Ear based hearing protector/communication system
First Claim
1. A speech communications system comprising:
- a transducer arranged to convert sound signals into desired acoustic sound waves;
means for mounting said transducer proximate an outer portion of one ear of a user and for attenuating transmission of external sounds into said one ear;
a microphone for converting sounds from the user into electrical sound signals;
means for mounting said microphone in an outer portion of the other ear of the user proximate, the pinna portion of the other ear for acoustic reception of sound waves from the user thereat and for attenuating transmission of the external sounds into the other ear;
an optimizing filter receiving said electrical sound signal from said microphone and selectively passing predetermined frequency ranges of said electrical sound signals to form filtered output signals according to the relationship;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">f.sub.(f) =f.sub.(s) *f.sub.(m) *1/(f.sub.hp)/f.sub.(v),where,f.sub.(f) is the frequency response characteristic of the optimizing filter,f.sub.(s) is the frequency response characteristics of the transducer,f.sub.(m) is the frequency response characteristics of the microphone,f.sub.(hp) is a long-term spectrum of speech at a position of said microphone in said outer portion of the other ear, andf.sub.(v) is a long-term spectrum of speech from a predetermined vocal tract.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A combination hearing protector and communication device may be incorporated into a set of earmuffs or earplugs, meeting the needs of workers who must work in hazardous noise environments and who must be able to communicate with each other as well as with persons outside the hazardous noise environment. Each unit of the system has two channels, one to transmit speech and one to receive speech. While each wearer will have an independent transmission channel, all wearers can use the same receiving channel. The system is designed to be incorporated into earmuffs or earplugs in such a way that their noise-reducing characteristics are not diminished. The system incorporated into the earmuff is no more difficult to use than a conventional pair of noise-reducing earmuffs in that nothing additional need be fitted into or onto the ears. Likewise, the system incorporated into the earplugs is as easy to use as custom-molded noise-reducing earplugs which are corded to keep them together.
102 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A speech communications system comprising:
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a transducer arranged to convert sound signals into desired acoustic sound waves; means for mounting said transducer proximate an outer portion of one ear of a user and for attenuating transmission of external sounds into said one ear; a microphone for converting sounds from the user into electrical sound signals; means for mounting said microphone in an outer portion of the other ear of the user proximate, the pinna portion of the other ear for acoustic reception of sound waves from the user thereat and for attenuating transmission of the external sounds into the other ear; an optimizing filter receiving said electrical sound signal from said microphone and selectively passing predetermined frequency ranges of said electrical sound signals to form filtered output signals according to the relationship;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">f.sub.(f) =f.sub.(s) *f.sub.(m) *1/(f.sub.hp)/f.sub.(v),where, f.sub.(f) is the frequency response characteristic of the optimizing filter, f.sub.(s) is the frequency response characteristics of the transducer, f.sub.(m) is the frequency response characteristics of the microphone, f.sub.(hp) is a long-term spectrum of speech at a position of said microphone in said outer portion of the other ear, and f.sub.(v) is a long-term spectrum of speech from a predetermined vocal tract. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of providing a voice communications signal, comprising the steps of:
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obtaining measurements to determine a long-term spectrum of speech produced by a human speaker at a predetermined position within an outer portion of an ear of the speaker; obtaining measurement to determine a long-term spectrum of speech produced by the vocal tract of the human speaker at a predetermined position proximate the human speaker'"'"'s mouth; detecting acoustic waves transmitted through the external acoustic meatus of the ear of the human speaker; supplying a audio signal in response to the detecting step; and filtering said audio signal to provide a filtered audio signal according to the relationship
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">f.sub.(f) =f.sub.(s) *f.sub.(m) *1/(f.sub.(hp) /f.sub.(v),where, f.sub.(f) is the frequency response characteristic of the filtering step, f.sub.(s) and f.sub.(m) are predetermined frequency response characteristics, f.sub.(hp) is the long-term spectrum of speech produced by the human speaker at said predetermined position within said outer portion of said ear, f.sub.(v) is said long-term spectrum of speech produced by the vocal tract of the human speaker at said predetermined position proximate the human speaker'"'"'s mouth. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification