Audiological treatment system and methods of using the same

• US 20050192514A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Neurotone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Neurotone Incorporated
• Inventors: Kearby, Gerald Wayne, Greenleaf, Walter John, Levine, Earl I., Modeste, A. Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/790,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20050192514A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/559
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/128 evaluating tinnitus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal

Abstract

A system and method for treatment of neurological disorders with sound therapy is disclosed. The system can have a local PDA, a remote server, a physician'"'"'s PC, and a database connected to the server. The PDA and PC can be networked with the server. The PC can initialize a treatment protocol stored at the server. The server can utilize the database and the protocol from the PC to come up with a recommended therapy. The recommended therapy can be selected by the PC and sent to the PDA. The PDA can then execute the selected therapy on the patient. The PDA can also record biometric and other feedback and send it to the server.

Claims

1. A system for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the system comprising:

a first device, and

a second device communicating over a network to the first device, wherein the second device is configured to evaluate and treat the neurological deficiency.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second device treats the neurological deficiency according to a treatment protocol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first device sends a treatment protocol to the second device.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a database readable by the first device, wherein the database comprises data regarding the neurological deficiency.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first device computes the treatment protocol with a computation, and wherein the computation comprises the data.

6. The system of claim 3, further comprising a third device communicating over a network to the first device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the third device can control the treatment protocol.

8. A system for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the system comprising:

a first device configured to access a database comprising data, and

a second device configured to network with the first device, wherein the second device is configured to create therapy tones, and wherein the therapy tones are determined from a function comprising the data.

9. A first device for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the system comprising, the device comprising:

a data transfer device, wherein the data transfer device is configured to communicate with a second device, and

an acoustic transducer,

wherein the data transfer device receives the therapeutic protocol from the second device.

10. A device for delivering sound to a user, the device comprising:

an acoustic transducer configured to deliver the sound,

a biometric sensor configured to receive feedback from the user.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising an earpiece.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the biometric sensor comprises an electric sensor

13. The device of claim 11, Wherein the biometric sensor comprises an optical sensor.

14. The device of claim 11, Wherein the biometric sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

15. The device of claim 11, further comprising an ambient sensor.

16. The device of claim 11, further comprising an ambient channel.

17. A device for transmission and reception of signals, comprising:

an earpiece comprising an acoustic transducer and an ambient sensor.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising an ambient channel.

19. A method for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the method comprising:

transferring a treatment protocol from a remote device to a local device comprising an acoustic transducer, and

performing the treatment protocol on the local device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the treatment protocol is computed by the remote device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the treatment protocol is the result of a computation comprising data from a database.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the treatment protocol comprises a tone.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the treatment protocol comprises an amplitude.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the treatment protocol comprises a schedule.

25. A method for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the method comprising:

applying therapy for the symptoms using a portable device, and

diagnosing the symptoms using the portable device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the portable device weighs less than about 2 pounds.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the portable device weighs less than about 1 pound.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein diagnosing comprises receiving user feedback during therapy.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein user feedback comprises a biometric.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein user feedback comprises a qualitative user response.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein applying therapy comprises broadcasting a tone.

32. A system for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the system comprising:

a first device configured to emit a first sound to a user, and wherein the first device senses electrical signals of the user'"'"'s brain.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the electrical signals are used to determine a second sound to be emitted to the user.

34. A method for applying sound to a neurological process for a user, wherein the neurological process is amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the method comprising:

performing a sensory threshold test with a first device on the user, wherein the sensory threshold test produces results, and

applying sound with the first device, wherein the sound is based on the results of the sensory threshold test.

35. A method for applying sound to a neurological process for a user, wherein the neurological process is amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the method comprising:

emitting sound with a first device to the user,

sensing a biometric from the user,

displaying the biometric to the user.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the biometric comprises a brain signal.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the biometric comprises a heart rate.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein displaying comprises substantially constant display of the biometric to the user.

39. A system for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the system comprising:

a first device configured to emit a first sound to a user, wherein the first device senses electrical signals of the user'"'"'s brain, and wherein the electrical signals are used to determine a second sound to be emitted to the user.

40. A method for applying sound to a neurological process for a user, wherein the neurological process is amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the method comprising:

emitting sound to the user,

retrieving biometric data from the user, and

coupling temporal data with the biometric data.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the retrieving comprises retrieving by a first device, and wherein coupling comprises coupling by the first device.

42. A system for applying sound to a neurological process amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the system comprising:

a first device configured to emit a first sound to a user, wherein the first device comprises a sound generating processing unit.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the sound generating processing unit is configured for efficient power consumption.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the first device comprises more than one processing unit, and wherein the sound generating processing unit is configured to consume less power than the other processing units.

45. A method for applying sound to a neurological process for a user, wherein the neurological process is amenable to treatment or augmentation by sound, the method comprising:

generating sound, wherein generating comprises sound generating processing unit, and

emitting sound to the user.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the sound generating processing unit is configured for efficient power consumption.