Figure 1. Muzik Inc’s patent “Wireless earbuds and wearable charger and integrated speaker”
Ear devices, like other wearables, continue to track multifunctionality. Two cases offer new opportunities for future add-on features and connectivity:
- Muzik Inc.’s wireless earbuds (Fig 1, USPTO #D835602) are indeed wireless but that’s where their resemblance to earbuds-as-we-know-them ends. Intead, they use the head as shelf space for an onboard power supply and integrated speakers, with plenty of room left for more sensors and a command center. Fully loaded–and assuming they’re comfortable–you might never go bareheaded again in the future.
- Umo Neuroscience’s earable EEG headset (feature image above) also uses the head to advantage. Its beautiful design would fit right into Tiffany’s Elsa Perretti collection, plus it offers plenty of real estate to park sensors, terminals, integrators, even an earbud or two.
What’s on Deck? Who’s on Deck?
With all those sensors on a variety of devices, how does an integrator know what to send and receive from which devices in what order? What other devices share content with those in your ears? As you’d guess, these are questions addressed in many present patent projects. As examples in December:
Verifying who’s receiving what content, in whatever device and device order, remains an important trend. Ironclad Encryption’s new patent title says it all: “User-wearable secured devices provided assuring authentication and validation of data storage and transmission” (USPTO #10154031).
What Are You Doing?
Verification is always important when sending and receiving personal or financial information. But there are other reasons connected devices might want to be careful what they do with and to whom. Some reasons are not particularly intuitive, at least to Hearing Economics. The following have nothing to do with ears, hearing or listening, at least on their own. But they hold a certain curious charm and fascination, underscoring the over-riding importance of device instruction order as well as user verification when considering people walking around, locked and loaded with wearables:
- #D834893: Wearable snack tray. (remove before launching either of the next two items.)
- #10154695: Personal wearable airbag device for preventing injury. (the patent’s images say it best)
- #10161710: Weapons embedded in a wearable item. (“a firearm and a knife…concealable even if … not wearing clothes…instantly available and easily deployed…”). Let’s hope this one never finds its way into the ear!
The December 2018 List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Wireless communication method, wearable device, mobile terminal, and system |
XI’An Zhongxing New Software Co, Ltd (Xi’An, Shaanxi, CN) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Occlusion device capable of occluding an ear canal |
Staton Techiya, LLC (Delray Beach, FL) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Event listening integration in a collaborative electronic information system |
Atlassian Pty Ltd (Sydney, AU) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Volume adjustment for listening environment |
Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Seattle, WA) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
User interfaces of a hearing device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Ear cup venting mechanism for gaming headset |
Performance Designed Products, LLC (Burbank, CA) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Earbuds with detachable ear-wings |
Applicant: Chen, Scott Zhihao (Irvine, CA) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Audio listening arrangement |
Zound Industries International AB (Stockholm, SE) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Hearing prosthesis sound processing |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Configurable hearing system |
Bernafon A/G (Bern, CH) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Binaural cue preservation in a bilateral system |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Systems and methods for hearing assistance RF multi-band operation |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Hearing assistance system |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Hearing aid configured to be operating in a communication system |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device with an optical identification |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Wearable device detection |
International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY) |
12/04/2018 |
|
|
Wearable device and translation system |
Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co, Ltd (Osaka, JP) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
User-wearable secured devices provided assuring authentication and validation of data storage and transmission |
Ironclad Encryption Corporation (Houston, TX) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device with communication protection and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Power management for wireless earpieces utilizing sensor measurements |
Bragi GmbH (Munchen, DE) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Personalization of auditory stimulus |
Nura Holdings Pty Ltd (Brunswick, Victoria, AU) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Hearing aid communication system and hearing aid communication method thereof |
Unlimiter MFA Co., Ltd (Eden Island, SC) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Multifunction system and method for integrated hearing and communication with noise cancellation and feedback management |
EarLens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Monaural speech intelligibility predictor unit, a hearing aid and a binaural hearing system |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Advanced artificial sound hearing training |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device with position data and method of operating a hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Process and architecture for remotely adjusting a hearing aid |
Digital Tales S.R.L. (Milan, IT) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Performance based in situ optimization of hearing aids |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Wireless earbuds and wearable charger and integrated speaker |
Muzik Inc. (West Hollywood, CA) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Ear wax removal device and methods thereof |
Earways Medical Ltd (Rosh Ha’Ayin, Israel) |
12/18/2018 |
|
|
Vehicle with wearable for identifying role of one or more users and adjustment of user settings |
Bragi GmbH (Munchen, DE) |
12/18/2018 |
|
|
Headphone |
Bragi GmbH (Munchen, DE) |
12/18/2018 |
|
|
Custom-molding in-ear headphone ear tips |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
12/18/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device and method of updating a hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
12/11/2018 |
|
|
Template based custom ear insert virtual shaping method |
Applicant: Pirzanski, Chester Zbigniew (Brampton, Canada) |
12/18/2018 |
|
|
Rights management in a hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
12/18/2018 |
|
|
Method of fitting a hearing aid system, a hearing aid fitting system and a computerized device |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
12/18/2018 |
|
|
Implantable stimulating assembly arrangements |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Headphones with combined ear-cup and ear-bud |
Nura Holdings Pty Ltd (Brunswick, Victoria, AU) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Earpiece with app environment |
Bragi GmbH (Munchen, DE) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Sound system for tinnitus relief |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising a beamformer filtering unit |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Prosthesis state and feedback path based parameter management |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Listening device with automatic mode change capabilities |
III Holdings 4, LLC (Wilmington, DE) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Non-contact antenna feed |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
12/25/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
12/25/2018 |
Editor’s note: Interested readers can click the following links for patents approved in November 2018, October 2018, September 2018, August 2018, July 2018, June 2018, May 2018, April 2018, Q1 2018, Nov/Dec 2017, October 2017, September 2017, August 2017, June/July 2017, May 2017, April 2017, March 2017, February 2017, January 2017, December 2016, November 2016, October 2016, Sept 2016, Jul/Aug 2016, May/Jun 2016, Mar/Apr 2016, Jan/Feb 2016, Nov/Dec 2015, 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
Holly Hosford-Dunn, PhD, owned and operated a dispensing audiology practice in Tucson and was active in management of HearingHealthMatters.org through 2017. She holds BA degrees in Communication Sciences, Psychology and Economics; MA in Communication Disorders; PhD in Hearing Sciences. Following post-doctoral work at Max Planck Institute (Munich, DE) and Eaton-Peabody Auditory Physiology Lab (Boston), she joined the Stanford medical school faculty as director of audiology. She has authored/edited numerous text books, chapters, journals, and articles and taught Marketing and Practice Management in a variety of academic settings. She continues to consult and write on topics related to hearing health care vis-à-vis consumer demands, professional training, technological advancement, capital investment, industry consolidation, regulatory control, product and service distribution, and strategic pricing.
