Voice dictation systems using earpiece microphone system and method

• US 10,620,698 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhang, Leshui
• Application Number:
  US15/933,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20180224931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 381 61, 381312-331, 381 74, 381 56- 60, 4555691, 4555752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/05 Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

An earpiece for use in voice dictation includes a speaker disposed within the earpiece housing, a microphone, and a processor disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the microphone and the speaker, wherein the processor is adapted to capture a voice stream from the microphone. The earpiece may further include a wireless transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing, the wireless transceiver operatively connected to the processor. The earpiece is configured to be controlled by a user through a plurality of different user interfaces to perform voice dictation.

Claims

1. A system for voice dictation by a user with an external auditory canal, the system comprising:

an earpiece further comprising;

an earpiece housing;

a speaker disposed within the earpiece housing;

a first microphone operatively connected to the earpiece housing and positioned to be isolated from ambient sound when the earpiece housing is fitted inside the external auditory canal;

a second microphone operatively connected to the earpiece housing and is positioned to capture sound external from the user;

a processor disposed of within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the first microphone and the second microphone;

a plurality of different user interfaces operatively connected to the processor;

a transceiver operatively connected to the processor;

wherein the processor is adapted to capture a first voice audio stream associated with the user using at least the first microphone;

wherein the processor is further configured to capture a second voice audio stream associated with a person other than the user using at least the second microphone;

wherein the earpiece is configured to be controlled by the user through the plurality of different user interfaces to perform dictation;

wherein the plurality of different user interfaces comprises a gestural interface having at least one emitter and at least one detector operatively connected to the processor for detecting gestures performed by a user wherein the gestural interface receives user input in a form of at least one of taps and swipes and wherein the processor is configured to interpret the gestures as dictation commands;

wherein the plurality of different user interfaces further comprises an audio interface using at least one of the speaker, the first microphone, and the second microphone;

wherein the plurality of different user interfaces further comprises an inertial sensor operatively connected to the processor and wherein the processor is configured to interpret movement detected using the inertial sensor as dictation commands;

a software application executing on a computing device wherein the software application provides for receiving the first voice audio stream into a first position of record; and

wherein the software application provides for receiving the second voice audio stream into a second position on record.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of different user interfaces further comprises an accelerometer disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the processor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first microphone is configured to detect bone vibrations associated with a speech of the user.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is an NFMI transceiver.

5. The transceiver of claim 4 where in the NFMI transceiver is used to communicate with a second earpiece.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the computing device further comprises a display on a remote device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the earpiece further comprises at least one light emitting diode.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one emitter is an Infrared (IR) emitter.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one detector is an IR detector.