IP Library › Granted Patent US 12712964
Granted Patent B2
US 12712964 · App. 18/322,683 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Smart phone network for hearing impaired

Inventors: Melinda Hunsaker (Kent, WA); Misty Dombrowski (Renton, WA)
Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC
H04M1/72478G10L15/26H04M1/6066H04M1/72412H04R1/028H04R3/00H04R19/02H04R2201/003H04R2420/07H04R2499/11
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12712964
App. No.
18/322,683
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for outputting audible sound processed with a hearing loss compensation algorithm for listening by a user of user smart phone. A method includes receiving live digital micro electrical-mechanical system (MEMs) sound data from a speaker phone. The method further includes processing, at a subscribed user smart phone, the live digital MEMS sound data from the speaker smart phone in accordance with a hearing loss compensation algorithm. The subscribed user smart phone generates and outputs audible sound waves for the live digital for listening by the user of the subscribed user smart phone.

Claims (36)

1 . A method comprising:

using a user smart phone having at least one processor for:

receiving, from a speaker smart phone live, digital micro electrical-mechanical system (MEMs) sound data captured by the speaker smart phone and transmitted to the user smart phone via at least a wireless network;

processing the live digital MEMS sound data from the speaker smart phone in accordance with a hearing loss compensation algorithm;

generating audible sound waves for the live digital MEMs sound data processed utilizing the hearing loss compensation algorithm; and

outputting the generated audible sound waves adapted for listening by a user of the user smart phone.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the live digital MEMs sound data is live streamed from the speaker smart phone to the user smart phone.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the live digital MEMs sound data is live streamed via wi-fi from the speaker smart phone to the user smart phone.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a speech to text algorithm generates text for the live digital MEMS sound data.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

outputting the generated text for viewing by a user of the user smart phone.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user smart phone has subscribed to receive live digital MEMs sound data from the speaker smart phone.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the speaker smart phone is a smart phone positioned near a live speaker.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a speaker smart phone, live digital micro electrical-mechanical system (MEMs) sound data captured by the speaker smart phone and transmitted at least over a wireless network;

processing the live digital MEMs sound data from the speaker smart phone in accordance with a hearing loss compensation algorithm;

generating audible sound waves for the live digital MEMs sound data processed utilizing the hearing loss compensation algorithm; and

outputting, at a user smart phone, the generated audible sound waves adapted for listening by the user of the user smart phone.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the live digital MEMs sound data is live streamed from the speaker smart phone to the user smart phone.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the live digital MEMs sound data is live streamed via wi-fi from the speaker smart phone to the user smart phone.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein a speech to text algorithm generates text for the live digital MEMS sound data.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

outputting the generated text for viewing by a user of the user smart phone.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the user smart phone is one of a plurality of user smart phones having subscribed to live digital MEMs sound data from the speaker smart phone.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the user smart phone has subscribed to receive live digital MEMs sound data from the speaker smart phone.

15 . A method comprising:

using a user smart phone having at least one processor for:

receiving, by a user smart phone over a wireless cellular network, live digital micro electrical-mechanical system (MEMs) sound data captured by a speaker smart phone;

processing the live digital MEMS sound data from the speaker smart phone in accordance with a hearing loss compensation algorithm;

generating audible sound waves for the live digital MEMs sound data processed utilizing the hearing loss compensation algorithm; and

outputting the generated audible sound waves to a listening device connected to the user smart phone.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein generating the audible sound waves comprises converting the processed live digital MEMs sound data to analog sound waves.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the generated audible sound waves are outputted to the listening device using a short range radio frequency.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the short range radio frequency comprises a Bluetooth connection.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising generating text by processing the live digital MEMS sound data using a speech to text algorithm and outputting the text adapted for viewing by a user of the user smart phone.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the speech to text algorithm comprises a connectionist temporal classification (CTC) algorithm.