WEARABLE COMMUNICATION ENHANCEMENT DEVICE

• US 20150088500A1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Conliffe, Iain A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,848,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/221 Announcement of recognition results
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02082 the noise being echo, reverberation of the speech
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2021/02166 Microphone arrays; Beamforming
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0208 Noise filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/10 Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/32 for obtaining desired directional characteristic only specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/025 Transducer mountings or cabinet supports enabling variable orientation of transducer of cabinet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/20 Processing of the output signals of the acoustic transducers of an array for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic H04R2203/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/25 Array processing for suppression of unwanted side-lobes in directivity characteristics, e.g. a blocking matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein may include a wearable apparatus including a frame having a memory and processor associated therewith. The apparatus may include a camera associated with the frame and in communication with the processor, the camera configured to track an eye of a wearer. The apparatus may also include at least one microphone associated with the frame. The at least one microphone may be configured to receive a directional instruction from the processor. The directional instruction may be based upon an adaptive beamforming analysis performed in response to a detected eye movement from the infrared camera. The apparatus may also include a speaker associated with the frame configured to provide an audio signal received at the at least one microphone to the wearer.

Claims

1. A wearable apparatus comprising:

a frame having a memory and processor associated therewith;

a camera associated with the frame and in communication with the processor, the camera configured to track an eye of a wearer;

at least one microphone associated with the frame, the at least one microphone configured to receive a directional instruction from the processor, the directional instruction based upon, at least in part, an adaptive beamforming analysis performed in response to a detected eye movement from the infrared camera; and

a speaker associated with the frame configured to provide an audio signal received at the at least one microphone to the wearer.

2. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to convert the audio signal to text.

3. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one lens configured to receive the text results from the processor and to provide the text to the wearer.

4. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a facial recognition camera associated with the frame, the facial recognition camera configured to identify a non-wearer of the apparatus.

5. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the speaker is included within at least one headphone in communication with the processor.

6. The wearable apparatus of claim 2 wherein the memory is configured to store at least one of contact information and conversation log files based upon the converted text.

7. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the directional instruction is based upon, at least in part, an identification of a non-wearer of the apparatus.

8. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification of the non-wearer of the apparatus is performed based upon an eye movement of the wearer.

9. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification of the non-wearer of the apparatus is performed based upon receiving an input from an input device associated with the frame.

10. The wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one lens is configured to display visual feedback to the wearer, the visual feedback including at least one of beam shape, beam direction, and an identified non-wearer of the apparatus.

11. A method comprising:

tracking an eye of a wearer using a camera associated with a frame, the frame having a processor and a memory associated therewith;

receiving a directional instruction from the processor at a microphone associated with the frame, the directional instruction based upon, at least in part, an adaptive beamforming analysis performed in response to a detected eye movement from the camera;

adjusting a direction of the microphone, based upon the directional instruction;

receiving an audio signal at the at least one microphone; and

providing the audio signal to the wearer using a speaker associated with the frame.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

converting, using the processor, the audio signal to text.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the text results from the processor and providing the text to the at least one lens.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a non-wearer of the apparatus using a facial recognition camera associated with the frame.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the speaker is included within at least one headphone in communication with the processor.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing at least one of contact information and conversation log files based upon the converted text in the memory.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the directional instruction is based upon, at least in part, an identification of a non-wearer of the apparatus.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification of the non-wearer of the apparatus is performed based upon an eye movement of the wearer.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification of the non-wearer of the apparatus is performed based upon receiving an input from an input device associated with the frame.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying visual feedback to the wearer at the at least one lens, the visual feedback including at least one of beam shape, beam direction, and an identified non-wearer of the apparatus.