In 2016, IBM inventors were awarded more than 22 patents/day. That includes one last June in its “cognitive healthcare patent” group for a Smart Hearing Aid (USPTO #9374649). It looks a lot like the Smart Hearing Aid patents IBM was awarded (USPTO #9609441 & #9609442) in the March 2017 list below (see feature image above). Same name, same inventors, same diagrams, slightly different wording to describe a personalized hearing aid to meet specific needs. To wit,
Finding hearing aid devices personalized to meet the specific needs of individual users continues to be a challenge. IBM inventors developed a hearing aid device that can distinguish and filter voices and sounds. The device could be trained to distinguish sounds such as a smoke alarm and to listen intelligently to one’s environment while filtering some sounds and amplifying others to improve the user’s experience with the device. (icrunchdata.com)
A Word on IBM
Checking out the feature image, IBM’s strategy for filing multiple patents with the same name for the same (very complicated) thing is probably to hit a target from all angles. That’s not a revelatory statement or smart comment, but it’s consistent with IBM’s high patent activity and probable intention to enforce its patents on anything that looks or acts like a smart hearing aid from here on out. Whether it makes a hearing aid or not, IBM will benefit from those that do.
IBM’s operating segments have seen no growth on falling revenues since 2011. Consequently, IBM is transforming itself into a “cognitive solutions and cloud platform company,” with roughly 40% of overall revenues coming from “SMAC” technologies (social, mobile, analytic, cloud) last year and more is expected as it expands to take VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality, IoT and AI under its wing. Smart hearing aids fit right into that package.
Patents and patent royalties are an important part of IBM’s technological transformation. The company has led the pack for years in number of patents awarded. It broke its own record in 2016 by gaining 8088 patents, one-third of which were for SMAC technologies. Depending on how revenues are sliced up, IBM arguably derives upwards of $1B/year in patent-related income. Smart hearing aid patents can add a bit to that pile of money and why not?
The March 2017 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Bilateral hearing assistance system and a method of fitting a bilateral hearing assistance system |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
2/28/2017 |
|
|
Hearing assistance apparatus |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
3/07/2017 |
|
|
Self-calibration of multi-microphone noise reduction system for hearing assistance devices using an auxiliary device |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
3/07/2017 |
|
|
Hearing aid comprising a flexible connection member |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
3/07/2017 |
|
|
Passive vibration cancellation system for microphone assembly |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/07/2017 |
|
|
Hydraulic microphone |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/07/2017 |
|
|
Sound processing based on a confidence measure |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/07/2017 |
|
|
Cap for an implantable electrical lead assembly |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/07/2017 |
|
|
Hearing aid device comprising a sensor member |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
3/14/2017 |
|
|
Prosthesis adapter |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/14/2017 |
|
|
Electrical isolation in an implantable device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/14/2017 |
|
|
Prosthesis adapter |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
Bone conduction device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
Portable power charging of implantable medical devices |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
Intra-cochlear stimulating assembly insertion |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
Hearing aid with antenna for reception and transmission of electromagnetic signals |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
Antennas for standard fit hearing assistance devices |
Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
Method for operating a hearing system as well as a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
Resource manager |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
3/21/2017 |
|
|
In-the-ear hearing aid having combined antennas |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
3/28/2017 |
|
|
Hearing device with communication protection and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
3/28/2017 |
|
|
Method and device for personalized hearing |
Personics Holdings, LLC (Boca Raton, FL) |
3/28/2017 |
|
|
Template for implanting a housing of a hearing instrument |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
3/28/2017 |
|
|
Smart hearing aid |
International Business Machines Corp (Armonk, NY) |
3/28/2017 |
|
|
In-the-ear hearing aid having combined antennas |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
3/28/2017 |
