# US 2014/0153765 A1 · Listening Device and Accompanying Signal Processing Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153765 A1 - Document ID: US20140153765A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/009,079 - Filed: 2012-04-02 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-31 - Assignees: Nanyang Technological University - Inventors: Woon Seng Gan; Ee Leng Tan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153765A1 ## CPC - H04R 1/10: Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)} - H04R 1/1075: {Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones} - H04S 3/004: {For headphones} - H04R 5/033: Headphones for stereophonic communication {(details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10)} - H04S 2400/01: Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved - H04S 2420/01: Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD] - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS ## Abstract A listening device (120; 220; 320), such as a pair of headphones, is provided for wearing by a user. It contains two or more sound emitters for directing sound to each ear (2) of the user. At least one of the sound emitters (116; 216, 316) is positioned such that sound is emitted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the ear canal (10) of the ear, and towards the wall of the concha (6) of the ear (2). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A listening device (120; 220; 320) for wearing by a user, comprising: at least one support structure (112; 226; 330) for positioning on or adjacent both ears (2) of the user; said at least one support structure including, for each ear, one or more corresponding first sound emitters (116; 216; 316) and one or more corresponding second sound emitters (118, 218; 330); characterised in that when the listening device is worn by the user, the first and second sound emitters (116, 118; 216; 218; 316; 330) are positioned such that, for each ear: the one or more corresponding first sound emitters (116; 216; 316) direct sound in a different direction from the one or more corresponding second sound emitters (118, 218; 330); and the one or more corresponding first sound emitters (116; 216; 316) direct sound at a wall portion of the concha of the ear. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A listening device according to claim 1 wherein at least one first sound emitter (116; 216, 316) emits sound in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the ear canal (10). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A listening device according to claim 1, wherein at least one second sound emitter (118; 218) is positioned behind the pinna (4) of said one or both ears when the listening device is worn by the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A listening device according to claim 3 wherein the second sound emitters (118; 218) behind the ear are vibration exciters for generating low frequencies. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A listening device according to claim 1, wherein at least one second sound emitter (330) is positioned such that sound is directed toward the ear canal (6) of said one or both ears when the listening device is worn by the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A listening device according to claim 5 wherein the at least one second sound emitter (330) emits sound in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the ear canal (6). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A listening device according to claim 1, wherein the support structure (112; 226; 330) includes one or more earcups (226; 326) enclosing the sound emitters (116, 118; 216; 218; 316; 330) therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A listening device according to claim 1, wherein the listening device includes left and right sides corresponding to the user's ears, and the support structure (112; 226; 330) includes an over-the-head headband (226), behind the head loop, or spectacles/glasses structure connecting said left and right sides. ### Claim 9 A method of processing signals for a listening device (120; 220; 320), comprising the steps of: extracting cues from sound sources; processing the cues to generate a plurality of sound signals; delivering one or more of the sound signals to one or more first sound emitters (116; 216, 316), and a different one or more of the sound signals to one or more second sound emitters (118; 218; 330); characterised in that the one or more first sound emitters emit sound in a direction which is at an angle of at least 60 degrees to the axis of an ear canal of a user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9 in which the first sound emitters emit sound in a direction which is at an angle of at least 70 degrees to the axis of the ear canal of the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the sound signals are delivered to a second sound emitter positioned behind the pinna of said one or both ears. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the sound signals are delivered to a second sound emitter positioned facing the ear canal of one of the user's ears. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the cues are processed via convolution with a set of head related impulse responses. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the cues are processed with a filterbank structure and/or adjustable gain. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, wherein the cues are processed to separate the frontal and side signals from the audio input, by computing the correlation and time differences between the left and right signals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according claim 15 wherein highly correlated signals with small time differences are delivered to the first sound emitters (116; 216, 316).