Lookin’ Good and Driving Good
Self driving vehicles are a reality now, which has ushered in a great deal of thinking and innovation to ensure safety for those in the car and in the surround. That includes the car being able to hear in varying driving conditions.
Not surprisingly, such thinking also extends in a good way to cars driven by those with hearing difficulties, manifest in Ford’s patent #11794770, Systems and Methods for Hearing Impaired Drivers. The rationale paragraph is thoughtful and reproduced here almost in its entirety:
…hearing aids typically do not provide support for driving situations. Often, hearing-impaired situations are not permanent therefore hearing aids are unnecessary. For example, a temporary hearing loss due to recent flight, a loud environment and other situations that are not related to disabilities of a driver may arise while driving may be atypical but nonetheless of concern to drivers. Because driving environments change and drivers of vehicles also change over time, hearing-impaired conditions change and there is a need for vehicles to respond accordingly…. altering vehicle motion to enable driver attention to the driving environment may include slowing the vehicle to enable driver attention to environmental cues, slowing the vehicle to a speed requiring hazard lights, engaging hazard lights on the vehicle, connecting with a network cloud server from the vehicle using, for example, vehicle to infrastructure communication, and transmitting an indication of activation of the accessibility mode.
On the stylin’ side, Harman International–which usually keeps its innovations firmly in the driver’s seat–has a fun patent for those of us who wear earbuds, whether in the car or in other activities. It’s patent #11805356 System and Method for Customizing an Appearance of Earbuds addresses our compelling need for:
a system and method that allows a consumer to customize and personalize earbud appearance in real-time using unlimited options.
The October 2023 patent list
| Description | Patent Number | Assignee | Issued |
| Fall detection using photoplethysmography detectors in ear-wearable devices | 11771343 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/03/2023 |
| System for inner ear drug delivery via trans-round window membrane injection | 11771876 | The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. (Cambridge, MA) | 10/03/2023 |
| MEMS device with perimeter barometric relief pierce | 11772961 | Knowles Electronics LLC (Itasca, IL) | 10/03/2023 |
| Hybrid noise suppression for communication systems | 11776520 | Plantronics Inc (Santa Cruz, CA) | 10/03/2023 |
| Systems and methods for generating and/or implementing a modified audiogram | 11776558 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/03/2023 |
| Direct alcohol fuel cell | 11777123 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 10/03/2023 |
| Operating more than one wireless communication protocol with a hearing device | 11778074 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/03/2023 |
| Electromagnetic transducer with non-axial air gap | 11778385 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 10/03/2023 |
| Audio data transmission method applied to switching between single-earbud mode and double-earbud mode of TWS headset and device | 11778363 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen, CN) | 10/03/2023 |
| Microphone assembly having a direct current bias circuit | 11778390 | Knowles Electronics LLC (Itasca, IL) | 10/03/2023 |
| Hearing device cable | 11778391 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/03/2023 |
| Ear-worn electronic device configured to compensate for hunched or stooped posture | 11778392 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/03/2023 |
| Method of optimizing parameters in a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system | 11778393 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 10/03/2023 |
| Hearing device with an antenna | 11778394 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 10/03/2023 |
| Hearing aid battery connected to ear shell | 11778395 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 10/03/2023 |
| Near-field audio rendering | 11778411 | Magic Leap Inc (Plantation, FL) | 10/03/2023 |
| Electrically conductive eartips | 11779285 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 10/10/2023 |
| Cochlear implants, magnets for use with same and magnet retrofit methods | 11779754 | Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/10/2023 |
| Compositions and methods for treating non-age-associated hearing impairment in a human subject | 11781145 | Akouos Inc (Boston, MA)1 | 10/10/2023 |
| In ear device customization using machine learning | 11783475 | Meta Platforms Technologies LLC (Menlo Park, CA) | 10/10/2023 |
| Sound processing with increased noise suppression | 11783845 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 10/10/2023 |
| Antenna and wireless earbud comprising the same | 11784396 | Goertek Technology Co Ltd (Qingdao, CN) | 10/10/2023 |
| Audio stream detection | 11784678 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/10/2023 |
| Hearing aid with voice recognition | 11785395 | OrCam Technologies Ltd (Jerusalem, IL) | 10/10/2023 |
| Listening experiences for smart environments using hearing devices | 11785396 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/10/2023 |
| Hearing aid comprising a physiological sensor | 11785397 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 10/10/2023 |
| Hearing aid with transmission power adaptation | 11785398 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 10/10/2023 |
| Hearable device comprising integrated device and wireless functionality | 11785399 | Qualcomm (San Diego, CA) | 10/10/2023 |
| Hearing aid antenna for high-frequency data communication | 11785400 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/10/2023 |
| Hearing aid implant recharging system | 11785401 | Nanoear Corporation Inc (Houston, TX) | 10/10/2023 |
| Environmental classification controlled output level in bone conduction devices | 11785402 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 10/10/2023 |
| Device to optically verify custom hearing aid fit and method of use | 11785403 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/10/2023 |
| Method and system of fitting a hearing device | 11785404 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 10/10/2023 |
| Hearing aid | D1001287 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/10/2023 |
| Autonomous diagnosis of ear diseases from biomarker data | 11786148 | Digital Diagnostics Inc. (Coralville, IA) | 10/17/2023 |
| Method and apparatus for testing hearing ability | 11786149 | Eberhard Karls University Tübingen (Tubingen, DE) | 10/17/2023 |
| Recipient-directed electrode set selection | 11786724 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 10/17/2023 |
| Systems and methods for optimizing spectral resolution for a hearing system | 11786728 | Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/17/2023 |
| MEMS assembly substrates including a bond layer | 11787690 | Knowles Electronics LLC (Itasca, IL) | 10/17/2023 |
| Active noise cancellation filter adaptation with ear cavity frequency response compensation | 11790882 | Shenzhen Goodix Technology Co Ltd | 10/17/2023 |
| Earpiece charging case detection | 11791643 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 10/17/2023 |
| Hearing device comprising a vent and an acoustic valve | 11792564 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/17/2023 |
| Systems and methods for adaptive beamforming | 11792567 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 10/17/2023 |
| Estimating a battery life of a hearing instrument | 11792576 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/17/2023 |
| Cochlear stimulation system with an improved method for determining a temporal fine structure parameter | 11792578 | Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) | 10/17/2023 |
| Hearing device system and method for processing audio signals | 11792580 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/17/2023 |
| Using Bluetooth / wireless hearing aids for personalized HRTF creation | 11792581 | Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Tokyo, JP) | 10/17/2023 |
| Hearing Multiple arm dipole antenna for hearing instrument | 11792582 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 10/17/2023 |
| Hearing aid with automatic antenna tuning | 11792584 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 10/17/2023 |
| Alignment between charging elements of a hearing device and a charger | 11792585 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 10/17/2023 |
| Fitting agent for a hearing device and method for updating a user model | 11792588 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 10/17/2023 |
| Proximity-based connection for Bluetooth devices | 11792868 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 10/17/2023 |
| Personalized calibration of an in-ear device | 11792579 | Meta Platforms Technologies LLC (Menlo Park, CA) | 10/17/2023 |
| Ear canal microphone utilizing communications with hearing implant | 11792583 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 10/17/2023 |
| Retention magnet system for medical device | 11792586 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 10/17/2023 |
| Magnetic retention device | 11792587 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 10/17/2023 |
| Systems and methods for hearing impaired drivers | 11794770 | Ford Global Technologies LLC (Dearborn, MI) | 10/24/2023 |
| Wireless dongle for communications with wireless earpieces | 11799852 | Bragi GmbH (Munich, DE) | 10/24/2023 |
| In-ear earpiece retaining structure | 11800273 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 10/24/2023 |
| Sliding bias and peak limiting for optical hearing devices | 11800303 | Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) | 10/24/2023 |
| Behind-the-ear hearing assistance device | 11800304 | Compal Electronics Inc (Taipei, TW) | 10/24/2023 |
| Immersive audio platform | 11800313 | Magic Leap Inc (Plantation, FL) | 10/24/2023 |
| Hearing device | D1002850 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 10/24/2023 |
| Personal authentication device based on auditory brainstem response signal and method thereof | 11800998 | Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (Daejeon, KR) | 10/31/2023 |
| Acoustic filter and method of manufacturing | 11804205 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 10/31/2023 |
| System and method for customizing an appearance of earbuds | 11805356 | Harman International Industries Inc (Stamford, CT) | 10/31/2023 |
| Hearing device providing virtual sound | 11805364 | GN Audio A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 10/31/2023 |
| Balanced armature receiver having diaphragm with elastomer surround | 11805370 | Knowles Electronics LLC (Itasca, IL) | 10/31/2023 |
| Systems and methods for photo-mechanical hearing transduction | 11805374 | Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) | 10/31/2023 |
| Hearing device comprising an automatic power switching | 11805376 | Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) | 10/31/2023 |
