METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING AUDIO SIGNALS
7 Assignments
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.
124 Citations
28 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. A method of transmitting an audio signal via two or more transducers through bone, comprising:
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providing an apparatus comprising a housing, a first transducer, and a second transducer; positioning the housing onto at least one tooth of a user such that the first transducer is positioned in communication with a first surface of the at least one tooth and the second transducer is positioned in communication with a second surface of the at least one tooth; receiving an audio signal via at least a first microphone; filtering the audio signal into at least a first frequency range and a second frequency range; vibrating the first transducer to transmit the first frequency range into the at least one tooth and through the bone of the user; and vibrating the second transducer to transmit the second frequency range into the at least one tooth and through the bone of the user. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of transmitting an audio signal via two or more transducers through bone, comprising:
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providing an apparatus comprising a housing, a first transducer, and a second transducer; positioning the housing onto at least one tooth of a user such that the first transducer is positioned in communication with at least one surface of the at least one tooth and the second transducer is positioned in communication with at least one surface of at least a second tooth; receiving an audio signal via at least a first microphone; filtering the audio signal into at least a first frequency range and a second frequency range; vibrating the first transducer to transmit the first frequency range into the at least one tooth and through the bone of the user; and vibrating the second transducer to transmit the second frequency range into the at least one tooth and through the bone of the user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification