External ear canal voice detection
First Claim
1. A system adapted for use in an ear having an ear canal, comprising:
- a first microphone adapted for use in the ear canal, the first microphone receiving an occluded sound from about the ear canal;
a processor, connected to the first microphone, to process the occluded sound;
a wireless transmitter, connected to the processor, to receive the processed occluded sound from the processor and transmit a first wireless signal representing the occluded sound; and
an earmold housing the first microphone, the processor, and the wireless transmitter, the earmold configured for use as an in-the-ear (ITE) device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Ear-level full duplex audio communication systems each include one or two ear attachment devices, such as in-the-ear (ITE) or behind-the-ear (BTE) devices, that wirelessly communicates to a remote device such as a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, a walkie talkie, or a language translator. When used as a hearing aid, such a system allows a hearing impaired individual to communicate with or through the remote device, such as to talk to another person through a cellular phone. When being used as an ear piece wirelessly extended from the remote device, such system allows an individual with normal hearing to privately communicate with or through the remote device without the need of holding the device or wearing any device wired to the remote device. Each ear attachment device includes a voice operated exchange (VOX), housed within the device, to preserve energy and hence, maximize the period between battery replacement or recharges. The VOX also gates various sounds detected by the system to control possible echoes and ringing.
165 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system adapted for use in an ear having an ear canal, comprising:
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a first microphone adapted for use in the ear canal, the first microphone receiving an occluded sound from about the ear canal;
a processor, connected to the first microphone, to process the occluded sound;
a wireless transmitter, connected to the processor, to receive the processed occluded sound from the processor and transmit a first wireless signal representing the occluded sound; and
an earmold housing the first microphone, the processor, and the wireless transmitter, the earmold configured for use as an in-the-ear (ITE) device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system adapted for use in and about an ear having an ear canal, comprising:
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an in-the-ear (ITE) module including a first microphone adapted for use in the ear canal, the first microphone receiving an occluded sound from about the ear canal; and
a behind-the-ear (BTE) module attached to the ITE module, the BTE module including;
a processor, connected to the first microphone, to process the occluded sound; and
a wireless transmitter, connected to the processor, to receive the processed occluded sound from the processor and transmit a first wireless signal representing the occluded sound. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system adapted for use in a first ear having a first ear canal and a second ear having a second ear canal, comprising:
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a first ear-level device including;
a first microphone adapted for use in the first ear canal, the first microphone receiving an occluded sound from about the first ear canal;
a first processor, connected to the first microphone, to convert the occluded sound to a first electrical signal; and
a wireless transmitter, connected to the first processor, to receive the first electrical signal and transmit a first wireless signal representing the occluded sound; and
a second ear-level device including;
a wireless receiver to receive a second wireless signal representing a remote sound;
a second processor, connected to the wireless receiver, to convert the second wireless signal to the remote sound; and
a speaker connected to the second processor, the speaker adapted for use in the second ear canal to transmit the remote sound to the second ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method, comprising:
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detecting an occluded sound using a first microphone adapted for use in an ear canal;
detecting an incoming radio signal representing a remote sound from the remote device;
starting a voice operated exchange (VOX) housed within an ear-level communication device when at least one of the occluded sound and the incoming radio signal is detected if the VOX is not already on, the ear-level communication device being one of an in-the-ear (ITE) device and a behind-the-ear (BTE) device;
gating the occluded sound on, and gating the remote sound off, when the occluded sound is detected while the incoming radio signal is not detected; and
gating the remote sound on, and gating the occluded sound off, when the incoming radio signal is detected while the occluded sound is not detected. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification