Fetal communication system
First Claim
1. A fetal sound system comprising:
- an audio input that is able to receive one or more analog audio input signals to be transmitted to the ears of an expectant mother'"'"'s fetus;
an analog to digital converter having an input coupled to the audio input, said analog to digital converter for converting each of the received one or more analog audio input signals to a digital audio signal;
a digital signal processor, having an input coupled to an output of the digital to analog converter, the digital to analog converter able to sum together and spectrally shape each of the one or more digital audio signals to compensate for spectral attenuation that would otherwise occur if the one or more analog input signals were directly transmitted, as received, between the expectant mother'"'"'s abdominal area and the ears of the fetus;
a digital to analog converter, coupled to an output of the digital signal processor, the digital to analog converter for converting the summed and spectrally shaped one or more digital audio signals to a summed and spectrally shaped analog audio output signal; and
a transducer, coupled to the digital to analog converter, the transducer for converting the spectrally shaped analog audio output signal to a summed and spectrally shaped acoustic signal and for transmitting the summed and spectrally shaped acoustic signal to the ears of the fetus when the transducer is coupled to the abdominal area of the expectant mother.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A compact fetal sound system delivers high-fidelity sound to a fetus in utero through a miniature, abdominally mounted driver with a convex diaphragm. No gel is necessary at the interface between the diaphragm and the mother'"'"'s abdomen. Digital signal processing shapes the frequency spectrum of the sound transmitted to the fetus, so that after traveling through the attenuative tissue of the expectant mother the desired volume of sound and frequency content reach the ears of the fetus. As the term of pregnancy progresses, the frequency shaping provided by the digital signal processing automatically varies to compensate for changes in uterine lining thickness and the like. Preferred embodiments also include a microphone attached to the abdomen of the mother and signal processing to correct for frequency and amplitude distortions of sound eminating from the womb. Embodiments also include an elastic belt to maintain the transducer and microphone against the abdomen.
33 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A fetal sound system comprising:
-
an audio input that is able to receive one or more analog audio input signals to be transmitted to the ears of an expectant mother'"'"'s fetus; an analog to digital converter having an input coupled to the audio input, said analog to digital converter for converting each of the received one or more analog audio input signals to a digital audio signal; a digital signal processor, having an input coupled to an output of the digital to analog converter, the digital to analog converter able to sum together and spectrally shape each of the one or more digital audio signals to compensate for spectral attenuation that would otherwise occur if the one or more analog input signals were directly transmitted, as received, between the expectant mother'"'"'s abdominal area and the ears of the fetus; a digital to analog converter, coupled to an output of the digital signal processor, the digital to analog converter for converting the summed and spectrally shaped one or more digital audio signals to a summed and spectrally shaped analog audio output signal; and a transducer, coupled to the digital to analog converter, the transducer for converting the spectrally shaped analog audio output signal to a summed and spectrally shaped acoustic signal and for transmitting the summed and spectrally shaped acoustic signal to the ears of the fetus when the transducer is coupled to the abdominal area of the expectant mother. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of transmitting audio input signals to the ears of a fetus comprising:
-
receiving one or more analog audio input signals to be transmitted to the ears of an expectant mother'"'"'s fetus; converting the received one or more analog signals to digital audio signals; spectrally shaping the one or more digital audio signals to compensate for spectral attenuation that would have otherwise occurred to the one or more analog input signals had the one or more analog input signals been directly transmitted between the surface of the expectant mother'"'"'s abdominal area and the ears of the fetus; converting the summed and spectrally shaped one or more digital audio signals to a summed and spectrally shaped analog audio output signal; converting the spectrally shaped analog audio output signal to a summed and spectrally shaped acoustic signal; and transmitting the summed and spectrally shaped acoustic signal to the ears of the fetus through the abdominal area of the expectant mother. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification