Among the many interesting patents in this month’s list, Oticon’s #11297444 for a Hearing Aid System is a standout for all its sensor-laden activity, as described here. Reading the description, it’s hard to envision how to know that the device is properly inserted in the ear, but the sensors probably tell you.
… at least one surface electrode located at a surface of ear canal …at least one surface electrode to pick up a low voltage electric signal from the user’s skin. The sensor arrangement further comprises a light sensor … to allow emitting light through skin proximate to the light sensor and capturing reflected and/or scattered light …. further comprises a sensor signal processing unit … configured to generate one or more sensor signals … The hearing aid system further comprises or is connected to an evaluation unit … to generate an electrocardiogram-representing signal (ECG) …and a plethysmographic-curve-representing signal from an output signal of the light sensor.
The April 2022 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Mastoid bone start drill bit |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/05/2022 |
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|
Earplug and method for attenuating sound |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/05/2022 |
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6′-sialyllactose for use in the treatment of hearing loss |
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat Bonn (Bonn, DE) |
4/05/2022 |
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|
Measurement of facial muscle EMG potentials for predictive analysis using a smart wearable system and method |
Bragi |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Hearing device system, devices and method of creating a trusted bond between a hearing device and a user application |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/05/2022 |
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Electronic collaboration and communication method and system to facilitate communication with hearing or speech impaired participants |
Mitel Networks Inc (Mesa AZ) |
4/05/2022 |
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Trusted listening |
Seagate technology LLC (Cupertino, CA) |
4/05/2022 |
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In-ear earpiece retaining structure |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Earbud stability anchor feature |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA)e |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Hearing assistance using active noise reduction |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Hearing aid system |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Hearing device and method of updating a hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/05/2022 |
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Portable system for gathering and processing data from EEG, EOG, and/or imaging sensors |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Method for operating a hearing system, a hearing system and a fitting system |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/05/2022 |
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Pairing information for wireless communication |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Method for live public address, in a helmet, taking into account the auditory perception characteristics of the listener |
Augmented Acoustics (Bonnelles, FR) |
4/05/2022 |
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|
Hearing aid case |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
Charger for hearing aids |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/05/2022 |
|
|
System for inner ear drug delivery via trans-round window membrane injection |
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc (Cambridge, MA) |
4/12/2022 |
|
|
Implantable device having one or more screws |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/12/2022 |
|
|
Small earpiece enhanced on-ear detection with multiple cap sense |
Plantronics Inc (Santa Cruz, CA) |
4/12/2022 |
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|
Beamforming using an in-ear audio device |
Amazon Technologies Inc (Seattle, WA) |
4/12/2022 |
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|
Hearing device with sound impulse suppression and related method |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/12/2022 |
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Assistive listening device systems, devices and methods for providing audio streams within sound fields |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
4/12/2022 |
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Hearing aid device for hands free communication |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/12/2022 |
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|
Concept for attaching a sound processor to the head via an interchangeable magnet |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/12/2022 |
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|
Method for configuring a hearing-assistance device with a hearing profile |
Concha Inc (San Carlos, CA) |
4/12/2022 |
|
|
Enhanced hearing system |
Applicant: Tran, Bao (Saratoga, CA) |
4/12/2022 |
|
|
Apparatus and method for treating or/and refreshing an ear canal |
Earways Medical Ltd (Rosh Haayin, IL) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
Monitoring stimulating assembly insertion |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
Wireless communication device for communicating with multiple external devices via a wireless communication unit |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/19/2022 |
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|
Securely sharing data between a hearing device, hearing device user, and data storage |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/19/2022 |
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|
Methods and devices for radio frequency (RF) mitigation proximate the ear |
Staton Techiya LLC (Delray Beach, FL) |
4/19/2022 |
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Amazon Technologies Inc (Seattle, WA) |
4/19/2022 |
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Optical electro-mechanical hearing devices with separate power and signal components |
Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
4/19/2022 |
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|
Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
4/19/2022 |
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Method for training a listening situation classifier for a hearing aid and hearing system |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
Hearing aid user account management |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
Antenna configuration for a hearing aid system |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
Hearing aid connector |
Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) Corporation |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
System and method for validation of hearing aids for infants using a speech signal |
Interacoustics A/S (Middelfart, DK) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
Headphone |
Bragi GmbH (Munich, DE) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
Combined wireless otoscope ear spoon and charging storage base |
Wudaopu (Shenzhen) Technology Co Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
4/19/2022 |
|
|
In-ear headphone |
Merry Electronics (Shenzhen) C0 Ltd (Shenzhen, CN) |
4/26/2022 |
|
|
Method and apparatus for in-ear acoustic readout of data from a hearing instrument |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/26/2022 |
|
|
Method of determining a status of an acoustic feedback path of a head wearable hearing device and a head wearable hearing device |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
4/26/2022 |
|
|
Hearing device with active feedback control |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/26/2022 |
|
|
High fidelity and reduced feedback contact hearing apparatus and methods |
Earlens Corporation (Menlo Park, CA) |
4/26/2022 |
|
|
In-ear housing with customized retention |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
4/26/2022 |
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.