MEASUREMENT OF SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL AND PHASE AT EARDRUM BY SENSING EARDRUM VIBRATION

• US 20110098551A1
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhang, Tao
• Application Number:
  US12/980,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098551A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/409
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/125 objective methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

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.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. A hearing assistance device for measuring sound pressure at a user'"'"'s tympanic membrane, the device comprising:

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.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the magnetic field source includes a thin magnet.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the magnetic field source includes a magnetic film.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor includes one or more digital signal processors.

16. The device of claim 8, comprising a microphone configured to receive sound and to provide a signal indicative of the sound to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to process the signal indicative of the sound.

17. The device of claim 16, comprising a receiver configured to receive the processed signal and play a processed sound.

18. The device of claim 8, comprising a second housing separate from the housing, wherein the processor is enclosed in the second housing.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the second housing includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) housing.

20. The device of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) housing.

21. The device of claim 18, comprising a microphone configured to receive sound and to provide a signal indicative of the sound to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to process the signal indicative of the sound using a hearing assistance parameter.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured adjust the hearing assistance parameter using the estimated sound pressure level.

23. The device of claim 21, comprising a receiver configured to receive the processed signal and play a processed sound.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the receiver is enclosed in the housing.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the second housing is configured to enclose the microphone.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the receiver is enclosed in the second housing.

27. The device of claim 26, comprising a sound tube configured to couple the first and second housings.

12. A method of estimating sound pressure in an ear canal of a user, the method comprising:

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.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein estimating sound pressure in the ear canal includes estimating sound pressure level and phase near the tympanic membrane.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching a magnetic material to a tympanic membrane includes attaching a thin magnet to the tympanic membrane.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching a magnetic material to a tympanic membrane includes attaching a magnetic film to the tympanic membrane.

28. The method of claim 12, comprising adjusting a hearing assistance parameter using the estimated sound pressure.