Bone conduction voice transmission apparatus and system

• US 6,408,081 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2000
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martha Trout
• Original Assignee: Peter V Boesen
• Inventors: Boesen, Peter V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): PENDLETON, DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US09/587,743
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 381/326, 381/328, 381/312-315, 381/320, 381/321, 381/330, 181/130, 181/135, 128/1.R, 128/303.R
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

A voice sound transmitting unit having an earpiece that is adapted for insertion into the external auditory canal of a user, the earpiece having both a bone conduction sensor and an air conduction sensor. The bone conduction sensor is adapted to contact a portion of the external auditory canal to convert bone vibrations of voice sound information into electrical signals. The air conduction sensor resides within the auditory canal and converts air vibrations of the voice sound information into electrical signals. In its preferred form, a speech processor samples output from the bone conduction sensor and the air conduction sensor to filter noise and select the a pure voice sound signal for transmission. The transmission of the voice sound signal may be through a wireless linkage and may also be equipped with a speaker and receiver to enable two-way communication.

Claims

1. A voice sound transmitting unit having the advantage of obtaining a pure voice sound signal of a user, the unit comprising:

an earpiece adapted to be inserted into the external auditory canal of a user and having a bone conduction sensor and an air conduction sensor, the bone conduction sensor being adapted to operatively contact a portion of the external auditory canal adjacent the mastoid bone to convert bone vibrations of voice sound information to electrical signals and the air conduction sensor being adapted to convert air vibrations of the voice sound information in the external auditory canal to electrical signals, the earpiece being smaller in size than the interior of the external auditory canal whereby the earpiece does not block the canal;

a speech processor operatively connected with the earpiece, the speech processor being adapted to receive the electrical signals from the bone conduction sensor and the air conduction sensor and produce a voice sound signal; and

a transmitter operatively connected with the speech processor and adapted to receive the voice sound signal for transmission.

2. The voice sound transmitting device of claim 1 wherein the speech processor is a digital speech processor.

3. The voice sound transmitting device of claim 1 wherein the speech processor is an analog speech processor.

4. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 1 wherein the speech processor obtains a first sample of the electrical signals from the bone conduction sensor and a second sample of the electrical signals from the air conduction sensor and compares the first and second samples to capture the voice sound information of the user for transmission.

5. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 1 wherein the transmitter includes a multidirectional antenna.

6. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 1 further comprising a speaker and a receiver, the speaker being adapted to reside within the external auditory canal and is operatively connected to the receiver.

7. The voice transmitting unit of claim 1 further comprising a casing having an ear attachment portion contoured to fit about the upper ear lobe of the user and a fitting portion connecting the ear attachment portion with the bone conduction sensor and the air vibration sensor.

8. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 7 wherein the casing is adapted to retain the bone conduction sensor in operable contact with a portion of the external auditory canal adjacent the mastoid bone.

9. A voice sound transmitting unit having the advantage of obtaining a pure voice sound signal of a user, the unit comprising:

an earpiece adapted to be inserted into the external auditory canal of a user and having a bone conduction sensor and an air conduction sensor, the bone conduction sensor being adapted to operatively contact a portion of the external auditory canal adjacent the mastoid bone to convert bone vibrations of voice sound information to electrical signals and the air conduction sensor being adapted to convert air vibrations of the voice sound information to electrical signals, the earpiece being smaller in size than the interior of the external auditory canal whereby the earpiece does not block the canal; and

a transmitter operatively connected with the bone conduction sensor and the air conduction sensor and adapted to receive the electrical signals for transmission.

10. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 9 wherein the transmitter includes a multidirectional antenna.

11. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 9 further comprising a speaker and a receiver, the speaker being adapted to reside within the external auditory canal and is operatively connected to the receiver.

12. The voice transmitting unit of claim 9 further comprising a casing having an ear attachment portion contoured to fit about the upper ear lobe of the user and a fitting portion connecting the ear attachment portion with the bone conduction sensor and the air vibration sensor.

13. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 12 wherein the casing is adapted to retain the bone conduction sensor in operable contact with a portion of the external auditory canal adjacent the mastoid bone.

14. A first ever voice sound transmitting unit having the advantage of obtaining a pure voice sound signal of a user through bone conduction, the unit comprising:

an earpiece adapted to be inserted into an external auditory canal of the user;

a fitting portion of the earpiece adapted to be fitted to contours of a posterior superior wall of the external auditory canal;

a bone conduction sensor disposed within the canal and secured to the fitting portion, the bone conduction sensor being adapted to operatively contact the posterior superior wall of the external auditory canal to convert bone vibrations of voice sound information to electrical signals;

a speech processor operatively connected with the earpiece and adapted to receive the electrical signals from the bone conductor sensor and product a voice sound signal;

a transmitter operatively connected with the speech processor to receive the voice sound signal for transmission; and

the earpiece being smaller in size than the interior of the external auditory canal whereby the earpiece does not block the canal.

15. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 14 wherein the transmitter includes a multidirectional antenna.

16. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 14 further comprising a speaker and a receiver, the speaker being adapted to reside within the external auditory canal and is operatively connected to the receiver.

17. The voice transmitting unit of claim 14 further comprising a casing having an ear attachment portion contoured to fit about the upper ear lobe of the user and a fitting portion connecting the ear attachment portion with the bone conduction sensor.

18. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 14 wherein the casing is adapted to retain the bone conduction sensor in operable contact with a portion of the external auditory canal adjacent the mastoid bone.

19. A new voice sound transmitting unit comprising:

an earpiece adapted to be inserted into an external auditory canal of a user;

a fitting portion of the earpiece adapted to be fitted to contours of a posterior superior wall of the external auditory canal;

an air conduction sensor disposed within the canal and secured to the fitting portion and adapted to convert air vibrations of voice sound information to electrical signals, the earpiece being smaller in size than the interior of the external auditory canal whereby the earpiece does not block the canal;

a speech processor operatively connected with the earpiece and adapted to receive the electrical signals from the air conduction sensor and produce a voice sound signal; and

a transmitter operatively connected with the speech processor and adapted to receive the voice sound signal for transmission.

20. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 19 wherein the transmitter includes a multidirectional antenna.

21. The voice sound transmitting unit of claim 19 further comprising a speaker and a receiver, the speaker being adapted to reside within the external auditory canal and is operatively connected to the receiver.

22. The voice transmitting unit of claim 19 further comprising a casing having an ear attachment portion contoured to fit about the upper ear lobe of the user and a fitting portion connecting the ear attachment portion with the air vibration sensor.