Patents Examined by Dionne N. Harvey
  • Patent number: 6044163
    Abstract: A hearing aid has an input transducer, an amplifier and transmission circuit, an output transducer and a calculating unit working according to the principle of a neural structure. The calculating unit responds to a tap signal taken at the amplifier and transmission circuit and units an event signal that is supplied to the amplifier and transmission circuit and influences an output signal emitted thereby. At least the calculating unit is implemented in digital circuit technology. Such a hearing aid can be manufactured with little development and circuit outlay, works reliably and enables an optimum matching to the specific requirements of the hearing aid user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Oliver Weinfurtner
  • Patent number: 6038330
    Abstract: A virtual sound headset and method are provided for simulating spatial sound. The headset includes left and right headphones interconnected by a headband. Each of the headphones includes a hollow casing forming an interior chamber having an opening effective for receiving one of the listener's ears and a plurality of sound focusing assemblies mounted on the casing, with the assemblies being spaced apart from one another and in acoustic communication with the corresponding interior chamber. Each sound focusing assembly includes an electroacoustic transducer effective for reproducing sound in response to an electric input signal and a mechanical-acoustic means for mounting the electroacoustic transducer on the casing and for focusing the sound emanating from the transducer so as to simulate the directional orientation of the sound as perceived by the listener. The focused or directionalized sound is directed toward the pinna of the corresponding ear to allow spectral modification to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Inventor: Robert James Meucci, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6035050
    Abstract: A hearing aid system with a hearing aid has a matching arrangement with a first memory for several parameter sets available for selection for each of several hearing situations, an input unit for selecting a current hearing situation and for selecting one of the several parameter sets available for this hearing situation, and a second memory for allocation data that identify the parameter sets selected for each hearing situation. For the determination of an optimal parameter set for each of several hearing situations, an optimal user-specific parameter set is allocated to each hearing situation as it arises during an optimization phase. After the optimization phase, the allocation data are evaluated for the determining an optimal parameter set for each hearing situation. This parameter set is then permanently programmed as the parameter set which will be called to set the transmission characteristics of the hearing aid whenever the hearing situation allocated thereto occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Weinfurtner, Inga Holube
  • Patent number: 6031926
    Abstract: A panel-form loudspeaker has two distributed mode acoustic radiators coupled by a resilient suspension. Each radiator has its own transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: New Transducers Limited
    Inventors: Henry Azima, Martin Colloms, Neil John Harris
  • Patent number: 6031920
    Abstract: A sound focusing speaker system includes a sound focusing lens having an upper parabolic portion and a coaxial lower parabolic portion, each defined by different parabolic equations. A conical skirt is also provided adjacent the lower parabolic portion, and a lower lip is provided around the conical skirt. A speaker driver system is provided within the sound focusing lens. The speaker system includes a high frequency driver, a low frequency driver, and a sound dispersion lens into which the low frequency driver fires. The high frequency driver is vertically aligned with the focus of the upper parabolic portion, and a central portion of the sound dispersion lens is vertically aligned with the focus of the lower parabolic portion. The conical skirt contains reflected waves. The coaxial dual parabolic sound focusing speaker system is optimized to accurately reproduce a broad frequency spectrum of sound and to reflect the sound into a substantially vertical beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Inventor: David Wiener
  • Patent number: 6018585
    Abstract: A waterproof microphone according to the present invention includes a case; an acoustic terminal unit having a front acoustic terminal and a rear acoustic terminal to be accommodated in the case through a unit holder and a unit case; waterproof films in the case for covering the front acoustic terminal and the rear acoustic terminal of the acoustic terminal unit, respectively; the waterproof films being deformed at a predetermined water pressure; and restraining means provided between said acoustic terminal unit and said waterproof films for restraining the deformation of each said waterproof films, so that the thickness and shape of the waterproof films can be each adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akino, Satoshi Uchimura
  • Patent number: 6014448
    Abstract: An acoustic enclosure system for a loudspeaker includes a central chamber and two end chambers. The central chamber is separated from each of the end chambers by a common wall. Two loudspeakers are mounted in the central chamber such that one speaker is mounted in each of the horizontal walls and the speakers face away from each other. The central chamber has a port in a side wall that is open to the outside of the enclosure. Each of the end chambers contains a fluid chamber with a flexible bladder that is filled with fluid and maintained in the end chamber a given distance from the corresponding loudspeaker. Each of the bladders contacts the interior surfaces of the side walls and end piece that form the fluid chamber. A flexible support is provided underneath each of the bladders so that the bladders are each substantially maintained a specified distance from the horizontal walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sound Related Technologies
    Inventor: Noyal J. Alton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6005956
    Abstract: A telecommunication instrument having a microphone mounted in a flip arm is electrically interconnected to the transceiver portion of the instrument by a slip ring connection. The slip ring connection enables the flip arm to be rotated between stored and operating positions during use, and easily removed from the instrument for repair or replacement. The slip ring connection eliminates any need for extending wires or flexible circuits between the flip arm and the main body of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Ericsson Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Jennings, Mark William Weadon
  • Patent number: 5991421
    Abstract: The present invention is a waveguide for an acoustic speaker having a predetermined cone weight. The waveguide body has a speaker end and an open end and an even number of segments with a flat surface in a plane parallel to the speaker end. The segments have inside wall surfaces which flare increasingly outwardly from the speaker, and these inside wall surfaces have a speaker end length, L.sub.1, determined by the following formulas, L.sub.1 minimum=0.7.times.w.sub.s /0.0012 g/cm.sup.3 .times.1/A.sub.SE, and L.sub.1 maximum=1.2.times.w.sub.s /0.0012 g/cm.sup.3 .times.1/A.sub.SE, wherein L.sub.1 is a straight line length of the lower portion of the segment wall surface, w.sub.s is the weight of a speaker cone in grams/cm.sup.3, and A.sub.SE is the cross-sectional area of the speaker end in square centimeters. Each of the segment inside wall surfaces has an outer end length L.sub.2 which has a predetermined length related to L.sub.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Single Source Technology and Development, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander Faraone
  • Patent number: 5937073
    Abstract: The present invention provides a speaker mounted within a speaker enclosure. The speaker enclosure provides a sidewall defining an interior space sufficient for enclosing the speaker, and a grille is mounted on an open end of the speaker enclosure. A pair of electrically conducting wires connect a speaker electrode to an electrical binding post mounted on an enclosing back wall of the speaker enclosure, providing an electrical connection between the speaker and an outside source. A hanger is pivotally engaged with the speaker enclosure such that the speaker enclosure is positionable over a range of downwardly directed angles relative to the hanger. The invention includes a breather hole that provides ventilation between the grille and the interior space of the enclosure. This ventilation allows the speaker to vibrate for maximum sound quality, while also excluding dust from the speaker enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Inventor: David Charles Van Gieson