An adaptive interface for a programmable system, for predicting a desired user function, based on user history, as well as machine internal status and context. The apparatus receives an input from the user and other data. A predicted input is presented for confirmation by the user, and the predictive mechanism is updated based on this feedback. Also provided is a pattern recognition system for a multimedia device, wherein a user input is matched to a video stream on a conceptual basis, allowing inexact programming of a multimedia device. The system analyzes a data stream for correspondence with a data pattern for processing and storage. The data stream is subjected to adaptive pattern recognition to extract features of interest to provide a highly compressed representation that may be efficiently processed to determine correspondence. Applications of the interface and system include a video cassette recorder (VCR), medical device, vehicle control system, audio device, environmental control system, securities trading terminal, and smart house. The system optionally includes an actuator for effecting the environment of operation, allowing closed-loop feedback operation and automated learning.

Adaptive pattern recognition based control system and method

A hearing aid or audio communication system includes an earpiece (10) that can be hidden in the ear canal, and which communicates wirelessly with a remote processor unit, or RPU (16), that enhances audio signals and can be concealed under clothing. Sounds from the environnment are picked up by a microphone (12) in the earpiece and sent with other information over a two-way wireless link (17) to the RPU (16). The wireless link (17) uses microwaves for component miniaturization. Furthermore, use of radar technology to implement the wireless link (17), with an RPU (16) interrogator and earpiece (10) transponder, reduces earpiece size and power, as no microwave oscillator is needed in the earpiece (10). Optional secondary wireless link circuitry (19) can be used between the RPU (16) and a cellular telephone system or other sources of information. Electronic voice recognition and response can control system operation.

Hearing aid with wireless remote processor

A method and system for communicating audio signals between an input device and an output device via a network. The output device can include loudspeakers and headphones. In some embodiments an output device, for example a center channel speaker, transmits audio signals to other output devices. In some embodiments, the output device is coupled to, or combined with, a speaker stand or speaker bracket. The network can be wireless, wired, infrared, RF, and powerline.

Wired, wireless, infrared, and powerline audio entertainment systems

A method and system for communicating audio, video, and/or control signals within a home entertainment system. A plurality of audio channels is communicated between a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter is located proximate to a speaker housing. In some embodiments the speaker housing also encloses a center channel loudspeaker. The center channel loudspeaker transmits an audio signal to a remote loudspeaker. An exemplary remote loudspeaker is a subwoofer loudspeaker. The subwoofer loudspeaker provides one or more received audio channels to one or more surround loudspeakers.

Wireless and wired speaker hub for a home theater system

In general, techniques of controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a mechanism is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network.

Controlling and manipulating groupings in a multi-zone media system

A hearing aid has a built in or internal test tone generator for providing test tones and noise for diagnostic tests to a user through the receiver of the hearing aid. Alternatively an external test tone generator may be coupled to the hearing aid and selectively coupled to the receiver of the hearing aid for the diagnostic tests. A memory internal to the hearing aid may store real world sounds for diagnostic tests to simulate actual usage of the hearing aid.

Hearing aid with in situ testing capability

A digital wireless loudspeaker system includes an audio transmission device for selecting and transmitting digital audio data, and wireless speakers for receiving the data and broadcasting sound. The audio transmission device selects digital audio data together with a sample clock from a stereo compact disk, or decoded DVD data. The sample clock clocks an element that generates frames of data and adds error protection. Status messages are included in the transmission frames to control speaker attributes such as speaker group, enabling or disabling a sub-woofer, and volume of the loudspeaker digitally. These transmission frames are clocked into an RF transmitter and transmitted to the speakers. The received bit stream and symbol clock are output from the RF receiver in each speaker and input to a framing and error protection decoder and a sample clock generator. The recovered audio sample data and sample clock are input to a digital to speaker input conversion and channel selector.

Digital wireless loudspeaker system

This invention relates to a hearing enhancement system having an ear device for each of the wearer's ears, each ear device has a sound transducer, or microphone, and a sound reproducer, or speaker, and associated electronics for the microphone and speaker. Further, the electronic enhancement of the audio signals is performed at a remote digital signal processor (DSP) likely located in a body pack worn somewhere on the body by the user. There is a down-link from each ear device to the (DSP) and an up-link from the DSP to each ear device. The DSP digitally interactively processes the audio signals for each ear based on both of the audio signals received from each ear device. In other words, the enhancement of the audio signal for the left ear is based on the both the right and left audio signals received by the DSP. In addition digital filters implemented at the DSP have a linear phase response so that time relationships at different frequencies are preserved. The digital filters have a magnitude and phase response to compensate for phase distortions due to analog filters in the signal path and due to the resonances and nulls of the ear canal.

Binaural hearing aid

A digital signal processing hearing aid is disclosed having a plurality of digital signal processing means for processing input digital signals, and a selector switch manipulable by a user for choosing which of the processing means to utilize. Each of the digital signal processing means is designed to provide optimal results in a particular listening environment. Since the user is allowed to choose which of the plurality of processing means to invoke, and since each processing means is specifically designed to operate in a particular listening environment, the hearing aid is capable of providing excellent results in a plurality of listening environments.

Digital signal processing hearing aid

A detachable digital binaural processing hearing aid comprised of a digital signal processor (DSP), two microphones, two receivers, a bi-directional communications link between each microphone/receiver and the digital signal processor, an analog-to-digital converter, and a digital-to-analog converter. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user has the option of disabling the digital signal processor by either physically removing an external digital processing unit or by disabling a digital processor to permit an analog processor to provide audio enhancement. The user is also given the option of selecting from a variety of digital filters/compressors that generate binaural signals that are sent to both ears of the user. In a second embodiment, each hearing element comprises a digital signal processor and a communication link to the other hearing element. Two examples of the communication link are an electrical wire connecting the two hearing elements and an electromagnetic transceiving system where each hearing element has a transceiver that transmits a signal representing the sound at one ear of the user and receives a signal representing the sound at the other ear of the user.

Eric Lindemann

Papers

Hearing aid with in situ testing capability

Digital wireless loudspeaker system

Binaural hearing aid

Digital signal processing hearing aid

Digital hearing aid system