James P Hendershot

US Patent:

59666390, Oct 12, 1999

Filed:

Apr 4, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/835121

Inventors:

Jack Goldberg - San Diego CA
Mead C. Killion - Elk Grove Village IL
James R. Hendershot - Grants Pass OR

Assignee:

Etymotic Research, Inc. - Elk Grove Village IL

International Classification:

H04B 100
H04B 700

US Classification:

455 111

Abstract:

A system for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication is provided. The system has a number of talker units, each having a microphone and a transmitter so that an audio input received at the microphone is transmitted via the transmitter as an output. The system includes a receiver unit having a receiver to receive the outputs of the talker units, and a mixer to mix the outputs to form a mixed output signal, and a transmitter to transmit the mixed output signal on a preselected frequency. The system also has a listener unit tunable to receive the mixed output signal transmitted on the preselected frequency. The system can be embodied in a serial daisy chain arrangement or in a parallel repeater arrangement. A method for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication is provided. The method has the steps of: providing a listener unit to at least one listener and a talker unit to each of a plurality of talkers, each talker unit being capable of transmitting an audio signal; receiving the audio signals from the plurality of talker units; mixing the audio signals to form a mixed output signal; transmitting the mixed output signal on a preselected frequency; and receiving the mixed output signal at the listener unit on the preselected frequency.