AMBIENT SONIC LOW-PRESSURE EQUALIZATION

• US 20170245044A1
• Filed: 05/09/2017
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westone Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Westone Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Cartwright, Karl, Cartwright, Kris
• Granted Patent: US 10,165,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/26 Spatial arrangements of separate transducers responsive to two or more frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2811 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2842 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/11 Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion

Abstract

A passive ambient in-ear monitor includes an interchangeable unidirectional sonic filter that allows ambient sound to pass through to the ear canal and be combined with sound generated by internal drivers. A sonic low pressure equalization device of a predetermined spatial volume links the sonic filter with the internal drivers to deliver to the user a mixture of generated and ambient sound without any substantial degradation to low frequency sound.

Claims

1. A passive ambient in-ear monitor, comprising:

a housing;

an ear canal stalk;

a filter receptacle;

one of a plurality of filters configured to be placed within the filter receptacle, wherein the filter includes an outer face and an inner face and wherein ambient sound waves traverse the filter from the outer face to the inner face;

one or more sound drivers, wherein the one or more sound drivers produce internal sound waves; and

a Sonic Low-pressure Equalization Device (“

SLED”

) wherein the SLED is coupled to each of the one or more sound drivers, the ear canal stalk and the filter and wherein the SLED includes a predetermined spatial volume channeling internal sound waves and ambient sound waves to the ear canal stalk such that a measure of frequency response of the internal sound waves at the ear canal stalk is within a frequency response predetermined range.

2. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the filter is selectively interchangeable.

3. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the filter is a unidirectional sonic filter.

4. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 3, wherein the unidirectional sonic filter substantially reduces internal sound waves traversing from the inner face to the outer face.

5. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 3, wherein the unidirectional sonic filter attenuates ambient sound waves traversing from the outer face to the inner face.

6. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 5, wherein the ambient sound waves traverse the unidirectional sonic filter at a predetermined diminished amplitude.

7. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 6, wherein the unidirectional sonic filter attenuates ambient sound from 0 to 10 dB.

8. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 6, wherein the unidirectional sonic filter attenuates ambient sound from 10 to 25 dB.

9. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein a frequency response predetermined range is ±

4 dB.

10. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the predetermine spatial volume is based on a degree of attenuation of ambient sound waves.

11. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the ear canal stalk includes a channel configured to extend within an ear canal of a user and wherein the channel is comprised of a temperature reactive material that is substantially pliable between 96 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and substantially rigid below 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

12. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the frequency response predetermined range of the internal sound waves at the ear canal stalk over 20-20000 Hz is ±

4 dB.

13. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the frequency response predetermined range of the internal sound waves at the ear canal stalk over 20-20000 Hz is ±

6 dB.

14. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the frequency response predetermined range of the internal sound waves at the ear canal stalk over 20-2000 Hz is ±

4 dB.

15. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, wherein the SLED is an integrated component of the ear canal stalk.

16. The passive ambient in-ear monitor of claim 1, further comprising an ambient sound channel configured to deliver ambient sound waves from the filter to the SLED, and a barrier positioned to selectively occlude the ambient sound channel preventing delivery of ambient sound waves to the SLED.

17. A method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor, the method comprising:

selecting a filter from a plurality of interchangeable unidirectional sonic filters;

configuring the in-ear monitor to fully occlude an ear canal wherein the in-ear monitor includes an ear canal stalk, one or more drivers, the filter and a Sonic Low-pressure Equalization Device (“

SLED”

) wherein the filter and SLED are coupled by an ambient sound channel;

configuring a barrier to selectively occlude the ambient sound channel;

interposing the SLED between each of the one or more sound drivers, the ear canal stalk and the filter;

generating, by the one or more drivers, internal sound waves;

receiving, by the SLED, ambient sound waves from the filter through the ambient sound channel and internal sound waves from the one or more sound drivers; and

channeling, by the SLED, ambient sounds waves and internal sound waves through a predetermined spatial volume to the ear canal stalk such that a measure of frequency response of the internal sound waves generated by the one or more sound drivers at the ear canal stalk is within a frequency response predetermined range.

18. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 17, further comprising substantially reducing internal sound waves traversing the filter.

19. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 17, further comprising attenuating ambient sound waves received through the filter.

20. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 19, wherein the filter attenuates ambient sound waves from 0-10 dB.

21. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 19, wherein the filter attenuates ambient sound waves from 10-25 dB.

22. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 17, further comprising limiting the frequency response predetermined range to ±

4 dB.

23. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 17, further comprising limiting the frequency response predetermined range to ±

6 dB.

24. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 17, further comprising limiting the frequency response predetermined range is based on the predetermined spatial volume.

25. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 17, further comprising limiting the frequency response predetermined range of internal sound waves at the ear canal stalk for 20-20000 Hz to ±

4 dB.

26. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 25, further comprising limiting the frequency response predetermined range of internal sound waves at the ear canal stalk for 20-2000 Hz to ±

4 dB.

27. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 26, further comprising limiting the frequency response predetermined range of internal sound waves at the ear canal stalk for 20-200 Hz to ±

4 dB.

28. The method for providing passive ambient sound in an in-ear monitor according to claim 17, further comprising extending the ear canal stalk within the ear canal wherein the ear canal stalk includes a channel comprised of a temperature reactive material that is substantially pliable between 96 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and substantially rigid below 90 degrees Fahrenheit.