Two-way communications earset

• US 5,448,637 A
• Filed: 03/30/1995
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pan Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pan Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Noboru, Konomi, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US08/413,928
• Time in Patent Office: 159 Days
• Field of Search: 379/430, 379/433, 379/428, 381/68, 381/68.1, 381/68.4, 381/68.7, 381/69, 381/155, 381/169, 381/163, 381/158, 381/168, 381/183, 381/187
• US Class Current: 379/430
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1008 Earpieces of the supra-aural or circum-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/105 Earpiece supports, e.g. ear hooks for stereophonic headphones H04R5/0335
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A one-piece two-way voice communication earset is situated in or at the ear of the user and is operated hands-free. It includes either two separated microphones having their outputs combined or a single bidirectional microphone. In either case, the earset treats the user'"'"'s voice as consisting of out-of-phase signals that are not canceled, but treats ambient noise, and any incidental feedback of sound from received voice signals, as consisting of signals more nearly in-phase that are canceled or greatly reduced in level. The microphones are preferably electret microphones. In addition, a logarithmic amplification circuit reduces residual ambient noise during non-speaking intervals. The earset includes a receiver coupled to a communication medium and a speaker coupled to the receiver for emitting sound from received voice signals primarily to the user'"'"'s ear canal. A transmitter, a part of the earset also coupled to the communication medium and located outside the ear canal, houses the two microphones or the one bidirectional microphone.

Claims

1. A one piece two-way simultaneous voice communication signals transmitting and receiving device comprising:

a receiver responding to an incoming electrical signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals to emit sound to the ear canal of a user; and

a transmitter, attached to the receiver for generating an outgoing electrical signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals and located outside the ear canal, comprising;

a microphone having two sound receiving ends and having bidirectional directivity for sound pickup with one of the two directions of the bidirectional directivity aimed toward the mouth of the user;

a housing containing the microphone substantially at a central portion thereof and having first and second sound receiving ends corresponding to respective ones of the two sound receiving ends of the microphone; and

two acoustically absorbing elements placed within the housing between the two sound receiving ends of the microphone and the first and second sound receiving ends of the housing, respectively, and absorbing signals that cause leaked sound feedback from the receiver to the microphone.

2. The one piece two-way simultaneous voice communication signals transmitting and receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is elongated toward said first and second sound receiving ends and extends less than 5 cm. from each of the sound receiving ends of the microphone.

3. The one piece two-way simultaneous voice communication signals transmitting and receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver includes an adapter to fit within the ear canal of the user.

4. The one piece two-way simultaneous voice communication signals transmitting and receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the receiver includes an adapter to hang at the ear of the user.

5. A one piece two-way simultaneous voice communication signals transmitting and receiving device comprising:

a receiver section for responding to an incoming electrical signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals and emitting sound primarily to the ear canal of a user; and

a transmitter section, attached to the receiver section, located outside the ear canal, comprising;

a microphone having two sound receiving ends and having bidirectional directivity for sound pickup with one of the two directions of the bidirectional directivity aimed toward the mouth of the user, said microphone outputting an outgoing signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals; and

a housing containing the microphone substantially at a central portion thereof and having first and second sound receiving ends corresponding to respective ones of the two sound receiving ends of the microphone; and

two acoustically absorbing elements placed within the housing between the two sound receiving ends of the microphone and the first and second sound receiving ends of the housing, respectively; and

amplifying means, coupled to the microphone, for amplifying the outgoing signal with an amplification in a first range of values if a sound level in the area of the ear canal is less than 70 dBSPL and amplifying the outgoing signal with an amplification in a second range of values when the sound level is greater than 70 dBSPL, the values in said first range of values all being less than the values in the second range of values.

6. A two-way simultaneous voice communication signals transmitting and receiving device comprising:

an ear cover adapted to hang at the auricle of a user'"'"'s ear;

a speaker attached to an inside portion of the ear cover and facing the entrance of the user'"'"'s ear canal and responding to an incoming electrical signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals to emit sound to the ear canal; and

a transmitter section located outside the user'"'"'s ear canal, comprising;

a microphone having two sound receiving ends and having bidirectional directivity for sound pickup with one of the two directions of the bidirectional directivity aimed toward the mouth of the user, said microphone outputting an outgoing signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals; and

a housing containing the microphone substantially at a central portion thereof and having first and second sound receiving ends corresponding to respective ones of the two sound receiving ends of the microphone; and

two acoustically absorbing elements placed within the housing between the two sound receiving ends of the microphone and the first and second sound receiving ends of the housing, respectively, and absorbing signals that cause leaked sound feedback from the speaker to the microphone.

7. A two-way simultaneous voice communication signals transmitting and receiving system comprising:

an ear cover adapted to hang at the auricle of a user'"'"'s ear;

a speaker attached to an inside portion of the ear cover and facing the entrance of the user'"'"'s ear canal and responding to an incoming electrical signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals to emit sound to the ear canal;

a transmitter section, located outside the ear cover, comprising;

a microphone having two sound receiving ends and having bidirectional directivity for sound pickup with one of the two directions of the bidirectional directivity aimed toward the mouth of the user, said microphone outputting an outgoing electrical signal of the two-way simultaneous voice communication signals;

a housing containing the microphone substantially at a central portion thereof and having first and second sound receiving ends corresponding to respective ones of the two sound receiving ends of the microphone; and

two acoustically absorbing elements placed within the housing between the two sound receiving ends of the microphone and the first and second sound receiving ends of the housing, respectively; and

amplifying means, coupled to the microphone, for amplifying the outgoing signal with an amplification in first range of values if a sound level in the area of the ear canal is less than 70 dBSPL and amplifying the outgoing signal with an amplification in a second range of values when the sound level is greater than 70 dBSPL, the values in said first range of values all being less than the values in the second range of values.