Methods and apparatus for aurally presenting notification message in an auditory canal

• US 20060045278A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aceti, John Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,295,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/23.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for aurally presenting predefined notification messages within an auditory canal of a user are disclosed. Aural notification is provided by positioning a device at least partially within the auditory canal, processing a digitized notification signal at the device, and aurally presenting a predefined notification message from the device responsive to the processed digitized notification signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aurally presenting predefined notification messages within an auditory canal of a user, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured for placement within the auditory canal;

a speaker coupled to the housing; and

a processor contained within the housing, the processor configured to aurally present a predefined notification message at the speaker responsive to a digitized notification signal developed within the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor that stores the predefined notification message; and

a notification receiver coupled to the processor, the notification receiver configured to receive a data signal;

wherein the processor is further configured to process the data signal to develop the digitized notification signal and select the predefined notification message from the memory responsive to the digitized notification signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification receiver coupled to the processor, the notification receiver configured to receive a data signal including the predefined notification message;

wherein the processor is further configured to process the data signal to develop the digitized notification signal, the digitized notification signal including the predefined notification message.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification receiver coupled to the processor; and

an external device positioned outside the auditory canal, the external device configured to generate a data signal and to communicate the data signal to the notification receiver;

wherein the processor is further configured to process the data signal to develop the digitized notification signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the external device further comprises an input device for receiving an acknowledge signal from the user indicating comprehension of the aurally presented predefined notification message.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the external device further comprises a communication system interface that notifies an interested party if the signal from the user indicating comprehension is not received within a predefined period of time from aural presentation of the predefined notification message.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the external device further comprises a communication system interface that receives a notification request and wherein the external device is further configured to generate the data signal responsive to the notification request.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device coupled to the housing for receiving an acknowledge signal from the user indicating comprehension of the aurally presented predefined notification message;

a transmitter coupled to the input device, the transmitter configured to transmit the acknowledge signal received at the input device; and

an external device positioned outside the auditory canal, the external device configured to receive the acknowledge signal transmitted by the transmitter.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the external device further comprises a communication system interface that notifies an interested party if the signal from the user indicating comprehension is not received within a predefined period of time from aural presentation of the predefined notification message.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone coupled to the speaker, the microphone configured to receive acoustic signals for aural presentation by the speaker.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a clock coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to aurally present the predefined notification message further responsive to the clock.

12. A method for aurally presenting predefined notification messages within an auditory canal of a user, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a device at least partially within the auditory canal;

processing a digitized notification signal at the device positioned at least partially within the auditory canal;

aurally presenting within the auditory canal, from the device positioned at least partially within the auditory canal, a predefined notification message responsive to the processed digitized notification signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

generating the digitized notification signal at the device positioned at least partially within the auditory canal in accordance with a predefined notification schedule stored in the device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

generating the predefined notification schedule external to the auditory canal; and

transferring the predefined notification schedule to the device for storage before the device is positioned at least partially within the auditory canal.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

generating the predefined notification schedule external to the auditory canal; and

transferring the predefined notification schedule to the device for storage after the device is positioned at least partially within the auditory canal.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

generating a data signal corresponding to the digitized notification signal at an external device outside the auditory canal;

transmitting the data signal to the device positioned at least partially within the auditory canal; and

processing the data signal to obtain the digitized notification signal.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

receiving a notification request from an interested party; and

generating the digitized notification signal responsive to the notification request.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

soliciting feedback from the user indicating comprehension of the predefined notification message by the user; and

notifying an interested party if the solicited feedback is not received within a predefined time from the aural presentation of the predefined notification message.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

soliciting feedback from the user indicating compliance with the predefined notification message by the user; and

reminding the user if the solicited feedback is not received within a predefined time from the aural presentation of the predefined notification message.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the positioning step comprises the step of positioning the device fully within the auditory canal;

the processing step comprises the step of processing the digitized notification signal at the device within the auditory canal; and

the aurally presenting step comprises the step of aurally presenting, from the device within the auditory canal, a predefined notification message responsive to the processed digitized notification signal.

21. An apparatus for aurally presenting predefined notification messages within an auditory canal of a user, the user having a head with an ear, the ear including an auricle and the auditory canal, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured for placement at least partially between the auricle and the head of the user;

a speaker;

a processor contained within the housing, the processor configured to aurally present a predefined notification message at the speaker responsive to a digitized notification signal developed within the housing; and

an aural presentation extension extending from the housing and configured for insertion into the auditory canal, the aural presentation extension further configured such that the predefined notification message aurally presented at the speaker is aurally presented in the auditory canal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the aural presentation extension is configured to receive the speaker such that the speaker is within the auditory canal when the aural presentation extension is inserted into the ear and wherein the apparatus further comprises:

an electrical connection extending from the speaker to the processor through at least a portion of the aural presentation extension.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the speaker in positioned within the housing and wherein the aural presentation extension is an acoustical tube extending from the housing such that the predefined notification message aurally presented at the speaker is passed directly to the auditory canal.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor that stores the predefined notification message; and

a notification receiver coupled to the processor, the notification receiver configured to receive a data signal;

wherein the processor is further configured to process the data signal to develop the digitized notification signal and to select the predefined notification message from the memory responsive to the digitized notification signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a notification receiver coupled to the processor, the notification receiver configured to receive a data signal including the predefined notification message;

wherein the processor is further configured to process the data signal to develop the digitized notification signal, the digitized notification signal including the predefined notification message.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a notification receiver coupled to the processor; and

an external device positioned outside the auditory canal, the external device configured to generate a data signal and to communicate the data signal to the notification receiver;

wherein the processor is further configured to process the data signal to develop the digitized notification signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the external device further comprises an input device for receiving an acknowledge signal from the user indicating comprehension of the aurally presented predefined notification message.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the external device further comprises a communication system interface that notifies an interested party if the signal from the user indicating comprehension is not received within a predefined period of time from aural presentation of the predefined notification message.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the external device further comprises a communication system interface that receives a notification request and wherein the external device is further configured to generate the data signal responsive to the notification request.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

an input device coupled to the housing for receiving an acknowledge signal from the user indicating comprehension of the aurally presented predefined notification message;

a transmitter coupled to the input device, the transmitter configured to transmit the acknowledge signal received at the input device; and

an external device positioned outside the auditory canal, the external device configured to receive the acknowledge signal transmitted by the transmitter.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the external device further comprises a communication system interface that notifies an interested party if the signal from the user indicating comprehension is not received within a predefined period of time from aural presentation of the predefined notification message

32. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a clock coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to aurally present the predefined notification message further responsive to the clock.