The Mind Boggles
Here are a few questions as food for thought while contemplating how the myriad computations, calculations, decompositions, re-creations and retrieval- from- storage audio outputs can be massaged to complement, supplement and creatively enhance our individual hearing capabilities and preferences.
Q1. Which do you prefer, Reality or an Upgrade? Both require binaural processing, by whatever name it’s called. Both will make you feel as though you were there, wherever there is, and maybe you are.
- Binaural sound reproduction for AR/VR audio is presented through ear devices in such a way that listeners’ audio hear is congruent with real-world 3D sound. Apple, 10764684
- Headphone virtualization (or binaural rendering) … aims to deliver a surround sound experience or immersive sound field using standard stereo headphones. Dolby 10771914
Q2. When is a device a hearing aid, a hearing assistance device, a hearing instrument, a Hearable or just a plain old ear-plug? Does it make a difference in the long game?
- Hearing aids are only one type of hearing assistance device…audio information can be…transferred…to and from the hearing instruments for the purpose of streaming entertainment, carrying on phone conversations, playing announcements, alarms and reminders. Starkey 10764694
- An ear-plug assembly presents audio content to an ear canal of a user. The audio content may be based in part on sound in a local area surrounding the user… The detected sounds may be amplified, attenuated, filtered, and/or augmented when presented by the speaker assembly. Facebook Technologies, 10771888
D896382 Ear Nose Cleaner
Finally, consider the Ear and nose cleaner (D896382, Shenzhen Tuojia Technology). It’s cute and probably OTC, but given Covid-19 and whatnot, it may not fly off the shelves.
The September 2020 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Clinical fitting assistance using software analysis of stimuli |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Fixation of a removable magnet or a similar element in an elastic implant material |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Capacitance loaded antenna for ear-worn electronic device |
Amazon Technologies Inc (Seattle, WA) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Ear-wearable device having tunnel with electrical contact pins |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Binaural audio using an arbitrarily shaped microphone array |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Hearing assistance device using unencoded advertisement for eavesdropping on bluetooth host device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
BTE hearing instrument comprising an open-end transmission line antenna |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Identifying hearing prosthesis actuator resonance peak(s) |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Ear-mountable bio-sensor device |
Inova Design Solutions Ltd (London, GB) |
9/01/2020 |
|
|
Ear canal plug for detecting bio-electrical signals |
T&W Engineering A/S (Lynge, DK) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Battery alarm for a hearing aid, a hearing aid and a method for the use in a battery alarm |
Widex A/S (Varlose, DK) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Dual earpieces for same ear |
Bragi GmbH (Munich, DE) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
In-ear wireless device |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
User interface for an earbud device |
Sony Corporation (Tokyo, JP) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Hearing assistance device that uses one or more sensors to autonomously change a power mode of the device |
Eargo Inc (Mountain View, CA) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Ear-plug assembly for hear-through audio systems |
Facebook Technologies LLC |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising a microphone adapted to be located at or in the ear canal of a user |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Hearing assistance device with improved microphone protection |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Generating binaural audio in response to multi-channel audio using at least one feedback delay network |
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (San Francisco, CA) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Wireless earbud |
Shenzhen Ginto E-Commerce Co Limited (Shenzhen, CN) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid |
Applicant: Zheng, Weifeng (Shenzhen, CN) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Ear-mountable bio-sensor device |
Inova Design Solutions Ltd (London, GB) |
9/08/2020 |
|
|
Dual-ear heart rate detection using asymmetry |
Plantronics Inc (Santa Cruz, CA) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Detection of electrically evoked stapedius reflex |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Method for external ear canal pressure regulation to alleviate disorder symptoms |
Nocira LLC (Tempe, AZ) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Dexamethasone coating for use with electrode carrier |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Implantable stimulating assembly with limited components |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Single-interface connector assembly for hearing device fuel cell power pack |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Antenna |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
System and method for reducing wind noise in an electronic hearing protector |
Etymotic Research Inc (Elk Grove Village, IL) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Body temperature hearing aid |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Hearing evaluation and configuration of a hearing assistance-device |
Concha Inc (San Carlos, CA) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device and hearing system as well as method for operating a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Hearing system, devices and method of securing communication for a user application |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Damping in contact hearing systems |
Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
RF antenna and hearing device with RF antenna |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising an automatic power switching |
Oticon Medical (Smorum, DK) |
9/15/2020
|
|
|
Smartphone moves location of binaural sound |
applicants: Norris, Glen A (Tokyo, JP) & Lyren, Philip Scott (Bangkok, TH) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Ear and nose cleaner |
Shenzhen Tuojia Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CH) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid |
Xiamen Retone Hearing Technology Co Ltd (Fujian, CN) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Main unit of hearing aid |
Xiamen Retone Hearing Technology Co Ltd (Fujian, CN) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid |
Applicant: Zhang, Chengxiang (Fujian, CN) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Custom fit in-ear monitors utilizing a single piece driver module |
Logitech Europe SA (Lausanne, CH) |
9/15/2020 |
|
|
Device and method for improving the quality of in-ear microphone signals in noisy environments |
EERS Global Technologies Inc (Montreal, Quebec, CA) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Method and system for establishing network connection to a hearing aid |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Hearing device with service mode and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Hearing assistance device with an accelerometer |
Eargo Inc (Mountain View, CA) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Method for adjusting parameters of a hearing system and hearing system |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Recursive noise power estimation with noise model adaptation |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Ear-worn electronic hearing device incorporating an antenna with cutouts |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid bowtie antenna optimized for ear to ear communications |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid with electronics frame and antenna integrated therein |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Method of manufacturing a hearing device and hearing device with certificate |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Ear band apparatus |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Hearing-aid |
Shenzhen Svote Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Hearing-aid |
Shenzhen Svote Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
9/22/2020 |
|
|
Method for determining hearing thresholds in the absence of pure-tone testing |
Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Hearing protection method, apparatus and system |
Shenzhen Grandsun Electronic Co (Shenzhen, CN) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Dynamic thresholds for always listening speech trigger |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Encrypted audio streaming |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Ear-plug assembly for acoustic conduction systems |
Facebook Technologies LLC (Menlo Park, CA) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Hearing aid device for hands free communication |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Ear band apparatus |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Assisted hearing aid with synthetic substitution |
applicant: Lasky, Michael B (Minneapolis, MN) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Improving a user experience localizing binaural sound to an AR or VR image |
applicants: Norris, Glen A (Tokyo, JP) & Lyren, Philip Scott (Bangkok, TH) |
9/29/2020 |
|
|
Wireless earbud |
Gentex Corporation (Simpson, PA) |
9/29/2020 |
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.
**featured image, Facebook Technologies patent #10771888
