Eyeglasses with hearing enhanced and other audio signal-generating capabilities

• US 7,760,898 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IngenioSpec LLC
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Tong, Peter P., Chao, David, Howell, Thomas A., Thomas, C. Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elbin, Jesse A
• Application Number:
  US11/183,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 381/23.1, 381/122, 381/324, 381/327, 381/334, 381/338, 381/355, 381/374, 381/375, 381/376, 381/377, 381/381, 381/383, 381/387, 181/129, 379/52, 455/556.1, 455/569.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.3, 455/575.6
• US Class Current: 381/327
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/001 specially adapted for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for or not fully classifiable according to technical characteristics, e.g. therapeutic glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/0335 Earpiece support, e.g. headbands or neckrests for monophonic headphones H04R1/105

Abstract

Novel techniques for hearing enhancement based on a pair of glasses are disclosed. In one embodiment, the glasses include a first lens holder, a second lens holder, a bridge element, a first temple, a second temple, a first speaker, a second speaker, a microphone and at least one electrical component that performs a hearing enhanced function to enhance audio signals from the microphone to be sent to the speakers for the user to hear. At least one electrical component in the glasses is for generating other audio signals by the speakers, with the other audio signals originating from signals other than audio signals captured by the microphone. In another embodiment, some of the electrical components are in a portable device, wired or wirelessly, coupled to the glasses. In yet another embodiment, the glasses function as a headset, with other electrical components in the portable device. In such embodiment, since the glasses can provide a number of different hearing functions, a third party may not be able to tell whether the user is wearing the glasses to have his hearing enhanced, or for hearing other audio signals.

Claims

1. An eyeglass frame for supporting lenses therein, the frame being configured to enhance the hearing of a user, who has at least mild hearing loss on at least one of the user'"'"'s ears, comprising:

a first temple and a second temple, one on each side of the frame;

a first speaker connected to the first temple;

a microphone fixed to the frame to receive audio signals; and

at least one electrical component embedded in the frame that performs a hearing enhancement function to enhance the received audio signals from the microphone to be sent to the first speaker for the user to hear,

wherein the hearing enhancement function includes amplifying a predetermined frequency range of the received audio signals from the microphone so as to compensate for the user'"'"'s hearing loss, and

wherein the frame belongs to a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames being preset to compensate for different hearing profile to allow different users to select any of the frames to beat compensate for their hearing loss.

2. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1,

wherein each temple has two ends, a forward end and a backward end, with the forward end of each temple being secured to the frame, and each temple also has a middle portion in between its forward end and its backward end, and

wherein the frame further comprises:

a second speaker proximate to the backward end or the middle portion of the second temple; and

another microphone fixed to the frame, separate from the speakers and proximate to the forward end of the second temple, to receive audio signals.

3. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 2, wherein the microphones are directional, one favoring audio signals from the left and the other from the right when the frame is worn by the user.

4. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 3, wherein the amplification of the predetermined frequency range is configured to be automatically changed depending on a power level related to the received audio signals.

5. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 4 further comprising:

at least another electrical component embedded in the frame configured to support generating other audio signals by the first speaker, with the other audio signals not originating from the audio signals captured by the microphone but from a stored audio file; and

at least a mechanical control mechanism at one of the temples with the control mechanism configured to allow the user to control an operation regarding the other audio signals,

wherein the frame can be used separately to enhance the hearing of the user and to allow the user to hear from the other audio signals, and

wherein the at least one electrical component can also be configured to perform the hearing enhancement function to enhance the other audio signals so as to compensate for the hearing loss of the user.

6. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 5, wherein the frame is configured to electronically keep track of a preference of the user regarding the other audio signals.

7. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 6, wherein the audio file is stored in a MP3 player.

8. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

at least another electrical component embedded in the frame configured to support generating other audio signals by the first speaker, with the other audio signals not originating from the audio signals captured by the microphone but from a wireless signal transmitted by a device and received by the frame; and

at least a mechanical control mechanism at one of the temples with the control mechanism configured to allow the user to control an operation regarding the other audio signals,

wherein the frame can be used separately to enhance the hearing of the user and to allow the user to hear from the other audio signals, and

wherein the at least one electrical component can also be configured to perform the hearing enhancement function to enhance the other audio signals so as to compensate for the hearing loss of the user.

9. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1 wherein the amplification of the predetermined frequency range is configured to be automatically changed depending on a power level related to the received audio signals.

10. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1 further comprising a rechargeable power source at least partially embedded in at least one of the temples of the frame.

11. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1,

wherein each temple has two ends, a forward end and a backward end, with the forward end of each temple being secured to the frame, and each temple also has a middle portion in between its forward end and its backward end,

wherein the first speaker is proximate to the backward end or the middle portion of the first temple, and

wherein the microphone is fixed to the frame, separate from the first speaker, proximate to the forward end of the first temple.

12. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1, wherein the microphone is directional, favoring audio signals from either the left or the right side of the frame when the frame is worn.

13. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

at least another electrical component embedded in the frame configured to support generating other audio signals by the first speaker, with the other audio signals not originating from the audio signals captured by the microphone but from a stored audio file; and

at least a mechanical control mechanism at one of the temples with the control mechanism configured to allow the user to control an operation regarding the other audio signals,

wherein the frame can be used separately to enhance the hearing of the user and to allow the user to hear from the other audio signals.

14. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 13, wherein the at least one electrical component is also configured to perform the hearing enhancement function to enhance the other audio signals so as to compensate for the hearing loss of the user.

15. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 14, wherein the audio file is configured to be stored in a multimedia asset player.

16. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 15, wherein the audio file is stored in a MP3 player.

17. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 15, wherein the multimedia asset player is configured to keep track of a preference of the user regarding the other audio signals.

18. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

at least another electrical component embedded in the frame configured to support generating other audio signals by the first speaker, with the other audio signals not originating from the audio signals captured by the microphone but from a wireless signal transmitted by a device and received by the frame; and

at least a mechanical control mechanism at one of the temples with the control mechanism configured to allow the user to control an operation regarding the other audio signals,

wherein the frame can be used separately to enhance the hearing of the user and to allow the user to hear from the other audio signals.

19. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 18, wherein the at least one electrical component is also configured to perform the hearing enhancement function to enhance the other audio signals so as to compensate for the hearing loss of the user.

20. An eyeglass frame as recited in claim 18, wherein the frame is configured to electronically keep track of a preference of the user regarding the other audio signals.