Ear module for a personal sound system

1. An ear module to be selectively worn on either left or right target ears, each target ear including an ear canal with an exterior opening, and having a forward wall, a rear wall, a concha, an anti-helix and a tragus, the ear module comprising:

a housing for data processing resources, including an outer lobe and an inner lobe coupled to the outer lobe, the inner lobe comprising an extension and a speaker, the inner lobe adapted to fit within the concha;

the inner lobe comprising a compressive member/cover assembly, the compressive member/cover assembly comprising a compressive member and the extension; and

the compressive member providing a holding force between the anti-helix and the forward wall of the ear canal thereby securing the ear module on the ear, the extension adapted to extend into the exterior opening of the ear canal.

2. The module of claim 1 , wherein the extension fits within the concha and beneath the tragus.

3. The module of claim 1 , wherein the compressive member tends to bias the extension away from the anti-helix and against the forward wall of the ear canal helping to ensure an air gap is maintained between the rear wall of the ear canal and the inner lobe.

4. The module of claim 1 , wherein the speaker is carried by the extension.

5. The module of claim 1 , including a radio, a microphone and a data processor within the housing, the data processor adapted to process sound picked up by the microphone and sound received over the radio, and to play the processed sound on the speaker.

6. The module of claim 1 , including a set of the compressive members, the compressive members being different sized compressive members to fit different sizes of ears.

7. The module of claim 1 , wherein at least the compressive member is positionable relative to the outer lobe between left and right ear orientations to permit the ear module to be worn on either the left target ear or the right target ear.

8. The module of claim 7 , wherein the compressive member/cover assembly is positionable between said left and right ear orientations.

9. The module of claim 8 , wherein the compressive member/cover assembly is rotatable relative to the outer lobe.

10. The module of claim 8 , wherein the compressive member/cover assembly is a one-piece resilient element.

11. The module of claim 8 , wherein the compressive member/cover assembly is removably mounted to the remainder of the inner lobe.

12. The module of claim 11 , including a set of compressive member/cover assemblies, the compressive member/cover assemblies having different sized compressive members to fit different sizes of ears.

13. An ear module system including an ear module to be selectively worn on either left or right target ears, each target ear including an ear canal with an exterior opening, having a forward wall, a rear wall, a concha, an anti-helix and a tragus, the ear module comprising:

a housing for data processing resources, including an outer lobe and an inner lobe coupled to the outer lobe, the inner lobe comprising an extension and a speaker, the inner lobe adapted to fit within the concha;

the inner lobe comprising a removable and replaceable compressive member/cover assembly, the compressive member/cover assembly comprising a compressive member and the extension;

the compressive member providing a holding force biasing the extension away from the anti-helix and against the forward wall of the ear canal near the tragus with the compressive member tending to force the forward surface of the extension against the forward wall of the ear canal thereby securing the ear module on the ear and helping to ensure an air gap is maintained between the rear wall of the ear canal and the inner lobe, the extension adapted to extend into the exterior opening of the ear canal;

the compressive member/cover assembly positionable relative to the remainder of the inner lobe between left and right ear orientations to permit the ear module to be worn on either the left target ear or the right target ear;

the compressive member/cover assembly being removably mounted to the remainder of the inner lobe; and

additional compressive member/cover assemblies, the compressive member/cover assemblies having different sized compressive members to fit different sizes of ears.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a radio, a microphone and a data processor within the housing, the data processor adapted to process sound picked up by the microphone and sound received over the radio, and to play the processed sound on the speaker.

15. A method for improving the quality of sound emanating from and ear module, the ear module of the type comprising a speaker and a portion extending into the ear canal of the user, the portion defining a sound bore having an exit and an entrance, the method comprising:

selecting a shape for the sound bore, the sound bore defining an axis;

selecting a length for the sound bore;

selecting at least one cross-sectional size for the sound bore at positions along the axis;

positioning the speaker at or near the entrance; and

the selecting and positioning steps carried out to help improve the frequency response of the ear module so that the ear module has a resonant peak near 2.7 kHz and a maximum 20 dB decrease in high frequency response as measured at 5 kHz from the average frequency response as measured at 500 Hz, 800 Hz, and 1600 Hz.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the shape selecting step is carried out by selecting a smoothly curving shape.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

choosing sound deflector structure for the entrance of the sound bore; and

positioning the sound deflecting structure at the entrance to direct sound from the speaker into the entrance.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the choosing and positioning steps are carried out to place a generally U-shaped deflector structure at the entrance.

19. A method for improving the quality of sound emanating from an ear module, the ear module of the type comprising a speaker and a portion extending into the ear canal of the user, the portion defining a sound bore having an exit and an entrance, the method comprising:

selecting a smoothly curving sound bore, the sound bore defining an axis;

selecting a length for the sound bore;

selecting at least two cross-sectional sizes for the sound bore at positions along the axis;

choosing sound deflector structure for the entrance of the sound bore;

positioning the speaker entrance;

positioning the sound deflecting structure at the entrance to direct sound from the speaker into the entrance without undesirable distortion; and

the selecting, choosing and positioning steps carried out to help improve the frequency response of the ear module so that the ear module has a resonant peak near 2.7 kHz and a maximum 20 dB decrease in high frequency response as measured at 5 kHz from the average frequency response as measured at 500 Hz, 800 Hz, and 1600 Hz.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the choosing and positioning steps comprise placing a generally U-shaped deflector structure at the entrance.