Methods and apparatus for processing audio signals

• US 10,412,512 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Soundmed, LLC
• Inventors: Abolfathi, Amir A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US15/646,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20170311102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0093 Features of implants not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0098 Immediate loaded implants
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and/or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and/or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting an audio signal through bone, comprising:

positioning a housing in a mouth of a user such that a first transducer is positioned in communication with a first tooth surface and a second transducer is positioned in communication with a second tooth surface, wherein the housing is configured to contact the first and second tooth surfaces via an interference fit;

receiving an audio signal via at least a first microphone;

filtering the audio signal into at least a first frequency range and a second frequency range;

vibrating the first transducer to transmit the first frequency range through the first tooth surface; and

vibrating the second transducer to transmit the second frequency range through the second tooth surface, wherein the first and second transducer are selectively powerable on or off depending on a quality of the audio signal to be transmitted to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving comprises receiving the audio signal via the first microphone positioned intra-buccal to the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering comprises filtering the first and second frequency ranges such that each range overlaps with respect to one another.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering comprises filtering the first and second frequency ranges such that each range is separate from one another.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering comprises filtering the audio signal by two or more filters.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering comprises filtering the first frequency range to have a lower relative frequency range compared to the second frequency range having a higher relative frequency.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering comprises filtering the audio signal such that the first frequency range is from 200 Hz to 2000 Hz.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein filtering comprises filtering the audio signal such that the second frequency range is from 2000 Hz to 10,000 Hz.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein filtering comprises altering the first and/or second frequency ranges.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second transducer are selectively powerable on or off to provide the user with a perception of a louder sound.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second transducer are selectively powerable on or off based on activity of the user.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transducer is selectively powerable on or off independently of the second transducer.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the second frequency range is a higher frequency range than the first frequency range, and wherein the second transducer is selectively powerable on or off when higher frequency signals are not utilized.

10. A method of transmitting an audio signal through bone, comprising:

positioning a housing onto at least one tooth of a user such that a first transducer is positioned in communication with the at least one tooth and a second transducer is positioned in communication with the at least one tooth;

receiving an audio signal via at least a first microphone;

filtering the audio signal into at least a first frequency range and a second frequency range;

vibrating the first transducer to transmit the first frequency range through the at least one tooth; and

vibrating the second transducer to transmit the second frequency range through the at least one tooth, wherein the first and second transducer are selectively powerable on and off depending on a quality of the audio signal to be transmitted to the user.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving comprises receiving the audio signal via the first microphone positioned intra-buccal to the user.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering comprises filtering the first and second frequency ranges such that each range overlaps with respect to one another.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering comprises filtering the first and second frequency ranges such that each range is separate from one another.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering comprises filtering the audio signal by two or more filters.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering comprises filtering the first frequency range to have a lower relative frequency range compared to the second frequency range having a higher relative frequency.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering comprises filtering the audio signal such that the first frequency range is from 200 Hz to 2000 Hz.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein filtering comprises filtering the audio signal such that the second frequency range is from 2000 Hz to 10,000 Hz.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein filtering comprises altering the first and/or second frequency ranges.

22. The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second transducer are selectively powerable on and off to provide the user with a perception of a louder sound, and wherein the first and second transducer are selectively powerable on and off based on activity of the user.

26. The method of claim 10, wherein the first transducer is selectively powerable on or off independently of the second transducer.

19. A method of transmitting an audio signal through bone, comprising:

providing an apparatus comprising a housing, a first transducer, and a second transducer, wherein the housing is biased to press against at least one tooth of the user to secure the apparatus to the at least one tooth, and wherein the first transducer and the second transducer are positionable within a mouth of the user;

positioning the housing onto the at least one tooth of a user;

receiving an audio signal via a microphone;

filtering the audio signal; and

vibrating the first transducer against the at least one tooth of the user to transmit the audio signal in a first frequency range into the at least one tooth and through the bone of the user, wherein the first transducer is selectively powerable on or off based on activity of the user, wherein a second frequency range is a higher frequency range than the first frequency range, wherein the second transducer is selectively powerable on and off when higher frequency signals are not desired, and wherein the second transducer is selectively powerable on or off independently of the first transducer.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising vibrating the second transducer and vibrating a third transducer.