Combined in-ear speaker and microphone for radio communication

• US 9,548,854 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dominant Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dominant Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Fraser, Ronald Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganmavo, Kuassi
• Application Number:
  US13/863,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20130329610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 381/83, 381/103, 381/98, 381/93, 381/312, 381/318, 381/317, 381/94.1, 381/94.2, 381/94.7, 704/200, 704/275, 704/271, 704/239, 704/225, 379/410, 379/406
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/175 using interference effects; Masking sound
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/1081 Earphones, e.g. for telephones, ear protectors or headsets
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3026 Feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3055 Transfer function of the acoustic system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/26 combined with the use of different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/02 for preventing acoustic reaction , i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A multivoice radio system allows users to speak and listen, at the same time, to others using multivoice radios without using a base station. Several embodiments of the present invention are directed toward combining a multivoice radio with push-to-talk (PTT), long-range radio. Other embodiments combine two or more multivoice systems and/or use an extender to increase a distance that multivoice radios can communicate with each other. Combining multivoice systems, in some embodiments, creates a voice and/or data mesh network. Switch-to-talk (STT) functionality can be added to systems to increase a number of users and promote radio discipline. Additionally, a combined in-ear microphone and speaker is disclosed. Further embodiments are directed to combining duplex radios, such as mobile phones, to multivoice systems, and/or PTT systems.

Claims

1. An audio device for a combined in-ear speaker and microphone, the audio device comprising:

a speaker input configured to;

receive a first electrical signal, wherein the first electrical signal represents an audio communication; and

transmit the first electrical signal to a filter;

the filter configured to;

receive the first electrical signal;

receive feedback from an electrical signal that has passed through an additive mixer; and

transmit a second electrical signal;

a speaker output configured to;

receive the second electrical signal, wherein;

the second electrical signal is a modified version of the first electrical signal; and

the second electrical signal represents the audio communication; and

transmit the second electrical signal to a speaker;

the speaker, wherein;

the speaker is configured for insertion into an ear of a person;

the speaker is configured to transduce the second electrical signal into compressed airwaves; and

the compressed airwaves are transmitted directly into an ear canal of the ear of the person, whereby the person hears a sound;

a microphone, wherein;

the microphone is configured for insertion into the ear of the person; and

the microphone is configured to transduce compressed airwaves received from in the ear canal into a third electrical signal;

a microphone input configured to receive the third electrical signal from the microphone;

a phase adjuster configured to;

receive the second electrical signal;

receive a fourth electrical signal, wherein the fourth electrical signal is received from the filter;

receive feedback from the electrical signal that has passed through the additive mixer; and

modify the second electrical signal to produce a fifth electrical signal, wherein modifying the second electrical signal to produce the fifth electrical signal;

uses the fourth electrical signal and feedback from the electrical signal that has passed through the additive mixer; and

modifies a phase of the second electrical signal; and

the additive mixer configured to;

receive the fifth electrical signal from the phase adjuster;

receive the third electrical signal from the microphone input;

add the fifth electrical signal to the third electrical signal to create a sixth electrical signal, wherein the audio communication is suppressed in the sixth electrical signal; and

transmit the sixth electrical signal to a microphone output.

2. The audio device for the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 1, wherein the fifth electrical signal has a phase that is 180 degrees from a phase of the second electrical signal.

3. The audio device for the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 1, wherein the phase adjuster is further configured to delay the second electrical signal.

4. The audio device for the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 1, wherein the fourth electrical signal comprises data.

5. The audio device for the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 1, wherein the microphone is configured to be inserted into the ear canal.

6. The audio device for the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 1, wherein the microphone transduces audio frequencies in the ear canal in a range from 20 to 20,000 hertz.

7. The audio device for the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 1, wherein the filter is a first filter and the audio device further comprises a second filter, wherein the second filter is configured to:

receive the sixth electrical signal before the sixth electrical signal reaches the microphone output;

receive the first electrical signal; and

modify the sixth electrical signal based on the first electrical signal.

8. A method for implementing a combined in-ear speaker and microphone, the method comprising:

receiving a first electrical signal at a speaker input, wherein the first electrical signal represents an audio communication;

modifying the first electrical signal, using a filter, into a second electrical signal;

transmitting the second electrical signal at a speaker output to a speaker, wherein;

the speaker is configured for insertion into an ear of a person;

the speaker is configured to transduce the second electrical signal into compressed airwaves; and

the compressed airwaves are transmitted directly into an ear canal of the ear of the person, whereby the person hears a sound;

receiving from a microphone, at a microphone input, a third electrical signal, wherein;

the microphone is configured for insertion into the ear of the person; and

the microphone is configured to transduce compressed airwaves received from in the ear canal into the third electrical signal;

receiving, at a phase adjuster;

the second electrical signal, wherein the second electrical signal represents the audio communication;

a fourth electrical signal, wherein the fourth electrical signal is received from the filter; and

feedback that has passed through an additive mixer;

modifying a phase of the second electrical signal to produce a fifth electrical signal, based on the fourth electrical signal and the feedback;

combining the third electrical signal with the fifth electrical signal, using the additive mixer, to create a sixth electrical signal, wherein the audio communication is suppressed in the sixth electrical signal;

receiving, at the filter, feedback that has passed through the additive mixer; and

transmitting the sixth electrical signal to a microphone output.

9. The method for implementing the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 8, wherein the fifth electrical signal has a phase that is 180 degrees from a phase of the second electrical signal.

10. The method for implementing the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 8, wherein the fourth electrical signal comprises data.

11. The method for implementing the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 8, wherein the phase adjuster further delays the second electrical signal.

12. The method for implementing the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving, using the filter, feedback from the electrical signal that has passed through the additive mixer.

13. The method for implementing the combined in-ear speaker and microphone as recited in claim 8, wherein the microphone transduces audio frequencies in the ear canal in a range from 100 to 10,000 hertz.

14. A memory device having instructions, that when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following steps for implementing a combined in-ear speaker and microphone:

receive a first electrical signal from a speaker input, wherein the first electrical signal represents an audio communication;

modify the first electrical signal, using a filter, into a second electrical signal;

transmit the second electrical signal to a speaker, wherein;

the speaker is configured for insertion into an ear of a person;

the speaker is configured to transduce the second electrical signal into compressed airwaves; and

the compressed airwaves are transmitted directly into an ear canal of the ear of the person, whereby the person hears a sound;

receive from a microphone, at a microphone input, a third electrical signal, wherein;

the microphone is configured for insertion into the ear of the person; and

the microphone is configured to transduce compressed airwaves received from in the ear canal into the third electrical signal;

modify, using a phase adjuster, a phase of a second electrical signal to produce a fifth electrical signal, wherein;

the second electrical signal represents the audio communication;

the phase of the second electrical signal is modified based on a fourth electrical signal received from the filter and feedback that has passed through an additive mixer;

combine the third electrical signal with the fifth electrical signal, using the additive mixer, to create a sixth electrical signal, wherein the audio communication is suppressed in the sixth electrical signal; and

receive, at the filter, feedback that has passed through the additive mixer.

15. The memory device having instructions as recited in claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise a step to amplify or attenuate the second electrical signal.

16. The memory device having instructions as recited in claim 14, wherein the fifth electrical signal has a phase that is 180 degrees from a phase of the second electrical signal.

17. The memory device having instructions as recited in claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise a step to attenuate or amplify the sixth electrical signal.

18. The memory device having instructions as recited in claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise a step to modify a signal from the microphone to resemble natural speech.

19. The memory device having instructions as recited in claim 14, wherein the second electrical signal is the same as the first electrical signal.

20. The memory device having instructions as recited in claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

receive the sixth electrical signal before the sixth electrical signal reaches a microphone output;

receive the first electrical signal; and

modify the sixth electrical signal based on the first electrical signal.