Hanging on Our Every Word
Those who’ve been there know that war is hell, not least due to blinding and deafening conditions that severely limit communications and compound the threat of imminent danger. A present-day Richard III might well shout out “My Kingdom for some AirPods” instead of a horse. The US Government’s patent #10681475 for a System and method for evaluating speech perception in complex listening environments (feature image), sketches out a wearable device to arm those in the field.
You don’t have to be in battle to benefit from precise communication in the midst of noise and other distractions. Hence, Big Tech telecommunications technologies are using Hearables to grab and process our every spoken word, manifest in patents by Amazon (10674257 Wearable device with bone conduction microphone) and Nokia (10685663, Enabling in-ear voice capture using deep learning).
The June 2020 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Systems and methods for determining a stapedius reflex threshold based on electro-acoustic stimulation |
Advanced Bionics (Staefa, CH) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Islet1 (ISl1) and hearing loss |
Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary (Boston, MA) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Hearing protection earphone, hearing protection method and computer program storage medium for the same |
Merry Electronics (Suzhou) Co Ltd (Suzhou, CN) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Ear-hanging type structure and earphone including ear-hanging type structure |
Dongguan Koppo Electronics Co LLD (Dongguan, CN) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Wearable device with bone conduction microphone |
Amazon Technologies Inc (Seattle, WA) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Safety ear hook apparatus |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Method for distorting the frequency of an audio signal and hearing apparatus operating according to this method |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Method of operating a hearing device and a hearing device |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Cognitive benefit measure related to hearing-assistance device use |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Modular connection assembly for a hearing assistance device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Magnet placement and antenna placement of an implant |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Antenna for a hearing assistance device |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid having an adaptive classifier |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Communication channels between a personal communication device and at least one head-worn device |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device and connecting clip for a hearing device |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for controlling a hearing instrument to relieve tinitus, hyperacusis, and hearing loss |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Coordinated tracking for binaural audio rendering |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for synchronizing hearing instruments via wireless communication |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for synchronizing hearing instruments via wireless communication |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
6/02/2020 |
|
|
Systems and methods for in-ear control of remote devices |
Qualcomm Incorporated (San Diego, CA) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device with communication protection and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Earbud case with pairing button |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Human-ear-wearable apparatus, system, and method of operation |
Applicant: Barry, Christopher Robert |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Clip-on microphone assembly |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Hearing devices with activity scheduling for an artifact-free user experience |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
System and method for evaluating speech perception in complex listening environments |
The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Defense (Bethesda, MD) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device and method with flexible control of beamforming |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Percutaneous vibration conductor |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Recognition of implantable medical device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Stimulation prosthesis with configurable data link |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
6/09/2020 |
|
|
Device and system for doppler optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the human middle ear |
Technische Universitat Dresden (Dresden, DE) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Hearing assistance device comprising an implanted part for measuring and processing electrically evoked nerve responses |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Enabling in-ear voice capture using deep learning |
Nokia Technologies Oy (Espoo, FI) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid device including a self-checking unit for determine status of one or more features of the hearing aid device based on feedback response |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Feedback detector and a hearing device comprising a feedback detector |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device with contextually actuated valve |
Knowles Electronics LLC (Itasca, IL) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device with model control and associated methods |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Radio frequency antenna for an in-the-ear hearing device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Head direction hearing assist switching |
IntriCon Corporation (Arden Hills, MN) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Auxiliary device |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid component cap |
Applicant: Szmanda, Jeffrey P (Big Bend, WI) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
Ear tip |
Kim, Hyun Chul (Chungcheongbuk-Do, KR) & Cho, Jungsik (Gyeonggi-Do, KR) |
6/16/2020 |
|
|
In-ear active noise reduction earphone |
Shenzhen Cannice Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, Guangdong, CN) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Inductance coil with varied geometry |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Inductance coil path |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid |
Applicants: Neumeier, Zeev (Berkeley, CA) & Hoarty, W Leo (Morgan Hill, CA) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Ear-worn electronic device incorporating motor brain-computer interface |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Multi-mode radio for hearing assistance devices |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Audio transmission system |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Hearing Aid |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device and method of hearing device communication |
Oracle International Corporation (Redwood Shores, CA) |
6/23/2020 |
|
|
Device for cleaning a hearing aid |
MG Development (Perols, FR) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Mobile system with wireless earbud |
Pinn Inc (Tustin, CA) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Ear tip with increased material loading |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Earbud charging case |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Binaural recording for processing audio signals to enable alerts |
Intel Corporation (Santa Clara, CA) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Method of monitoring state of health of a battery of a hearing device, a hearing device, a hearing device and an arrangement comprising a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Method of operating a hearing aid, and hearing aid |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising a speech intelligibility estimator for influencing a processing algorithm |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
External device leveraged hearing assistance and noise suppression device, method and systems |
The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA) & San Diego State University Research Foundation (San Diego, CA) |
9/30/2020 |
|
|
Flexible ear tip for a hearing aid |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
9/30/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device seal modules, modular hearing devices including the same and associated methods |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Systems and methods for treating tinnitus and enhancing hearing |
Regents of the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Binaural dialogue enhancement |
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (San Francisco, CA) & Dolby International AB (Amsterdam Zuidoost, NL) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Localizing binaural sound to objects |
Norris, Glen A (Tokyo, JP) & Lyren, Philip Scott (Bangkok, TH) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Method for manufacturing a circuit |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Charger |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
6/30/2020 |
|
|
Combined ear muff and glasses |
Loud and Clear Safety Pty Ltd (Victoria, AU) |
6/30/2020 |
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.
