On January 7, the Oticon vs GN Resound patent war came to an end with scarcely a shot fired. Settling a “slew of patent disputes” was good news for Big 6 bottom line solidarity and uninterrupted technological innovation.
Words, Words, Words
While the FDA continues its decade-long struggle to parse and define ear technology, the innovators have moved on to an inclusive vision of auditory processing. “Hearing aid” shows up in 16 patent titles in today’s list (below). By comparison, 19 titles capture audio innovations with more comprehensive words and phrases (e.g., ear/hearing/listening devices, instruments, systems for hearing, hearing assistance). Consider verbiage paraphrased from recent patent documents (bold added):
“A personal hearing system may comprise…one or two hearing aids, also denoted as hearing prostheses, external and/or implanted … hearing protectors …communication devices allowing individuals to speak to each other remotely, inconspicuously and/or in noisy environments … headsets…. auxiliary components (remote controls, audio streaming devices, or fitting interface devices). Typically all components of a personal hearing system are designed such that they can be carried at least temporarily at the body of its user.” From Phonak patent application #20150296308.{{1}}[[1]]Method for Providing Distant Support to a Personal Hearing System User and System for Implementing Such a Method. USPTO Application #20150296308.[[1]]
Ear-level devices, including headphones, earphones, head sets, hearing aids and the like, are adapted to be worn at the ear of a user and provide personal sound processing. {{2}}[[2]]Personalized Hearing Profile Generation with Real-Time Feedback. USPTO 9197971.[[2]]
Remote but Personal
Ear devices remain on the ears for now, but their innards are moving off to remote servers to which wearers have personal, if not intimate, relationships or “templates.” FDA approved online hearing testing is already with us. Here is a sampling of next-step visions:
“… The rise of the Internet has offered the possibility for the development of personalization techniques that flow from on-line testing. User-specific acoustic adjustment parameters [for improving speech intelligibility] are stored as templates in a central location. A user can access a template [by providing an ID to the server] … for application to a communication session by connection to the central location [and it] … can be applied on behalf of the user for use in connection with different user devices or communication endpoints.” USPTO 9197971.
“The intelligibility of speech …and a set of acoustic adjustment parameters is determined for the user [which] is placed in central store, for example … a server.” USPTO 9161136.
The Patent List
Description | Patent Number | Assignee | Issued |
Systems and Methods for Forward Link Communication in Wireless Power Systems | 9166439 | Qualcomm Inc. (San Diego, CA) | 10/20/2015 |
Microphone Module with Sound Pipe | 9173015 | Invensense, Inc. (San Jose, CA) | 10/27/2015 |
Noise Mitigating Microphone System | 9173024 | Invensense, Inc. (San Jose, CA) | 10/27/2015 |
Bone Anchor Fixture for a Medical Prosthesis | 9173042 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 10/27/2015 |
Apparatus and Method for Ultra Wideband Communication Using Dual Band Pass Filter | 9172425 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Suwon-si, KR) | 10/27/2015 |
Enhancing Perception of Frequency-Lowered Speech | 9173041 | Purdue Research Foundation (West Lafayette, IN) | 10/27/2015 |
Drug Eluting Cochlear Implants | 9162010 | Tepha, Inc. (Lexington, MA) | 10/28/2015 |
Audio system with feedback cancellation | 9179223 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 11/03/2015 |
Antennas for Standard Fit Hearing Assistance Devices | 9179227 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 11/03/2015 |
Device for Cleaning a Hearing Aid | 9174248 | MG Development (Perols, France) | 11/03/2015 |
System and Method for Measuring and Validating the Occlusion Effect of a Hearing Aid User | 9179230 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 11/03/2015 |
Hearing device with adaptive feedback-path estimation | 9179224 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 11/03/2015 |
Hearing Aid Device | 9179225 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co. Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) | 11/03/2015 |
Systems Devices, Components and Methods for Providing Acoustic Isolation between Microphones and Transducers in Bone Conduction Magnetic Hearing Aids | 9179228 | Sophono, Inc. (Boulder, CO) | 11/03/2015 |
Treatment And/Or Prevention of Inner Ear Conditions by Modulation of a Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor | 9173864 | House Ear Institute (Los Angeles, CA) | 11/03/2015 |
Partially Implantable Hearing Device | 9179226 | Advanced Bionics AG (CH) | 11/03/2015 |
Speech processor cases | 9179229 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 11/03/2015 |
Systems and Methods for Facilitating Time-Based Fitting by a Sound Processor | 9179231 | Advanced Bionics AG (CH) | 11/03/2015 |
Signal Processing for Hearing Prostheses | 9179222 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 11/03/2015 |
Method and device for intracochlea impedance measurement | 9273585 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 11/03/2015 |
Impact protection for implantable electric lead | 9174039 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 11/03/2015 |
Method of improving a long term feedback path estimate in a listening device | 9185505 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 11/10/2015 |
Hearing device with two or more microphones and two or more resonators having different lengths and the same resonant frequency | 9185498 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 11/10/2015 |
Compression of spaced sources for hearing assistance devices | 9185500 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 11/10/2015 |
Method and Computer Program Product of Processing Sound Segment and Hearing Aid | 9185497 | Unlimiter MFA CO. Ltd. (Eden Island, Seychelles) | 11/10/2015 |
Binaural Hearing Aid with Frequency Unmasking | 9185499 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 11/10/2015 |
Methods and Apparatus for Processing Audio Signals | 918585 | Sonitus Medical Inc. (San Mateo, CA) | 11/10/2015 |
Domes for a receiver-in-the-canal hearing instrument | 9185503 | Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore SG) | 11/10/2015 |
Tonotopic implant stimulation | 9180295 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 11/10/2015 |
Modular Adapter Assembly for Telecoil and Auxiliary Audio Input Device Mixing | 9191751 | Advanced Bionics AG (CH) | 11/17/2015 |
Entrainment Avoidance with an Auto Regressive Filter | 9191752 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 11/17/2015 |
Hearing Aid with Inductively Coupled Electromagnetic Resonator Antenna | 9191757 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 11/17/2015 |
Spatial enhancement mode for hearing aids | 9191755 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 11/17/2015 |
Assisting Conversation in Noisy Environments | 9190043 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 11/17/2015 |
Contoured Battery Case Based on Cell Shapes | 9190642 | Eaglepicher Technologies, LLC (Joplin, MO) | 11/17/2015 |
Custom Fit In-Ear Monitor Utilizing a Single Piece Driver Module | 9191758 | Logitech Europe, S.A. (Lausanne, CH) | 11/17/2015 |
Systems and Methods for Detecting Wireless Charging Transmit Characteristics | 9190876 | Qualcomm Inc. (San Diego, CA) | 11/17/2015 |
Data Transmission through a Recipient’S Skull Bone | 9191759 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 11/17/2015 |
Optimal Pre-Load for Floating Mass Transducers | 9191760 | Vibrant Med-El Hearing Technology GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 11/17/2015 |
Method for Automatically Setting a Piece of Equipment and Classifier | 9191754 | Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore SG) | 11/17/2015 |
Hearing Aid and a Method of Enhancing Speech Reproduction | 9191753 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 11/17/2015 |
Personalized Hearing Profile Generation with Real-Time Feedback | 9197971 | CVF, LLC (Chicago, IL) | 11/24/2015 |
Push-Pull Driver with Stage Inversion and Method of Operation | 9196418 | Qualcomm Inc. (San Diego, CA) | 11/24/2015 |
Methods and apparatus for reducing ambient noise based on annoyance perception and modeling for hearing-impaired listeners | 9197970 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 11/24/2015 |
Dynamic negotiation and discovery of hearing aid features and capabilities by fitting software to provide forward and backward compatibility | 9197972 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 11/24/2015 |
RF transmitter for electrically short antenna | 9203446 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 12/01/2015 |
Method of identifying a wireless communication channel in a sound system | 9204232 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 12/01/2015 |
Method for adjusting a hearing device as well as an arrangement for adjusting a hearing device | 9204226 | Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) | 12/01/2015 |
Electronic Earplug for Providing Communication and Protection | 9198800 | Etymotic Research, Inc. (Elk Grove Village, IL) | 12/01/2015 |
Noise Reduction System for Hearing Assistance Devices | 9204227 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 12/01/2015 |
Independent volume control in electro-acoustic stimulation systems – | 9204230 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 12/01/2015 |
Independent volume control in a bilateral auditory prosthesis system | 9204231 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 12/01/2015 |
Waterproof Acoustic Element Enclosures and Apparatus Including the Same | 9204229 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 12/01/2015 |
Methods and systems for optimizing speech and music perception by a bilateral cochlear implant patient | 9199079 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 12/01/2015 |
Hearing Instrument with Plug-In Sound Tube Connection, Corresponding Case and Sound Tube | 9204228 | Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore SG) | 12/01/2015 |
Hearing assistance device with brain computer interface | 9210517 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 12/08/2015 |
Hearing Aid | 9210522 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 12/08/2015 |
Ear to ear communication using wireless low energy transport | 9210520 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 12/08/2015 |
Method and apparatus for microphone matching for wearable directional hearing device using wearer’s own voice | 9210518 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 12/08/2015 |
Abutment Attachment Systems, Mechanisms, Devices, Components and Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Aids | 9210521 | Sophono, Inc. (Boulder, CO) | 12/08/2015 |
Hearing assistance system and method | 9210519 | Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) | 12/08/2015 |
Hearing assistance system and method | 92115535 | Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) | 12/15/2015 |
Hearing Aid and Method of Implanting a Hearing Aid | 9215537 | Advanced Bionics AG (CH) | 12/15/2015 |
Uncomfortable Sound Pressure Determination System, Method and Program Thereof, Hearing Aid Adjustment System, and Uncomfortable Sound Pressure Determination Apparatus | 9215533 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co. Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) | 12/15/2015 |
Pump Facility for a Hearing Device and Method of Inflating and Deflating an Earmold Member | 9212658 | Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore SG) | 12/15/2015 |
Hearing Aid and Method of Implanting a Hearing Aid | 9215537 | Advanced Bionics AG (CH) | 12/15/2015 |
Steerable stylet | 9211403 | Advanced Bionics AG (CH) | 12/15/2015 |
Multi-Band Integrated Speech Separating Microphone Array Processor with Adaptive Beamforming | 9215527 | Cirrus Logic, Inc. (Austin TX) | 12/15/2015 |
Switching Structures for Hearing Aid | 9215534 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 12/15/2015 |
Hearing Assistance System and Method | 9215535 | Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) | 12/15/2015 |
Body-worn control apparatus for hearing devices | 9219965 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 12/22/2015 |
Location based assistance using hearing instruments | 9219966 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 12/22/2015 |
Hearing assistance system with own voice detection | 9219964 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 12/22/2015 |
Stimulation prosthesis with configurable data link | 9216288 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 12/22/2015 |
Hearing protection earpiece | 9216113 | Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) | 12/22/2015 |
Hearing aid with means for estimating the ear plug fitting | 9226082 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 12/29/2015 |
Method of operating a hearing aid and a hearing aid | 9226084 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 12/29/2015 |
Inflatable ear mold with protected inflation air inlet | 9226086 | Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore SG) | 12/29/2015 |
Noise estimation for use with noise reduction and echo cancellation in personal communication | 9224393 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 12/29/2015 |
Editor’s note: The Patent Series is updated every two months. Click links for patents approved in Sept/Oct 2015, Jul/Aug 2015, May/Jun 2015, Mar/Apr 2015, Jan/Feb 2015, Nov/Dec 2014, Sep/Oct 2014, July/Aug 2014, May/Jun 2014, Mar/Apr 2014, Jan/Feb 2014, Nov/Dec 2013, September/October 2013, Jul/Aug 2013, May/Jun 2013, Mar/Apr 2013, Jan/Feb 2013, Nov/Dec 2012
feature image courtesy of born bibliophile