Fetal communication system

• US 20090161892A1
• Filed: 12/22/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jennifer Sevello, Sean Monticello
• Original Assignee: Jennifer Sevello, Sean Monticello
• Inventors: Servello, Jennifer, Montecello, Sean, Weinstein, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/083 Special constructions of mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/023 Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/043 Inner suspension or damper, e.g. spider outer suspension or surround H04R7/16

Abstract

A compact fetal sound system delivers high-fidelity sound to a fetus in utero through a miniature, abdominally mounted driver with a convex diaphragm. No gel is necessary at the interface between the diaphragm and the mother'"'"'s abdomen. Digital signal processing shapes the frequency spectrum of the sound transmitted to the fetus, so that after traveling through the attenuative tissue of the expectant mother the desired volume of sound and frequency content reach the ears of the fetus. As the term of pregnancy progresses, the frequency shaping provided by the digital signal processing automatically varies to compensate for changes in uterine lining thickness and the like. Preferred embodiments also include a microphone attached to the abdomen of the mother and signal processing to correct for frequency and amplitude distortions of sound eminating from the womb. Embodiments also include an elastic belt to maintain the transducer and microphone against the abdomen.

Claims

1. A fetal sound system comprising:

an analog audio input that is able to accept audio input signals from at least one of a microphone, a recorded audio device, and other audio input devices;

an analog audio input converter that is able to convert the analog audio input signals to digital audio signals;

a digital signal processor that is able to spectrally shape the digital audio signals;

a digital audio output converter that is able to convert digital audio signals from the digital signal processor to an analog audio output signal; and

an output driver that is able to couple an acoustic signal derived from the analog audio output signal to the abdominal area of an expectant mother.

2. The fetal sound system of claim 1, wherein the output driver that is able to couple an acoustic signal derived from the analog audio output signal to the abdominal area of the expectant mother comprises an acoustic transducer including a convex driver diaphragm.

3. The fetal sound system of claim 1, wherein the analog audio input, the analog audio input converter, the digital signal processor, and the output driver are mounted in a flexible, elastomeric housing.

4. The fetal sound system of claim 1, further comprising an abdominally mounted microphone and an earphone output that is able to output to an earphone audio signals representative of signals received by the abdominally mounted microphone.

5. The fetal sound system of claim 1, further comprising a second analog audio input that is able to accept analog audio input from a second microphone and deliver signals derived from the second microphone to the output driver.

6. A fetal sound system comprising:

an analog audio input that is able to accept audio input signals from at least one of a microphone, a recorded audio device, and other audio input devices;

an acoustic transducer that is able to convert the analog audio input signals to analog audio output signals, the acoustic transducer including a convex driver diaphragm; and

a driver diaphragm holder that is able to hold the convex driver diaphragm in contact with skin in the abdominal area of an expectant mother.

7. The fetal sound system of claim 6, further comprising an analog audio input that is able to accept analog audio signals from an abdominally mounted microphone, and means for outputting to an earphone an output audio signal representative of the analog audio signals received by the abdominally mounted microphone.

8. The fetal sound system of claim 7, further comprising a digital signal processor that is able to shape the frequency spectrum of the output audio signal.

9. The fetal sound system of claim 6, wherein the analog audio input includes both a tissue-coupled abdominally mounted microphone and an air-coupled user microphone, and wherein the fetal sound system further comprises an audio signal output that is able to supply to an earphone an audio signal representative of signals received by the abdominally mounted microphone.

10. The fetal sound system of claim 9, further comprising driver circuitry configured to supply an audio signal to the acoustic transducer and a digital signal processor that is able to shape the frequency spectrum of the output audio signal supplied to the earphone, wherein the digital signal processor is also able to shape the frequency spectrum of the audio signal supplied to the acoustic transducer.