Did We Miss Anything?
Apple’s lengthy patent 10979796, In-ear wireless listening device, has 68 figures to support its comprehensive ambitions. The device form (above) is familiar to all by now, but this one purports to house a host of improvements to address the many aspects of headset design. Specifically it takes on size and weight, comfort, shape, individual fit, appearance/aesthetics, sound quality, background noise, intuitive & convenient of use, mass production, affordability, wireless connectivity protocols, power distribution & charging control.
DTS patent 10979809, Combination of immersive and binaural sound, envisions separation and reproduction of sounds using loudspeaker and headphone combinations to avoid occlusion effects while the listener clearly hears soundtracks and specific sounds nearby.
The April 2021 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Hearing assessment system |
dB Diagnostic Systems Inc (Weston, CT) |
4/06/2021 |
|
|
Hearing protector with curved segments |
3M Innovative Properties Company (St Paul, MN) |
4/06/2021 |
|
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User interfaces of a hearing device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/06/2021 |
|
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Computer-implemented tools and methods for determining optimal ear tip fitment |
Bose |
4/06/2021 |
|
|
Complex computing network for enabling substantially instantaneous switching between conversation mode and listening mode on a mobile application |
Stereo App Limited (Ashford, GB) |
4/06/2021 |
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In-ear headphones with an ergonomic cushion and an ergonomic cushion thereof |
Kingston technology Corp (Fountain Valley, CA) |
4/06/2021 |
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Voice detection using ear-based devices |
Amazon Technologies Inc (Seattle, WA) |
4/06/2021 |
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Hearing device and systems and methods for communicating with the same |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/06/2021 |
|
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Microphone placement |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/06/2021 |
|
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Calibration method for hearing protection devices |
Honeywell International Inc (Morris Plains, NJ) |
4/06/2021 |
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|
Method for processing an audio signal in accordance with a room impulse response, signal processing unit, audio encoder, audio decoder, and binaural renderer |
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung eV (Munich, DE) |
4/06/2021 |
|
|
Earbud holder |
Intagliotech LLC (Ann Arbor, MI) |
4/06/2021 |
|
|
Daily cognitive monitoring of early signs of hearing loss |
International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY) |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
Implantable microphone management |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
Apparatus for treatment of meniere’s disease |
MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBH (INNSBRUCK, AT) |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
Device and method for auditory stimulation |
Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Juelich, DE) |
4/13/2021 |
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Cochlear implant system for processing multiple sound source information |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
Diverse eavesdropping for a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
In-ear wireless listening device |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
Combination of immersive and binaural sound |
DTS Inc (Calabasas, CA) |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
Method of estimating a feedback path of a hearing aid and a hearing aid |
widex |
4/13/2021 |
|
|
Ear-worn electronic device incorporating chip antenna loading of antenna structure |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/13/2021 |
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Bone conduction device including a balanced electromagnetic actuator having radial and axial air gaps |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/13/2021 |
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Device and method to reduce ear wax clogging of acoustic ports, hearing aid sealing system, and feedback reduction system |
Staton Techiya LLC (Delray Beach, FL) |
4/13/2021 |
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|
Rights management in a hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/13/2021 |
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|
Hearing prosthesis emitting ultrasonic pulses |
Audisense GmbH (Luebeck, DE) |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Configuration of implanted devices |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Authentication of user using ear biometric data |
Cirrus Logic Inc (Austin, TX) |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Antenna device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Customized ear tips |
Bose |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Electrostatic acoustic transducer utilized in a hearing aid or audio processing system |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA) |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Earbud |
Goertek Inc (Weifang, CN) |
4/20/2021 |
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Methods and apparatuses for setting a hearing aid to an omnidirectional microphone mode or a directional microphone mode |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Antenna module |
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (Suwon-si, KR) |
4/20/2021 |
|
|
Hearing aid mounting assembly |
Applicant: Hilvers, Richard |
4/20/2021 |
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|
Variable transducer fixation |
MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBH (INNSBRUCK, AT) |
4/20/2021 |
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|
Method of performing real ear measurements by placing a probe element at an intended position from a tympanic membrane of an individual’s ear canal and a measuring system configured to carry out such method |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Electronic hearing protector with switchable electrical contacts |
3M Innovative Properties Company (St Paul, MN) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Methods and compositions for preventing and treating auditory dysfunctions |
United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs (Washington, DC) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Auditory and visual guidance system for emergency evacuation |
Applicant: Alali, Khaled & Alhazza, Khaled (Safat, KW) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Method for reducing noise in an audio signal and a hearing device |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Head-worn device having electrostatic discharge protection |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Telephone system for the hearing impaired |
Eugenious Enterprises LLC (Medina, OH) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
In-ear wireless listening device |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Ear jewelry with integrated headset |
Nova Products GmbH (Munich, DE) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Smart earbud device of an earphone |
Applicant: Singh, Ningombam Aryamann (Chandimandir, IN); Rewarie, Hritik (Panchkula, IN); Singh, Siya & Singh, Sanjeev Kumar (Alpharetta, GA) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Hearing devices and methods for implementing automatic sensor-based on/off control of a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
System and method for aiding hearing |
Texas Institute of Science Inc (Richardson, TX) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Speech intelligibility-based hearing devices and associated methods |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Hearing device with neural network-based microphone signal processing |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Selecting audio input from a hearing device and a mobile device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Hearing device including antenna unit |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Wax protection for in-canal hearing device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Elastomeric wax barrier for hearing aid acoustic port |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Preprogrammed hearing assistance device with preselected algorithm |
Schumaier, Daniel R (Elizabethton, TN) |
4/27/2021 |
|
|
Remote control for hearing aids |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/27/2021 |
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.
