MEASUREMENT OF SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL AND PHASE AT EARDRUM BY SENSING EARDRUM VIBRATION
First Claim
1. A hearing assistance device for measuring sound pressure at a tympanic membrane of a user'"'"'s ear, the device comprising:
- a housing adapted to be worn at least partially in an ear canal of the user;
a laser source coupled to the housing and adapted to project a beam of laser energy at the tympanic membrane;
a sensor for receiving reflected laser energy directed at the tympanic membrane; and
a processor connected to the sensor and adapted to estimate the sound pressure level and phase at the tympanic membrane from a signal generated from the sensor.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hearing assistance device for measuring sound pressure at a tympanic membrane of a user'"'"'s ear, the device comprising a housing adapted to be worn at least partially in an ear canal of the user a laser source coupled to the housing and adapted to project a beam of laser energy at the tympanic membrane a sensor for receiving reflected laser energy directed at the tympanic membrane, and a processor connected to the sensor and adapted to estimate the sound pressure level and phase at the tympanic membrane from a signal generated from the sensor. Additional examples provide a hearing device for measuring sound pressure at the tympanic membrane using ultrasonic signals. Further examples provide a hearing device for measuring sound pressure at the tympanic membrane using magnetic sources and sensors.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A hearing assistance device for measuring sound pressure at a tympanic membrane of a user'"'"'s ear, the device comprising:
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a housing adapted to be worn at least partially in an ear canal of the user; a laser source coupled to the housing and adapted to project a beam of laser energy at the tympanic membrane; a sensor for receiving reflected laser energy directed at the tympanic membrane; and a processor connected to the sensor and adapted to estimate the sound pressure level and phase at the tympanic membrane from a signal generated from the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A hearing assistance device for measuring sound pressure at a user'"'"'s tympanic membrane, the device comprising:
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a housing adapted to be worn at least partially in an ear canal of the user; an ultrasonic wave source coupled to the housing and adapted to project ultrasonic waves at the tympanic membrane; an ultrasonic sensor for receiving reflected ultrasonic waves directed at the tympanic membrane; and a processor connected to the ultrasonic sensor and adapted to estimate the sound pressure level at the tympanic membrane using a signal generated from the ultrasonic sensor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A hearing assistance device for measuring sound pressure at a user'"'"'s tympanic membrane, the device comprising:
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a housing adapted to be worn at least partially in an ear canal of the user; a magnetic field source coupled to the user'"'"'s tympanic membrane; a coil sensor coupled to the housing and adapted to generate a signal indicative of the movement of the tympanic membrane using the magnetic field source; and a processor connected to the coil sensor and adapted to estimate the sound pressure level at the tympanic membrane using a signal generated from the coil sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of estimating sound pressure in an ear canal of a user, the method comprising:
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attaching a magnetic material to a tympanic membrane in the ear canal of the user; inserting a magnetic pickup coil in the ear canal; generating a signal indicative of movement of the tympanic membrane using the magnetic pickup coil; and estimating sound pressure in the ear canal using the signal indicative of movement of the tympanic membrane. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification