Once again, communications giants weigh in on the November patent list, which features wearable audio devices from Google and Samsung (0129635 and 10123137) and audio processing for people with hearing loss by Dolby Labs (#10136240).
Ears, Fingers, Eyes and Toes
Time was, grownups maneuvered through life with ears, eyes, hands and feet. Hands and feet got us where we wanted to go by controlling cars, ships, planes and other machines. Ears and eyes picked out paths through environments by mapping familiar signs while identifying obstacles to avoid, attractions to pursue and elements of surprise along the way. Ears deciphered people’s utterances, in person or electronically (phone, radio, TV).
Simple times for simple adults: the world and our place in it were defined by personal functionality, or lack thereof. Assistive devices were for aging folks with failing senses or appendages. Hearing aids with volume controls helped when we no longer understood speech well or didn’t hear the train coming down the tracks; bifocal glasses enabled us, albeit inadvisably, to read maps and drive at the same time; canes and walkers assisted maneuverability when ears, eyes and proprioception declined.
Assistive devices were decidedly bottoms-up creations, designed solely to keep us hooked up perceptually by making things louder, brighter– generally more detectable. They were necessary but not sufficient for attention and cognition.
Ready Set Action!
Complex times for still-simple adults: the world and our place in it is increasingly defined by Smart devices equipped with AI working in neural network models. Assistive devices are for all and personal functionality is no longer the sole limiting factor for worldly success at accomplishing daily activities such as driving or getting off the tracks when the train’s bearing down on us. Instead, top down device systems are learning to recognize, understand and decide how to behave in changing environments as we amble through them. Self driving vehicles are the most obvious example of such systems and they’re only as good as their attentional/cognitive attributes. Hence, the plethora of patent activity in this domain.
Like our own attention and cognition, Smart device system have to start with detection and quickly move on to perception and action. Thus, the Dolby Labs’ patents spend a lot of time defining, identifying and selectively processing “adverse” hearing environments; other patents embue their systems with detection and categorical perception for applications ranging from better speech understanding (e.g., Securboration 10129671) to autonomous operation of ocean going vessels (Leidos Inc 10131414).
In our own world of hearing aids, Widex’s patent #10129662 (Hearing aid having a classifier for classifying auditory environments and sharing settings) sets the future tone:
[It] includes a hearing aid and a personal communication device being connected via a short range data communication link …analyzing auditory environment statistically.
Think of it. A hearing aid with it’s own Hearable and a bunch of “sub-systems” to detect, perceive, act, and share all with other devices. Truly, the ear is no longer the thing for hearing aids, it’s the brain.
The implications are staggering for lifestyles of the future. No longer must we maintain our personal functionality to control things, instead we are on the threshold of integrating Smart hearing aids and other Smart devices to work with their own army of assistants to pave longer, safer and better paths for us. It’s not here yet, but the intellectual effort is wondrous to behold and makes patent watching an enjoyable sport.
The November 2018 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
3D sound positioning with distributed sensors |
Bragi GmbH (Munchen, DE) |
11/06/2018 |
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System, method and apparatus for patient communications in remote hearing diagnostics |
Applicants: Davis, D (Spring Mount PA) & Lisiewski, B (Millsboro DE) |
11/06/2018 |
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Ear cup for a hearing protector |
Savox Communications OY AB Ltd. (Espoo, FI) |
11/06/2018 |
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Agent for regenerating tympanic membrane or external auditory canal |
Nobelpharma Co Ltd (Tokyo JP) |
11/06/2018 |
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Vibrating insertion tool |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/06/2018 |
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Coil for signal transmission to implantable device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/06/2018 |
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Dynamic muting audio transducer control for wearable personal communication nodes |
Orion Labs (San Francisco, CA) |
11/06/2018 |
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Multimodal communication system using induction and radio and method |
Bragi GmbH (Munchen, DE) |
11/06/2018 |
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Method and system for using a video relay service with deaf, hearing-impaired or speech-impaired called parties |
Applicant: Talbot, Chris (Moorpark, CA) |
11/06/2018 |
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Stimulation strategy for an auditory device comprising an electrode array |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/06/2018 |
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Stimulation strategy for an auditory device comprising an electrode array |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/06/2018 |
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Listening device comprising an interface to signal communication quality and/or wearer load to wearer and/or surroundings |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/06/2018 |
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|
Binaural hearing assistance system comprising binaural noise reduction |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/06/2018 |
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Method and hearing device for transmitting an audio signal from a transmitter to a receiver |
Sivantos PTE Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
11/06/2018 |
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Assistive hearing device for use with a telephone and a hearing aid |
Applicant: Bendetti, Richard J (Malibu, CA) |
11/06/2018 |
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Wearable acoustic device with microphone |
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KR) |
11/06/2018 |
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Microphone isolation in a bone conduction device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/06/2018 |
|
|
Equalized hearing aid system |
UBDevice Corp (Taoyuan, TW) |
11/06/2018 |
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Wearable band for facilitating hearing |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/06/2018 |
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|
Hearing prosthesis efficacy altering and/or forecasting techniques |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
Methods of treating, inhibiting and/or preventing an auditory impairment |
The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs (Washington, DC) |
11/13/2018 |
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Magnet installation systems and methods for use with cochlear implants |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
11/13/2018 |
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System for combined neural and acoustic hearing stimulation |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
11/13/2018 |
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Wearable devices for headset status and control |
Plantronics Inc (Santa Cruz, CA) |
11/13/2018) |
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|
Human-ear-wearable apparatus, system, and method of operation |
Applicant: Barry, Christopher Robert (Philadelphia, PA) |
11/13/2018 |
|
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Antenna for a wearable audio device |
Google LLC (Mountain View, CA) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Microphone for a hearing aid |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
User-programmable, head-supportable listening device with WiFi media player |
Applicant: Kihm, Douglas (Salt Lake City, UT) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
Implantable middle ear transducer having improved frequency response |
Envoy Medical Corporation (White Bear Lake, MN) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Techniques for increasing processing capability in hear aids |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
Hearing aid having a classifier for classifying auditory environments and sharing settings |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
11/13/2018 |
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Partner microphone unit and a hearing system comprising a partner microphone unit |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
User adjustment interface using remote computing resource |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
11/13/2018 |
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Distributed resonator |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
Signal conducting coupling |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Multi-pole magnetic coupling for bone conduction device |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
Earmold for active occlusion cancellation |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
11/13/2018 |
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|
Personal hearing device |
Axil LLC (Draper, UT) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Detachable filter member for hearing aid device |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device adjustment based on categorical perception |
Securboration Inc (Melbourne, IL) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising a signal generator for masking tinnitus |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Calibrating listening devices |
Ossic Corp (San Diego, CA) |
11/13/2018 |
|
|
Hearing test system |
Audicus Inc. (New York, NY) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
System and method for delivery of a therapeutic agent to the inner ear |
InCube Labs LLC (San Jose, CA) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Hearing protection systems |
Applicant: Gates, Craig D (Mead, WA) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Powder composition for treating a disorder in the auditory canal of mammals and use thereof |
Pegion Operations Limited (Gzira, MT) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Magnet management MRI compatibility |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Methods and systems for fitting a sound processor to a patient using a plurality of pre-loaded sound processing programs |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Connectorized cochlear implant systems and methods |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) |
11/20/2018 |
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|
Shipboard auditory sensor |
Leidos Inc (Reston, VA) |
11/20/2018 |
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Hearing device incorporating user interactive auditory display |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
11/20/2018 |
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Segmenting audio signals into auditory events |
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (San Francisco, CA) |
11/20/2018 |
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Monitoring behavior of listening to broadcast |
Nielsen-CCData Media Research Co Ltd (Zhejiang, CN) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Method of customizing speaker for hearing protection earcup |
Honeywell International Inc (Morristown NJ) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Method of sound processing in a hearing aid and a hearing aid |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Hearing aid device and method for feedback reduction |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Binaural segregation of wireless accessories |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
RF antenna and hearing device with RF antenna |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Changeable cartridge for hearing device docking stations |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Transducer protection system, hearing device and usage of a transducer protection system |
Sonova AG (Stafa, CH) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Processing audio data to compensate for partial hearing loss or an adverse hearing environment |
Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (San Francisco, CA) |
11/20/2018 |
|
|
Multi-carrier processing in auditory prosthetic devices |
Ohio State Innovation Foundation (Columbus, OH) |
11/27/2018 |
|
|
Hearing system |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/27/2018 |
|
|
Audio monitoring of a hearing prosthesis |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/27/2018 |
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|
Method for reducing the latency period of a filter bank for filtering an audio signal, and method for low-latency operation of a hearing system |
Sivantos PTE Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
11/27/2018 |
|
|
Method for operating a hearing device and hearing device |
Sivantos PTE Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
11/27/2018 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising an own voice detector |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
11/27/2018 |
|
|
Hearing prosthesis with a piezoelectric actuator |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) |
11/27/2018 |
|
|
Three dimensional substrate for hearing assistance devices |
Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) |
11/27/2018 |
|
|
Thermoformed acoustic seal |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
11/27/2018 |
Editor’s note: Interested readers can click the following links for patents approved in October 2018, September 2018, August 2018, July 2018, June 2018, May 2018, April 2018, Q1 2018, Nov/Dec 2017, October 2017, September 2017, August 2017, June/July 2017, May 2017, April 2017, March 2017, February 2017, January 2017, December 2016, November 2016, October 2016, Sept 2016, Jul/Aug 2016, May/Jun 2016, Mar/Apr 2016, Jan/Feb 2016, Nov/Dec 2015, Sept/Oct 2015, Jul/Aug 2015, 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
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.
**Featured image courtesy Axil, LLC
