Personal Sound System Including Multi-Mode Ear Level Module with Priority Logic

• US 20110250932A1
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sound Id
• Original Assignee: Sound Id
• Inventors: Shamsoddini, Amad, Muesch, Hannes, Cohen, Ephram, Michael, Nicholas R., Pavlovic, Caslav, Shah, Chirag
• Application Number:
  US13/166,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20110250932A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/041 Adaptation of stereophonic signal reproduction for the hearing impaired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2410/01 Noise reduction using microphones having different directional characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

A personal sound system is described that includes a wireless network supporting an ear-level module, a companion module and a phone. Other audio sources are supported as well. A configuration processor configures the ear-level module and the companion module for private communications, and configures the ear-level module for a plurality of signal processing modes, including a hearing aid mode, for a corresponding plurality of sources of audio data. The ear module is configured to handle variant audio sources, and control switching among them.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a personal sound system including an first module including a radio including a transmitter and a receiver adapted transmit and receive communication signals which encode audio signals, an audio transducer, and control circuitry for establishing a communication link using the radio based on a link parameter, and a companion module including a radio including a transmitter and a receiver adapted transmit communication signals encoding audio signals, a microphone and control circuitry for establishing a communication link using the radio based on the link parameter, the method comprising:

using a configuration host computer to establish the link parameter for connecting the first module with the companion module;

establishing a first radio communication link between the first module and the configuration host computer, and delivering the link parameter to the first module using the first radio communication link; and

establishing a second radio communication link between the companion module and the configuration host computer, and delivering the link parameter to the companion module using the second radio communication link.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first radio communication link establishing step is carried out with the first module being an ear module.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second radio communication link establishing step is carried out with the companion module being a companion microphone.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising issuing a prompt to a user by the configuration host computer to enter identification information regarding the first module and the companion module.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising issuing a prompt to a user by the configuration host computer to enter the serial numbers the first module and the companion module.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying by the configuration host computer a screen display with a graph of an audio characteristic versus frequency.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying by the configuration host computer a screen display with a graph of gain versus frequency.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying by the configuration host computer a screen display with a plurality of graphs of audio characteristics versus frequency.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first link parameter comprises a first authentication factor for pairing the module with the configuration host.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second link parameter comprises a second authentication factor for pairing the module with a companion module.

12. The device according to claim 3, wherein the module comprises an ear module and the companion module comprises a mobile phone.

13. The device according to claim 4, wherein the destination is the mobile phone.

14. The device according to claim 3, wherein the module comprises an ear module and the companion module comprises a companion microphone.

9. A device for delivering audio data, comprising:

a module including a radio including a transmitter and a receiver which transmits and receives communication signals, a microphone, and control circuitry;

wherein the control circuitry includes

memory adapted to store first and second link parameters;

logic for communication with a configuration host using the radio, including resources for establishing a configuration channel using the first link parameter with the configuration host and for retrieving said second link parameter from said configuration host using the configuration channel;

logic for communication with a destination for audio data using the radio, including resources for establishing an audio channel using the second link parameter; and

logic transmitting audio data from the microphone using the audio channel to the destination.

15. A personal communication system, comprising an ear-level module and a companion module;

the ear-level module including a radio including a transmitter and a receiver which transmits and receives communication signals encoding audio signals, an audio transducer, and control circuitry;

wherein the control circuitry includes;

memory storing first and second link parameters; and

logic for communication with sources of data using the radio, including resources for participating in a first channel with the first link parameter, and for participating in a second channel with the second link parameter; and

the companion module including a radio including a transmitter and a receiver which transmits and receives communication signals encoding audio signals, and control circuitry wherein the control circuitry includes;

memory storing the second link parameter and a third link parameter;

logic for communication with the ear-level module using the radio, including resources for participating in the second channel using the second link parameter; and

logic for communication with another destination device using the radio, including resources for participating in a third channel using the third link parameter.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein a first source of data comprises a configuration host.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the first link parameter comprises a first authentication factor for pairing the ear-level module with the configuration host.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein the second link parameter comprises a second authentication factor for pairing the ear-level module with the companion module.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the companion module comprises a mobile phone.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the another destination device comprises a companion microphone.