Speech intelligibility enhancement system
First Claim
1. A speech intelligibility enhancement system, comprising:
- a talker unit including;
a microphone to receive audible speech content and to produce electrical signals representative of the speech content; and
a transmitter coupled to the microphone to produce wireless transmissions containing the speech content; and
a listener unit including;
a receiver to receive the wireless transmissions and to produce electrical signals representative of the speech content; and
an earpiece coupled to the listener unit, including;
an ear hook wearable by the user;
a speaker coupled to the listener unit to produce audible speech content having the amplified spectral components; and
a tube, a part of which comprises the ear hook, wherein the tube has an open first end to be positioned near a user'"'"'s ear canal to direct the audible speech content from the speaker toward the user'"'"'s ear canal, while enabling the ear canal to remain open to receive ambient sounds; and
wherein;
the tube is configured to be mounted to a user'"'"'s ear and support the earpiece on the user'"'"'s ear;
the open first end of the tube is free from an earbud;
the part of the tube which comprises the ear hook includes a curved portion to couple the earpiece to the user'"'"'s ear and an elongate portion extending from the curved portion, wherein the curved portion is defined by a first radius of curvature, and wherein the elongate portion includes an extending portion that is relatively linear in relation to the curved portion and is defined by a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature;
the tube further includes a second end on the elongate portion opposite the curved portion from the first end; and
the speaker is on the second end of the tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A speech intelligibility system. Embodiments comprise a talker unit, a listener unit and an earpiece. The talker unit includes a microphone to receive audible speech content and to produce electrical signals representative of the speech content, and a transmitter coupled to the microphone to produce wireless transmissions containing the speech content. The listener unit includes a receiver to receive the wireless transmissions and to produce electrical signals representative of the speech content. At least one of the talker unit and the listener unit includes an amplifier to amplify spectral components of the speech content within a frequency range having a lower end between about 800 Hz and 1,700 Hz and an upper end between about 7,000 Hz and 11,000 Hz. The earpiece is coupled to the listener unit and includes a speaker to produce audible speech content having the amplified spectral components and a tube to direct the audible speech content from the speaker toward a user'"'"'s ear canal.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A speech intelligibility enhancement system, comprising:
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a talker unit including; a microphone to receive audible speech content and to produce electrical signals representative of the speech content; and a transmitter coupled to the microphone to produce wireless transmissions containing the speech content; and a listener unit including; a receiver to receive the wireless transmissions and to produce electrical signals representative of the speech content; and an earpiece coupled to the listener unit, including; an ear hook wearable by the user; a speaker coupled to the listener unit to produce audible speech content having the amplified spectral components; and a tube, a part of which comprises the ear hook, wherein the tube has an open first end to be positioned near a user'"'"'s ear canal to direct the audible speech content from the speaker toward the user'"'"'s ear canal, while enabling the ear canal to remain open to receive ambient sounds; and
wherein;the tube is configured to be mounted to a user'"'"'s ear and support the earpiece on the user'"'"'s ear; the open first end of the tube is free from an earbud; the part of the tube which comprises the ear hook includes a curved portion to couple the earpiece to the user'"'"'s ear and an elongate portion extending from the curved portion, wherein the curved portion is defined by a first radius of curvature, and wherein the elongate portion includes an extending portion that is relatively linear in relation to the curved portion and is defined by a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature; the tube further includes a second end on the elongate portion opposite the curved portion from the first end; and the speaker is on the second end of the tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, 21)
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14. A speech intelligibility talker unit configured for use with a listener unit coupled to an earpiece, the talker unit configured to be coupled to a source of speech content and including an amplifier to amplify spectral components of the speech content within a frequency range having a lower end between about 800 Hz and 1,700 Hz and an upper end between about 7,000 Hz and 11,000 Hz, wherein the earpiece includes an ear hook wearable by a user, a speaker coupled to the listener unit to produce audible speech content having the amplified spectral components, and a tube, a part of which comprises the ear hook, wherein the tube has an open first end to be positioned near the user'"'"'s ear canal to direct the audible speech content from the speaker toward the user'"'"'s ear canal, while enabling the ear canal to remain open to receive ambient sounds;
- and wherein;
the tube is configured to be mounted to a user'"'"'s ear and support the earpiece on the user'"'"'s ear; the open first end of the tube is free from an earbud; the part of the tube which comprises the ear hook includes a curved portion to couple the earpiece to the user'"'"'s ear and an elongate portion extending from the curved portion, wherein the curved portion is defined by a first radius of curvature, and wherein the elongate portion includes an extending portion that is relatively linear in relation to the curved portion and is defined by a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature; the tube further includes a second end on the elongate portion opposite the curved portion from the first end; and the speaker is on the second end of the tube. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 22, 23)
- and wherein;
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17. A speech intelligibility listener unit coupled to an earpiece and configured for use with a talker unit, the listener unit configured to be coupled to a source of speech content and including an amplifier to amplify spectral components of the speech content within a frequency range having a lower end between about 800 Hz and 1,700 Hz and an upper end between about 7,000 Hz and 11,000 Hz, and wherein the earpiece includes an ear hook wearable by a user, a speaker coupled to the listener unit to produce audible speech content having the amplified spectral components, and a tube, a part of which comprises the ear hook, wherein the tube has an open first end to be positioned near the user'"'"'s ear canal to direct the audible speech content from the speaker toward the user'"'"'s ear canal, while enabling the ear canal to remain open to receive ambient sounds;
- and wherein;
the tube is configured to be mounted to a user'"'"'s ear and support the earpiece on the user'"'"'s ear; the open first end of the tube is free from an earbud; the part of the tube which comprises the ear hook includes a curved portion to couple the earpiece to the user'"'"'s ear and an elongate portion extending from the curved portion, wherein the curved portion is defined by a first radius of curvature, and wherein the elongate portion includes an extending portion that is relatively linear in relation to the curved portion and is defined by a second radius of curvature that is greater than the first radius of curvature; the tube further includes a second end on the elongate portion opposite the curved portion from the first end; and the speaker is on the second end of the tube. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 24, 25)
- and wherein;
Specification