Norphonic AS has a patent (#12190717 ) entitled Auditory guidance method and system which is designed to help in high-risk situations such as fires in confined spaces. But if it’s implemented in airports, it will help everyone everyday!
Currently, information helping people navigate in long corridors rely heavily on visual aids such as signs, arrows, and markings on the floor. Visual aid solutions are numerous, but they have the disadvantage of poor performance in low visibility and smoke. Audio is under-utilized. Auditory assistance systems do exist but are basic PA systems with only minor adaptations to the specific challenges associated with long tunnels and corridors.
The January 2025 patent list
| Description | Patent Number | Assignee | Issued |
| Earplug and pumping systems | 11857396 | Staton Techiya LLC (Delray Beach, FL) | 1/02/2025 |
| Acoustic output device with antenna | 11857787 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/02/2025 |
| Voice assistant for wireless earpieces | 11861266 | Bragi GmbH (Munich, DE) | 1/02/2025 |
| Device and method for hearing device customization | 11861861 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 1/02/2025 |
| Hearing device comprising an active emission canceller | 11862138 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 1/02/2025 |
| Audio device proximity detection | 11863927 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/02/2025 |
| Retaining member for earpiece of hearing device | 11863928 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 1/02/2025 |
| Solenoid actuator in a hearing device | 11863935 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 1/02/2025 |
| Hearing prosthesis processing modes based on environmental classifications | 11863936 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/02/2025 |
| Binaural hearing system for providing sensor data indicative of a physiological property, and method of its operation | 11863937 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 1/02/2025 |
| Hearing aid determining turn-taking | 11863938 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 1/02/2025 |
| Systems and methods for facilitating user control of ambient sound attenuation during an audio streaming session | 11863939 | Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) | 1/02/2025 |
| Microphone placement | 11863940 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/02/2025 |
| Auditory filter fitting for hearing devices | 11863941 | Anhui Huami Health Technology Co Ltd, Zepp Inc (Anhui FTZ, CN; Cupertino, CA) | 1/02/2025 |
| Road noise-cancellation system responsive to entertainment audio | 11863947 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/02/2025 |
| Audio hub | 11863951 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/02/2025 |
| Method for hearing system communication and related devices | 11863974 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 1/02/2025 |
| Ear protection for medical imaging | 12186068 | Koninklijke Philips NV (Eindhoven, NL) | 1/07/2025 |
| Electro-acoustic interaction control in auditory prostheses | 12186558 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/07/2025 |
| Semiautomated robotic cochlear implant surgery | 12186559 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH | 1/07/2025 |
| Vestibular stimulation prosthesis | 12186560 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/07/2025 |
| Open ear clip headphone | 12188651 | Shenzhen Elenose Technology Co Ltd (Guangdong, CN) | 1/07/2025 |
| System and method for providing hearing aid rechargeable battery state of charge estimation for rapid user feedback and charge management | 12188987 | Team IP Holdings LLC (Ft Worth, TX) | 1/07/2025 |
| Active noise reduction with impulse detection and suppression | 12190855 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/07/2025 |
| Hearing device with feedback instability detector that changes an adaptive filter | 12192705 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 1/07/2025 |
| Intermodulation distortion reduction in a contact hearing system | 12192706 | Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) | 1/07/2025 |
| Customizable ear insert | 12192707 | Logitech Europe SA (Lausanne, CH) | 1/07/2025 |
| Auditory guidance method and system | 12190717 | Norphonic AS (Bones, NO) | 1/07/2025 |
| Earbud | D1056880 | LG Electronics Inc (Seoul, KR) | 1/07/2025 |
| Hearing aid component | D1057171 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 1/07/2025 |
| Hearing protection device for protection in different hearing situations, controller for such device, and method for switching such device | 12193914 | 3M Innovative Properties Company (St Paul, MN) | 1/14/2025 |
| Method and system for enabling vehicle connected services for hearing-impaired vehicle occupants | 12194919 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC (Detroit, MI) | 1/14/2025 |
| Systems, methods, and graphical user interfaces for selecting audio output modes of wearable audio output devices | 12197809 | Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA) | 1/14/2025 |
| Earpiece advisor | 12198068 | Bragi GmbH (Munich, DE) | 1/14/2025 |
| Microphone package for epoxy overflow protection guard ring in cavity pcb | 12200418 | Knowles Electronics LLC (Itasca, IL) | 1/14/2025 |
| Acoustic tube and hearing device system including same | 12200419 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 1/14/2025 |
| Modular ear-cup and ear-bud | 12200421 | Nura Holdings Pty Ltd (Victoria, AU) | 1/14/2025 |
| Hearing device comprising a receiver module comprising a vent having a vent valve device | 12200425 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 1/14/2025 |
| Open-ear earphone | 12200432 | UI (Wan An) Technology Co Ltd (Ji’an, CN) | 1/14/2025 |
| Hearing aid configured to perform a RECD measurement | 12200444 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 1/14/2025 |
| Auditory prosthesis battery autonomy configuration | 12200445 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/14/2025 |
| Assistive listening devices | 12200447 | Shenzhen Shokz Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) | 1/14/2025 |
| Hearing aid component | D1057959 S | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 1/14/2025 |
| Soft touch material | 12203001 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/21/2025 |
| Hearing device comprising an adaptive filter bank | 12205611 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 1/21/2025 |
| Open-ear headphone | 12207038 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/21/2025 |
| Head-wearable hearing instrument with improved co-existence of multiple communication interfaces | 12207053 | GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 1/21/2025 |
| Implantable transducer with integrated diaphragm | 12207054 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/21/2025 |
| Hearing aid and a method for enhancing and/or protecting a user’s hearing ability | 12207055 | Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) | 1/21/2025 |
| System for configuring a hearing device | 12207056 | Nuheara IP PTY Ltd (Northbridge, AU) | |
| Apparatus and method for estimation of eardrum sound pressure based on secondary path measurement | 12207059 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 1/21/2025 |
| Scalar translocation detection for an electrode lead of a cochlear implant system | 12208265 | Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) | 1/28/2025 |
| Automatic gain control in an active noise reduction (ANR) signal flow path | 12211479 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/28/2025 |
| Hearing device system and method for operating same | 12211503 | Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) | 1/28/2025 |
| Wearable audio device placement detection | 12212912 | Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) | 1/28/2025 |
| Ear-worn hearing device with multiple transducers | 12212919 | Knowles Electronics LLC (Itasca, IL) | 1/28/2025 |
| Method for operating a hearing device, and hearing device | 12212927 | Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) | 1/28/2025 |
| Method for eliminating acoustic reverberation in an audio signal, and hearing instrument | 12212928 | Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) | 1/28/2025 |
| Wireless system for hearing communication devices providing wireless stereo reception modes | 12212930 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 1/28/2025 |
| Hearing aid with transmission power adaptation | 12212931 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 1/28/2025 |
| Hearing assistive device having a rechargeable battery | 12212932 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 1/28/2025 |
| Multi-mode radio for hearing assistance devices | 12212933 | Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) | 1/28/2025 |
| Speaker unit for a hearing aid device system, and hearing aid device system | 12212934 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) | 1/28/2025 |
| Bone conduction connector assembly | 12212935 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) | 1/28/2025 |
| Device and method to reduce ear wax clogging of acoustic ports, hearing aid sealing system, and feedback reduction system | 12212936 | The Diablo Canyon Collective LLC (Wilmington, DE) | 1/28/2025 |
| Generation of spatial sound signal from auditory perspective of individual | 12212952 | Intel Corporation (Santa Clara, CA) | 1/28/2025 |
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.
