Conversation assistance system
First Claim
1. A conversation assistance system, comprising:
- a bi-lateral array of microphones arranged externally of a space that does not include any array microphones, where the space has a left side, a right side, a front and a back, the array comprising a left side sub-array of multiple microphones and a right side sub-array of multiple microphones, where each microphone has a microphone output signal;
active noise reducing (ANR) electroacoustic transducers associated with each of the left side sub array and the right side sub array and having a controlled amount of ANR provided; and
a processor that creates from the microphone output signals a left-ear audio signal and a right-ear audio signal;
wherein;
the left-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array;
the right-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array;
the bi-lateral array has a directivity index (DI); and
the ANR transducers are controlled such that the amount of noise reduction provided by the ANR transducers is equal to or greater than the DI of the bi-lateral array.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conversation assistance system with a bi-lateral array of microphones arranged externally of a space that does not include any array microphones, where the space has a left side, a right side, a front and a back, the array comprising a left side sub-array of multiple microphones and a right side sub-array of multiple microphones, where each microphone has a microphone output signal, and a processor that creates from the microphone output signals a left-ear audio signal and a right-ear audio signal. The left-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array and the right-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array.
61 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A conversation assistance system, comprising:
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a bi-lateral array of microphones arranged externally of a space that does not include any array microphones, where the space has a left side, a right side, a front and a back, the array comprising a left side sub-array of multiple microphones and a right side sub-array of multiple microphones, where each microphone has a microphone output signal; active noise reducing (ANR) electroacoustic transducers associated with each of the left side sub array and the right side sub array and having a controlled amount of ANR provided; and a processor that creates from the microphone output signals a left-ear audio signal and a right-ear audio signal; wherein; the left-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array; the right-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array; the bi-lateral array has a directivity index (DI); and the ANR transducers are controlled such that the amount of noise reduction provided by the ANR transducers is equal to or greater than the DI of the bi-lateral array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A conversation assistance system, comprising:
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a bi-lateral array of microphones arranged externally of a space that does not include any array microphones, where the space has a left side, a right side, a front and a back, the array comprising a left side sub-array of multiple microphones and a right side sub-array of multiple microphones, where each microphone has a microphone output signal; active noise reducing (ANR) electroacoustic transducers associated with each of the left side sub array and the right side sub array and having a controlled amount of ANR provided; and a processor that creates from the microphone output signals a left-ear audio signal and a right-ear audio signal; wherein; the left-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array, but only below a predetermined frequency; and the right-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array, but only below a predetermined frequency; above the predetermined frequency the processor creates the left-ear audio signal based only on the microphone output signals from microphones of the left-side sub-array and creates the right-ear audio signal based only on the microphone output signals from the microphones of the right-side sub-array; the processor is configured to process the microphone signals to create specific polar interaural level differences (ILDs) and specific polar interaural phase differences (IPDs) between the left and right ear audio signals; the bi-lateral array has a directivity index (DI); and the ANR transducers are controlled such that the amount of noise reduction provided by the ANR transducers is equal to or greater than the DI of the bi-lateral array.
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29. A conversation assistance system, comprising:
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a bi-lateral array of microphones that are coupled to a portable device and arranged on the portable device, the array comprising a left side sub-array of multiple microphones and a right side sub-array of multiple microphones, wherein the microphone array has a directivity that establishes the primary receiving direction of the array, and wherein each microphone has a microphone output signal; active noise reducing (ANR) electroacoustic transducers associated with each of the left side sub array and the right side sub array and having a controlled amount of ANR provided; a processor that creates from the microphone output signals a left-ear audio signal and a right-ear audio signal; wherein; the left-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array, but only below a predetermined frequency; the right-ear audio signal is created based on the microphone output signals from one or more of the microphones of the left-side sub-array and one or more of the microphones of the right-side sub-array, but only below a predetermined frequency; above the predetermined frequency the processor creates the left-ear audio signal based only on the microphone output signals from microphones of the left-side sub-array and creates the right-ear audio signal based only on the microphone output signals from the microphones of the right-side sub-array; the processor is configured to process the microphone signals to create specific polar interaural level differences (ILDs) and specific polar interaural phase differences (IPDs) between the left and right ear audio signals; the bi-lateral array has a directivity index (DI); and the ANR transducers are controlled such that the amount of noise reduction provided by the ANR transducers is equal to or greater than the DI of the bi-lateral array; and a user-operable input device that is adapted to be manipulated so as to cause a change in the array directivity.
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Specification