ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM WITH MEMORY BUFFER FOR INSTANT REPLAY AND SPEECH TO TEXT CONVERSION

• US 20090076804A1
• Filed: 09/13/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bionica Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bionica Incorporated
• Inventors: BRADFORD, KIPP, MURPHY, JOHN F. III, BECKMAN, RALPH A.
• Application Number:
  US11/854,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076804A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/203
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a fully functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the present invention is directed to the handheld DSP device. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, a user input device (keypad) and at least one memory device for storing programming settings and data. Specifically, the invention focuses on a memory buffer within the DSP device, and configuration of the device to buffer an incoming audio signal, to enhance the audio for replay, and to replay that audio. The device is further configured to convert the audio signal to text for display on the handheld DSP device. The device enhances the audio and then buffers the enhanced audio stream prior to output.

Claims

1. A portable assistive listening system for processing sound comprising:

a digital audio signal processor configured and arranged to receive at least one digital audio signal, to process said digital audio signal and to output said audio signal, a memory device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor; and

an input device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor;

said input device, said memory device and said digital audio signal processor being collectively configured and arranged to buffer and store in said memory device a predetermined portion of said processed audio signal whereby a user can selectively replay said predetermined portion of said processed audio signal based at least in part on a user input through said input device.

2. The portable assistive listening system of claim 1 wherein said memory device is external to said digital audio signal processor.

3. The portable assistive listening system of claim 1 wherein said predetermined portion of said processed audio signal is continuously buffered.

6. The portable assistive listening system of claim 3 wherein said text is contemporaneously displayed with said replay of said processed audio.

8. The portable assistive listening system of claim 6 wherein said memory device is external to said digital audio signal processor.

9. The portable assistive listening system of claim 6 wherein said predetermined portion of said processed audio signal is continuously buffered.

4. A portable assistive listening system for processing sound comprising:

a digital audio signal processor configured and arranged to receive at least one digital audio signal, to process said digital audio signal and to output said processed audio signal, a memory device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor;

an input device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor; and

a graphic display device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor,

said input device, said memory device and said digital audio signal processor being collectively configured and arranged to buffer and store in said memory device a predetermined portion of said processed audio signal whereby a user can selectively replay said predetermined portion of said processed audio signal based at least in part on a user input through said input device,

said digital audio signal processor being further configured and arranged to convert said processed audio signal to text during replay and to display said text on said graphical display with said replay of said audio.

5. The portable assistive listening system of claim 4 wherein said memory device is external to said digital audio signal processor.

7. A user configurable portable assistive listening system for processed sound comprising:

a digital audio signal processor configured and arranged to receive a first digital audio signal and a second digital audio signal;

a memory device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor,

said digital audio signal processor being configured and arranged to process said first and second digital audio signals, to mix said processed first and second digital audio signals and to output said mixed first and second digital audio signals; and

an input device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor;

said input device, said memory device and said digital audio signal processor being collectively configured and arranged to buffer and store in said memory device a predetermined portion of each of said first and second audio signals whereby a user can replay a selected one of said predetermined portions of said first and second audio signals based at least in part on a user input through said input device.

10. A user configurable portable assistive listening system for processing sound comprising:

a digital audio signal processor configured and arranged to receive a first digital audio signal and a second digital audio signal;

a memory device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor,

said digital audio signal processor being configured and arranged to process said first digital audio signal according to a first one of a plurality of predetermined audio signal processing algorithms, to process said second audio signal according to a second one of said plurality of predetermined audio signal processing algorithms, to mix said enhanced first and second audio signals and to output said mixed first and second audio signals,

an input device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor; and

a graphic display device electronically coupled to said digital audio signal processor,

said input device, said memory device and said digital audio signal processor being collectively configured and arranged to display to a user said plurality of predetermined audio signal processing algorithms and to allow said user to selectively set at least one of said plurality of predetermined audio signal processing algorithms for application to said audio signal and to buffer and store in said memory device a predetermined portion of said mixed and processed first and second audio signals whereby a user can selectively replay said predetermined portion of said mixed and processed audio signals based at least in part on a user input through said input device.

11. The portable assistive listening system of claim 10 wherein said memory device is external to said digital audio signal processor.

12. The portable assistive listening system of claim 10 wherein said predetermined portion of said processed audio signal is continuously buffered.