As promised, here’s an update of interesting hearing technology patents — the list is long but it only encompasses the last two months of 2012. I think you’ll agree, it looks like a Christmas wish list — hearing aids that tell you how your body’s doing, that find themselves, that test your hearing, that do real-ear; nanotechnology penetrating the tympanic membrane and oval window. Wow. Look for list updates in future months.
US Patents Issued
- Hearing Device with Semipermanent Canal Receiver Module. iHear Medical, California. 12/25/2012.{{3}}[[3]]US Patent Issued to iHear Medical on Dec. 25 for “Hearing Device with Semipermanent Canal Receiver Module” (California Inventor). US Fed News Service, Including US State News. December 27, 2012.[[3]]
- Communication System. Sweden. 12/25/2012.{{4}}[[4]] “US Patent Issued to Carj Development on Dec. 25 for “Communication System” (Swedish Inventors).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[4]]
- Feature Driven Rule-Based Framework… Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Erlangen, Germany) and Siemens Hearing Instruments Inc. (Piscataway, NJ). 12/11/2012.{{5}}[[5]] “US Patent Issued to Siemens Audiologische Technik, Siemens Hearing Instruments on Dec. 11 for “Feature Driven Rule-Based Framework for Automation of Modeling Workflows in Digital Manufacturing” (American, German Inventors).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012<https://www.highbeam.com>.[[5]]
- Apparatus for Producing Adaptive Directional Signals. Wolfson Dynamic Hearing Pty Ltd. (Victoria, Australia). 12/11/2012.{{6}}[[6]] “US Patent Issued to Wolfson Dynamic Hearing on Dec. 11 for “Method and Apparatus for Producing Adaptive Directional Signals” (Australian Inventor).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[6]]
- Hearing Aid Device with Interchangeable Covers. Sonic Innovations, Utah. 12/11/2012.{{7}}[[7]] “US Patent Issued to Sonic Innovations on Dec. 11 for “Hearing Aid Device with Interchangeable Covers” (Utah Inventors).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[7]]
- Wireless Gateway for Hearing Aid. Zounds Hearing Inc. (Phoenix, AZ). 12/11/2012.{{8}}[[8]] “US Patent Issued to Zounds Hearing on Dec. 11 for “Wireless Gateway for Hearing Aid” (Arizona Inventors).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012.HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[8]]
- Carrying Hook of a Hearing Device. Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore). 12/11/2012.{{9}}[[9]] “US Patent Issued to Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. on Dec. 11 for “Connecting Element for a Carrying Hook of a Hearing Device” (German Inventors).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[9]]
- Hearing Apparatus with Pressure Equalization for Converters. Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG). 12/04/2012.{{10}}[[10]]”Patent Issued for Hearing Apparatus with Pressure Equalization for Converters.” Health & Medicine Week. NewsRX. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[10]]
- Hearing Apparatus chip with Separate EMC Ground… Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG). 12/04/2012.{{11}}[[11]]”Patent Issued for Hearing Apparatus Chip with a Separate EMC Ground and Corresponding Hearing Apparatus.“Health & Medicine Week. NewsRX. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[11]]
- Processing an Input Signal… Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Erlangen, DE). 12/04/2012.{{12}}[[12]] “Patent Issued for Processing an Input Signal in a Hearing Aid.” Journal of Engineering. NewsRX. 2012.HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[12]]
- Ear level device for auditory “display” of sensory data. Virginia. 12/04/2012.{{13}}[[13]] “Patent Issued for Method of Auditory Display of Sensor Data.” Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week. NewsRX. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[13]]
- Spectral Tilt Optimization for CIs. Advanced bionics LLC (Alexandria, VA). 11/27/2012.{{14}[[14]]”Patent Issued for Spectral Tilt Optimization for Cochlear Implant Patients.” Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week. NewsRX. 2012.HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[14]]
- Method and Device for Hearing Test. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Suwon-si, KR. 11/27/2012.{{15}}[[15]] “Patent Issued for Method and Device for Hearing Test.” Health & Medicine Week. NewsRX. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[15]]
- Real-Ear Measurements for Receiver-in-Canal Devices. Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN). 11/20/2012.{{16}}[[16]] “Patent Issued for Method and Apparatus for Real-Ear Measurements for Receiver-In-Canal Devices.” Journal of Engineering. NewsRX. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[16]]
- Otologic Nanotechnology. Hough Ear Institute (Oklahoma City, OK). 11/06/2012.{{17}}[[17]] “Patent Issued for Otologic Nanotechnology.” Biotech Week. NewsRX. 2012. HighBeam Research.30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[17]]
World Intellectual Property Organization Published Patents
- Method for Locating a Hearing Device… Phonak et al. 12/13/2012.{{18}}[[18]] “WIPO PUBLISHES PATENT OF PHONAK, JANA SCHIMMELPFENNIG, ROBERTO MANCUSO, IVO HASLER, SATHISH KAVERIPAKAM, FABIAN WANNER FOR “METHOD FOR LOCATING A HEARING DEVICE AND DEVICES THAT ARE OPERABLE ACCORDING TO SAID METHOD” (SWISS INVENTORS).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[18]]
- Deep-in-the-Canal Deformation Self-Adaptive Hearing Device. Jiangsu betterlife Medical Co. Ltd. (China). 12/06/2012. {{19}}[[19]] “WIPO PUBLISHES PATENT OF JIANGSU BETTERLIFE MEDICAL, YONG DAVID ZHAO, JENNIFER JINPING ZHAO FOR “DEEP-IN-THE-CANAL DEFORMATION SELF-ADAPTIVE HEARING DEVICE” (CHINESE INVENTORS).” US Fed News Service, Including US State News. The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. 2012. HighBeam Research. 30 Dec. 2012 <https://www.highbeam.com>.[[19]]
editor’s note: The Patent Series is updated every two months. Click links for patents approved in Jan/Feb 2014, Nov/Dec 2013, September/October 2013, Jul/Aug 2013, May/Jun 2013, Mar/Apr 2013, Jan/Feb 2013, Nov/Dec 2012
photo courtesy of IP Law for Start-Ups
