System and method for detecting the insertion or removal of a hearing instrument from the ear canal
First Claim
12. An electronically-implemented method of determining whether a hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into a space, comprising:
- monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument; and
determining whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the space or removed from the space based on the comparison.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hearing instrument system detects the insertion or removal of a hearing instrument into a space and includes first and second acoustic transducers, first and second level detection circuitry, and signal processing circuitry. The first acoustic transducer is configured to receive a first electrical signal and in response radiate acoustic energy, and the second acoustic transducer is configured to receive radiated acoustic energy and in response generate a second electrical signal. The first level detection circuitry is operable to receive the first electrical signal and generate a first intensity signal, and the second level detection circuitry is operable to receive the second electrical signal and generate a second intensity signal. The signal processing circuitry is operable to receive the first and second intensity signals and compare the first and second intensity signals and determine whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the space or removed from the space based on the comparison.
107 Citations
31 Claims
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12. An electronically-implemented method of determining whether a hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into a space, comprising:
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monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument; and
determining whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the space or removed from the space based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A hearing instrument, comprising:
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means for monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
means for monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument; and
means for comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument and for determining whether the hearing instrument system is inserted into the space or removed from the space based on the comparison.
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21. A method of determining whether a hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into a space, comprising:
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monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument over a frequency band;
monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument when the hearing instrument is inserted into the space;
comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band when the hearing instrument is inserted into the space to obtain first comparison data;
monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument when the hearing instrument is removed from the space;
comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band when the hearing instrument is removed from the space to obtain second comparison data; and
identifying stable band differentials between the first comparison data and the second comparison data for the monitoring insertion and removal events. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A hearing instrument system for determining a hearing instrument seal with a user'"'"'s ear, comprising:
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a first acoustic transducer configured to receive a first electrical signal and in response radiate acoustic energy;
first level detection circuitry coupled to the first acoustic transducer and operable to receive the first electrical signal and generate a first intensity signal;
a second acoustic transducer configured to receive radiated acoustic energy and in response generate a second electrical signal;
second level detection circuitry coupled to the second acoustic transducer and operable to receive the second electrical signal and generate a second intensity signal; and
signal processing circuitry coupled to the first and second level detection circuitry and operable to receive the first and second intensity signals and compare a ratio of the first and second intensity signals to a baseline ratio of the first and second intensity signals to determine whether the hearing instrument has formed an acceptable seal with the user'"'"'s ear. - View Dependent Claims (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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25-1. The hearing instrument system of claim 24, wherein the threshold level is constant over the frequency band.
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29. A method of determining whether a hearing instrument forms an acceptable seal with a user'"'"'s ear, comprising:
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obtaining a baseline frequency response of the hearing instrument configured in an acceptable seal;
obtaining a actual frequency response of the hearing instrument configured with the user'"'"'s ear;
comparing the baseline frequency response to the actual frequency response over a low frequency band;
determining whether the actual frequency response is within a threshold level of the baseline frequency response over the low frequency band;
associating an acceptable seal with a determination that the actual frequency response is within a threshold level of the baseline frequency response over the low frequency band; and
associating an unacceptable seal with a determination that the actual frequency response is not within a threshold level of the baseline frequency response over the low frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification