The feature image above depicts Facebook’s vision for a tragus conduction Hearable (patent #10999668), the idea being to mechanically vibrate the tragus to produce one or more sound waves that travel down an ear canal of the user’s ear toward an eardrum; the purpose being to generate sounds and allow ambient sounds to reach a user while reducing sound leakage.
Nature vs nurture aside, little Mozarts just might get a head start if their moms share their earbuds. Mbrio patent #D920287 design for pregnancy headphones do just that: “just pop your earbuds into the adapters, clip them to your waistband and feel baby move!”
The May 2021 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Nozzle and ear cleaning device |
Shenzhen Zhuzhu Digital Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Hearing percept parameter adjustment strategy for a hearing prosthesis |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Fitting bilateral hearing prostheses |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Fixation component for insertion tools for minimally invasive cochlear implants |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Headpieceless hearing assistance apparatus, systems and methods with distributed power |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Neural stimulation system |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Electrode arrays and cochlear implants including the same |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Listening devices for obtaining metrics from ambient noise |
Capital One Services LLC (McLean, VA) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Methods and systems implementing language-trainable computer-assisted hearing aids |
Applicant: Rafil, Abbas (Palo Alto, CA) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Method and system for producing binaural immersive audio for audio-visual content |
Turku University of Applied Sciences Ltd (Turku, FI) |
5/04/2021 |
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|
Display where a voice of a calling party will externally localize as binaural sound for a telephone call |
Lyren, Philip Scott (Hong Kong, CN) & Norris, Glen A (Tokyo, JP) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Earbud and method for implementing wearing detection and touch operation |
Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Apparatus, system, and method for tragus conduction hearable device |
Facebook Technologies LLC (Menlo Park, CA) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Ear tip sealing structure |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Hearing device with model control and associated methods |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Wireless ear bud |
Applicant: Chen, Pengcheng (Guangdong, CN) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Ear loop earbud |
Plantronics Inc (Santa Cruz, CA) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Communication earbud |
Plantronics Inc (Santa Cruz, CA) |
5/04/2021 |
|
|
Devices and methods for trackable hearing protection in magnetic resonance imaging |
The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford, CA) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Sealing assembly for inflatable in-ear device |
EERS Global Technologies Inc (Montreal, CA) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Techniques for using a touch screen to perform ear detection using emulated self capacitance sensing |
STMicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Ear-plug device with in-ear cartilage conduction transducer |
Facebook Technologies LLC (Menlo Park, CA) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Context dependent tapping for hearing devices |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Headphone off-ear detection |
Avnera Corporation (Hillsboro, OR) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Hearing protection device with multiband limiter and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Hearing device and a method of selecting an optimal transceiver channel in a wireless network |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Auditory device assembly |
Eartex Limited (London, GB) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Binaural hearing aid system and a method of operating a binaural hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Hearing aid device having wireless communication |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Implantable microphone for an implantable ear prosthesis |
Universite D’Aix Marseille (Marseilles, FR), Assistance Publique des Hopitaux de Marseille (Marseilles, FR), Institut Franais des Sciences et technologies des Transports, de L’Amenagement et des Reseaux (Marne la Vallee, FR) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Middle ear implant coupler for mechanical cochlea stimulation via the round window |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Photoactive self-cleaning hearing assistance device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/11/2021 |
|
|
Hearing protection and communication apparatus using vibration sensors |
Intel Corporation (Santa Clara, CA) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Implantable electrode with dexamethasone coating |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Multi profile hearing protection headset |
Safariland LLC (Jacksonville, FL) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Hearing assistance device incorporating a quarter wave stub as a solderless antenna connection |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Wire termination using fixturing elements |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Eartips for in-ear listening devices |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Spatially biased sound pickup for binaural video recording |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Cognitive benefit measure related to hearing-assistance device use |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Hearing aid device with integrated antenna |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Ear-worn electronic device incorporating antenna with reactively loaded network circuit |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
System for adjusting magnetic retention force in auditory prostheses |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Bone conduction device having magnets integrated with housing |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Calibration for self fitting and hearing devices |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Computing system for binaural ambisonics decoding |
Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Redmond, WA) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Ear of robot |
Sony Corporation (Tokyo, JP) |
5/18/2021 |
|
|
Measuring respiration with an in-ear accelerometer |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Therapeutic agents for inner ear hearing impairment |
Keio University (Tokyo, JP) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Combination therapies for inner ear sensory hair cell regeneration/replacement |
Hough Ear Institute (Oklahoma City, OK) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Hand removable, clip on wax guards |
Eargo Inc (San Jose, CA) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Self-adjusting fundamental frequency accentuation subsystem for natural ear device |
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System (Austin, TX) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Modular hearing assistance device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Remotely controlling a hearing device |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Beam former, beam forming method and hearing aid system |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Hearing protection device with reliability and related methods |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Hearing instrument having a coupling unit for the vibration-damped mounting of a receiver |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Earpiece for a hearing device and a hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Ear dome for a receiver of a hearing device, method of manufacturing an ear dome, and hearing device |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Communication device having a dual protocol wireless interface |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Low power intermittent messaging for hearing assistance devices |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Set of prenatal earbud adapters |
MBRIO Technologies LLC (Cleveland, OH) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Earbud headset |
Skullcandy Inc (Park City, UT) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Earbud |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
5/25/2021 |
|
|
Earbud |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
5/25/2021 |
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.
