Patent · US Expired

Wireless open ear canal earpiece

US6021207A · kind A · utility

452Cited by
13References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 3, 1997
Grant dateFeb 1, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 3, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04R2460/09
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A communications earpiece is disclosed which can be used by hearing impaired and non-hearing impaired users so as to be able to communicate with an external device such as personal communications node or cellular phone via a wireless link. A communications earpiece comprises an ear canal tube sized for positioning in an ear canal of a user so that the ear canal is at least partially open for directly receiving ambient sounds. A sound processor amplifies the received ambient sounds to produce a processed analog signal. The processed analog signal is then converted into digital signals and transmitted to a remote unit via a wireless link. The earpiece also receives signals from the remote unit which are then processed and applied to a speaker in the earpiece.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.