620 results about "Ear plugging" patented technology

A combination of a patient core temperature sensor and the dual-wavelength optical sensors in an ear probe or a body surface probe improves performance and allows for accurate computation of various vital signs from the photo-plethysmographic signal, such as arterial blood oxygenation (pulse oximetry), blood pressure, and others. A core body temperature is measured by two sensors, where the first contact sensor positioned on a resilient ear plug and the second sensor is on the external portion of the probe. The ear plug changes it's geometry after being inserted into an ear canal and compress both the first temperature sensor and the optical assembly against ear canal walls. The second temperature sensor provides a reference signal to a heater that is warmed up close to the body core temperature. The heater is connected to a common heat equalizer for the temperature sensor and the pulse oximeter. Temperature of the heat equalizer enhances the tissue perfusion to improve the optical sensors response. A pilot light is conducted to the ear canal via a contact illuminator, while a light transparent ear plug conducts the reflected lights back to the light detector.

An ear terminal includes a sealing section arranged for use in the ear meatus of a human, with an inner microphone having a sound inlet for being directed into the meatus and an electronic unit including filtering elements coupled to the inner microphone for filtering the signal from the inner microphone, the filtering elements being programmable to transform the signals based on the sounds received in the ear by the inner microphone into sounds having essentially the characteristics of spoken sounds of the wearer of the ear terminal.

The disclosed methods and devices incorporate a novel expandable bubble portion which provides superior fidelity to a listener while minimizing listener fatigue. The expandable bubble portion may be expanded through the transmission of low frequency audio signals or the pumping of a gas to the expandable bubble portion. In addition, embodiments of the acoustic device may be adapted to consistently and comfortably fit to any ear, providing for a variable, impedance matching acoustic seal to both the tympanic membrane and the audio transducer, respectively, while isolating the sound-vibration chamber within the driven bubble. This reduces the effect of gross audio transducer vibration excursions on the tympanic membrane and transmits the audio content in a manner which allows the ear to utilize its full inherent capabilities.

Electronic devices and accessories for electronic devices such as headsets are provided. The electronic devices may produce audio output. The headsets may include earbuds with speakers that play the audio output for a user while the earbuds are located in the user's ears. Circuitry in an electronic device and a headset may be used in evaluating how well the earbuds are sealed to the user's ears. In response to seal quality measurements, informative messages can be generated for the user, overall earbud volume may be increased, balance adjustments may be made to correct for mismatched balance between left and right earbuds, equalization settings may be adjusted, and noise cancellation circuitry settings can be changed. Electrical impedance measurements and acoustic measurements can be used in evaluating seal quality.

A wired or wireless earset assembly includes an earset housing having a curved portion configured to fit to the top of an ear, a speaker driver contained in a speaker housing, a flexible tube having a first extension so as to be coupled with at least a part of the curved portion of the earset housing and a second extension coupled with the speaker housing, a rotatable cap containing a bud coupled with the speaker driver, a sound delivery port in the bud, a circuitry for processing an input signal in the case, and a wire in the flexible tube connecting the circuitry and the speaker driver.

The present invention relates hearing protection devices for the human ear. More particularly, embodiments of the invention provide hearing protection devices capable of tunable acoustic attenuation. The invention relates further to ear plugs comprising a fluid-containing balloon for occlusion of the ear canal, which are capable of being adjusted for example by modifying fluid composition and / or fluid pressure within the balloon to vary attenuation at different frequencies of the audible sound spectrum. Other embodiments provide an earplug with fixed attenuation comprising: a body of compressible / expandable-recovery material shaped and sized to fit in an ear canal; and at least one chamber disposed within the body and comprising a filler material chosen from at least one of water, aphrons, water with solid or gelatinous particles suspended, and oil with particles suspended.

An apparatus that securely positions a typical earbud-type earphone outside of the ear canal which allows users to concurrently listen to sounds from the speaker and sounds from the outside environment. It is comprised of an earhook that rests over and behind the user's ear with a fastener connected to one end to grip the stem of a conventional earbud. When the speaker is repositioned just outside of the ear canal, there is nothing physically blocking the entrance of the ear canal, thus allowing the user to hear what is going on around them. This provides a much safer manner in which a user can listen to their audio device. The apparatus is fully adjustable allowing the user to control the amount of outside noise that is heard along with the sounds from the earbud speaker by varying the proximity of the speaker to the ear canal.

This invention is a wireless, speakerphone accessory that allows the user to be in either public or private communication with a remote electronic device like a mobile telephone. The accessory includes a detachable ear bud that can be worn in a user's ear so that only the user hears the audio signal being received. When the ear bud is coupled to the speakerphone accessory, the circuitry in the ear bud is used to control a loudspeaker and other components in the accessory so as to convert the combined device in to a speakerphone that may be heard by the user and others in his immediate vicinity. The speakerphone accessory optionally includes pockets for receiving rechargeable batteries, as well as utility pockets for holding spare components like ear sleeves. The invention not only offers the dual functionality of private and public operating modes, but serves as a self-retaining case to greatly reduce the chances that any of the components become lost.

Rechargeable wireless earphone systems and charging cases are disclosed. The rechargeable charging case, which doubles as a storage case for the earphone components, includes externally accessible charging ports adapted to charge the rechargeable battery contained therein as well as for charging other electronic devices. The earphones are configured such that they may be used even when charging or when the earphone system battery is depleted. An alignment and positioning mechanism is provided to align and electrically connect charging contacts of a controller housing of the earphone system with charging contacts provided in the charging case to better secure and facilitate the charging process when the controller is received within the charging case. Reversibly detachable ear hooks and ear canal plugs are uniquely designed and configured to be independently attached to the earphone housing and compliantly adjustable to the desired shape for user comfort. The ear hooks and plugs may be configured such that the ear hooks at least partially encircle the ear plugs when both are attached to the earphone housing and either the ear hooks and / or ear plugs may be detachable from the earphone without removal of the other. Illuminated ear hooks and cable are also disclosed.

An ear plug (200) comprises a shell (206) with at least two electrodes (201-205) adapted for measuring brain wave signals, said electrodes (201-205) being connected with means for processing the measured signals, wherein the contours of the outer surface of the ear plug (200) and the electrodes (201-205) are individually matched to at least part of the ear canal and the concha of the user. The invention further provides a method for producing an ear plug.

A waterproof heart rate monitor device, method, and system are disclosed that transmit heart rate information to a user. In operation one or more infrared sensor sits against skin of a user to measure his or her heart rate. An internal computer, or micro-processor, that is coupled to one or more sensors then calculates the number of beats / minute (b / m) that a user's heart is beating and generates output signals to an output unit such as an ear plug or via bone conduction transducer to provide a user an audio representation of his or her heart rate.

An improved earbud design providing for full modularity; improved and variable hearing protection, sound quality, comfort, fit, aesthetics, and signal connectivity; and the ability to maintain environmental sound directionality comprised of a multitude of new features with variable vents and membranes which dilute the harmful pneumatic effects of sound while improving its acoustic quality. A location-based transmission system provides event attendees to mix live sound with streamed sound through Ambrose Earbuds for reduced hearing risk and no quality detriments due to timing gaps, occlusion or ear tip spectral broadening, and enables noise pollution-free musical performances. A displacement-based digital compression algorithm caps maximum output air displacement as well as sound pressure level. Thus, an earbud is provided that through adjustments and modularity can act as a personal listening device, a hearing protection device and as a personal aesthetic statement with customized fit and comfort.

An adjustably attenuating ear plug adapted for use in an ear canal, includes a flexible body, and a valve assembly further comprising a disk and knob translatable relative to the disk, wherein the knob defines at least one inlet, the disk alternately defines at least one shield and hole, and the inlet is alternatively aligned with the hole and shield to varying degrees, so as to selectively and variably expose the canal to the environment.

The invention discloses an earphone control method and an earphone. A sensor for detecting whether the earphone is in a wear state or not is arranged on an ear plug of the earphone. The control method includes the steps that the sensor is used for detecting whether the earphone is in the wear state or not; whether the earphone is in a work state or not is detected; the earphone is controlled to be in a work mode or an energy-saving mode according to detection results of the wear state and the work state. The wear state and the work state of the earphone are detected, the operating complexity of manually switching on and off a wireless earphone by a user can be lowered, meanwhile, the use electricity quantity of the wireless earphone can be effectively saved, and the use experience of the user is improved.

A wearable wireless ear plug for providing a downloadable programmable personal alarm and method of construction are described. An alarm circuit is integrated with a self-contained power source. A randomly accessible memory is included to provide general purpose storage. A leadless interface is provided to externally receive a user-settable time interval and a programmable alarm tone, which are both stored into the memory. A clock circuit activates and times the user-settable time interval. A wireless interface receives a radio frequency alarm signal. An alarm circuit retrieves from the memory and generates the alarm tone through an in-ear speaker, which is triggered by either the clock circuit or the wireless interface respectively upon an expiry of the user-settable time interval and receipt of an alarm signal. The alarm circuit is housed in an ear plug shaped to house the in-ear speaker within an ear canal and to enclose the alarm circuit.

The present invention relates hearing protection devices for the human ear. More particularly, embodiments of the invention provide hearing protection devices capable of tunable acoustic attenuation. The invention relates further to ear plugs comprising a fluid-containing balloon for occlusion of the ear canal, which are capable of being adjusted for example by modifying fluid composition and / or fluid pressure within the balloon to vary attenuation at different frequencies of the audible sound spectrum. Other embodiments provide an earplug with fixed attenuation comprising: a body of compressible / expandable-recovery material shaped and sized to fit in an ear canal; and at least one chamber disposed within the body and comprising a filler material chosen from at least one of water, aphrons, water with solid or gelatinous particles suspended, and oil with particles suspended.

A non-vented shell earplug for insertion into the ear canal has multiple chambers configured as coupled acoustic resonators. Each chamber is provided with an acoustic element having inertia and resistance coupling the chamber to its neighbor to form multiple resonant chambers. The dimensions of the individual acoustic elements set the frequency response of the earplug, and determine the attenuation characteristics of the resonators. Unlike the single chamber resonator of the prior art, the multiple-resonator earplug provides attenuation in both low and high frequency segments of the noise spectrum.Additionally, the present invention teaches placing loudspeaker and / or sound sensing transducer for sound communication purposes and active noise control within the earplug, with their sound field patterns directed into a chamber for coupling to the ear canal. The use of multiple resonators enhances the high frequency communications response of the earplug.

The invention provides an earbud with an acoustic insert. The earbud includes a housing that includes a driver assembly positioned within the housing forming a front volume in front of the driver and a back volume behind the driver. An acoustic insert is positioned behind the driver assembly and attached to an interior surface of the housing such that it forms a bass channel that is routed from the back volume to a vent in the housing.

The invention is a system whereby a video image can be converted into an audio signal. A portable apparatus is described which allows a visually blind person to hear the images and thus ‘see’. This does not require expensive equipment nor does it require surgery. It has applications for non-blind people such as with a pilot seeing radar information. It can be performed with an inexpensive video camera, a portable computer, and earphones. It is also readily adapted to a customized and compact system involving a micro camera, specialized computer, and ear buds.

A safe in-ear earphone for radiation protection, comprises earplug heads (1A, 1B), sound cavities (2A, 2B), acoustic wave transmission channels (3A, 3B), a main body (4), a conductor (8) and a plug (9), the channels (3A, 3B) are set between the sound cavities (2A, 2B) and loudspeakers (5A, 5B), the acoustic wave concentrated orifices (10A, 10B) are between the loudspeakers (5A, 5B) and the acoustic wave transmission channels (3A, 3B), assembly of the loudspeakers (5A, 5B), the acoustic wave concentrated orifices (10A, 10B) and the acoustic wave transmission channels (3A, 3B) are sealed to form a sealed small boxes (11A, 11B) in the main body (4). the shape of acoustic wave concentrated orifices (10A, 10B) is inversely conical. The acoustic wave is transmitted to the two acoustic wave channels (3A, 3B) via the acoustic wave concentrated orifices (10A, 10B) and then is provided to the ears plugged by two earplugs to listen. The safe in-ear earphone is used for high frequency magnetic field and intense radiation communication device such as mobile phone.

An earphone (1) comprising housing (2), a speaker (3), a speaker protrusion (4) extending along a protrusion axis (Z) and comprising an inner protrusion surface (12) and an outer protrusion surface (6), a resilient eargel (5) comprising an inner eargel surface (10) and an outer eargel surface (13). The eargel (5) is detachably attached to the speaker protrusion (4), such that the outer protrusion surface (6) abuts an abutment part (17) of the inner eargel surface (10) in an abutment zone (27) extending along the protrusion axis (Z). The eargel (5) is adapted to be inserted into the outer ear of a user, such that it abuts the ear canal of a user, whereby a cavity (7) is provided between at least the speaker (3), the inner protrusion surface (12), the inner eargel surface (10) and the ear canal. The earphone (1) is provided with a vent channel (9) coupling the cavity (7) and the ambient, wherein the vent channel (9) comprises a groove (8) in the outer protrusion surface (6) or the inner eargel surface (10). The vent channel (9) is provided between the groove (8) in the outer protrusion surface (6) and the inner eargel surface (10) or between the groove (8) in the inner eargel surface (10) and the outer protrusion surface (6). The groove (8) comprises a first groove part (14), that extends in a plane orthogonal to the protrusion axis (Z).

An earphone cover for an earphone includes an ear bud skin and an extension. The earphone includes an ear bud with a stem, and the earphone is inserted into a user's ear canal. The stem extends from the ear bud and a primary speaker outlet is formed on the ear bud. The ear bud skin substantially covers the ear bud of the earphone and increases friction between the ear bud and user's ear (provides an interface that increases friction between the ear bud and the user's ear) and the extension extends from the ear bud skin for more secure fit of the earphone to user's ear. The earphone cover is sufficiently flexible and elastic to accept insertion of the earphone therein along with being made of a material to provide a comfortable fit too.

A retractable ear bud module. The ear bud module is has a housing for holding an ear bud cable, an ear bud cable moveably mounted in the housing, the ear bud cable having a free end with at least one ear bud and a fixed end. A circuit board including a wireless receiver mounts in the housing for communicating with the electronic device. The wireless receiver electronically connects with the ear bud cable to transfer audio signals from the electronic device to the ear bud. A retraction mechanism mounts in the housing to retract and dispense the ear bud cable. The retraction mechanism includes a rotatable spool mounted in the housing, a spring recessed centrally within the spool, and an annular retainer circumscribing the spool to align the ear bud cable on the spool.

The invention relates to a listening device comprising an ear-part adapted for being worn in or at an ear of a user, a front and rear direction being defined relative to a person wearing the ear-part in an operational position. The invention further relates to a method of operating a hearing instrument, to its use, to a listening system, to a computer readable medium and to a data processing system. The object of the present invention is to provide localization cues for indicating a direction of origin of a sound source. The problem is solved in that the listening system comprises (a) a microphone system comprising at least two microphones each converting an input sound to an electrical microphone signal, (b) a DIR-unit comprising a directionality system for providing a weighted sum of the at least two electrical microphone signals thereby providing at least two directional microphone signals having maximum sensitivity in spatially different directions and a combined microphone signal, and (c) a frequency shaping-unit for modifying the combined microphone signal to indicate directional cues of input sounds originating from at least one of said spatially different directions and providing an improved directional output signal. This has the advantage of providing an alternative or an addition to natural localization cues. The invention may e.g. be used in listening devices, e.g. hearing instruments, head phones, headsets or active ear plugs.

A kit for attenuation of noise includes a noise source audio transducer, two ear pieces, and a control unit. The two ear pieces have respective resilient bodies that engage outer portions of ear canals of respective ears of a user while respective in-ear transducers of the two ear pieces are respectively positioned in inner portions of the ear canals. The respective in-ear transducers detect discrepancies (e.g., incomplete superpositioning) between the noise and the anti-noise. The respective in-ear transducers optionally detect respective secondary path effects in the ear canals. The noise source audio transducer detects noise generated by a noise source (e.g., snoring noise). The control unit configures an adaptive filter based at least in part on an error signal, and optionally based in part on secondary path effects. The control unit generates signals representative of anti-noise. The two ear pieces produce the anti-noise responsive to the signals. The two ear pieces produce masking noise with sound level that varies in direct correlation with sound level of the noise generated by the noise source.

The present invention provides a noise barrier apparatus for inhibiting external noise from causing the presence of noise in an audio chamber defined by a noise barrier device and including the user's ear canal. The noise barrier apparatus may be constituted by an in-ear noise barrier device or devices or an over-the-ear device or devices. An in-ear application of the present invention provides an in-ear-canal audio receiver comprising an in-ear-canal adapter body having a tapered ear plug portion that is inserted into the user's ear canal. The adapter body further has an opening in the plug portion, an exterior annular indent, and an inner chamber coupled to the opening of the plug portion. The inner chamber of the in-ear-canal adapter body holds a transducer assembly comprising a transducer housing and a transducer or speaker. The transducer is positioned in a passage extending through the transducer housing. A torus-shaped cushion is positioned in the annular indent of the in-ear-canal adapter body. The cushion provides comfort and establishes a good seal with the user's ear, and also provides mechanical damping to inhibit propagation of external acoustic pressure waves via the noise barrier device to an audio chamber including an interior of the noise barrier device and the user's ear canal. An over-the-ear application of the present invention provides an ear cup and has a torus-shaped cushion at an interface part thereof which bears against the side of the user's head at an area surrounding the user's ear. The cushion again provides comfort, establishes a good seal with the user's head and provides mechanical damping to inhibit propagation of external acoustic pressure waves via the noise barrier device to an audio chamber including an interior of the noise barrier device and the user's ear canal. The cushion is preferably formed of a material which is at least partially plastically deformable and provides a damping ratio greater than 0.75.