Wireless personal listening system and method
First Claim
1. A personal listening system, comprising:
- (a) a base unit including;
a source of an audio signal;
a user control for selecting an FM channel;
a modulator for modulating the audio signal onto the selected FM channel to produce a modulated audio signal with encoded right and left stereo channels; and
an FM transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the modulated audio signal over the selected FM channel; and
(b) physically separate, entirely self-contained, battery-operated right-ear and left-ear listening units worn by a user, each listening unit thereof including;
an FM stereo tuner;
an apparatus for tuning the FM stereo tuner to the selected FM channel to receive the modulated audio signal with the encoded right and left stereo channels;
a demodulator for demodulating the received modulated audio signal modulated onto the selected FM channel to produce a demodulated audio signal;
an amplifier in the right-ear listening unit for amplifying the demodulated audio signal associated with the encoded right stereo channel to produce an amplified audio signal associated with the encoded right stereo channel;
an amplifier in the left-ear listening unit for amplifying the demodulated audio signal associated with the encoded left stereo channel to produce an amplified audio signal associated with the encoded left stereo channel;
a transducer in the right-ear listening unit for converting the amplified audio signal associated with the encoded right stereo channel into sound for the right ear of the user; and
a transducer in the left-ear listening unit for converting the amplified audio signal associated with the encoded left stereo channel into sound for the left ear of the user.
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Abstract
A personal listening system uses the FM broadcast band for transmission and reception. The system includes a base unit and physically separate right- and left-ear listening units. The base unit includes an FM stereo transmitter. Each listening unit demodulates and amplifies the received signal, but the right-ear unit only amplifies the right channel and the left-ear unit only amplifies the left channel. The base unit may be a digital music player, book reader, video player, smart cellular telephone, or any other portable device. The base unit may include a display for displaying the selected FM frequency. The base unit may be a self-contained or integrated unit, or a device that couples to a digital music player, smart cellular telephone or other device to receive the audio signal therefrom. The right- and left-ear listening units may be any type of on-ear, in-ear or around-ear sound delivery devices including earbuds.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A personal listening system, comprising:
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(a) a base unit including; a source of an audio signal; a user control for selecting an FM channel; a modulator for modulating the audio signal onto the selected FM channel to produce a modulated audio signal with encoded right and left stereo channels; and an FM transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the modulated audio signal over the selected FM channel; and (b) physically separate, entirely self-contained, battery-operated right-ear and left-ear listening units worn by a user, each listening unit thereof including; an FM stereo tuner; an apparatus for tuning the FM stereo tuner to the selected FM channel to receive the modulated audio signal with the encoded right and left stereo channels; a demodulator for demodulating the received modulated audio signal modulated onto the selected FM channel to produce a demodulated audio signal; an amplifier in the right-ear listening unit for amplifying the demodulated audio signal associated with the encoded right stereo channel to produce an amplified audio signal associated with the encoded right stereo channel; an amplifier in the left-ear listening unit for amplifying the demodulated audio signal associated with the encoded left stereo channel to produce an amplified audio signal associated with the encoded left stereo channel; a transducer in the right-ear listening unit for converting the amplified audio signal associated with the encoded right stereo channel into sound for the right ear of the user; and a transducer in the left-ear listening unit for converting the amplified audio signal associated with the encoded left stereo channel into sound for the left ear of the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A personal listening system, comprising:
a pair of physically separate, entirely self-contained, battery-operated right-ear and left-ear listening units worn by a user, each listening unit thereof including; an FM stereo tuner; an apparatus for tuning the FM stereo tuner to a desired FM channel to receive a signal having right and left stereo audio channels modulated onto the desired FM channel; a demodulator for demodulating the received signal into right and left stereo audio channels; an audio amplifier in the right-ear listening unit for amplifying an audio signal of the right stereo audio channel; an audio amplifier in the left-ear listening unit for amplifying an audio signal of the left stereo audio channel; a transducer in the right-ear listening unit for converting the amplified audio signal of the right stereo audio channel into sound for the right ear of the user; and a transducer in the left-ear listening unit for converting the amplified audio signal of the left stereo audio channel into sound for the left ear of the user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
Specification