Reproduction of ambient environmental sound for acoustic transparency of ear canal device system and method

• US 9,949,008 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Original Assignee: Bragi GmbH
• Inventors: Hviid, Nikolaj
• Primary Examiner(s): Etesam, Amir
• Application Number:
  US15/244,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20170064426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/05 Electronic compensation of the occlusion effect

Abstract

An ear piece for use by an individual having an external auditory canal includes an earpiece housing configured for placement within the external auditory canal of the individual, a processor disposed within the ear piece housing, at least one microphone disposed within the earpiece housing wherein the at least one earpiece is positioned to detect ambient environmental sound, and at least one speaker disposed within the earpiece housing. The ear piece is configured to detect ambient environmental sound proximate the external auditory canal of the individual using the at least one microphone and reproduce the ambient environmental sound at the at least one speaker within the earpiece housing. The processor is further configured to modify the ambient environmental sound based on shape of the external auditory canal such that audio perception of the ambient environmental sound is as if the ear piece was not present.

Claims

1. An ear piece for use by an individual having an external auditory canal, comprising:

an earpiece housing configured for placement within the external auditory canal of the individual;

a processor disposed within the earpiece housing;

at least one microphone disposed within the earpiece housing, wherein the at least one microphone is positioned to detect ambient environmental sound; and

at least one speaker disposed within the earpiece housing;

wherein the ear piece is configured to detect ambient environmental sound proximate the external auditory canal of the individual using the at least one microphone;

wherein the processor is further configured to modify the ambient environmental sound based on shape of the external auditory canal such that audio perception of the ambient environmental sound is as if the ear piece was not present; and

wherein the at least one speaker is configured to reproduce the ambient environmental sound.

2. The ear piece of claim 1 wherein the shape of the external auditory canal is determined at least in part based on a size of a sleeve for the ear piece.

3. The ear piece of claim 1 wherein the shape of the external auditory canal is determined by a user setting.

4. The ear piece of claim 1 wherein the earpiece housing is water resistant.

5. The ear piece of claim 1 wherein the at least one speaker is positioned at the external auditory canal proximate a tympanic membrane of the individual.

6. The ear piece of claim 1 further comprising at least one biological sensor operatively connected to the processor.

7. The ear piece of claim 4 wherein the at least one biological sensor comprises a pulse oximeter.

8. The ear piece of claim 4 wherein the at least one biological sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

9. The ear piece of claim 1 wherein the at least one speaker comprises a plurality of speakers.

10. The ear piece of claim 1 wherein the at least one microphone comprises a plurality of microphones.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the reproducing of the ambient environmental sound occurs at the at least one speaker nearest a tympanic membrane of the individual.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising sensing a biological parameter using the biological sensor, wherein the biological parameter is sensed by a biological sensor operatively connected to the processor of the ear piece.

11. A method for an ear canal device, the method comprising:

providing an ear piece for use by an individual having an external auditory canal, the ear piece comprising an earpiece housing configured for placement within the external auditory canal of the individual, a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, at least one microphone disposed within the earpiece housing positioned to detect ambient environmental sound, and at least one speaker disposed within the earpiece housing;

detecting ambient environmental sound proximate the external auditory canal of the individual using the at least one microphone;

modifying the ambient environmental sound based on shape of the external auditory canal of the individual; and

reproducing the ambient environmental sound at the at least one speaker within the earpiece housing to provide audio transparency.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the biological sensor comprises a pulse oximeter.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the biological sensor comprises a temperature sensor.