Companion microphone system and method

• US 8,019,386 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MCK Audio Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Haapapuro, Andrew J., Dunn, William F., Killion, Mead C., Drambarean, Viorel
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US11/074,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,381 Days
• Field of Search: 455/563, 455/103, 455/132, 455/135, 455/90.2, 455/500, 455/526, 704/205, 704/208, 381/92, 381/93, 381/312, 381/313, 381/321, 381/322, 381/356
• US Class Current: 455/563
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3026 the gain being discontinuously variable, e.g. controlled by switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/407 Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A method and system for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication in portable, battery-powered and entirely user-supportable devices. The devices may be talker devices and receiver devices, where the audio signals input into the talker devices may be transmitted to the receiver devices to provide better quality audio to person using the receiver devices. The receiver devices may initiate and terminate communications with the talker devices. Additionally, the receiver devices may indicate to the talker devices the gain level the talker devices need to apply to the audio signals before sending them to the receiver devices.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication, the method comprising:

communicating, by at least one receiver unit, to at least one talker unit, a gain level for pre-amplification of wireless signals transmitted from the at least one talker unit to the at least one receiver unit;

transmitting, by the at least one talker unit, digital audio packets via a wireless signal; and

receiving, by the at least one receiver unit, the transmitted wireless signal.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one receiver unit controls the initiation and termination of the communication between the at least one receiver unit and the at least one talker unit.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising selecting a speaker gain level, wherein the gain level corresponds to the selected speaker gain level.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein prior to transmitting the digital audio packets, the method further comprises:

receiving an audio signal by the at least one talker unit from a user of the at least one talker unit;

pre-amplifying the received audio signal with the gain level communicated by the at least one receiver unit;

filtering the audio signal to a frequency compatible with a utilized communication channel and a utilized communication protocol; and

compressing the audio signal into a digital audio packet.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the utilized communication protocol comprises a Bluetooth®

communication protocol.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein after receiving the transmitted wireless signal by the at least one receiver unit, the method further comprises:

buffering the digital audio packets contained in the wireless signal;

combining the digital audio packets;

filtering the combined digital audio packets;

converting the filtered combined digital audio packets to an audio signal; and

sending the audio signal to a speaker device at a volume level desired by the user of the at least one receiver device.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the volume level comprises a setting of a volume control.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the volume control comprises a variable resistor controlled by a wheel.

9. The method according to claim 7 wherein the volume control comprises two momentary contact switches.

10. The method according to claim 6 wherein the speaker device comprises a speaker connected to the at least one receiver unit.

11. The method according to claim 6 wherein the speaker device comprises headphones connected to the at least one receiver unit.

12. A system for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication, the system comprising:

at least one talker unit having a microphone and a transceiver, capable of transmitting digital audio packets via a wireless signal; and

at least one receiver unit having a transceiver, capable of receiving the transmitted wireless signal;

wherein the at least one receiver unit communicates to the at least one talker unit a gain level for pre-amplification of the wireless signal.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the at least one receiver unit controls the initiation and termination of the communication between the at least one receiver unit and the at least one talker unit.

14. The system according to claim 12 wherein the at least one talker unit comprises:

circuitry capable of receiving an audio signal from a user of the at least one talker unit;

a pre-amplifier that pre-amplifies the received audio signal with the gain level communicated by the at least one receiver unit;

a processing circuitry capable of filtering the audio signal to a frequency compatible with a utilized communication channel and a utilized communication protocol; and

a compressor that packetizes the audio signal into a digital audio packet.

15. The system according to claim 12 wherein the at least one receiver unit comprises:

buffers that hold the digital audio packets contained in the wireless signal;

an adder that combines the digital audio packets;

a processing circuitry that filters the combined digital audio packets;

circuitry capable of converting the filtered combined digital audio packets to an audio signal; and

an output circuitry that sends the audio signal to a speaker device at a volume level desired by the user of the at least one receiver unit.

19. The system according to claim 15 wherein the speaker device comprises a speaker connected to the at least one receiver unit.

20. The system according to claim 15 wherein the speaker device comprises headphones connected to the at least one receiver unit.

21. The system according to claim 12 wherein the microphone comprises a directional microphone.

22. The system according to claim 12 further comprising:

the at least one receiver unit capable of functioning as a talker unit; and

the at least one talker unit capable of functioning as a receiver unit.

16. The system according to 15 wherein the volume level comprises a setting of a volume control.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the volume control comprises a variable resistor controlled by a wheel.

18. The system according to claim 16 wherein the volume control comprises two momentary contact switches.

23. A method for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication, the method comprising:

determining, by at least one receiver unit, a gain level;

communicating, by the at least one receiver unit, to a plurality of talker units, the gain level for pre-amplification of wireless signals transmitted from the plurality of talker units to the at least one receiver unit;

transmitting, by the plurality of talker units, digital audio packets via a wireless signal;

receiving, by the at least one receiver unit, the transmitted wireless signal; and

wherein, the at least one receiver unit controls the initiation and termination of the communication between the at least one receiver unit and the plurality of talker units.

24. The method according to claim 23 determining the gain level comprises:

determining, by the at least one receiver unit an audio power associated with each of the plurality of talker units;

assigning a unity gain level to a talker unit with the highest audio power; and

assigning a gain level with loss to the other talker units of the plurality of talker units.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the loss comprises a 6 dB loss.

26. A method for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication, the method comprising:

communicating, by at least one receiver unit, to a plurality of talker units;

transmitting, by the plurality of talker units, digital audio packets via a wireless signal;

receiving, by the at least one receiver unit, the transmitted wireless signal;

determining, by the at least one receiver unit an audio power associated with each of the plurality of talker units based on the digital audio packets received from the plurality of talker units;

assigning a unity gain level to a talker unit with the highest audio power; and

assigning a gain level with loss to the other talker units of the plurality of talker units.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the at least one receiver unit controls the initiation and termination of the communication between the at least one receiver unit and the plurality of talker units.

28. The method according to claim 26 further comprising:

communicating the assigned gain levels to the associated talker units; and

utilizing, by the plurality of talker units, the associated gain levels for pre-amplification of signals communicated by the talker units to the at least one receiver unit.

29. The method according to claim 26 further comprising applying, at the plurality of talker units, the gain levels to the digital audio packets utilized in determining the gain levels.