DEVICE FOR THE PLAYBACK OF SOUNDS

• US 20100290637A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Universität der Künste Berlin, Institut für Produkt- und Prozessgestaltung
• Original Assignee: Universität der Künste Berlin, Institut für Produkt- und Prozessgestaltung
• Inventors: Lerner, Noa
• Application Number:
  US12/669,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20100290637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (100) for the playback of sounds, comprising a sound playback means (110), a speaker (130), and a power supply unit (120) for providing electrical energy to the sound playback means (110) and the speaker (130), wherein the sound playback means (110), the speaker (130), and the power supply unit (120) are accommodated in a molded body (140), and wherein the molded body (140) is formed such that it is held in the human ear without any further implement.

Claims

1. An apparatus (100) for sound reproduction, comprising a sound reproduction means (110), a loudspeaker (130) and a power supply unit (120) for providing electrical power for the sound reproduction means (110) and for the loudspeaker (130), wherein the sound reproduction means (110), the loudspeaker (130) and the power supply unit (120) are held in a shaped body (140), and wherein the shaped body (140) is shaped such that it stays in a human ear without further aids.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaped body (140) is essentially drop-shaped, and wherein one end (144) of the shaped body (140) is customized for insertion into the external auditory canal of the ear.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaped body (140) essentially comprises silicone.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker (130) is arranged at an end (144) of the shaped body (140) which is customized for insertion into the external auditory canal of the ear.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker (130) comprises a piezoelectric sound transducer.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, also comprising a digital sound memory (112) for storing digital sound information.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sound memory (112) is in the form of a read-only memory.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sound memory (112) is in the form of a ferroelectric memory or in the form of a flash memory.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sound reproduction means (110) comprises a microprocessor (114) which is customized to read the sound information stored in the sound memory (112).

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sound reproduction means (110) comprises a digital/analog converter (118) which is customized to convert digital sound information into an analog signal.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the sound reproduction means (110) also comprises an amplifier (118) for amplifying the analog signal.

12. The apparatus as claimed claim 1, wherein the sound reproduction means (110) and/or the sound memory (112) and/or the digital/analog converter (116) and/or the amplifier (118) are in the form of an integrated electronic component.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the integrated electronic component is a digital signal processor (DSP).

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply unit (120) comprises a storage means for electrical power.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the storage means comprises a battery or a storage battery.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, also comprising an antenna (150) for receiving electromagnetic radiation (1010).

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the storage means for electrical power is set up to store electromagnetic power which has been received via the antenna (150).

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sound memory (112) is set up to store sound information transmitted by means of electromagnetic radiation (1010) which can be received via the antenna (150).

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sound reproduction means (112) is set up to directly reproduce sound information transmitted by means of electromagnetic radiation (1010) which can be received via the antenna (150).

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, also comprising a trip mechanism (160), the operation of which initiates and/or terminates reproduction of sound information by the sound reproduction means (110).

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the trip mechanism (160) comprises a pressure sensor.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the trip mechanism (160) comprises a joystick.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the trip mechanism (160) is arranged at an end (142) of the shaped body (140) which is arranged opposite that end (144) of the shaped body (140) which is customized for insertion into the auditory canal of the ear.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, also comprising a female connector (170).

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the female connector (170) is a four-pole microjack female connector.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, also comprising a microphone (180) which can be used to pick up sound information and to transmit it to the sound reproduction means (110) and/or to the sound memory (112).

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sound reproduction means (110), the loudspeaker (130), the power supply unit (120) and/or the sound memory (112) and/or the antenna (150) and/or the trip mechanism (160) and/or the female connector (170) and/or the microphone (180) are embedded in the material of the shaped body (140).

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the sound reproduction means (110), the loudspeaker (130), the power supply unit (120) and/or the sound memory (112) and/or the antenna (150) and/or the trip mechanism (160) and/or the female connector (170) and/or the microphone (180) are formed integrally with the shaped body (160).

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the sound reproduction means (110), the loudspeaker (130), the power supply unit (120) and/or the sound memory (112) and/or the antenna (150) and/or the trip mechanism (160) and/or the female connector (170) and/or the microphone (180) are molded in the material of the shaped body (160).

31. A system for conveying information, comprising an apparatus (500, 600, 700) for sound reproduction as claimed in claim 16 and a transmission device (1000) for emitting electromagnetic radiation, wherein the transmission device (1000) has a directional radiation characteristic and the apparatus for sound reproduction is set up to reproduce a piece of sound information when it receives the electromagnetic radiation (1010) emitted by the transmission device.

32. The system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the sound information to be reproduced by the apparatus (500, 600, 700) is transmitted by means of the electromagnetic radiation (1010).

33. The system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the sound information to be reproduced by the apparatus (500, 600, 700) is stored in a sound memory (112) in the apparatus and is selected for reproduction by means of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation (1010).