Portable ear devices

• US 20020081982A1
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lobeman Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Lobeman Group LLC
• Inventors: Jurikson-Rhodes, Jaron, Schwartz, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/079,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20020081982A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head

Abstract

A portable radio has a speaker adjustably attached to a flexible arm. A rigid housing is fixedly attached to the flexible arm. When the portable radio is worn, the speaker fits substantially in the concha portion of an ear of the wearer. The flexible arm substantially contours to a back of the individual'"'"'s ear and the housing has an edge at least partially following the back of the individual'"'"'s ear. A graphical display may be used to display advertising an image or control information. An ear wearable recording and playback device comprises a speaker for playing recorded voice signals. A microphone is configured to receive voice signals of a wearing individual and a housing contains a recording device. An audio source transmitter system has an audio source for producing an electrical version of an audio signal. An audio source transmitter transmits the audio signal. A radio receives the audio signal. A portable ear wearable receiving and transmission device receives and transmits voice signals to other devices.

Claims

1. A portable radio comprising:

a speaker adjustably attached to a flexible arm;

a housing substantially of a rigid material fixedly attached to the flexible arm; and

wherein when the portable radio is being used by an individual, the speaker fits substantially in the concha portion of an ear of the individual, the flexible arm substantial contours to a back of the individual'"'"'s ear and the housing having an edge at least partially following the back of the individual'"'"'s ear.

2. The portable radio of claim 1 further comprising:

a rigid tube extending from the speaker;

a collar fixedly attached to the flexible arm, wherein the rigid tube extends through the collar and rotatably coupled to the collar.

3. The portable radio of claim 2 wherein the rigid tube slidingly engages the collar.

4. The portable radio of claim 3 wherein a wire coupled to the speaker extends through and out of an opposing end of the tube, the wire entering the flexible arm through a hole.

5. The portable radio of claim 1 further comprising a graphical display screen on an edge of the housing opposing the at least partially following the back of the individual'"'"'s ear edge.

6. The portable radio of claim 1 further comprising a graphical display screen on an edge of the housing facing away from or towards a head of the individual when the portable radio is worn.

7. The portable radio of claim 5 wherein the portable radio receives a transmitted graphical signal of an advertisement and the advertisement is displayed on the graphical display.

8. The portable radio of claim 6 wherein the portable radio receives a transmitted graphical signal of an advertisement and the advertisement is displayed on the graphical display.

9. An ear wearable recording and playback device comprising:

a speaker for playing recorded voice signals, configured to fit in a wearing individual'"'"'s ear;

a microphone configured to receive voice signals of a wearing individual; and

a housing containing a recording device, the housing configured to fit around the wearing individual'"'"'s ear.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the device fits substantially in and around a single ear of the wearing individual.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein when the device is worn by the wearing individual, the speaker fits substantially in the concha portion of the single ear, and the housing having an edge at least partially following the back of the single ear.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the housing comprises the microphone.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein the microphone extends from the housing.

14. The device of claim 9 further comprising a transmit/receive device so that the device can communicate with other ear wearable recording and playback devices.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the transmit/receive device communicates using infrared signals.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the transmit/receive device communicates using radio frequency signals.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the transmit/receive device communicates using a Bluetooth interface.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the transmit/receive devices communicates using a wireless Ethernet interface.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein the transmit/receive device communicates using a wired connection.

20. The device of claim 14 wherein the transmit/receive device is used to transfer recorded voice signals to a computer.

21. An audio source transmitter system comprising:

an audio source for producing an electrical version of an audio signal;

an audio source transmitter having an input configured to receive the electrical version and transmitting the electrical version as a radio frequency signal; and

a radio for receiving the radio frequency signal and outputting the audio signal to a user of the radio.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the radio is a plurality of radios.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the radio is a radio configured to substantially fit in and around an ear of a using individual.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the radio is an ear radio and when the ear radio is worn, the speaker fits substantially in the concha portion of a single ear, and the housing having an edge at least partially following the back of the single ear.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the audio source transmitter capable of transmitting over a set of predetermined frequencies and the radios configured to receive only over the predetermined frequency set.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the audio source transmitter only capable of transmitting only over a set of predetermined frequencies and the radio is configured to receive only over the predetermined frequency set.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the audio source transmitter has a switch for selecting at most 25 transmission frequencies.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the audio source transmitter is at most 100 millimeters in length, 100 millimeters in width and 40 millimeters in depth.

30. The device of claim 29 wherein the other transmitting and receiving devices are ear wearable transmitting and receiving devices.

31. The device of claim 29 wherein the device fits substantially in and around a single ear of the wearing individual.

32. The device of claim 29 wherein when the device is worn by the wearing individual, the speaker fits substantially in the concha portion of the single ear, and the housing having an edge at least partially following the back of the single ear.

33. The device of claim 29 wherein the housing comprises the microphone.

34. The device of claim 29 wherein the microphone extends from the housing.

29. An ear wearable transmitting and receiving device comprising:

a speaker for playing voice signals, configured to fit at least partially in a wearing individual'"'"'s ear;

a microphone configured to receive voice signals of a wearing individual; and

a housing containing a transmit/receive device so that the device can communicate with other transmitting and receiving devices, the housing configured to fit substantially around the wearing individual'"'"'s ear.