More to Them Than Meets the Eardrum
Hearing aids are fast developing into all-round sensing devices, multitasking on top of sound amplification by tracking eye movement and measuring body temperature (Starkey’s patents 11223915 & 11213252); using EEG and cardiovascular signals for biofeedback (GN Hearing’s 11228849 & MindMics’ 11234069); and monitoring health in general (Google’s 11219412).
No doubt, that’s just the beginning. Move over Apple Watch!
The January 2022 Patent List
|
Description |
Patent Number |
Assignee |
Issued |
|
Devices and sensing methods for measuring temperature from an ear |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
1/04/2022 |
|
|
Inner ear plug |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Treatment of the ear |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Optimization tool for auditory devices |
Soundwave Hearing LLC (Glendale Heights, IL) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Utilization of a non-wearable coil to remotely power a cochlear implant from a distance |
Advanced Bionics AG (Staefa, CH) bionics |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Real-time augmented hearing platform |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Wireless system for hearing communication devices providing wireless stereo reception modes |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
1/04/2022 |
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System and method for personalized hearing aid adjustment |
Audiocare Technologies Ltd (Gan Yoshiya, IL) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Device and method for maintaining a hearing aid |
MG Developpement (Perols, FR) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Universal adapter for hearing aids and earphones |
Applicant: Junke, Paul Gregor (Bad Saeckingen, DE) |
1/04/2022 |
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Hearing device with multiple consistent controllers |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
1/04/2022 |
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Method and system for fitting a hearing device |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Charger |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Charger |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
1/04/2022 |
|
|
Wireless earbud |
LG Electronics Inc (Seoul, KR) |
1/04/2022 |
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|
Wireless earbud |
LG Electronics Inc (Seoul, KR) |
1/04/2022 |
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Wireless earbud |
LG Electronics Inc (Seoul, KR) |
1/04/2022 |
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Wireless earbud |
LG Electronics Inc (Seoul, KR) |
1/04/2022 |
|
|
In-ear health monitoring |
Google LLC (Mountain View, CA) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Antenna for a hearing assistance device |
Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Near field magnetic induction communication over multiple channels |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Personal audio device with improved outer ear fit |
Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Redmond, WA) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Neural network-driven frequency translation |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Algorithm and wearing option interaction with a vibratory prosthesis |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Intra ear canal hearing aid |
Axign BV (Enschede, NL), Noviosound BV (Enschede, NL) |
1/11/2022 |
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|
Impact and resonance management |
Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, AU) |
1/11/2022 |
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|
Compact hearing aids |
Nanoear Corporation Inc (Houston, TX) |
1/11/2022 |
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Hearing device having dual band radio using image frequency |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK)
|
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Detecting user’s eye movement using sensors in hearing instruments |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Method for operating a hearing device, and hearing device |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Device and method to reduce ear wax clogging of acoustic ports, hearing aid sealing system, and feedback reduction system |
Staton Techiya LLC (Delray Beach, FL) |
1/11/2022 |
|
|
Fixation methods for traversing ear canals |
Staton Techiya LLC (Delray Beach, FL) |
1/11/2022 |
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|
Systems and methods for evaluating hearing health |
Mimi Hearing Technologies GmbH (Berlin, DE) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Self-powered electrode array |
Oticon Medical A/S (Smorum, DK) |
1/18/2022 |
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|
Irradiation device and method for irradiating a radiation absorbing medium, hearing aid device and laser surgery device, in particular for laser ear surgery, with such an irradiation device |
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (Hannover, DE) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Transaction card for individuals with hearing and/or vision loss |
Capital One Services LLC (McLean, VA) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising an adjustable vent |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
1/18/2022 |
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Hearing aids with self-adjustment capability based on electro-encephalogram (EEG) signals |
GN Hearing A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
RF antenna and hearing device with RF antenna |
Oticon A/S (Smorum, DK) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Cerumen protection plug |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Remote hearing test system and associated methods for establishing an auditory profile and adjusting hearing aids using such a system |
Neocustic (Paris, FR) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Correct donning of a behind-the-ear hearing assistance device using an accelerometer |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Ear tip |
Bose Corporation (Framingham, MA) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Earbud |
Navajo Manufacturing Company Inc (Denver, CO) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Earbud |
Amazon Technologies Inc (Seattle, WA) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Ear tip |
Otto Engineering Inc (Carpentersville, IL) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Hearing device |
Starkey Laboratories Inc (Eden Prairie, MN) |
1/18/2022 |
|
|
Wireless earbud |
LG Electronics Inc (Seoul, KR) |
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Wireless earbud |
LG Electronics Inc (Seoul, KR) |
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Detecting neuronal action potentials using a sparse signal representation |
MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) |
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Wireless hearing device and a charging base |
GN Audio A/S (Ballerup, DK) |
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Earbud for detecting biosignals from and presenting audio signals at an inner ear canal and method therefor |
MindMics Inc (Cambridge, MA) |
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Optical audio transmission from source device to wireless earphones |
Apple Inc (Cupertino, CA)
|
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Flexible adaptive hearing aid |
Applicant: Collado Bonet, Jose (El Pantio, ES) |
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Method of adjusting the respective phase responses of a first microphone and a second microphone |
Sivantos Pte Ltd (Singapore, SG) |
1/25/2022 |
|
|
Hearing device comprising an active vent and method for its operation |
Sonova AG (Staefa, CH) |
1/25/2022 |
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.