Electronic earplug for providing communication and protection

• US 9,198,800 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Killion, Mead C., Collins, James, Monroe, Timothy Scott, Thoma, Russ, Drambarean, Viorel, Haapapuro, Andrew, Zdenek, Jerrold
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Paul S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Norman
• Application Number:
  US14/156,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 381/328, 381/72, 381/74, 381/312, 381/375, 181/135
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/08 internal, e.g. earplugs
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/003 Mems transducers or their use of the electrostatic type H04R19/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2400/01 Transducers used as a loudspeaker to generate sound aswell as a microphone to detect sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing communication and protection by an electronic earplug are provided. A communication and protection system includes an electronic earplug operable in a transmit mode and a receive mode. The electronic earplug includes an external microphone, an ear canal microphone, processing circuitry, and a receiver. In the receive mode, the external microphone is configured to transduce sound pressure levels received from exterior to an ear canal to electrical signals; the processing circuitry is configured to process the electrical signals from the external microphone to provide processed electrical signals; and, the receiver is configured to convert the processed electrical signal to sound. In the transmit mode, the ear canal microphone is configured to transduce sound pressure levels received from in the ear canal to electrical signals provided to a communication device; and, one or more of the external microphone, the processing circuitry, and the receiver is disabled.

Claims

1. A communication and protection system comprising:

a first electronic earplug operable in a transmit mode and a receive mode, the first electronic earplug comprising;

a first external microphone configured to transduce sound pressure levels received from exterior to an ear canal to electrical signals when operating in the receive mode,

an ear canal microphone configured to transduce sound pressure levels received from in the ear canal to electrical signals provided to a communication device when operating in the transmit mode,

first processing circuitry configured to process the electrical signals from the first external microphone to provide first processed electrical signals when operating in the receive mode, and

a first receiver configured to convert the first processed electrical signals to sound when operating in the receive mode,

wherein at least one of the first external microphone, the first processing circuitry, and the first receiver is disabled when operating in the transmit mode.

2. The system according to claim 1, comprising a second electronic earplug operable in the transmit mode and the receive mode, the second electronic earplug comprising:

a second external microphone configured to transduce sound pressure levels received from exterior to an ear canal to electrical signals,

second processing circuitry configured to;

process the electrical signals from the second external microphone to provide second processed electrical signals when operating in the transmit mode, and

process the electrical signals from the second external microphone mixed with electrical signals received from the communication device to provide the second processed electrical signals when operating in the receive mode, and

a second receiver configured to convert the second processed electrical signals to sound.

3. The system according to claim 2, comprising a switch configured to provide one of a plurality of mode indications to at least one of the first electronic earplug and the second electronic earplug, the plurality of mode indications comprising a transmit mode indication corresponding with operation in the transmit mode and a receive mode indication corresponding with operation in the receive mode.

4. The system according to claim 3, comprising a push to talk assembly coupling at least one of the first electronic earplug and the second electronic earplug with the communication device, the push to talk assembly comprising the switch.

5. The system according to claim 3, comprising a battery module coupling at least one of the first electronic earplug and the second electronic earplug with the communication device, the battery module comprising:

a battery operable to provide power to at least one of the first electronic earplug and the second electronic earplug, and

the switch.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the communication device is a communication radio.

7. The system according to claim 1, comprising a cell configured to provide power to the first external microphone, the ear canal microphone, the first processing circuitry, and the first receiver.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the cell is a 312 size zinc-air or lithium-ion cell.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ear canal microphone is a Micro Electrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) microphone.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic earplug is coupled with the communication device by at least one cable.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one cable comprises at least one length adjusting sleeve.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one cable comprises a plug configured with a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) wiring scheme.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first processing circuitry is configured to process the electrical signals from the first external microphone to provide the first processed electrical signals by at least attenuating sounds above a threshold sound pressure level.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the ear canal microphone and the first receiver comprises a hole, and the ear canal microphone is coupled to the first receiver such that the holes are aligned.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the ear canal microphone receives the sound pressure levels from in the ear canal through the holes.

16. The system according to claim 1, comprising a volume control operable to set an amplification level of the first processed electrical signals processed by the first processing circuitry.

17. The system according to claim 1, comprising a housing, wherein the first external microphone, the ear canal microphone, the first processing circuitry, and the first receiver are disposed in the housing, and wherein the housing comprises a base and a cover.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein cover comprises an exterior microphone inlet.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the exterior microphone inlet comprises a dust screen.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the base comprises a cell door.

21. The system according to claim 17, comprising a sound tube operable to carry the sound from the first receiver to the ear canal and to carry the sound pressure levels received from in the ear canal to the ear canal microphone, the sound tube extending from the base.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the sound tube is coupled to the first receiver at a flexible tube.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the sound tube comprises a damper disposed within the sound tube.

24. A method for providing communication and protection comprising:

receiving, at a first electronic earplug, a mode indication that the first electronic earplug is operating in one of a transmit mode and a receive mode; and

if the received mode indication is that the first electronic earplug is operating in a receive mode;

transducing, at a first external microphone, sound pressure levels received from exterior to an ear canal to electrical signals,

processing, at first processing circuitry, the electrical signals from the first external microphone to provide first processed electrical signals, and

converting, at a first receiver, the first processed electrical signals to sound, and

if the received mode indication is that the first electronic earplug is operating in a transmit mode;

transducing, at an ear canal microphone, sound pressure levels received from in the ear canal to electrical signals provided to a communication device, and

disabling at least one of the first external microphone, the first processing circuitry, and the first receiver.

25. The method according to claim 24, comprising:

if the received mode indication is that the first electronic earplug is operating in a receive mode;

transducing, at a second external microphone, sound pressure levels received from exterior to an ear canal to electrical signals,

processing, at second processing circuitry, the electrical signals from the second external microphone mixed with electrical signals received from the communication device to provide second processed electrical signals, and

converting, at a second receiver, the second processed electrical signals to sound, and

if the received mode indication is that the first electronic earplug is operating in a transmit mode;

transducing, at the second external microphone, sound pressure levels received from exterior to the ear canal to electrical signals,

processing, at the second processing circuitry, the electrical signals from the second external microphone to provide the second processed electrical signals, and

converting, at the second receiver, the second processed electrical signals to sound.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the received mode indication is provided by a switch of at least one of a push to talk assembly and a battery module.

27. The method according to claim 25, comprising providing power to at least one of the first electronic earplug and the second electronic by at least one of:

a battery module comprising a battery, and

a cell disposed within a housing of at least one of the first electronic earplug and the second electronic earplug.

28. The method according to claim 24, wherein the processing the electrical signals from the first external microphone to provide the first processed electrical signals is performed by at least attenuating sounds above a threshold sound pressure level.

29. The method according to claim 24, comprising receiving, by the ear canal microphone, sound pressure levels from in the ear canal through aligned holes in each of the ear canal microphone and the first receiver.

30. The method according to claim 24, comprising setting, by a volume control, an amplification level of the first processed electrical signals processed by the first processing circuitry.

31. The method according to claim 24, comprising carrying, by a sound tube coupled to the first receiver and extending from a housing of the first electronic earplug, the sound from the first receiver to the ear canal and the sound pressure levels received from in the ear canal to the ear canal microphone.