Patent ID: 8401212
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: H04R

Abstract:
1. A communication device for use with an ear of a user, the ear comprising a pinna, an eardrum, an ear canal and an opening of the ear canal, the device comprising: an ear canal input transducer to detect high frequency localization cues of the pinna comprising high frequencies of sound above a resonance frequency of the ear canal when placed at least one of inside the ear canal or near the opening of the ear canal; an external input transducer to detect sound comprising frequencies of sound at or below the resonance frequency when placed outside the ear canal away from the ear canal opening; at least one output transducer sized for placement inside the ear canal to vibrate the eardrum of the user; and circuitry comprising a processor and amplifiers coupled to the ear canal input transducer, the external input transducer and the at least one output transducer, the processor configured to output the high frequencies of sound with a first high frequency gain from the ear canal input transducer and a second high frequency gain from the external input transducer, the first high frequency gain greater than the second high frequency gain in order to vibrate the eardrum with amplified high frequency localization cues of the pinna from the ear canal input transducer and wherein the processor outputs the frequencies of sound at or below the resonance frequency with a first gain from the ear canal input transducer and a second gain from the external input transducer, the second gain greater than the first gain to provide sound from the external input transducer to the user.