that acquires, digitizes, and stores high-bandwidth audio data. An example of this system can be mounted on a helmet or other article and used to record hours of audio data at a bandwidth of 20 kHz or higher, which is broad enough to capture sounds with rise times less than 50 ms. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes these broadband audio signals at rate of 40 kHz or higher to preserve the impulse information. A processor transfers the digitized samples from a buffer to a memory card for later retrieval using an interrupt-driven processing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacirignola, Trina Rae Vian, David F. Aubin, Jr., Thomas F. Quatieri, Kate D. Fischl, Paula P. Collins, Christopher J. Smalt, Paul D. Gatewood, Nicolas Malyska, David C. Maurer
  • Publication number: 20150162047
    Abstract: Loud sounds with fast rise times, like gunfire and explosions, can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Unfortunately, current models do not adequately explain how impulsive sounds cause NIHL, which makes it difficult to predict and prevent NIHL on battlefields and other hostile or rugged environments. Fortunately, the impulsive sounds experienced by soldiers and others working in rugged environments can be recorded using a compact, portable system that acquires, digitizes, and stores high-bandwidth audio data. An example of this system can be mounted on a helmet or other article and used to record hours of audio data at a bandwidth of 20 kHz or higher, which is broad enough to capture sounds with rise times less than 50 ms. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes these broadband audio signals at rate of 40 kB/s or higher to preserve the impulse information. A processor transfers the digitized samples from a buffer to a memory card for later retrieval using an interrupt-driven processing technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: JOSEPH J. LACIRIGNOLA, TRINA RAE VIAN, DAVID F. AUBIN, JR., THOMAS F. QUATIERI, KATE D. FISCHL, PAULA P. COLLINS, CHRISTOPHER J. SMALT, PAUL D. GATEWOOD, NICOLAS MALYSKA, DAVID C. MAURER