Audio monitoring system
AssigneeSensaphonics, Inc.
InventorsStephen D. Julstrom, Michael J. Santucci
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated system for hearing protection and enhancement having earpieces including microphones and receivers to provide for user control of ambience level (mic gain), monitor input, control over limiting of excessive levels, and frequency equalization, all with very wide input dynamic range capability and controlled output dynamic range. The user control comprises a wired or wireless smartphone app. Also, the wide input dynamic range is achieved by placement of limiter circuitry capable of handling the entire input dynamic range prior to the most dynamic range limited circuit blocks: digital EQ block, output amplifier, earpiece receiver, and the users' ears. Switches allow combining left and right signals to be directed to a user's favored ear, if necessary.
Claims23
A hearing protection and enhancement system comprising:
- first and second earpieces, each earpiece having an outward-facing microphone for generating a signal representative of sound external to a user and an inward-facing receiver;
- a central signal processing unit coupled to the first and second earpieces for providing electronic control of signal processing parameters of each earpiece signal;
- a portable electronic device connected to the central signal processing unit;
- an amplifier for amplifying the signal from the microphones of each of the first and second earpieces;
- a limiter coupled between the amplifier and an equalizer to reduce the dynamic range of the signal from the microphones of each of the first and second earpieces to remain within the capabilities of the following processing and output circuitry and wherein the limiter in each earpiece rapidly responds to the onset of clipping within the signal chain;
- and
- an interface allowing communication between the portable electronic device and the central signal processing unit;
- wherein the signal processing parameters for the earpieces can be set by the portable electronic device and stored to the central signal processing unit via the interface to allow the portable electronic device to be disconnected from the central signal processing unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.