Earpiece port configuration

Abstract

To provide earpieces with low occlusion and flat low-frequency output that do not unintentionally generate excessive low-frequency pressure due to blockage of the acoustic port. [Solution] The earpiece 500 includes an electroacoustic transducer 508 and a housing 506 supporting it, both defining a first acoustic space 510 and a second acoustic space 512. The electroacoustic transducer 508 is positioned such that a first radiating surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the first acoustic space 510, and a second radiating surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the second acoustic space 512. A front port 532 connects the first acoustic space 510 to the space outside the housing 506, and a rear port 534 connects the second acoustic space 512 to the space outside the housing 506. The respective exit ends of the front port 532 and the rear port 534 are coupled and then exit the housing 506 through the coupled exit space 536 and exit port 538.

Description

Background Art

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the port configuration of an earpiece.

Summary of the Invention

[0002] All examples and features mentioned below can be combined in any technically possible way.

[0003] In one aspect, an earpiece includes an electroacoustic transducer and a housing. The housing supports the electroacoustic transducer, and the housing and the electroacoustic transducer jointly define a first acoustic space and a second acoustic space. The electroacoustic transducer is arranged such that a first radiation surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space and a second radiation surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the second acoustic space. A front port connects the first acoustic space to the space outside the housing, and a rear port connects the second acoustic space to the space outside the housing. After the respective outlet ends of the front port and the rear port are joined, they exit the housing through the combined outlet space and the outlet port.

[0004] Implementations may include one of the following features, or any combination thereof.

[0005] In some implementations, the housing defines a nozzle, and the first acoustic space is acoustically connected to an acoustic passage within the nozzle such that when the earpiece is worn, the electroacoustic transducer is acoustically connected to the user's ear canal. <tmp><tmp><tmp>

[0007] In some cases, the housing includes a receptacle for receiving wiring for supplying power to the electroacoustic transducer.

[0008] In some cases, the exit port is covered with a mesh along the outer surface of the housing.

[0009] In some examples, the outlet port includes a tube.

[0010] In one example, the outlet end of the tube is covered with mesh.

[0011] In some implementations, the front port is integrated with the housing.

[0012] In certain implementation configurations, the maximum pressure in the first acoustic space when the exit port is sealed is 100 dB SPL to 120 dB SPL.

[0013] In some cases, the maximum pressure in the first acoustic space when the outlet port is sealed is less than 132 dB SPL.

[0014] In some cases, the hearing aid includes an earpiece, a casing, and wiring connecting the casing to the earpiece. The casing is configured to be positioned behind the user's ear when worn.

[0015] In some examples, a hearing aid includes a battery, a microphone, and a sound processor, all housed within a casing.

[0016] In one example, a hearing aid also includes electronic equipment housed within a casing and a microphone supported by the housing, with wiring electrically connecting the microphone to the electronic equipment.

[0017] In some implementations, the wiring includes flexible printed circuits.

[0018] In some implementations, the wiring electrically connects the electroacoustic transducer to the electronic equipment.

[0019] In some cases, the microphone is a feedback microphone configured to pick up sound in the user's ear canal.

[0020] In some cases, the microphone is a feedforward microphone configured to pick up ambient noise in the area outside the housing for feedforward noise cancellation.

[0021] In some examples, electronic devices are configured to run an active noise cancellation algorithm that uses input from a microphone.

[0022] In one example, the earpiece includes a battery, a microphone, and a sound processor, all supported within the housing.

[0023] In some implementations, the electroacoustic transducer includes diaphragms defining first and second radiating surfaces, the diaphragms having a diameter of less than 6 mm.

[0024] In one implementation, the electroacoustic transducer is a moving-coil type transducer.

[0025] In some cases, the hearing aid includes a battery, a first microphone, a sound processor, a transceiver, a second microphone, and wiring. The battery, first microphone, sound processor, and transceiver are housed within a casing. The second microphone is supported by a housing, and wiring extends between the housing and the casing, electrically connecting the second microphone to the sound processor.

[0026] In some examples, the sound processor is configured to run an active noise cancellation algorithm that uses input from a second microphone.

[0027] In another aspect, the earpiece includes an electroacoustic transducer and a housing that supports the electroacoustic transducer. The housing and the electroacoustic transducer jointly define a first acoustic space and a second acoustic space. The electroacoustic transducer is arranged such that a first radiation surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space and a second radiation surface of the transducer radiates acoustic energy into the rear acoustic space. The front port connects the first acoustic space to the space outside the housing, and the rear port connects the second acoustic space to the space outside the housing. A valve is provided to cover the front port and the rear port, and when the valve is closed, it is arranged to close the front port and the rear port separately.

[0028] The implementation form may include one of the above and / or the following features, or any combination thereof.

[0029] Another aspect features a hearing aid including an electroacoustic transducer, a microphone, and a housing that supports the electroacoustic transducer and the microphone and is sized to fit at least partially within the user's ear canal. The hearing aid also includes an electronic device and a casing that supports the electronic device and is configured to be located behind the user's auricle when worn, and wiring that extends between the casing and the housing and electrically connects the electronic device to the electroacoustic transducer and the microphone.

[0030] The implementation form may include one of the above and / or the following features, or any combination thereof.

[0031] In some implementations, the electronic device is configured to generate a signal for causing the electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic energy for canceling noise by executing an active noise cancellation algorithm based on an input from the microphone. [[ID=​Another embodiment provides a hearing aid comprising an electroacoustic transducer and a housing that supports the electroacoustic transducer and is sized to fit at least partially within the user's ear canal. The hearing aid also comprises electronic equipment and a casing that supports the electronic equipment and is configured to be positioned behind the user's auricle when worn; wiring extending between the casing and the housing and electrically connecting the electronic equipment to the electroacoustic transducer; and a microphone supported by the housing. The electronic equipment is configured to, based on input from the microphone, execute an active noise cancellation algorithm to generate a signal that causes the electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic energy for noise cancellation.

[0033] The implementation may include one of the above and / or below features, or any combination thereof.

[0034] In some implementations, the electroacoustic transducer is a full-range transducer.

[0035] In one implementation, the electroacoustic transducer is a moving-coil type transducer.

[0036] In some cases, electronic devices include transceivers that support the transmission of high-fidelity audio.

[0037] In some cases, the microphone is supported by a housing, and wiring electrically connects the microphone to electronic equipment.

[0038] In some examples, the microphone is a feedback microphone configured to pick up sound in the user's ear canal.

[0039] In one example, the microphone is a feedforward microphone configured to be acoustically coupled to the air adjacent to the user's ear for feedforward noise cancellation.

[0040] In some implementations, the hearing aid also includes a second microphone supported by the casing.

[0041] In one implementation, the second microphone includes a microphone array.

[0042] In some cases, hearing aids are integrated into a system that also includes a computing device. The computing device is communicatively connected to the hearing aid and configured to run a software program that allows the user to adjust one or more functions of the hearing aid.

[0043] In some cases, the software program allows the user to adjust the signal processing parameters of the hearing aid.

[0044] In some examples, the signal processing parameters include filter coefficients for an active noise cancellation algorithm.

[0045] The implementation can offer one or more of the following advantages:

[0046] The implementation configuration may allow devices such as earpieces to be designed to have low occlusion and flat low-frequency output, preventing them from unintentionally generating excessive low-frequency pressure due to the blockage of their acoustic port. Some implementation configurations may allow for greater consistency of the earpiece output regardless of port blockage. In the case of hearing aid devices, certain implementation configurations described herein may allow the device to be tested according to standardized tests without generating excessive pressure.

[0047] Details of one or more implementations are described in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, purposes, and advantages will become apparent from this description and drawings, as well as from the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0048] [Figure 1]This is a perspective view of a typical receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid. [Figure 2A] This is a front view of a closed-dome type ear tip for hearing aids. [Figure 2B] This is a front view of an open-dome ear tip for hearing aids. [Figure 3A] This is a perspective view of an example RIC-type hearing aid earpiece. [Figure 3B] Figure 3A is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the earpiece. [Figure 4] This plot shows the difference in sound pressure levels between a sealed front port and an unsealed front port in an earpiece configured according to Figure 3A. [Figure 5A] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of another exemplary earpiece configured in accordance with this disclosure. [Figure 5B] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an alternative implementation of an earpiece configured according to this disclosure. [Figure 5C] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an alternative implementation of an earpiece configured according to this disclosure. [Figure 5D] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an alternative implementation of an earpiece configured according to this disclosure. [Figure 6] This plot shows the difference in sound pressure levels between a sealed front port and an unsealed front port in an earpiece configured according to Figure 5A. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary hearing aid configured in accordance with this disclosure. [Figure 8A] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary system configured in accordance with this disclosure. [Figure 8B] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary computing device from the system shown in Figure 8A. [Figure 9] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an alternative implementation of an earpiece configured according to this disclosure. [Figure 10] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an alternative implementation of an earpiece configured according to this disclosure. [Figure 11A] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an alternative implementation of an earpiece configured according to this disclosure. [Figure 11B] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing an alternative implementation of an earpiece configured according to this disclosure. [Figure 12] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an earcup configured in accordance with this disclosure. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a pair of headphones incorporating the earcups shown.

[0049] Please note that the drawings of various implementation configurations are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are intended to show only typical embodiments of this disclosure and should not be considered to limit the scope of the invention. In the drawings, similar numbering indicates similar elements between drawings. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0050] Referring to Figure 1, a typical canal receiver (RIC) hearing aid 100 includes an earpiece 102 containing a battery, microphone, and sound processor housed in a casing 104 designed to be positioned behind the user's ear (pinna). This earpiece 102 of the hearing aid 100 has a small wire 106, which is designed to pass around the user's ear and enter an earpiece 108 designed to be positioned inside the user's ear canal. The earpiece 108 carries a speaker, also known as a "receiver" or "driver."

[0051] Conventional RIC hearing aids often include a flexible tip on the earpiece to engage with the user's ear canal, which helps to hold the earpiece in place within the user's ear canal. These eartips or “domes” are typically either i) closed: forming a tight acoustic seal with the user's ear canal (see “closed dome 200” in Figure 2A) or ii) open: having multiple large openings 204 that allow acoustic energy to move in and out of the user's ear canal (see “open dome 202” in Figure 2B).

[0052] Closed-dome designs suffer from what is known as the occlusion effect. The occlusion effect, due to acoustic blockage of the ear canal, amplifies the low-frequency components of the user's own voice. Vibrations from the user's voice travel through the head into the ear canal. When the ear is not blocked, the associated pressure escapes from the ear, but when the ear is blocked and the pressure cannot escape, the low-frequency components are amplified overall inside the user's ear. Blocking the ear introduces a further problem: the blockage of the ear canal prevents the high-frequency components of the user's voice from traveling around the head and returning to the ear. These two problems typically result in an undesirable autophony quality, where the user's voice is perceived as "boomy" or "muffled." "Autophony" refers to the user perceiving their own voice while speaking.

[0053] Open-dome (i.e., “low-occlusion”) configurations mitigate this occlusion effect but introduce other problems. Low-occlusion in-ear devices typically have a leakage pathway from the ear canal to the device and the outside of the ear canal. This leakage reduces the low-frequency pressure generated by the product that can reach the ear. To obtain a flat response in such configurations, the device must generate excessive air compression at low frequencies compared to more occlusion devices. In many potential configurations, this leakage pathway can be blocked or sealed, for example, by poor fitting, earwax, or foreign matter. This can result in the device generating higher pressure in the ear canal than intended by design. These higher pressures may exceed regulatory or safety limits. This disclosure is at least in part based on the recognition that earpiece architectures can be designed such that these failures result in only a smaller increase to the pressure potentially generated by the device.

[0054] Figures 3A and 3B show an exemplary earpiece 300 for a RIC type hearing aid. The earpiece 300 includes an earbud 302 and an ear tip 304. The earbud 302 includes a housing 306 that supports an electroacoustic transducer 308 (i.e., a speaker or driver). The housing 306 and the electroacoustic transducer 308 together define a first (front) acoustic space 310 and a second (rear) acoustic space 312. The electroacoustic transducer 308 is positioned such that the first (front) radiating surface of the transducer 308 radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space 310, and the second (rear) radiating surface of the transducer 308 radiates acoustic energy into the rear acoustic space 312.

[0055] The housing 306 also defines a nozzle 314 configured to connect to an ear tip 304. The front acoustic space 310 is acoustically connected to an acoustic passage 316 within the nozzle 314, so that, for example, when an earpiece 300 is fitted, the electroacoustic transducer 308 can be acoustically connected to the user's ear canal. The housing 306 also defines a receptacle 318 for receiving wiring to supply power to the electroacoustic transducer 308.

[0056] The ear tip 304 is supported on a nozzle 314 and includes a pair of front ports, namely a first front port 320a and a second front port 320b, respectively. The housing 306 also defines a third front port 322 that acoustically connects the front acoustic space 310 to the area outside the housing 306. Although three front ports are shown and described, there may be fewer or more ports. The ports may consist of open holes, screened holes, or any other configuration that results in the desired acoustic behavior. In some configurations, the third front port 322 exhibits small acoustic leakage, while the first and second front ports 320a, 320b provide relatively large acoustic leakage. The ear tip 300 also includes a rear port 324 that connects the rear acoustic space 312 to the space outside the housing 306. The rear port 324 primarily functions to reduce the effective rigidity of the rear space above the driver and prevent overpressure due to environmental changes, while the front ports(s) 320a, 320b, 322 prevent excessive low-frequency pressure in the ear canal and reduce blockage.

[0057] In the earpiece 300 shown in Figures 3A and 3B, if the first and second front ports 320a and 320b are sealed, for example, by improper fitting, earwax, or foreign matter, high pressure may be generated at the eardrum. It should also be noted that some test procedures may require these ports to be sealed during testing. If the system has both significant leakage due to its front ports and a large driver output to compensate for this leakage, it will artificially exhibit high pressure during these tests as described above.

[0058] Figure 4 shows an example of a comparison between sealed and unsealed front ports 320a, 320b, and 322 in an earpiece configured according to Figure 3A. Curve 400 shows the difference in pressure per bolt when the front ports 320a, 32b, and 422 are sealed and when they are open. As seen in Figure 4, a significant increase in sound pressure level occurs when the front ports 302a, 320b, and 322 are sealed, especially at frequencies below 700 Hz.

[0059] Figure 5A shows another exemplary earpiece 500 configured according to this disclosure. One objective of the configuration shown in Figure 5A is to help ensure that any given blockage of the device's acoustic port does not create the possibility of unintentionally generating high SPLs due to changes in device performance. A secondary benefit is that the proposed device does not generate atypical high voltages during standardized testing.

[0060] The earpiece 500 includes an earbud 502 and an ear tip 504. The earbud 502 includes a housing 506 that supports an electro-acoustic transducer 508 (i.e., a speaker or driver). The electro-acoustic transducer 508 may be a moving-coil type transducer. The electro-acoustic transducer 508 may be a full-range microdriver having a diaphragm less than 6 mm in diameter, e.g., 3 mm to 5.5 mm in diameter, e.g., 4.3 mm to 5.4 mm in diameter, and may be, for example, as described in U.S. Patent No. 9,942,662, issued April 10, 2018, entitled “Electro-acoustic driver having compliant diaphragm with stiffening element,” and / or U.S. Patent No. 10,609,489, issued March 31, 2020, entitled “Fabricating an integrated loudspeaker piston and suspension,” the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. As used herein, "full range" is intended to mean the ability to produce frequencies from approximately 20 Hz to approximately 20 kHz.

[0061] The housing 506 and the electroacoustic transducer 508 jointly define a first (front) acoustic space 510 and a second (rear) acoustic space 512. The electroacoustic transducer 508 is positioned such that its first (front) radiating surface generates acoustic energy in the front acoustic space 510, and its second (rear) radiating surface generates acoustic energy in the rear acoustic space 512.

[0062] The housing 506 also defines a nozzle 514 configured to connect to an ear tip 504. The front acoustic space 510 is acoustically connected to an acoustic passage 516 within the nozzle 514, so that, for example, when an earpiece 500 is fitted, the electroacoustic transducer 508 can be acoustically connected to the user's ear canal. The housing 506 also defines a receptacle 518 for receiving wiring to supply power to the electroacoustic transducer 508. The housing 506 may be formed from a rigid plastic such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate / acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PCB / ABS), polyetherimide (PEI), or stereolithography (SLA) resin, for example, by molding.

[0063] In the illustrated example, the ear tip 504 is in the shape of a hollow cylinder having a hollow passage 520 configured to receive the nozzle 514 of the earbud 502. The ear tip 504 is configured to fit at least partially inside the ear canal of a person. The ear tip 504 includes a body 522 configured to receive and / or sit on top of the earbud 502. The body 522 includes a first end 524 and a second end 526 opposite the first end 524. The body 522 further includes an inner wall 528 extending between the first end 524 and the second end 526. The inner wall 528 defines and surrounds the hollow passage 520, which may be configured to conduct sound waves. The body 522 also includes an outer wall 530 connected to the inner wall 528 at the first end 524. The outer wall 530 extends away from the inner wall 528 toward the second end 526. In the illustrated example, the outer wall 530 has a dome shape. However, other shapes such as a frustoconical shape are also possible. In addition, a mounting configuration is envisioned in which the ear tip is supported by the housing 506 without including a nozzle 514. In the example shown in Figure 5A, the ear tip 504 is closed, without ports or openings, so that a tight acoustic seal is formed between it and the user's ear canal.

[0064] Although the ear tip 504 has been illustrated and described in terms of its hollow cylindrical shape, the ear tip 504 is not limited to any particular shape, and other shapes are intended.

[0065] The main body 522 can be made from any suitable soft flexible material, including, for example, silicone, polyurethane, polynorbornene (e.g., Norsorex® material available from D-NOV GmbH (Vienna, Austria)), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and / or fluoroelastomer. In some configurations, the inner wall 528 and the outer wall 530 may be formed from different materials, for example, in an additive manufacturing process or a two-shot molding process. In some cases, the inner wall 528 may be formed from a material with a higher durometer value, for example, to ensure a good connection to the nozzle 514, and the outer wall 530 may be formed from a material with a lower durometer value, for example, for flexibility (to ensure a good acoustic seal) and comfort. Alternatively, one or more components of the ear tip may be custom molded from a substantially rigid material to fit an individual's ear. Furthermore, some configurations do not include an ear tip. In such cases, one or more components of the earbud may be custom molded from, for example, a substantially rigid material to fit the individual's ear.

[0066] The earpiece 500 includes a front port 532 that connects the front acoustic space 510 to the space outside the housing 506, and a rear port 534 that connects the rear acoustic space 512 to the space outside the housing 506. The rear port 534 primarily functions to reduce the effective rigidity of the rear space over the driver and prevent overpressure due to environmental changes, while the front port 532 prevents excessive low-frequency pressure in the ear canal and reduces blockage.

[0067] In some examples, the front port may be implemented in the form of a tube. The front port tube may be formed integrally with the housing 306. Alternatively or additionally, the front port tube may be made of metal, such as stainless steel. The front port tube may include a metal tube installed inside the wall of the front acoustic space 310. The housing 306 may be made of plastic, and the front port tube may be heat-crimped into the plastic. The tube may be substantially straight or curved along its length. As used herein, “diameter” is intended to include the diameter of a circle for a circular cross-section and the equivalent diameter for a non-circular cross-section (e.g., a square, rectangular, or substantially semicircular cross-section). Alternatively, the front port may be in the form of a hole, such as an open hole or a hole covered with mesh.

[0068] In some cases, the rear port 534 may be implemented in the form of a tube. The tube may be integrally formed with the housing 506. Alternatively or additionally, the tube may be made of metal, such as stainless steel. The tube may include a metal tube installed inside the wall of the rear acoustic space 512. The housing 506 may be made of plastic, and the tube may be heat-crimped to the plastic. Alternatively, the rear port may be implemented in the form of a hole, such as an open hole or a hole covered with a screen. The tube may be substantially straight or curved along its length. As used herein, “diameter” is intended to include the diameter of a circle for a circular cross-section, as well as the equivalent diameter for a non-circular cross-section (e.g., a square, rectangular, or substantially semicircular cross-section).

[0069] In particular, the inlet end of the front port 532 is inside the earpiece 500, and the only way to block it from the outside of the earpiece 500 is to block the nozzle 514 of the earpiece 500. This may be desirable because blocking the nozzle 514 can prevent any artificially high product-generated sound pressure from entering the ear. Also note that the respective outlet ends of the rear port 534 and the front port 532 are coupled before the product exits through the coupled outlet space 536 and outlet port 538. This means that neither can be blocked without blocking the other. When blocked, the impedance of the outlet port increases, thereby acoustically short-circuiting the front acoustic space 510 and the rear acoustic space 512, and reducing the pressure in the ear compared to the pressure that would have been generated by blocking only the front port 532. This can also be designed to result in a reduction in maximum pressure. In some implementations, the maximum pressure in the front acoustic space 510 when the outlet port 538 is sealed is 100 dB SPL to 120 dB SPL. In some cases, the maximum pressure in the front acoustic space 510 when the outlet port 538 is sealed is 132 dB SPL or less.

[0070] The outlet port 538 can take various forms, such as a hole 540 (Figure 5A) covered with mesh (e.g., a metal screen), an open hole 542 (Figure 5B), a tube 544 (Figure 5C), or multiple holes, such as multiple mesh-covered or open holes 546 (Figure 5D). The outlet end of the tube 544 in Figure 5C may or may not be covered with mesh. The size of the outlet space and the impedance of the outlet port may be adjusted to provide desired performance under open and sealed conditions. Furthermore, although only a single outlet port is shown, the outlet may include multiple openings.

[0071] Figure 6 shows an example (difference curve) comparing a sealed outlet port and an unsealed outlet port 538 in an earpiece configured according to Figure 5A. Curve 600 shows the difference in pressure per bolt between when the outlet port 538 is sealed and when the outlet port 538 is open. Note that the difference between the sealed and unsealed cases is smaller compared to what is shown in Figure 4.

[0072] Figure 7 shows an exemplary hearing aid 700, which includes the earpiece 500 of Figure 5A and an ear hook 702 designed to be positioned behind the user's ear (pinna). The ear hook 702 includes a casing 704, which houses electronics 706 including a sound processor 708, a battery 710 that supplies power to the electronics 708, and a microphone 712. In some cases, the microphone 712 may include multiple microphones that can be configured in an array. The sound processor 708 receives signals from the microphone 712 and performs one or more processing operations, including beam steering, null formation, gain, compression, and / or active noise cancellation (e.g., feedforward active noise cancellation).

[0073] The electronic device 706 may also include a transceiver circuit 714. The transceiver circuit 714 may transmit and receive radio signals, including receiving streaming audio (e.g., high-fidelity audio) for rendering by the electroacoustic transducer 508. The transceiver circuit 714 may wirelessly communicate with a data source, such as a smartphone or any other suitable digital audio playback device, such as a laptop or personal computer, which stores and / or plays digital audio files. Alternatively or additionally, the transceiver circuit 714 may be configured to communicate with a second, companion hearing aid, for example, to transmit digital audio content between two hearing aids for stereo playback or beamforming. The transceiver circuit 714 may communicate with, for example, a data source or a second companion hearing aid using any suitable wireless communication protocol, including Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi (e.g., IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n), WiMAX (IEEE 802.16), Zigbee, UWB, NFMI, or any other suitable wireless communication protocol.

[0074] The transceiver circuit 714 may also enable communication with a software application running on a computing device such as a smartphone. The software application is used for self-tuning, allowing the user to adjust the DSP filter to tune the audio (either high-fidelity audio coming from an audio data source or audio delivered from the microphone 712 (e.g., a microphone array)).

[0075] The electronic device 706 may further include an audio amplifier, an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter (for example, a converter for converting an analog microphone signal into a digital format), a digital-to-analog (D / A) converter (for example, a converter for converting a digital audio signal into an analog format for conversion by an electroacoustic converter 508), and a microcontroller for controlling the operation of various electronic components.

[0076] The ear-hook portion 702 of the hearing aid 700 includes wiring 718 designed to extend around the user's ear into the earpiece 500. The wiring 718 may include multiple wires carried within a common conduit (e.g., a sheath or tube) extending between the earpiece and the ear-hook portion. The wiring 718 supplies power to the electroacoustic transducer 508. The wiring 718 may also be used to connect electronic equipment 706 to a microphone 720 (e.g., a feedback microphone) supported within the housing 506 of the earpiece 500. The wiring 718 may include flexible printed circuits; that is, one or more flexible printed circuits and / or the wiring 718 may be connected to one or more flexible printed circuits within the housing 506.

[0077] Microphone 720 is configured to pick up sound in the user's ear canal. The input from microphone 720 may be fed back to sound processor 708 for feedback active noise cancellation. Microphone 720 may be supported by electroacoustic transducer 508, as described in U.S. Patent No. 10,015,581 issued July 3, 2018, titled “FeedBack microphone adaptor for noise canceling headphone” (the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference).

[0078] In some implementations, the hearing aid 700 may, alternatively or additionally, include a microphone 722 (e.g., a feedforward microphone) supported by the housing 506 of the earpiece 500 (e.g., supported on or within it) and positioned to be acoustically coupled to the air adjacent to the user's auricle. The input from the microphone 722 may be fed back to the sound processor 708 via wiring 718 for feedforward active noise cancellation.

[0079] Figure 8A shows a system 800, including the hearing aid 700 and computing device 802 (e.g., a smartphone) shown in Figure 7. The hearing aid 700 and computing device 802 can communicate wirelessly over a wireless network 804a via their respective transceivers. As described above, the computing device 802 may be configured to provide audio to the hearing aid 700. The computing device 802 may also be used to select audio content for playback, transport control, e.g., play / pause, and / or volume or equalization control. In some implementations, the computing device 802 may run a software program that allows a user to adjust signal processing parameters for the hearing aid, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 9,131,321, “Hearing assistance device control,” issued on September 8, 2015.

[0080] In some cases, system 800 may include a second, companion hearing aid 700'. The computing device 802 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with the second hearing aid 700' directly (e.g., via a wireless network 804b) or via the (first) hearing aid 700. Furthermore, the hearing aids 700, 700' may be configured to communicate wirelessly with each other to share voice data or control information, for example, via a wireless network 804c.

[0081] Referring to Figure 8B, the computing device 802 includes, among other components, a processor 852, memory 864, input / output devices such as a display 854, a communication interface 866, and a transceiver 868. Device 802 may also be provided with storage devices such as a microdrive or other devices to provide additional storage. Each of the components 802, 852, 864, 854, 866, and 868 is interconnected using various buses, and some of the components may be implemented on a common motherboard or in other forms as needed.

[0082] Processor 852 can execute instructions within the computing device 802, including instructions stored in memory 864. The processor may be implemented as a chipset of chips including multiple separate analog and digital processors. The processor may coordinate other components of device 802, such as controlling the user interface, controlling applications run by device 802, or wireless communication by device 802.

[0083] The processor 852 can communicate with the user via a control interface 858 and a display interface 856 connected to the display 854. The display 854 may be, for example, a TFT LCD (thin-film transistor liquid crystal display) or an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display, or other suitable display technology. The display interface 856 may include appropriate circuitry for driving the display 854 to present graphical and other information to the user. The control interface 858 may receive commands from the user and translate them for provision to the processor 852. In addition, the external interface 862 may communicate with the processor 852 to enable the device 802 to communicate with other devices over short distances. The external interface 862 may, for example, provide wired communication in some implementations and wireless communication in other implementations, and multiple interfaces may be used.

[0084] Memory 864 stores information within the computing device 802. Memory 864 may be implemented as one or more computer-readable media, one or more volatile memory units, or one or more non-volatile memory units. An expansion memory 874 is also provided and may be connected to device 802, for example, via an expansion interface 872 which may include a SIMM (Single In Line Memory Module) card interface. Such an expansion memory 874 can provide additional storage space for device 802, or it may store applications or other information for device 802. Specifically, the expansion memory 874 may contain instructions for executing or supplementing the processes described above, and may also contain secure information. Therefore, for example, the expansion memory 874 may be provided as a security module for device 802 and may be programmed with instructions that enable the secure use of device 802. Furthermore, a secure application can be provided via the SIMM card, along with additional information, such as placing identification information on the SIMM card in a hack-proof manner.

[0085] The memory may include, for example, flash memory and / or NVRAM memory, as described later. In one implementation, the computer program product is tangibly embodied in the form of an information carrier. When executed, the computer program product includes instructions that perform one or more of the methods described above. The information carrier is a computer-readable or machine-readable medium such as memory 864, extended memory 874, memory on the processor 852, or a propagating signal that can be received, for example, via transceiver 868 or external interface 862.

[0086] Device 802 can communicate wirelessly via a communication interface 866, which may include digital signal processing circuitry as needed. The communication interface 866 can provide communication under various modes or protocols, including, in particular, GSM voice calls, SMS messages, EMS messages, or MMS messages, CDMA, TDMA, PDC, WCDMA®, CDMA2000, or GPRS. Such communication may be conducted, for example, through a radio frequency transceiver 868. In addition, short-range communication may be conducted using Bluetooth, WiFi, or other such transceivers (not shown). Furthermore, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver module 870 may provide additional navigation-related and location-related radio data to device 802, which may be used as appropriate by applications running on device 802.

[0087] Device 802 may also communicate audibly using an audio codec 860 that can receive information spoken by the user and convert it into usable digital information. The audio codec 860 may also generate audible sounds for the user, for example, through a speaker in the handset of device 802. Such sounds may include sounds from voice calls, recorded sounds (e.g., voice messages, music files, etc.), and sounds generated by applications running on device 802.

[0088] The computing device 802 can be implemented in many different forms, as shown in the figure. For example, it may be implemented as a mobile phone 880. It may also be implemented as part of a smartphone 882, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer, or other similar mobile device.

[0089] Other implementation forms In the example described above with respect to Figure 5A, the ear tip 504 is closed, without ports or openings, so that a tight acoustic seal is formed between it and the user's ear canal. However, in some implementations, the ear tip may include pressure equalization ports or openings, provided that any ports within the ear tip are much smaller than any pressure equalization ports within the housing.

[0090] While we have described implementation configurations that include a single rear port and a single front port connected to a common exit port, some implementation configurations may include multiple pairs of rear and front ports, for example, each pair may be connected to a corresponding exit port. For example, Figure 9 shows an earpiece 900 which includes a first front port 532 and a first rear port 534, whose exits are connected within a first exit space 536 and then exit the earpiece 900 through a first exit port 538. The earpiece 900 also includes a second front port 902 and a second rear port 904, whose exits are connected within a second exit space 906 and then exit the earpiece 900 through a second exit port 908. The front ports 532, 902 acoustically connect the front acoustic space 510 to the area outside the housing 506, and the rear ports 534, 904 acoustically connect the rear acoustic space 512 to the area outside the housing 506. Similar to the implementation described above, the outlet ports 538, 908 may or may not be covered with mesh, and may or may not include tubing. The use of multiple outlet ports may reduce the possibility of a complete seal, but still helps to mitigate pressure increases if one or both of the outlet ports are sealed. It is also possible to combine multiple front ports and / or multiple rear ports in the same outlet space. If multiple port paths are used, they may be identical or different in terms of dimensions / acoustic impedance.

[0091] The earpiece 900 may also include a microphone 720 (e.g., a feedback microphone) acoustically coupled to the first acoustic space 510 to pick up sound from within the user's ear canal. Alternatively or additionally, the earpiece 900 may include a microphone 722 (e.g., a feedforward microphone) supported by the housing 506 of the earpiece 500 to pick up ambient noise for feedforward noise cancellation.

[0092] Referring to Figure 10, in another implementation configuration, the earpiece 1000 may be manufactured with a valve 120 covering the front port 532 and rear port 534, while omitting the exit space. When the valve 1002 is closed, it closes the front port 532 and rear port 534 separately. In this case, the front acoustic space 510 and rear acoustic space 512 are not acoustically short-circuited. Instead, the seal of the mass port 534 is thought to increase the rigidity of the system, but within the ear or 2cm 3 The sound pressure within the coupler is reduced compared to the sealed case shown in Figure 4, but not as much as in the sealed case shown in Figure 6. The earpiece 1000 may include a microphone 720 (e.g., a feedback microphone) acoustically coupled to the first acoustic space 510 to pick up sound from within the user's ear canal. Alternatively or additionally, the earpiece 1000 may include a microphone 722 (e.g., a feedforward microphone) supported by the housing 506 of the earpiece 500 to pick up ambient noise for feedforward noise cancellation.

[0093] While we have described implementations using moving-coil electroacoustic transducers, some implementations can utilize balanced armature drivers. For example, some implementations can utilize vented balanced armature drivers, which deliver acoustic output radiated from the first side of the diaphragm through a nozzle connected to the first acoustic space of the earpiece, and vent acoustic energy radiated from the second side of the diaphragm to the second acoustic space of the earpiece.

[0094] Several implementations may include multiple balanced armatures. One example includes two balanced armatures within a single housing, each having two diaphragms. The front sides of each of these diaphragms are connected within the housing and acoustically connected to the front acoustic space via an opening or nozzle. The rear sides of these diaphragms are separated within the housing and vent separately into the rear acoustic space.

[0095] The above describes the implementation configuration of earpieces for RIC type hearing aids. However, the connection of the rear port and front port may be beneficial for other applications, such as earpieces for fully in-canal (CIC), in-canal (ITC), or in-ear (ITE) hearing aids, and for headphones, such as wired or wireless headphones, and for in-ear or over-ear headphones.

[0096] Furthermore, while we have described an earpiece implementation that includes an earbud and an ear tip connected to the earbud, Figure 11A shows another implementation of the earpiece 1100 that includes an earbud 1102 without an ear tip. The earbud 1102 is configured to engage directly with the user's ear canal to form an acoustic seal between them. The earbud 1102 includes a housing 1106 that supports an electroacoustic transducer 1108 (i.e., a speaker or driver). The housing 1106 and the electroacoustic transducer 1108 together define a first (front) acoustic space 1110 and a second (rear) acoustic space 1112. The electroacoustic transducer 1108 is positioned such that its first (front) radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space 1110 and its second (rear) radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the rear acoustic space 1112.

[0097] The housing 1106 also defines a nozzle 1114 configured to engage directly with the user's ear canal to form an acoustic seal between them. The front acoustic space 1110 is acoustically coupled to the acoustic passage 1116 within the nozzle 1114, so that, for example, when an earpiece 1100 is fitted, the electroacoustic transducer 1108 can be acoustically coupled to the user's ear canal. The housing 1106 may also define a receptacle (not shown) for receiving wiring to supply power to the electroacoustic transducer 1108. In some cases, the housing 1106 may also support a microphone, battery, and / or sound processor.

[0098] The earpiece 1100 includes a front port 1132 that connects the front acoustic space 1110 to the space outside the housing 1106, and a rear port 1134 that connects the rear acoustic space 1112 to the space outside the housing 1106. Similar to the implementation described above with respect to Figure 5A, the respective exit ends of the rear port 1134 and the front port 1132 are coupled and then the product exits through the coupled exit space 1136 and exit port 1138. The exit port 1138 can take various forms such as a tube, mesh, or hole. The earpiece 1100 may include a microphone 720 (e.g., a feedback microphone) acoustically coupled to the first acoustic space 510 to pick up sound from within the user's ear canal. Alternatively or additionally, the earpiece 1000 may include a microphone 722 (e.g., a feedforward microphone) supported by the housing 506 of the earpiece 500 to pick up ambient noise for feedforward noise cancellation.

[0099] Figure 11A shows a configuration that may be useful for an intra-ear hearing aid, and Figure 11B shows an alternative configuration of the earpiece 1100' that may be useful for an intra-external or completely intra-external configuration. In this regard, the configuration in Figure 11B relocates the exit port 1138 from the surface of the housing 1106 adjacent to the nozzle 1114 (as shown in Figure 11A) to the surface of the housing 1106 facing the nozzle 1114.

[0100] Figure 12 shows an earpiece 1200 for over-ear headphones. The earpiece 1200 includes an earcup 1202 and an ear cushion 1204. The earcup 1202 includes a housing 1206 that supports an electroacoustic transducer 1208 (i.e., a speaker or driver). The housing 1206 and the electroacoustic transducer 1208 together define a first (front) acoustic space 1210 and a second (rear) acoustic space 1212. The electroacoustic transducer 1208 is positioned such that its first (front) radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space 1210, and its second (rear) radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the rear acoustic space 1212. The housing 1206 may be formed from a rigid material such as plastic, for example, ABS plastic. The ear cushions 1204 surround the user's ears circumferentially and are configured to provide an acoustic seal between the front acoustic space 1210 and the user's head when the device is worn. The ear cushions 1204 may be formed from foam.

[0101] The earpiece 1200 includes a front port 1232 that connects the front acoustic space 1210 to the space outside the housing 1206, and a rear port 1234 that connects the rear acoustic space 1212 to the space outside the housing 1206. Similar to the implementation described above, the respective exit ends of the rear port 1234 and the front port 1232 may be coupled together and then the product exits through the coupled exit space 1236 and exit port 1238.

[0102] Figure 13 shows an exemplary pair of headphones 1300 incorporating the earcups 1200 of Figure 12. The headphones 1300 include a pair of earpieces 1200 configured according to Figure 12 and a band 1302 that mechanically connects the two earpieces 1200 together. The earcups 1200 (two are shown) may be connected to the band via a yoke-like coupling 1304 that allows articulation of the earpieces 1200 relative to the band 1302.

[0103] Several implementations have been described. Nevertheless, additional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the concept of the present invention as described herein, and it will be understood that other implementations also fall within the scope of the following claims and any other claims to which the applicant may have rights.

[0104] While various examples have been described and illustrated in this specification, those skilled in the art will readily conceive of various other means and / or structures to implement functions and / or results and / or obtain one or more advantages described herein, and each of such modifications and / or variations will be considered within the scope of the examples described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily understand that all parameters, dimensions, materials and configurations described herein are illustrative, and furthermore, that actual parameters, dimensions, materials and / or configurations will depend on the specific application or the application in which the teachings of the present invention are used. Those skilled in the art will be able to recognize or confirm many equivalents to the specific examples described herein simply by performing routine experiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the examples described herein are presented for illustrative purposes only, and that examples can be implemented in ways other than those explicitly described and claimed within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. The examples in this disclosure cover each individual feature, system, article, material, kit and / or method described herein. Furthermore, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods is included within the scope of the invention of this disclosure, provided that such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent.

[0105] [Section 1] Electroacoustic converter and A housing for supporting the electroacoustic transducer, wherein the housing and the electroacoustic transducer jointly define a first acoustic space and a second acoustic space, and the electroacoustic transducer is arranged such that its first radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space and its second radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the second acoustic space, The first acoustic space is connected to a front port that connects to the space outside the housing, The second acoustic space is connected to the space outside the housing by a rear port, In the earpiece equipped with, An earpiece characterized in that the respective outlet ends of the rear port and the front port are coupled before exiting the housing via a coupled outlet space and outlet port. [Section 2] The earpiece according to paragraph 1, wherein the housing defines a nozzle, and the first acoustic space is acoustically connected to an acoustic passage within the nozzle such that the electroacoustic transducer is acoustically connected to the user's ear canal when the earpiece is fitted. [Section 3] The earpiece according to paragraph 2, further comprising an ear tip supported on the nozzle and configured to form a tight acoustic seal with the user's ear canal when the earpiece is fitted. [Section 4] The earpiece according to paragraph 1, wherein the housing includes a receptacle for receiving wiring for supplying power to the electroacoustic transducer. [Section 5] The earpiece according to paragraph 1, wherein the outlet port is covered with a mesh along the outer surface of the housing. [Section 6] The earpiece described in paragraph 1, wherein the aforementioned outlet port is equipped with a tube. [Section 7] The earpiece described in paragraph 6, wherein the outlet end of the tube is covered with a mesh. [Section 8] The front port is formed integrally with the housing, as described in paragraph 1. [Section 9] The earpiece described in paragraph 1, wherein the maximum pressure in the first acoustic space when the outlet port is sealed is 100 dB SPL to 120 dB SPL. [Section 10] The earpiece according to paragraph 1, wherein the maximum pressure in the first acoustic space when the outlet port is sealed is 132 dB SPL or less. [Section 11] A hearing aid equipped with the earpiece described in paragraph 1, A casing configured to be positioned behind the wearer's auricle when worn, Wiring connecting the casing to the earpiece, A hearing aid that also has these features. [Section 12] The hearing aid according to paragraph 11, further comprising a battery, a microphone, and a sound processor, all housed within the casing. [Section 13] The electronic equipment housed within the casing, A microphone supported by the aforementioned housing, Furthermore, The hearing aid according to paragraph 11, wherein the wiring electrically connects the microphone to the electronic device. [Section 14] The hearing aid according to paragraph 13, wherein the aforementioned wiring includes a flexible printed circuit. [Section 15] The hearing aid according to paragraph 13, wherein the wiring electrically connects the electroacoustic transducer to the electronic device. [Section 16] The hearing aid described in paragraph 13, wherein the microphone is a feedback microphone configured to pick up sound in the user's ear canal. [Section 17] The hearing aid according to paragraph 13, wherein the microphone is a feedforward microphone configured to pick up ambient noise in an area outside the housing for feedforward noise cancellation. [Section 18] The hearing aid according to paragraph 13, wherein the electronic device is configured to perform an active noise cancellation algorithm using the input from the microphone. [Section 19] The hearing aid according to paragraph 11, further comprising a battery, a microphone, and a sound processor, supported within the aforementioned housing. [Section 20] The hearing aid according to paragraph 11, wherein the electroacoustic transducer comprises diaphragms defining the first and second radiating surfaces, and the diaphragms have a diameter of less than 6 mm. [Section 21] The hearing aid described in paragraph 20, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is a moving coil type transducer. [Section 22] Batteries and First microphone and, Sound processor and Transmitter and receiver, The second microphone, Wiring and, Furthermore, The battery, the first microphone, the sound processor, and the transmitting / receiving unit are housed within the casing. The second microphone is supported by the housing, The hearing aid according to paragraph 11, wherein the wiring extends between the housing and the casing and electrically connects the second microphone to the sound processor. [Section 23] The hearing aid described in Section 11, wherein the sound processor is configured to perform an active noise cancellation algorithm that uses input from a second microphone. [Section 24] Electroacoustic converter and A housing for supporting the electroacoustic transducer, wherein the housing and the electroacoustic transducer jointly define a first acoustic space and a second acoustic space, and the electroacoustic transducer is arranged such that its first radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space and its second radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the rear acoustic space. The first acoustic space is connected to a front port that connects to the space outside the housing, The second acoustic space is connected to the space outside the housing by a rear port, A valve covering the front port and the rear port, wherein when the valve is closed, the valve is arranged to close the front port and the rear port separately. An earpiece characterized by having the following features. [Section 25] Electroacoustic converter and A microphone and A housing that supports the electroacoustic transducer and the microphone, and is sized to fit at least partially inside the user's ear canal, Electronic devices and, A casing that supports the electronic device and is configured to be positioned behind the user's auricle when worn, Wiring extending between the casing and the housing, electrically connecting the electronic equipment to the electroacoustic transducer and the microphone, A hearing aid characterized by having the following features. [Section 26] The hearing aid according to paragraph 25, wherein the electronic device is configured to perform an active noise cancellation algorithm based on the input from the microphone to generate a signal that causes the electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic energy for noise cancellation. [Section 27] Electroacoustic converter and A housing supporting the electroacoustic transducer, sized to fit at least partially within the user's ear canal, Electronic devices and, A casing that supports the electronic device and is configured to be positioned behind the user's auricle when worn, Wiring extending between the casing and the housing, electrically connecting the electronic device to the electroacoustic transducer, A microphone supported by the aforementioned housing, Equipped with, The hearing aid is characterized in that the electronic device is configured to execute an active noise cancellation algorithm and generate a signal that causes the electroacoustic transducer to generate noise-canceling acoustic energy based on the input from the microphone. [Section 28] The hearing aid according to paragraph 27, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is a full-range transducer. [Section 29] The hearing aid described in paragraph 28, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is a moving coil type transducer. [Section 30] The hearing aid described in paragraph 27, wherein the electronic device includes a transceiver that supports the transmission of high-fidelity sound. [Section 31] The hearing aid according to paragraph 27, wherein the microphone is supported by the housing and the wiring electrically connects the microphone to the electronic device. [Section 32] The hearing aid according to paragraph 31, wherein the microphone is a feedback microphone configured to pick up sound in the user's ear canal. [Section 33] The hearing aid according to paragraph 31, wherein the microphone is a feedforward microphone configured to be acoustically coupled to the air adjacent to the user's auricle for feedforward noise cancellation. [Section 34] The hearing aid according to paragraph 33, further comprising a second microphone supported by the aforementioned casing. [Section 35] The hearing aid described in paragraph 34 comprises a microphone array, the second microphone being the second microphone. [Section 36] It is a system, Hearing aids as described in paragraph 27 and A computing device that is communicatively connected to the hearing aid and configured to run a software program that allows the user to adjust one or more functions of the hearing aid, A system equipped with these features. [Section 37] The system according to paragraph 36, wherein the software program allows a user to adjust the signal processing parameters of the hearing aid. [Section 38] The system according to paragraph 37, wherein the signal processing parameters include filter coefficients for the active noise cancellation algorithm. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0106] 32b Front Port 100 hearing aids 102 Ear hook 104 Casing 106 wire 108 earpieces 120 valves 200 Closed Domes 202 Open Dome 204 Large opening 300 earpieces 302 Earbuds 302a Front Port 304 Ear Tips 306 Housing 308 Electroacoustic Converter 308 Converter 310 First (Front) Acoustic Space 312 Second (rear) acoustic space 314 Nozzles 316 Acoustic Corridor 318 Receptacle 320a First front port 320b Second front port 322 Third front port 324 Rear Ports 400 curves 422 Front Ports 500 ear tips 502 Earbuds 504 Ear Tips 506 Housing 508 Electroacoustic Converter 510 First (Front) Acoustic Space 512 Second (rear) acoustic space 514 Nozzles 516 Acoustic Corridor 518 Receptacle 520 Hollow passage 522 Main Unit 524 First end 526 Second end 528 Interior wall 530 Exterior Wall 532 First front port 534 First rear port 536 First Exit Space 538 First Exit Port 540, 542 holes 544 Tubes 546 open hole 600 curves 700 hearing aids 702 Ear hook part 704 Casing 706, 708 Electronic equipment 708 Sound Processor 710 battery 712 Microphone 714 Transmitter / Receiver Circuit 718 Wiring 720, 722 microphones 800 System 802 Components 802 Computing Devices 804a~c Wireless Network 852 processors 854 displays 856 Display Interface 858 Control Interface 860 Audio Codecs 862 External Interface 864 memory 866 Communication Interface 868 Radio frequency transceiver 872 Expansion Interface 874 Expansion Memory 880 Mobile phone 882 Smartphone 900 ear tips 902 Second front port 904 Second rear port 906 Second Exit Space 908 Second Exit Port 1000 earpieces 1002 Valve 1100 Earpieces 1102 Earbud 1106 Housing 1108 Electroacoustic Converter 1110 First (Front) Acoustic Space 1112 Second (rear) acoustic space 1114 Nozzle 1116 Acoustic Corridor 1132 Front Port 1134 Rear Port 1136 Exit space 1138 Exit Port 1200 ear tips 1200, 1202 Earcups 1204 Cushion 1206 Housing 1208 Electroacoustic Converter 1210 First (Front) Acoustic Space 1212 Second (rear) acoustic space 1232 Front Port 1234 Rear Port 1236 Exit space 1238 Exit Port 1300 headphones 1302 band 1304 shaped joint

Claims

1. Electroacoustic converter and A housing for supporting the electroacoustic transducer, wherein the housing and the electroacoustic transducer jointly define a first acoustic space and a second acoustic space, and the electroacoustic transducer is arranged such that its first radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the front acoustic space and its second radiating surface radiates acoustic energy into the rear acoustic space. The first acoustic space is connected to a front port that connects to the space outside the housing, The second acoustic space is connected to the space outside the housing by a rear port, A valve covering the front port and the rear port, wherein when the valve is closed, the valve is arranged to close the front port and the rear port separately. An earpiece characterized by having the following features.

2. Electroacoustic converter and A microphone and A housing that supports the electroacoustic transducer and the microphone, and is sized to fit at least partially inside the user's ear canal, Electronic devices and, A casing that supports the electronic device and is configured to be positioned behind the user's auricle when worn, Wiring extending between the casing and the housing, electrically connecting the electronic equipment to the electroacoustic transducer and the microphone, A hearing aid characterized by having the following features.

3. The hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute an active noise cancellation algorithm based on the input from the microphone to generate a signal that causes the electroacoustic transducer to generate acoustic energy for noise cancellation.

4. Electroacoustic converter and A housing supporting the electroacoustic transducer, sized to fit at least partially within the user's ear canal, Electronic devices and, A casing that supports the electronic device and is configured to be positioned behind the user's auricle when worn, Wiring extending between the casing and the housing, electrically connecting the electronic device to the electroacoustic transducer, A microphone supported by the aforementioned housing, Equipped with, The hearing aid is characterized in that the electronic device is configured to execute an active noise cancellation algorithm and generate a signal that causes the electroacoustic transducer to generate noise-canceling acoustic energy based on the input from the microphone.

5. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the electroacoustic converter is a full-range converter.

6. The hearing aid according to claim 5, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is a movable coil type transducer.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the electronic device includes a transceiver that supports the transmission of high-fidelity sound.

8. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the microphone is supported by the housing and the wiring electrically connects the microphone to the electronic device.

9. The hearing aid according to claim 8, wherein the microphone is a feedback microphone configured to pick up sound in the user's ear canal.

10. The hearing aid according to claim 8, wherein the microphone is a feedforward microphone configured to be acoustically coupled to the air adjacent to the user's auricle for feedforward noise cancellation.

11. The hearing aid according to claim 10, further comprising a second microphone supported by the casing.

12. The hearing aid according to claim 11, wherein the second microphone comprises a microphone array.

13. It is a system, The hearing aid described in claim 4 and A computing device that is communicatively connected to the hearing aid and configured to run a software program that allows a user to adjust one or more functions of the hearing aid, A system equipped with these features.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the software program allows a user to adjust the signal processing parameters of the hearing aid.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the signal processing parameters include filter coefficients for the active noise cancellation algorithm.

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