Assistive listening devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12200447-B2
Application number	US-202217934188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2022
Priority date	Aug 29, 2020
Publication date	Jan 14, 2025
Grant date	Jan 14, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses an assistive listening device. The assistive listening device includes a signal input module configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electric signal, a signal processing module configured to process the electric signal and generate a control signal, and at least one output energy converter configured to convert the control signal into a bone conduction sound wave that can be perceived by a user and an air conduction sound wave that can be heard by the user's ears. Within a target frequency range, the air conduction sound wave is transmitted to the user's ears, so that a sound intensity of the air conduction sound heard by the user's ears is greater than a sound intensity of the initial sound received by the signal input module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assistive listening device, comprising:
a signal input module configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electric signal;
a signal processing module configured to process the electric signal and generate a control signal; and
at least one output energy converter configured to convert the control signal into a bone conduction sound wave that can be perceived by a user and an air conduction sound wave that can be heard by the user's ears, wherein
within a target frequency range, the air conduction sound wave is transmitted to the user's ears, so that a sound intensity of the air conduction sound heard by the user's ears is greater than a sound intensity of the initial sound received by the signal input module,
wherein each of the at least one output energy converter comprises:
a first vibration component electrically connected to the signal processing module and configured to receive the control signal and generate the bone conduction sound wave based on the control signal, and
a shell coupled with the first vibration component and configured to generate, driven by the first vibration component, the air conduction sound wave.

2. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein the target frequency range is 200 Hz-8000 Hz.

3. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein the target frequency range is 500 Hz-6000 Hz.

4. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein the target frequency range is 750 Hz-1000 Hz.

5. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein the signal processing module includes a signal processing unit, and the signal processing unit includes:
a frequency division module configured to decompose the electric signal into a high-frequency band component and a low-frequency band component;
a high-frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a high-frequency output signal based on the high-frequency band component; and
a low-frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a low-frequency output signal based on the low-frequency band component.

6. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein the electric signal includes a high-frequency output signal corresponding to a high-frequency band component of the initial sound and a low-frequency output signal corresponding to a low-frequency band component of the initial sound, the signal processing unit includes:
a high-frequency signal processing module configured to generate the high-frequency output signal according to the high-frequency band component; and
a low-frequency signal processing module configured to generate the low-frequency output signal according to the low-frequency band component.

7. The assistive listening device of claim 5 , wherein the signal processing module further includes a power amplifier configured to amplify the high-frequency output signal or the low-frequency output signal to generate the control signal.

8. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein a connection between the shell and the first vibration component includes a rigid connection.

9. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein the shell is connected to the first vibration component through an elastic component.

10. The sound output device of claim 9 , wherein the first vibration component includes:
a magnetic circuit configured to generate a first magnetic field;
a vibration board connected to the shell; and
a coil connected to the vibration board and electrically connected to the signal processing module, wherein the coil is configured to receive the control signal and generate a second magnetic field based on the control signal, and an interaction between the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field drives the vibration board to generate the bone conduction sound wave.

11. The assistive listening device of claim 10 , wherein the vibration board and the shell form a cavity, the magnetic circuit is located in the cavity, and the magnetic circuit is connected to the shell through the elastic component.

12. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , wherein a vibration output force level corresponding to the bone conduction sound wave is greater than 55 dB.

13. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one second vibration component configured to generate an extra air conduction sound wave, and the extra air conduction sound wave enhances the sound intensity of the air conduction sound heard by the user's ears within the target frequency range.

14. The assistive listening device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one second vibration component includes a vibration diaphragm structure connected to the shell, and the at least one output energy converter actuates the vibration diaphragm structure to generate the extra air conduction sound wave.

15. The assistive listening device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one second vibration component includes an air conduction loudspeaker configured to generate the extra air conduction sound wave according to the control signal.

16. The assistive listening device of claim 1 , further comprising a fixed structure configured to support the assistive listening device, such that the assistive listening device is located at at least one of a mastoid, a temporal bone, a parietal bone, a frontal bone, an auricle, an ear canal, or a concha of the user's head.

17. An assistive listening device, comprising:
a signal input module configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electric signal;
a signal processing module configured to process the electric signal and generate a control signal; and
at least one output energy converter configured to convert the control signal into a bone conduction sound wave that can be perceived by a user and an air conduction sound wave that can be heard by the user's ears, wherein
the assistive listening device comprises a working state and a non-working state, the assistive listening device generates the air conduction sound wave when it is in the working state, the assistive listening device does not generate the air conduction sound wave when it is in the non-working state, and
within a target frequency range, a sound intensity of an air conduction sound heard by the user's ears when the assistive listening device is in the working state is greater than an air conduction sound heard by the user's ears when the assistive listening device is in the non-working state.

18. The assistive listening device of claim 17 , wherein the signal processing module includes a signal processing unit, and the signal processing unit includes:
a frequency division module configured to decompose the electric signal into a high-frequency band component and a low-frequency band component;
a high-frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a high-frequency output signal based on the high-frequency band component; and
a low-frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a low-frequency output signal based on the low-frequency band component.

19. The assistive listening device of claim 17 , wherein the electric signal includes a high-frequency output signal corresponding to a high-frequency band component of the initial sound and a low-frequency output signal corresponding to a low-frequency band component of the initial sound, the sig

Assignees

• Shenzhen Shokz Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Bocheng
• Yan Bingyan
• Tang Huifang

Classifications

• H04R2460/13

  Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers · CPC title

• H04R2430/03

  Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing · CPC title

• H04R25/50

  Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics · CPC title

• H04R25/607

  of earhooks · CPC title

• H04R25/604

  of acoustic or vibrational transducers · CPC title