METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING AUDIO SIGNALS
First Claim
1. An apparatus for transmitting vibrations to facilitate hearing in a patient, comprising:
- a first transducer disposed within or upon a first housing and in vibratory communication with a surface of at least a first tooth;
a first microphone disposed within or upon the first housing and adapted to receive an audio signal; and
a first processor disposed within or upon the first housing and in electrical communication with the first transducer and first microphone.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and/or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and/or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for transmitting vibrations to facilitate hearing in a patient, comprising:
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a first transducer disposed within or upon a first housing and in vibratory communication with a surface of at least a first tooth;
a first microphone disposed within or upon the first housing and adapted to receive an audio signal; and
a first processor disposed within or upon the first housing and in electrical communication with the first transducer and first microphone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of mitigating or cancelling an undesired audio signal from a desired audio signal, comprising:
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receiving a first audio signal via a first microphone;
receiving at least a second audio signal via at least a second microphone;
shifting a phase and/or amplitude and/or delay of the second audio signal such that a summation of the first and second audio signals mitigates or cancels the second audio signal resulting in a final signal; and
vibrating the final signal through one or more transducers through a bone of a user to facilitate hearing via conduction. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification