Audio and data communications system

• US 8,036,343 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lon E. Bender, Robert B. Schulein
• Original Assignee: Lon E. Bender, Robert B. Schulein
• Inventors: Bender, Lon E., Schulein, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISLAM, MOHAMMAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/389,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20070036281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 455/463, 455/555, 455/557, 381/2, 381/16, 381/312, 379/52
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72478 for hearing-impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf

Abstract

A communications system is disclosed that allows users to effectively communicate.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

multiple communicators coupled to each other over a local area wireless network, each of the multiple communicators comprising a microphone and a speaker operatively coupled to a signal processor, circuitry for assisting a hearing impaired person, and a graphical user interface depicting one or more available communication links associated with other communicators or an external source and wherein the available communication links can be selectively enabled by a user;

a controller operatively coupled to each of the communicators to provide a selected communication link between the communicators; and

,

wherein the circuitry for assisting a hearing impaired person performs at least two functions from the group comprising;

wide band compression;

equalization, adaptive noise reduction, adaptive wind noise reduction, adaptive microphone polar pattern selection;

speech recognition; and

selection of said external source.

2. The system of claim 1 the communicators comprising an earphone and the microphone connected to a transceiver.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the selected communication link is unidirectional.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the selected communication link is bidirectional.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the external source is operatively coupled to the controller to provide audio signals to a user, the external source comprising at least one of a telephone, a radio, a television, and a media player.

6. The system of claim 1, each communicator comprising a signal processor.

7. The system of claim 6, the signal processor comprising a wide band dynamic range compression circuitry.

8. The system of claim 6, the signal processor comprising adaptive noise reduction circuitry.

9. The system of claim 6, the signal processor comprising adaptive microphone polar pattern selection and equalization circuitry.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is installed in a public structure, an office, a house, a casino, a retail environment, a restaurant, a vehicle, a theater, or a conference room.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is contained in a housing suitable for transport within a pocket in an article of clothing.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the communicators comprising a hearing aid circuit operatively coupled to the speaker.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication link is encrypted.

14. A system comprising:

a first remote unit comprising a receiver and a hearing aid circuit operatively coupled to a speaker wherein said circuitry is for assisting a hearing impaired person;

a second remote unit comprising a transmitter operatively coupled to a microphone;

a base unit comprising a transceiver unit and relaying wireless transmissions from the second remote unit to the first remote unit over a local area wireless network; and

,

a graphical user interface depicting one or more available communication links associated with other devices and wherein the available communication links can be selectively enabled by a user; and

,

wherein the hearing aid circuit performs at least two functions from the group comprising;

wide band compression;

equalization, adaptive noise reduction, adaptive wind noise reduction, adaptive microphone polar pattern selection;

speech recognition; and

selection of an external source.

15. The system of claim 14, the hearing aid circuit operatively coupled to a microphone.

16. The system of claim 14, the transceiver unit comprising a plurality of transceiver modules.

17. The system of claim 14, the base unit comprising an accessibility control function that allows another wireless remote unit to discover the base unit.

18. The system of claim 14, the base unit further comprising a controller that switches communications between the first remote device and said external source.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the wireless transmission are encrypted.