Patent · US Active

Wearable directional microphone array apparatus and system

US9723403B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 29, 2016
Grant dateAug 1, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 29, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04R2430/20
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A wearable, shoulder-mounted microphone array apparatus and system used as a bi-directional audio and assisted listening device system. The present invention advances hearing aids and assisted listening devices to allow construction of a highly directional audio array that is wearable, natural sounding, and convenient to direct, as well as to provide directional cues to users who have partial or total loss of hearing in one or both ears. The advantages of the invention include simultaneously providing high gain, high directivity, high side lobe attenuation, and consistent beam width; providing significant beam forming at lower frequencies where substantial noises are present, particularly in noisy, reverberant environments; and allowing construction of a cost effective body-worn or body-carried directional audio device.

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