Tactile Interface System

Abstract

A system for indicating a direction to a user is disclosed. The system may include a first unit and a second unit to be worn proximate to a first ear and a second ear of the user respectively. The system may indicate a direction to the user through tactile sensations delivered proximate to the ears of the user by the first and second units. The system may also include microphones to aid in determining the direction of a source of a sound and the system may indicate the determined direction, thereby allowing the user to localize the sound. The system may also function as hearing aids. The system may aid individuals with hearing disabilities by alerting them to the direction of the source of a sound.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hearing aid system comprising:
 a first unit configured to be worn by a user, the first unit comprising:
 an audio output device; and 
 a first communication module; and 
   a second unit configured to be worn by a user, the second unit comprising:
 a microphone; 
 a tactile output device; and 
 a second communication module configured to communicate with the first communication module; 
   wherein the first communication module is configured to communicate with the second communication module, and wherein the hearing aid system is configured to produce a tactile output by the tactile output device upon the second unit losing communication with the first unit.   
     
     
         2 . The hearing aid system of  claim 1 , wherein the hearing aid system is configured for a user with unilateral hearing loss, wherein the second unit is operable to transmit a first data stream to the first unit, wherein the first data stream is representative of sound received by the microphone, wherein the audio output device is configured to produce an audio stream according to the first data stream. 
     
     
         3 . The hearing aid system of  claim 2 , wherein the audio output device is configured to output a first audio signal upon loss of communication with the second unit. 
     
     
         4 . The hearing aid system of  claim 2 , wherein the first unit is configured to be worn behind the ear of a user and the second unit is configured to be worn behind the ear of a user. 
     
     
         5 . The hearing aid system of  claim 2 , wherein the first unit is configured to be worn in the ear canal of a user and the second unit is configured to be worn in the ear canal of a user. 
     
     
         6 . The hearing aid system of  claim 2 , wherein the first communication module is operable to communicate wirelessly with the second communication module. 
     
     
         7 . The hearing aid system of  claim 2 , wherein the first unit further comprises a first battery, wherein the audio output device is configured to output a second audio signal if the first battery becomes depleted below a first predetermined level. 
     
     
         8 . The hearing aid system of  claim 7 , wherein the second unit further comprises a second battery, wherein the tactile output device is configured to produce a tactile output if the second battery becomes depleted below a second predetermined level. 
     
     
         9 . The hearing aid system of  claim 1 , wherein the loss of communication is due to the first unit and second unit being out of communicative range of each other. 
     
     
         10 . The hearing aid system of  claim 1 , wherein the first unit further comprises a first unit tactile output device, wherein the hearing aid system is configured to produce a tactile output by the first unit tactile output device upon the first unit losing communication with the second unit. 
     
     
         11 . A crossover hearing aid system comprising:
 a first unit configured to be worn at a first ear of a user, the first unit comprising:
 a first microphone; 
 a first audio output device; 
 a first tactile output device configured to deliver a tactile output to the first ear, wherein the tactile output to the first ear is operable to produce a tactile sensation at the first ear of the user; and 
 a first communication module; 
   a second unit configured to be worn at a second ear of the user, the second unit comprising:
 a second microphone; 
 a second tactile output device configured to deliver a tactile output to the second ear, wherein the tactile output to the second ear is operable to produce a tactile sensation at the second ear of the user; and 
 a second communication module configured to communicate with the first communication module, wherein the first communication module is configured to communicate with the second communication module; 
   a processor configured to determine source location information of sound received by the hearing aid system based on sound received by the first and second microphones, the processor also configured to cause tactile output from at least one of the first and second tactile output devices according to determined source location information, wherein the second unit is operable to transmit a first data stream to the first unit, wherein the first data stream is representative of sound received by the second microphone, wherein the crossover hearing aid system is configured to produce an audio stream at the first audio output device according to the first data stream.   
     
     
         12 . The crossover hearing aid system of  claim 11 , wherein the hearing aid system is operable to communicate source location information to a user wearing the hearing aid system by causing the first and second tactile output devices to produce tactile output that correspond to the direction of sound received by the hearing aid system. 
     
     
         13 . The crossover hearing aid system of  claim 12 , wherein the hearing aid system is operable to produce a tactile output at a left ear of a user in response to sound received from the left side of the head of the user, and wherein the hearing aid system is operable to produce a tactile output at a right ear of a user in response to sound received from the right side of the head of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The crossover hearing aid system of  claim 13 , wherein the hearing aid system is operable to simultaneously produce a tactile output at both a left ear of a user and a right ear of a user in response to sound received from behind the head of the user. 
     
     
         15 . The crossover hearing aid system of  claim 11 , wherein a frequency of the tactile output is a function of the elevation of the source location relative to the head of the user. 
     
     
         16 . The crossover hearing aid system of  claim 11 , wherein the hearing aid system is operable to produce a frequency of the tactile output from the first tactile output device that is independent of the frequency of sound received by the hearing aid system, and wherein the hearing aid system is operable to produce a frequency of the tactile output from the second tactile output device that is independent of the frequency of sound received by the hearing aid system. 
     
     
         17 . The crossover hearing aid system of  claim 11 , wherein the hearing aid system is operable to produce a tactile output in response to a sound that is a predetermined level above the ambient level of sound at the user of the hearing aid system. 
     
     
         18 . The crossover hearing aid system of  claim 11 , wherein the hearing aid system is operable to produce a tactile output in response to a sound that is interpreted by the hearing aid system as speech. 
     
     
         19 . A method for operating a hearing aid system, the method comprising:
 communicating between a first unit and second unit of the hearing aid system; and   producing a tactile output at the second unit in response to losing communication between the first unit and the second unit, wherein said tactile output is operable to produce a tactile sensation at an ear of a user wearing the second unit.   
     
     
         20 . The method for operating a hearing aid system of  claim 19 , wherein the producing step comprises producing a tactile output at a frequency and power level that is independent of any sound proximate to the hearing aid system.