Personal sound link module

• US 20030063764A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Kuzma, Janusz A., Maltan, Albert A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,879,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• 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

Abstract

A personal sound link module (60) is inserted into a tunnel (40) made through the soft tissue connecting the retro-auricular space (50) with the ear canal (30). The module contains an acoustic transducer (65), located at the distal part (68) of the module, close to or inside the ear canal, an antenna (64) that receives and also potentially sends signals to a remote source, signal processing circuitry (67), telemetry circuitry (69), a power source (66) that powers the module, and possibly a microphone (63). Signals transmitted from a remote source are received through the antenna and telemetry circuitry, processed, and presented to the acoustic transducer, where they are converted to sound waves broadcast into the user'"'"'s ear canal. The remote source may be a radio station, radio receiver, CD player, DVD player, tape player, audio system, telephone, TV receiver or station, or other source of audio signals intended to be heard privately by the user.

Claims

1. A personal sound link module (60) adapted for insertion into a tunnel (40) connecting a retro-auricular space (50) to an ear canal (30), comprising:

a case (61);

electronic circuitry (67) housed in said case;

an acoustic transducer (65) electrically connected to said electronic circuitry and positioned at a distal end (68) of said case;

a telemetry circuit (69) also electrically connected to said electronic circuitry;

an antenna (64) connected to the telemetry circuit; and

a power source (66) housed in said case and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry;

wherein the antenna is configured to receive a wireless signal from a remote device (75) and wherein the telemetry circuit demodulates the wireless signal received through the antenna, and

wherein the electronic circuitry includes signal processing circuits for processing signals demodulated by the telemetry circuit and for presenting the processed signals to the acoustic transducer; and

wherein the acoustic transducer includes circuits for converting the processed signals received from the electronic circuitry to sound waves, and for emitting the sound waves towards the ear canal.

2. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further including a hollow tube (44) adapted for insertion into the tunnel (40), and wherein the case (61) is adapted to be slidably inserted into said tube.

3. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further including a microphone (63), which microphone is electrically connected to the signal processing means contained within the electronic circuitry.

4. The personal sound link module of claim 3 wherein said telemetry circuitry includes a bidirectional wireless link over which RF signals may be transmitted to the module from a wireless network, and to the wireless network from the module.

5. The personal sound link module of claim 1 wherein the remote device comprises at least one of a radio, computer, palm pilot, CD player, DVD player, tape player, audio system, telephone, television, public address system, and private intercom system.

6. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further including means allowing the user to adjust the volume of the sound waves emitted from the acoustic transducer.

7. The personal sound link module of claim 6 further including means allowing the user to adjust the frequency content of the sound waves emitted from the acoustic transducer.

8. The personal sound link module of claim 1 wherein the power source comprises at least one of a primary battery, a rechargeable battery, and a super capacitor.

9. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further including a relay unit (74) containing circuitry for coupling a wireless signal to the personal sound link module through a telecommunications link (76), wherein the wireless signal contains audio information received from the remote device.

10. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further including a relay unit (74) containing circuitry for coupling a wireless signal to the personal sound link module, wherein the wireless signal contains audio information received from a remote site.

11. The personal sound link module of claim 10 wherein the remote site comprises at least one of a radio station, radio receiver, public address system, private intercom system, telephone land-line, cellular network, USTM network, television receiver, television station, and satellite.

12. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further includes means for generating and providing programming signals to the personal sound link module, and wherein the telemetry and signal processing circuits within the personal sound link module include means for responding to the programming signals so as to adjust the manner in which the telemetry and signal processing circuits process signals presented thereto.

13. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further including a connector (72) at a proximal end thereof for connecting the remote device to the personal sound link module.

14. The personal sound link module of claim 1 further including means for attaching an extension to the sound link module at a proximal end thereof, and wherein the extension includes means for enhancing the operation of the sound link module.

15. A personal sound link module adapted for insertion into a tunnel connecting a retro-auricular space to an ear canal, comprising:

a case (61)

electronic circuitry (67) housed in said case;

an acoustic transducer (65) electrically connected to said electronic circuitry and positioned at a distal end (68) of said case;

a connector (72) electrically connected to said electronic circuitry and positioned at a proximal end (62) of said case;

a power source (66) housed in said case and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry;

wherein the connector allows detachable connection of a remote device (75) to the module, which remote device provides audio signals to the module;

wherein the electronic circuitry includes signal processing circuits for processing the signals received the remote device and for presenting the processed signals to the acoustic transducer; and

wherein the acoustic transducer includes circuits for converting the processed signals received from the electronic circuitry to sound waves, and for emitting the sound waves towards the ear canal.

16. The personal sound link module of claim 15 wherein the remote device comprises at least one of a radio, computer, palm pilot, CD player, DVD player, tape player, audio system, telephone, television, public address system, and private intercom system.

17. A personal sound link module adapted for insertion into a tunnel connecting a retro-auricular space to an ear canal, comprising:

a case;

means within said case for receiving wireless signals from a remote source, which signals are representative of sound waves;

means within said case and connected to said receiving means for demodulating the wireless signals received at the receiving means;

means within said case and connected to said demodulating means for processing the demodulated signals representing sound waves;

means within said case and connected to said processing means for converting said processed signals to sound waves and for emitting such sound waves towards the ear canal; and

means within said case and connected to at least the processing means for providing power to said module.

18. The personal sound link module of claim 17 wherein the remote source comprises at least one of a radio, radio station, radio receiver, computer, palm pilot, CD player, DVD player, tape player, audio system, telephone, telephone land-line, cellular network, USTM network, television, television receiver, television station, satellite, public address system, and private intercom system.

19. A method of providing a personal sound link to a user, comprising:

making a tunnel through the soft tissue of the user that connects the retro-auricular space behind the pinna with the ear canal;

inserting inside the tunnel a personal sound link module, the personal sound link module having a case adapted for insertion into the tunnel, with an acoustic transducer located at a distal end of the module, an antenna, a power source, signal processing circuits, and telemetry means located within the module for allowing wireless telecommunicative contact to be established with the module; and

transmitting signals from a remote location;

receiving the signals through the antenna and processing the received signals with the signal processing circuits; and

applying signals to the acoustic transducer at the distal end of the module, whereby sound signals are broadcast into the ear canal of the user.

20. The method of providing a personal sound link of claim 19 wherein the remote location comprises at least one of a radio, radio station, radio receiver, computer, palm pilot, CD player, DVD player, tape player, audio system, telephone, telephone land-line, cellular network, USTM network, television, television receiver, television station, satellite, public address system, and private intercom system.