Method and apparatus for performing noise cancelling and headphoning

Abstract

A device for performing electroacoustic functions including noise cancellation, communication interface, and headphone functions. The device includes a composite transducer which is connected to a control unit. The composite transducer, which is adapted for use with the human ear, includes: at least one input transducer for converting acoustic waves into electrical signals, and an output transducer facing the ear for converting electrical signals into acoustic waves. The transducers are oriented to be substantially coplanar to each other. The control unit includes circuitry for driving the output transducer based on electrical signals from the input transducer(s) with an amplitude and phase to perform the noise cancellation, sound filtering, communication interface, and headphone functions. The composite transducer includes a multiple baffle acoustic diffuser which performs frequency filtering, allows sound origin selection, and lengthens the paths of selected sounds entering the composite transducer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.