Electronic communication system that mimics natural range and orientation dependence

Abstract

A method of facilitating communications between a group of people close to one another. Each said person is provided with a microphone, positioned to receive voice sounds from said person, and an earphone. A microphone signal from each of said microphones is received and analyzed to determine a portion that is shared between said microphone signals and attenuating said shared portion. Finally, a signal is directed, based on said microphone signals, to at least one of said earphones.

1 . A method of facilitating communications between a group of persons mutually positioned close to one another, said method comprising:
 (a) providing each said person with a microphone, positioned to receive voice sounds from said person, and an earphone;   (b) receiving a microphone signal from each of said microphones;   (c) analyzing said microphone signals to determine a portion that is shared between said microphone signals and attenuating said shared portion; and   (d) directing a signal, based on said microphone signals to at least one of said earphones.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing said microphone signals includes digitizing said signals. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein analyzing said microphone signals includes iteratively performing digital Fourier transforms on the digitized signals. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said digital Fourier transforms are fast Fourier transforms. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing said microphone signals includes iteratively performing Fourier transforms on said microphone signals. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein frequency components that are shared by all said microphone signals are attenuated. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said frequency components that are shared by all said microphone signals are attenuated to zero. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for facilitating communications between a group of persons mutually positioned close to one another, said apparatus comprising:
 (a) a set of headsets, each headset including at least one microphone and at least one earphone, each said headset shaped to be worn by a user, so that said microphone receives sound from said user's mouth and said earphone emits sound near said user's ear and a radio frequency transceiver, responsive to said microphone and adapted to received radio frequency signals from other headsets; and   (b) a sound filtering unit that analyzes said microphone signals to determine a portion that is shared between said microphone signals and attenuates said shared portion, thereby creating an earphone signal.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further including an analog-to-digital convertor, to digitize said microphone signals, prior to analysis. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said sound filtering unit iteratively performs digital Fourier transforms on the digitized signals from said analog-to-digital convertor. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said digital Fourier transforms are fast Fourier transforms. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein signal filtering unit iteratively performs Fourier transforms on said microphone signals. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein frequency components that are shared by all said microphone signals are attenuated.