Stereo audio headphone apparatus for a user having a hearing loss and related methods

• US 9,161,131 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: K&E Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: K&E Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Hensen, Eric Logan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US12/731,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20110235833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,028 Days
• Field of Search: 381/311, 381/309, 381/328, 381/330, 381/370, 381/380, 381/381, 381/382, 381/71.1, 381/317, 381/318, 381/320, 381 941- 943, 381/94.5, 381312-316, 381/103, 455/575.2, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/041 Adaptation of stereophonic signal reproduction for the hearing impaired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• 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

Abstract

A stereo audio headphone set may include a master headphone unit including a master housing to be independently carried behind an ear of the user, master circuitry including a stereo audio source and a wireless transmitter coupled thereto, and a master audio output device coupled to the master circuitry for playing a first stereo audio channel from the stereo audio source. A slave headphone unit may include a slave housing to be independently carried behind another ear of the user, slave circuitry including a wireless receiver cooperating with the wireless transmitter, and a slave audio output device coupled to the slave circuitry for playing a second stereo audio channel from the stereo audio source. First and second independently settable frequency equalizers may also be included for the first and second stereo audio channels to permit independent selection of frequency equalization to compensate for hearing loss.

Claims

1. A stereo audio headphone apparatus for a user comprising:

a master headphone unit comprising

a master housing to be independently carried behind an ear of the user,

master circuitry carried by said master housing and comprising a stereo audio source and a wireless transmitted coupled thereto,

a master audio output device carried by said master housing and coupled to said master circuitry for playing a first stereo audio channel from said stereo audio source, and

a master audio input carried by said master housing and coupled to said master circuitry;

a slave headphone unit comprising

a slave housing to be independently carried behind another ear of the user,

slave circuitry carried by said slave housing and comprising a wireless receiver cooperating with said wireless transmitter, and

a slave audio output device carried by said slave housing and coupled to said slave circuitry for playing a second stereo audio channel from said stereo audio source; and

first and second independently settable frequency equalizers for the first and second stereo audio channels to permit independent selection of frequency equalization;

wherein the master circuitry is operable in a pass-through mode with audio sensed by said master audio input device being delivered to said master audio output device via said first independently settable frequency equalizer.

2. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first independently settable equalizer is carried by said master housing;

and wherein said second independently settable equalizer is carried by said slave housing.

3. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said slave headphone unit further comprises a slave audio input device carried by said slave housing and coupled to said slave circuitry;

and wherein said slave circuitry is also operable in the pass-through mode with audio sensed by said slave audio input device being delivered to said slave audio output device via said second independently settable equalizer.

4. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said master circuitry is operable in an impulse noise rejecting pass-through mode to reject impulse noise;

and wherein said slave circuitry is also operable in the impulse noise rejecting pass-through mode;

wherein the master circuitry is selectively operable to provide one or combination of the independent selection of frequency equalization of stereo audio data provided by the stereo audio source, independent selection of frequency equalization based upon a detected audio impulse, and independent selection of frequency equalization of the audio sensed by the master audio input device.

5. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second independently settable equalizers are carried by said master housing.

6. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said master audio output device comprises a master electrical-to-acoustical (E/A) transducer, and a master audio delivery tube having a proximal end coupled to said master E/A transducer and a distal end to be positioned adjacent an ear canal of the user;

and wherein said slave audio output device comprises a slave E/A transducer, and a slave delivery tube having a proximal end coupled to said slave E/A transducer and a distal end to be positioned adjacent another ear canal of the user.

7. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said master audio output device further comprises a master ear fitting coupled to the distal end of said master audio delivery tube;

and wherein said slave audio output device further comprises a slave ear fitting coupled to the distal end of said slave audio delivery tube.

8. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said master audio delivery tube is selectively extendible from adjacent portions of said master housing;

and wherein said slave audio delivery tube is selectively extendible from adjacent portions of said slave housing.

9. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said master audio output device comprises a master electrical-to-acoustical (E/A) transducer to be positioned adjacent an ear canal of the user;

and wherein said slave audio output device comprises a slave E/A transducer to be positioned adjacent another ear canal of the user.

10. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said master audio output device further comprises a master ear fitting coupled to said master E/A transducer;

and wherein said slave audio output device further comprises a slave ear fitting coupled to said slave E/A transducer.

11. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said master housing had an arcuate shape;

and wherein said slave housing also has an arcuate shape.

12. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a remote control unit operatively coupled to at least one of said master and slave headphone units.

13. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said master headphone unit comprises a master rechargeable power supply coupled to said master circuitry;

wherein said slave headphone further comprises a slave rechargeable power supply coupled to said slave circuitry; and

further comprising a recharging station to receive said master and slave headphone units for recharging said master and slave rechargeable power supplies, respectively.

14. A stereo audio headphone apparatus for a user comprising:

a master headphone unit comprising

a master arcuate housing to be independently carried behind an ear of the user,

master circuitry carried by said master housing and comprising a stereo audio source and a wireless transmitter coupled thereto, and

a master audio output device carried by said master housing and coupled to said master circuitry for playing a first stereo audio channel from said stereo audio source;

a slave headphone unit comprising

a slave arcuate housing to be independently carried behind another ear of the user,

slave circuitry carried by said slave housing and comprising a wireless receiver cooperating with said wireless transmitter, and

a slave audio output device carried by said slave housing and coupled to said slave circuitry for playing a second stereo audio channel from said stereo audio source; and

a first independently settable frequency equalizer carried by said master housing and a second independently settable frequency equalizer carried by said slave housing for the first and second stereo audio channels to permit independent selection of frequency equalization.

15. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said master audio output device comprises a master electrical-to-acoustical (E/A) transducer, and a master audio delivery tube having a proximal end coupled to said master E/A transducer and a distal end to be positioned adjacent an ear canal of the user;

and wherein said slave audio delivery tube having a proximal end coupled to said slave E/A transducer and a distal end to be positioned adjacent another ear canal of the user.

16. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said master audio output device further comprises a master ear fitting coupled to the distal end of said master audio delivery tube;

and wherein said slave audio output device further comprises a slave ear fitting coupled to the distal end of said slave audio delivery tube.

17. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said master audio delivery tube is selectively extendible from adjacent portions of said master housing;

and wherein said slave audio delivery tube is selectively extendible from adjacent portions of said slave housing.

18. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said master audio output device comprises a master electrical-to-acoustical (E/A) transducer to be positioned adjacent an ear canal of the user;

and wherein said slave audio output device comprises a slave E/A transducer to be positioned adjacent another ear canal of the user.

19. The stereo audio headphone apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said master audio output device further comprises a master ear fitting coupled to said master E/A transducer;

and wherein said slave audio output device further comprises a slave ear fitting coupled to said slave E/A transducer.

20. A method for compensating for hearing loss of a user comprising:

providing a master headphone unit comprising a master housing to be independently carried behind an ear of the user, master circuitry carried by the master housing and comprising a stereo audio source and a wireless transmitter coupled thereto, a master audio input device carried by said master housing and coupled to said master circuitry, and a master audio output device carried by the master housing and coupled to the master circuitry for playing a first stereo audio channel from the stereo audio source;

providing a slave headphone unit comprising a slave housing to be independently carried behind another ear of the user, slave circuitry carried by slave housing and comprising a wireless receiver cooperating with the wireless transmitter, and a slave audio output device carried by the slave housing and coupled to the clave circuitry for playing a second stereo audio channel from the stereo audio source; and

independently setting first and second independently settable frequency equalizers for the first and second stereo audio channels within frequency ranges associated with increased hearing sensitivity; and

selectively operating said master circuitry in a pass-through mode with audio sensed by said master audio input device being delivered to said master audio output device via said first independently settable frequency equalizer.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first independently settable equalizer is carried by the master housing;

and wherein the second independently settable equalizer is carried by the slave housing.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein providing the slave headphone unit comprises providing the slave headphone unit comprising a slave audio input device carried by the slave housing and coupled to the slave circuitry;

and wherein the method further comprises configuring the slave circuitry to also be operable in the pass-through mode with audio sensed by the slave audio input device being delivered to the slave audio output device via the second independently settable equalizer.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising configuring the master circuitry to be operable in an impulse noise rejecting pass-through mode to reject impulse noise;

and further comprising configuring the slave circuitry to also be operable in the impulse noise rejecting pass-through mode;

wherein the master circuitry is selectively operable to provide one or combination of the independent selection of frequency equalization of stereo audio data provided by the stereo audio source, independent selection of frequency equalization based upon a detected audio impulse, and independent selection of frequency equalization of the audio sensed by the master audio input device.