Patent ID: 8461986
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: H04R

Abstract:
1. A warning device for the hearing impaired comprising: an acoustic to electric device having an electrical output responding to an acoustic emission from an acoustic source; a first signal path coupling the acoustic to electric device with an intermediate block; one or more second signal paths coupling respective non-audible annunciators with the intermediate block; within the intermediate block, an assessor element operable to assess one or more characteristics of the electrical output of the acoustic to electric device in a pre-determined frequency band; within the intermediate block, a reference element including one or more reference sources for providing respective reference characteristics, each reference characteristic indicative of an audible event calling for immediate action; within the intermediate block, a comparison element operable to cause operation of a particular non-audible annunciator when in the pre-determined frequency band at least one characteristic of the electrical output of the acoustic to electric device bears a pre-determined relationship with a reference characteristic; the comparison element capable of comparing the strength of a recognized or an unrecognized audio signal in the electric output of the acoustic to electric device with a reference signal strength and causing operation of a particular non-audible annunciator when the audio signal strength bears a pre-determined relationship with the reference signal strength; the comparison element capable of comparing the strength of an audio signal in a selected frequency band in the electric output of the acoustic to electric device with a reference signal strength and causing operation of a particular non-audible annunciator when the audio signal strength bears a pre-determined relationship with the reference signal strength; first, second and third acoustic to electric devices having a pre-determined spatial arrangement relative to each other; a sound triangulator utilizing signals from a plurality of the first, second and third acoustic to electric devices to obtain distance and direction to an acoustic source whose acoustic emission caused operation of a particular non-audible annunciator; a radial display for pointing in the direction of the acoustic source; wherein operation of a first annunciator alerts a hearing impaired person to assess the status of a second annunciator indicating the nature of the acoustic source and a third annunciator indicating the direction of the acoustic source; and, wherein the assessor element includes a plurality of analog band-pass filters; each band pass filter coupled to the electrical output of an acoustic to electric device.