ANR headphones and headsets

• US 8,320,591 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lightspeed Aviation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lightspeed Aviation Incorporated
• Inventors: Wurtz, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, Edgardo San
• Application Number:
  US12/218,617
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 381/309, 381/311, 381/74, 381/123, 381/182, 381/370, 381/375, 381/372, 381/384, 381/119, 381/71.1, 381/71.6, 379/308, 379/90.01, 379/110.01, 379/430, 379/420.04, 379/422, 379/423, 455/575.2, 455/569.1, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 381/309
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1083 Reduction of ambient noise active noise reduction per se G10K11/175; protective devices for the ear, e.g. providing acoustic protection A61F11/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/03 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/14 Cross-over networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/01 Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]

Abstract

An innovative automatic-noise-reduction headset includes numerous enhancements. For example, one embodiment includes added noise-control circuitry at each of one or more auxiliary inputs to reduce audible hiss in the earcups. Another embodiment includes integrated crossfeed processing circuitry to enhance the spatial imaging of stereo audio perceived by headset users. Still another embodiment provides superior perception of noise cancellation by focusing noise cancelling at midband frequencies, such as 400-800 Hertz, as opposed to just lower frequencies. And another embodiment provides earcups formed of magnesium or a magnesium alloy for improved strength-weight as well as passive noise attenuation in the 400-800 Hertz range.

Claims

1. An ANR headset system for coupling to output of an aircraft radio intercom, the headset comprising:

ANR circuitry that generates a noise reduction signal for an ANR driver in response to an ANR microphone;

a first input for receiving audio signals from the aircraft radio intercom;

a second input for receiving audio signals from a digital music player;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the ANR circuitry for communicating wirelessly with a mobile telephone;

comparison circuitry within the headset system that compares an intercom output signal from the aircraft radio intercom to a threshold;

decoupling circuitry that electrically decouples the intercom output signal from an input signal path of the ANR circuitry; and

attenuating circuitry coupled to the first input and the second input that selectively attenuates audio signals from the second input when the first input is receiving audio signals from the aircraft radio intercom that exceed the threshold as determined by the comparison circuitry.

2. The ANR headset system of claim 1, wherein the comparison circuitry and the decoupling circuitry are disposed within a battery box of the ANR headset system.

3. The ANR headset system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry that prevents selectively attenuating mobile telephone signals.

4. The ANR headset system of claim 1 wherein the attenuating circuitry selectively mutes the audio signals from the second input in response to a signal from the comparison circuitry.

5. The ANR headset system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth wireless transceiver.

6. The ANR headset system of claim 1 wherein the attenuating circuitry selectively attenuates audio signals from the first input when the audio signals from the aircraft radio intercom are below the threshold as determined by the comparison circuitry.

7. The ANR headset system of claim 1 further comprising a differential amplifier connected to at least one of the first input and second input.

8. The ANR headset system of claim 1 further comprising:

a voice microphone electrically connected to bias circuitry to power the voice microphone, the voice microphone providing audio signals to the wireless transceiver when communicating with a mobile telephone.

9. The ANR headset system of claim 8 wherein the bias circuitry provides power to the voice microphone independent of whether an audio signal is present at one of the first and second inputs.

10. The ANR headset system of claim 1 wherein the ANR driver is coupled to the first input and the second input and generates an output in response to audio signals received from at least one of the first and second inputs.