Alarm system for the hearing impaired
First Claim
1. An alarm apparatus for a hearing impaired person comprising:
- a base station unit includingat least one alarm receiving circuit adapted to receive an alarm signal,at least one indicator, each indicator connected to a corresponding alarm receiving circuit for generating a visual indication of the receipt of an alarm signal by said corresponding alarm receiving circuit, anda transmitter connected to said at least one alarm receiving circuit for generating an electromagnetic signal upon receipt of an alarm signal by any of said at least one alarm receiving circuits; and
a portable unit adapted to be carried by the hearing impaired person includinga microphone for generating a microphone audio signal corresponding to received acoustic energy,a receiver for generating an alarm audio signal upon receipt of said electromagnetic signal from said transmitter,a mixing amplifier connected to said microphone and said receiver and having an output, for mixing said microphone audio signal and said alarm audio signal and amplifying said mixed microphone and alarm audio signal, said mixing amplifier having gain and frequency characteristics to compensate for the impairment of the hearing impaired person, andan earphone connected to the output of said mixing amplifier for generating acoustic energy corresponding to the signal at the output of said mixing amplifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is an alarm for the hearing impaired. A base station includes alarm receiving circuits for receipt of alarm signals. These alarm signals could be a telephone ringing signal, a smoke/fire alarm, a doorbell signal or the like. Upon detection of one of these alarms, a radio transmitter transmits a signal to a portable unit. The portable unit includes all parts of an ordinary hearing aid together with a radio receiver to receive the signal transmitted by the base station. In a first embodiment, the base station includes a tone generator or voice signal generator which generates a unique signal dependent upon the alarm received for modulation of the transmitted signal. The portable unit includes a demodulator for recovery of the original signal. Thus the unse can determine the type of alarm from the audio signal received. In a second embodiment, a tone generator in the portable unit is enabled by the transmitted signal from the base station.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An alarm apparatus for a hearing impaired person comprising:
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a base station unit including at least one alarm receiving circuit adapted to receive an alarm signal, at least one indicator, each indicator connected to a corresponding alarm receiving circuit for generating a visual indication of the receipt of an alarm signal by said corresponding alarm receiving circuit, and a transmitter connected to said at least one alarm receiving circuit for generating an electromagnetic signal upon receipt of an alarm signal by any of said at least one alarm receiving circuits; and a portable unit adapted to be carried by the hearing impaired person including a microphone for generating a microphone audio signal corresponding to received acoustic energy, a receiver for generating an alarm audio signal upon receipt of said electromagnetic signal from said transmitter, a mixing amplifier connected to said microphone and said receiver and having an output, for mixing said microphone audio signal and said alarm audio signal and amplifying said mixed microphone and alarm audio signal, said mixing amplifier having gain and frequency characteristics to compensate for the impairment of the hearing impaired person, and an earphone connected to the output of said mixing amplifier for generating acoustic energy corresponding to the signal at the output of said mixing amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An alarm apparatus portable unit adapted to be carried by a hearing impaired person comprising:
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a microphone for generating a microphone audio signal corresponding to received acoustic energy; a receiver for receiving an electromagnetic signal from a transmitter; a tone generator connected to said receiver for generating an audio tone signal upon receipt of said electromagnetic signal by said receiver; a mixing amplifier connected to said microphone and said tone generator and having an output, for amplifying and mixing said microphone audio signal and said audio tone signal, said mixing amplifier having gain and frequency characteristics to compensate for the impairment of the hearing impaired person; and an earphone connected to said mixing amplifier for generating acoustic energy corresponding to said output of said mixing amplifier.
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Specification