BTE/CIC auditory device and modular connector system therefor
First Claim
1. An earpiece auditory device comprising:
- a behind-the-ear component, the behind-the-ear component being shaped to fit behind an ear of a user, wherein the behind-the-ear component comprises a module including processing circuitry;
an in-canal component including a speaker and being shaped to fit into the ear canal of the user;
a connector physically coupling the behind-the-ear component to the in-canal component, at least a portion of the connector being sufficiently rigid so as to allow the connector to be used to insert and remove the in-canal component from the ear canal of the user; and
an input connected to the processing circuitry and receiving a signal from an external source.
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Abstract
An earpiece auditory device is described which includes a behind-the-ear component shaped to fit behind the ear of a user. The behind-the-ear component can also have at least one microphone and processing circuitry, where the processing-circuitry is used to processes audio signal from the microphone. The device also includes a speaker sized to fit in the ear canal of a user, and an ear mold holding the speaker in place. The ear mold can also be position to touch the bony portion of the ear canal and provide sound attenuation in the ear canal. A connector physically and electrically connects the behind-the-ear component to the speaker. The connector is capable of being used to insert and remove the speaker and ear mold from the ear canal of the user.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An earpiece auditory device comprising:
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a behind-the-ear component, the behind-the-ear component being shaped to fit behind an ear of a user, wherein the behind-the-ear component comprises a module including processing circuitry;
an in-canal component including a speaker and being shaped to fit into the ear canal of the user;
a connector physically coupling the behind-the-ear component to the in-canal component, at least a portion of the connector being sufficiently rigid so as to allow the connector to be used to insert and remove the in-canal component from the ear canal of the user; and
an input connected to the processing circuitry and receiving a signal from an external source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for providing an audible signal from an external source to a user;
- the method comprising;
receiving a signal from an external device, the signal containing audio information;
processing the signal using processing circuitry in a behind-the-ear component, the behind-the-ear component designed to fit behind the ear of the user;
transmitting the processed signal over a connector to a completely in canal component designed to fit in the ear canal of the user;
converting the processed signal into sound using a speaker in the in-canal component. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- the method comprising;
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19. A modular system for assembling an earpiece auditory device tailored to a user, the system comprising:
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a plurality of behind-the-ear components from which a behind-the-ear component may be selected, wherein each of the behind-the-ear components comprises a module including processing circuitry including a communications port operable to communicate with an external device; and
providing a plurality of connectors from which a connector of sufficient length may be selected to physically couple a selected behind-the-ear component, when the selected behind-the-ear component is placed behind the ear of the user, to a in-canal component when the in-canal component is placed inside the ear canal of the user, wherein the in-canal component includes a speaker, and at least a portion of the connector of sufficient length is sufficiently rigid so as to allow the connector of sufficient length to be used to insert and remove the in-canal component from the ear canal of the user. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification