“Tumultuous” captures the essence of Big 6 doings of late. It’s also an apt descriptor for the Exciting World of Hearing Device Patents, which really is the place to be these days. For example, Panasonic’s battery patent (USPTO #9088050) describes a whirlwind New World of Batteries:
“the batteries for supplying electric power… small-size electronic devices are required to be thinner and more flexible. Thin batteries that have been already developed include paper batteries, thin flat batteries and plate-like batteries.”
What could astound us more than Old World hearing aids and previously-solved conundrums resurrected and recreated in Hearables? As examples:
- The feature image above illustrates Kyocera’s patent (USPTO #9105261) for a Sound Outputting Device. What looks suspiciously like an old-fashion set of eye glass hearing aids (with a mysterious little box hovering nearby) turns out to be a:
“(headset) that is configured to be mounted on user’s head…that reduces a burden on a user’s ear.”
- Nokia’s Head-Mounted Sound capture Device (USPTO 9094749) also worries about the ear’s burden:
“…the use of headsets raises new issues of styling, comfort, and most of all, ambient noise, which often causes voice quality to be sacrificed.”
New patent applications excite and astound the most, per usual. In the Wow category, Samsung wins, but it’s a tie for runner-up. There’s no room in this post to describe patent applications but their titles say it all and interested readers can read them by clicking the links.
- Runner-up: Personal Noise Meter in a Wearable Audio Device, #20150223000 (posted 8/06/15, Plantronics, Inc))
- Runner-up: Identity Confirmation Using Wearable Computerized Earpieces and Related Methods, #20150172828 (posted 6/25/15, unassigned)
- WINNER: Hearing Aid for Playing Audible Advertisement or Audible Data, #20150723 (posted 7/30/15, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
List of US Patents for Hearing Aids and Devices
| Description | Patent Number | Assignee | Issued |
| Acoustic Transmission Method and Listening Device | 9066188 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 6/23/2015 |
| Speech Processing Device and Speech Processing Method | 9064501 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd (Osaka, JP) | 6/23/2015 |
| Apparatus and Method for Processing an Audio Signal for Speech Enhancement Using a Feature Extraction | 9064498 | Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (Munich, DE) | 6/23/2015 |
| Dual transducer with Shared Diaphragm | 9066187 | Sonion Nederland B.V. (Hoofddorp, NL) | 6/23/2015 |
| Hearing Aid with a Pump Arrangement | 9066190 | Sonion Nederland B.V. (Hoofddorp, NL) | 6/23/2015 |
| Non-Pressure Sensitive Implantable Microphone | 9066189 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 6/23/2015 |
| Channel specific gain control including lateral suppression | 9067068 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 6/30/2015 |
| Method of Implanting a Medical Implant to Treat Hearing Loss in a Patient | 9066797 | Terry D. Daglow (Bonham, TX) | 6/30/2015 |
| Cochlear Implant Fitting System | 9067069 | New York University (New York, NY) | 6/30/2015 |
| Channel Specific Gain Control Including Lateral Suppression | 9067068 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 6/30/2015 |
| Load Impedance Detection for Static or Dynamic Adjustment of Passive Loadspan | 9071284 | Qualcomm Inc. (San Diego, CA) | 6/30/2015 |
| Pharmaceutical Compositions for the Treatment of Inner Ear Disorders | 9066865 | Auris Medical AG (Basel, CH) | 6/30/2015 |
| Acoustic Attenuators Based on Porous Nanostructured Materials | 9068346 | The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (Austin, TX) | 6/30/2015 |
| Personal Hands-Free Accessory for Mobile Device | 9071694 | Sony Corporation (Tokyo, JP) | 6/30/2015 |
| Streaming of Digital Data to a Portable Device | 9077461 | Disney Enterprises, Inc. (Burbank, CA) | 7/07/2015 |
| Method and Apparatus for Hearing Aid Location | 9078074 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 7/07/2015 |
| Metal-Air cell Having High Capacity | 9077049 | Varta Microbattery GmbH (DE) | 7/07/2015 |
| Hearing Aid and Method for Eliminating Acoustic Feedback in the Amplification of Acoustic Signals | 9078073 | Eberhard-Karls-Universitaet Tuebingen Universitaetsklinikum (Tuebingen, Germany) | 7/07/2015 |
| Hearing Instrument Controller | 9078070 | Analog Devices, Inc. (Norwood, MA) | 7/07/2015 |
| Methods for the Treatment of Tinnitus Induced by Cochlear Excitotoxicity | 9072662 | Auris Medical AG (Basel, CH) | 7/07/2015 |
| Apparatus and Methods for Acoustically or Mechanically Stimulating a Cochlea and Intracochlear Recording of Mechanically or Acoustically Evoked Auditory Potentials in the Cochlea | 9072468 | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC) | 7/07/2015 |
| Driving of Parametric Speakers | 9078062 | Philips N.V., Koninklijke (Eindhoven, NL) | 7/07/2015 |
| Method to Reduce Artifacts in Algorithms with Fast-Varying Gain | 9082411 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 7/14/2015 |
| Systems and Methods for Remapping an Audio Range to a Human Perceivable Range | 9084050 | ELWHA LLC (Bellevue, WA) | 7/14/2015 |
| Unknown Speaker Identification System
|
9083808 | GE Aviation Systems Limited (Cheltenham, GB) | 7/14/2015 |
| Integrated Microphone Package | 9079760 | Invensense, Inc. (San Jose, CA) | 7/14/2015 |
| Hearing Aid Compatible Audio Device with Acoustic Noise Cancellation | 9084063 | Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA) | 7/14/2015 |
| Converting Audio to Haptic Feedback in an Electronic Device | 9083821 | Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA) | 7/14/2015 |
| Hearing System and Method for Operating the Same | 9084065 | Phonak AG (Stafa, CH) | 7/14/2015 |
| Conversation Detection Apparatus, Hearing Aid, and Conversation Detection Method | 9084062 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd (Osaka, JP) | 7/14/2015 |
| Optimization of Hearing Aid Parameters | 9084066 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 7/14/2015 |
| Systems and Methods for Managing Wireless Communication Links for Hearing Assistance Devices | 9084064 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 7/14/2015 |
| Sound Processor for a Cochlear Implant | 9084892 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/21/2015 |
| Disengagement Tool for a Modular Canal Hearing Device and Systems Including Same | 9088852 | iHear Medical, Inc. (San Leandro, CA) | 7/21/2015 |
| Systems, Methods, and Apparatus for a High Power Factor Single Phase Rectifier | 9088222 | Qualcomm Inc. (San Diego, CA) | 7/21/2015 |
| Receiver System for a Hearing Aid | 9088853 | Phonak AG (Stafa, CH) | 7/21/2015 |
| Electrode Group for Thin Batteries, Thin Battery, and Electronic Device | 9088050 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd (Osaka, JP) | 7/21/2015 |
| Progressive Parameter Scan for Cochlear Implants | 9084894 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 7/21/2015 |
| Wireless Power Transmitter Tuning | 9094055 | Qualcomm Inc. (San Diego, CA) | 7/28/2015 |
| Push-Pull Driver for Generating a Signal for Wireless Power Transfer | 9093215 | Qualcomm Inc. (San Diego, CA) | 7/28/2015 |
| Head-Mounted Sound Capture Device | 9094749 | Nokia Technologies Oy (Espoo, FI) | 7/28/2015 |
| Hearing Aid That Facilitates Removal of Earwax and Trapping of Moisture | 9094770 | Vixccot Medical LLC (East Hanover, NJ) | 7/28/2015 |
| Loudspeaker, Inner-Ear Headphone Including Loudspeaker, and Hearing Aid Including Loudspeaker | 9094750 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd (Osaka, JP) | 7/28/2015 |
| Acoustic Source Separation | 9093078 | The University of Surrey (Guildford, Surrey, GB) | 7/28/2015 |
| Hearing Assistance System with Own Voice Detection | 9094766 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 7/28/2015 |
| Hearing Aid Operating in Dependence of Position | 9094769 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 7/28/2015 |
| Implantable Component Having an Accessible Lumen and a Drug Release Capsule for Introduction into Same | 9089450 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/28/2015 |
| Vestibular Stimulation Device | 9089692 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/28/2015 |
| Active Noise Cancellation Decisions Using a Degraded Reference | 9099077 | Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA) | 8/04/2015 |
| Hearing Aid with Improved Localization | 9100762 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 8/04/2015 |
| Docking Station Having Structure for Sound Amplification and Sound Quality Enhancement | 9100751 | Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Suwon-Si-, South Korea | 8/04/2015 |
| Metal-Air Battery and Gas Impermeable Anodic Conductive Matrix | 9099753 | ZAF Energy Systems, Inc. (Columbia Falls, MT) | 8/04/2015 |
| Determining Stimulation Signal Strength in an Auditory Prosthesis | 9100763 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/04/2015 |
| Transitioning Operating Modes in a Medical Prosthesis | 9095708 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/04/2015 |
| Sound Pressure Assessment System, and Method and Program | 9100758 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd (Osaka, JP) | 8/04/2015 |
| Systems for Providing Power to a Hearing Assistance Device | 9100764 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 8/04/2015 |
| Hearing Assistance System with Own Voice Detection | 9094766 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 8/04/2015 |
| Mobile Communication Terminal, Digital Hearing Aid, and Method of Controlling the Digital Hearing Aid Using the Mobile Communication Terminal | 9100491 | Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Suwon-Si-, South Korea | 8/04/2015 |
| Control of an Adaptive Feedback Cancellation System Based on Probe Signal Injection | 9100736 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 8/04/2015 |
| System for Automatic Fitting Using Real Ear Measurement | 9107015 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 8/11/2015 |
| Hearing Aids Configured for Directional Acoustic Fitting | 9101299 | Dean Robert Gary Anderson as Trustee of the D/L Anderson Family Trust | 8/11/2015 |
| Drug-Delivery Accessory for an Implantable Medical Device | 9101732 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/11/2015 |
| Hearing Prosthesis with a Piezoelectric Actuator | 9107013 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/11/2015 |
| Method and Apparatus for Providing Information about the Source of a Sound Via an Audio Device | 9105187 | Woox Innovations Belgium N.V. (Anderlecht, BE) | 8/11/2015 |
| Sound Outputting Device | 9105261 | Kyocera Corp. (Kyoto, JP) | 8/11/2015 |
| Adaptive-Noise Canceling (ANC) Effectiveness Estimation and Correction in a Personal Audio Device | 9106989 | Cirrus Logic, Inc. (Austin, TX) | 8/11/2015 |
| Transpositional Acoustic Frequency Range in EAS Patients | 9113270 | Med-El Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 8/18/2015 |
| Monitoring of hearing preservation during cochlear implant surgery using stapedial reflex measurement | 9107621 | MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 8/18/2015 |
| Robust Diaphragm for an Acoustic Device | 9113249 | The Research Foundation fo the State University of New York (Binghamton, NY) | 8/18/2015 |
| Hearing Aid Security Aid | 9113275 | Linda Klem (Wakefield, Mass) | 8/18/2015 |
| Device for a Hearing Aid System Used to Register Radio Disturbances | 9113274 | CRAJ Development | 8/18/2015 |
| System and Method for Automatically Adjusting Hearing Aid Based on Acoustic Reflectance | 9113278 | Jont B Allen & Patricia S Jeng (Mahomet, Ill) | 8/18/2015 |
| Hearing-Ability Measurement Device and Method Thereof | 9107620 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd (Osaka, JP) | 8/18/2015 |
| Method for Extending a Frequency Range of an Input Signal of a Hearing Device as Well as a Hearing Device | 9113271 | Phonak AG (Stafa, CH) | 8/18/2015 |
| Method for Adjusting a Hearing Device and a Hearing Device That Is Operable According to Said Method | 9113272 | Phonak AG (Stafa, CH) | 8/18/2015 |
| Settable Compound Delivery Device and System for Inflatable In-Ear Device | 9107772 | Sonomax Technologies Inc. (N/A) | 8/18/2015 |
| Hearing Aid and a Method of Improved Audio Reproduction | 9111549 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 8/18/2015 |
| Device and Method for Direction Dependent Spatial Noise Reduction | 9113247 | Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) | 8/18/2015 |
| Method for Adjusting a Hearing Apparatus Via a Formal Language | 9113279 | Sivantos Group (Erlangen, DE) | 8/18/2015 |
| Automatic reconfiguration of a hearing assistance device based on battery | 9113276 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 8/18/2015 |
| Mobile Bluetooth Device | 9113287 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 8/18/2015 |
| Customized Drilling Jig for Implantation of a Hearing Aid | 9113922 | Phonak AG (Stafa, CH) | 8/25/2015 |
| Method of and Hearing Aid for Enhancing the Accuracy of Sounds Heard by a Hearing-Impaired Listener | 9119007 | Unlimiter MFA Co. Ltd. (Eden Island, Seychelles) | 8/25/2015 |
| Electronic Device with Shared near Field Communications Element | 9118354 | Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA) | 8/25/2015 |
| Hearing aid with improved localization | 9118995 | Hear-Wear Technologies LLC (Tulsa, Okla.) | 8/25/2015 |
| Hearing aid operating in dependence of position | 9119006 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 8/25/2015 |
| Recording and retrieval of sound data in a hearing prosthesis | 9114259 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/25/2015 |
| Hearing prosthesis echo location | 9119008 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/25/2015 |
| Interactive Hearing Aid Fitting System and Methods | 9107016 | iHear Medical, Inc. (San Leandro, CA) | 8/27/2015 |
| Howling Suppression Device, Hearing Aid, Howling Suppression Method, and Integrated Circuit | 9123322 | Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co. Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) | 9/01/2015 |
| Apparatus and Method for near Field Communication | 9124303 | Nokia Technologies Oy (Espoo, Finland) | 9/01/2015 |
| System for Programming Special Function Buttons for Hearing Assistance Device Applications
|
9124994 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 9/01/2015 |
| Revision Control within Hearing-Aid Fitting Software | 9124995 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 9/01/2015 |
| Method and apparatus for localization of streaming sources in hearing assistance | 9124983 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 9/01/2015 |
| Method and apparatus for hearing assistance in multiple-talker | 9124990 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 9/01/2015 |
| Hearing Aid Sleeve | 9124989 | Abraham Medina (Hurst, Texas) | 9/01/2015 |
| Cochlear implant system component having multiple electrode assemblies | 9119957 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 9/01/2015 |
| Sound Awareness Hearing Prosthesis | 9124991 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 9/01/2015 |
| Hearing aid with a wireless transceiver and method of fitting a hearing | 9124993 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 9/01/2015 |
| Hearing aid with adaptive noise reduction and method | 9124988 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 9/01/2015 |
| Hearing apparatus having an adaptive filter and method for filtering an audio | 9124963 | Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) | 9/01/2015 |
| Feedback control in a listening device | 9124986 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 9/01/2015 |
| Methods and systems for multi-monopolar current steering in an auditory prosthesis system | 9119711 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 9/01/2015 |
Editor’s note: The Patent Series is updated every two months. Click links for patents approved in May/Jun 2015, Mar/Apr 2015, Jan/Feb 2015, Nov/Dec 2014, Sep/Oct 2014, July/Aug 2014, May/Jun 2014, Mar/Apr 2014, Jan/Feb 2014, Nov/Dec 2013, September/October 2013, Jul/Aug 2013, May/Jun 2013, Mar/Apr 2013, Jan/Feb 2013, Nov/Dec 2012
