EXTERNAL EAR CANAL VOICE DETECTION

• US 20080260191A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Victorian, Thomas A., Preves, David A., Bradley, J. Virgil
• Granted Patent: US 7,929,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10

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.

Claims

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 adapted to receive an occluded sound from about the ear canal;

a speaker adapted for use in the ear canal, the speaker adapted to transmit a processed remote sound to the ear canal,

a processor coupled to the first microphone and the speaker, the processor adapted to process the occluded sound and the remote sound;

a wireless transceiver connected to the processor, the wireless transceiver adapted to receive the processed occluded sound from the processor, transmit a first wireless signal representing the occluded sound, and receive a second wireless signal representing the remote sound;

a voice operated exchange (VOX) circuit connected to the processor, the VOX circuit including;

an occluded sound gating module coupled to the first microphone, the occluded sound gating module adapted to blank or substantially attenuate the occluded sound; and

a remote sound gating module coupled to the wireless receiver, the remote sound gating module adapted to blank or substantially attenuate the remote sound; and

an earmold housing the first microphone, the speaker, the processor, the wireless transceiver, and the VOX circuit, the earmold configured for use as an in-the-ear (ITE) device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first microphone and the speaker include one common device receiving the occluded sound and transmitting the processed remote sound.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second microphone connected to the processor, the second microphone adapted to receive an ambient sound from outside the ear canal, and wherein:

the processor further processes the ambient sound;

the speaker is configured to transmit the processed second and ambient sounds to the ear canal; and

the VOX circuit further comprises an ambient sound gating module coupled to the second microphone, the ambient sound gating module adapted to blank or substantially attenuate the ambient sound.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a speech recognition module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the earmold is configured for use as an in-the-canal (ITC) device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the earmold is configured for use as a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote device communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver via a telemetry link providing for simultaneous bi-directional communication.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote device comprises at least one of a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, a walkie talkie, or a language translator.

9. A system adapted for use in and about an ear having an ear canal, comprising:

an in-the-ear (ITE) module including;

a first microphone adapted for use in the ear canal, the first microphone adapted to receive an occluded sound from about the ear canal; and

a speaker adapted for use in the ear canal, the speaker adapted to transmit a processed remote sound to the ear canal,

a behind-the-ear (BTE) module attached to the ITE module, the BTE module including;

a processor coupled to the first microphone and the speaker, the processor adapted to process the occluded sound and the remote sound;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor, the wireless transceiver adapted to receive the processed occluded sound from the processor, transmit a first wireless signal representing the occluded sound, and receive a second wireless signal representing the remote sound;

a voice operated exchange (VOX) circuit coupled to the processor, the VOX circuit including;

an occluded sound gating module coupled to the first microphone, the occluded sound gating module adapted to blank or substantially attenuate the occluded sound; and

a remote sound gating module coupled to the wireless transceiver, the remote sound gating module adapted to blank or substantially attenuate the remote sound.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first microphone and the speaker include one common device receiving the occluded sound and transmitting the processed remote sound.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the BTE module comprises a second microphone connected to the processor, the second microphone adapted to receive an ambient sound from outside the ear canal, and wherein:

the first processor further processes the ambient sound; and

the speaker is configured to transmit the processed second and ambient sounds to the ear canal, and

the VOX circuit further comprises an ambient sound gating module coupled to the second microphone, the ambient sound gating module adapted to blank or substantially attenuate the ambient sound.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor comprises a speech recognition module.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the BTE module comprises a rechargeable battery.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a remote device communicatively coupled to the wireless transceiver via a telemetry link providing for simultaneous bi-directional communication.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the remote device comprises at least one of a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, a walkie talkie, or a language translator.

16. A method, comprising:

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.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the occluded sound comprises comparing an amplitude of the occluded sound to an occluded sound threshold, wherein the occluded sound is detected when the amplitude of the occluded sound exceeds the occluded sound threshold.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein detecting the incoming radio signal comprises comparing an amplitude of the remote sound to a remote sound threshold, wherein the incoming radio signal is detected when the amplitude of the remote sound exceeds the remote sound threshold.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising detecting an ambient sound using a second microphone, and wherein starting the VOX comprises starting the VOX when at least one of the occluded sound, the incoming radio signal, and the ambient sound is detected if the VOX is not already on.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising gating the occluded sound off, gating the remote sound on, and gating the ambient sound off, when the incoming radio signal is detected while the occluded sound is not detected.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising gating the occluded sound off, gating the remote sound on, and gating the ambient sound on, when the incoming radio signal is detected while the occluded sound is not detected.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising gating the occluded sound on, gating the remote sound off, and gating the ambient sound off, when the occluded sound is detected while the incoming radio signal is not detected.