Optically Coupled Bone Conduction Systems and Methods

• US 20110152601A1
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EarLens Corporation
• Original Assignee: SoundBeam, LLC
• Inventors: Perkins, Rodney C., Puria, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 8,715,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/008 using optical signals for detecting or generating sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window

Abstract

A hearing device can allow a user to determine from side which a sound originates with bone conduction vibration of the cochlea and the user can also receive sound localization cues from the device, as feedback can be substantially inhibited with bone conduction vibration of the cochlea. An output transducer assembly can be positioned on a first side of the user to vibrate a first bone tissue near a first cochlea with a first amount of energy, such vibration of a second cochlea on a second side with a second amount of energy is attenuated substantially, for example at least about 6 db, such that the user can localize the sound to the first side. A microphone may be located on the first side and coupled to the output transducer assembly, such that the user localizes the sound to the first side detects sound localization cues.

Claims

1. A device to transmit a sound to a user having a middle ear and a cochlea, the device comprising:

an input assembly configured to receive a sound input; and

an output assembly comprising a transducer configured to couple to a bone tissue to transmit the sound to the user.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the output assembly is configured to couple to the bone tissue to decrease stimulation of a second cochlea of the user.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the output assembly is configured to couple to at least one of a cochlear bone tissue, a temporal bone tissue, or a mastoid bone tissue.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the temporal bone tissue comprises the cochlear bone tissue and wherein the output assembly is configured to couple to the cochlear bone tissue.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the cochlear bone tissue comprises a promontory disposed between the cochlea and the middle ear.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the promontory comprises a rounded prominence formed by a projection outward of the first turn of the cochlea and wherein the output assembly comprises an anchor sized to the promontory.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein the output assembly is configured extend at least partially into the cochlear bone tissue to couple to the cochlea to decrease stimulation of a second cochlea of the user.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the output assembly is configured extend into the cochlear bone tissue a distance within a range from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm to couple the transducer to the bone tissue.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the output assembly comprises a stop to limit a penetration depth of the output assembly into the cochlear bone tissue.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the sound transmitted to the cochlea is substantially attenuated at a second cochlea of the user.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the cochlea is located on a first side of the user and the second cochlea is located on a second side of the user and wherein the substantially attenuation of the sound at the second cochlea is sufficient for the user to localize the sound to the first side.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the input assembly comprises a microphone configured for placement on the first side of the user to generate a signal in response to the sound, and wherein the input assembly is configured to transmit the signal to the output assembly to localize the sound to the first side.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the sound transmitted to the cochlea comprises a first amount and the sound transmitted to the second cochlea comprises a second amount, wherein the second amount is at least about 6 dB less than the first amount.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the second amount is at least about 10 dB less than the first amount.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the second amount is at least about 20 dB less than the first amount.

16. The device of claim 10 wherein a microphone is configured for placement on the first side outside an ear canal near an opening of the ear canal or within the ear canal to transmit sound comprising spatial localization cues and frequencies of at least about 4 kHz to the cochlea.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the transducer is configured to vibrate the cochlea on the first side with the frequencies of at least about 4 kHz.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the microphone is configured to measure sound having frequencies within a range from about 60 Hz to at least about 15 kHz and the transducer is configured to vibrate the cochlea on the first side with the range of frequencies from about 60 Hz to at least about 15 kHz.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the microphone is configured to measure sound having frequencies within a range from about 60 Hz to about 20 kHz and the transducer is configured to vibrate the cochlea on the first side with the range of frequencies from about 60 Hz to about 20 kHz

20. The device of claim 1 further comprising an anchor configured to affix to the bone tissue.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the anchor comprises at least one of protrusions, holes or recesses to couple to the bone.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein the anchor comprises the protrusions and the recesses and wherein the protrusions and the recesses comprise threads shaped to screw the anchor into the cochlear bone tissue.

23. A system to transmit a sound to a user, the system comprising:

a first input assembly configured to receive a first sound with a first microphone on a first side of the user;

a first output assembly comprising a first transducer configured to couple to a first bone tissue of a first cochlea on the first side to transmit the first sound to the user.

a second input assembly configured to receive a second sound with a second microphone on a second side of the user; and

a second output assembly comprising a second transducer configured to couple to a second bone tissue of a second cochlea on the second side to transmit the second sound to the user.

25. The system of claim 25 wherein the first microphone is configured to measure a first sound localization cue and the first output assembly is configured to transmit the first sound localization cue to the first cochlea and the second microphone is configured to measure a second sound localization cue and the second output assembly is configured to transmit the second sound localization cue to the second cochlea.

24. The system of claim 25 wherein the first microphone is configured to measure a first sound of the first side and the first output assembly is configured to transmit the first sound of the first side to the first cochlea and wherein the second microphone is configured to measure a second sound of the second side and the second output assembly is configured to transmit the second of the second side to the second cochlea.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the first output assembly and the second output assembly are configured to transmit the first and second sounds to the first and second cochleae, respectively, such that the user perceives the first sound on the first side and the second sound on the second side.

27. A method of transmitting sound to a user having an ear comprising cochlear bone tissue, the method comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic energy to a transducer coupled to the cochlear bone tissue; and

vibrating the cochlear bone tissue in response to the electromagnetic energy such that the user hears the sound.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the electromagnetic energy comprises light energy transmitted through the eardrum to vibrate the transducer.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein fascia tissue is positioned over the transducer and wherein the electromagnetic energy comprises light energy transmitted through the fascia to vibrate the transducer.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the light energy is transmitted through a posterior portion of the eardrum to vibrate the transducer.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the cochlea is located on a first side of the user and the user has a second cochlea located on a second side opposite the first side and wherein the transducer vibrates the cochlea with a first amount of energy in response to the electromagnetic energy and vibrates the second cochlea with a second amount of energy in response to the electromagnetic energy, and wherein the first amount is less than the second amount such that the user localizes the sound to the first side.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein a skull of the user attenuates the vibration of the transducer transmitted from the first side to the second side by at least about 6 dB such that the user localizes the sound to the first side.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the electromagnetic energy comprises an audio signal from a first microphone on the first side.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the microphone is positioned in an ear canal or near an ear canal opening and wherein the audio signal comprises sound localization cues having frequencies above about 4 kHz.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising a second microphone on the second side and a second transducer coupled to the cochlear bone on the second side and wherein second transducer vibrates the second cochlea in response to second electromagnetic energy and wherein the user localizes the sound to the second side in response to the second electromagnetic energy.

36. A method of providing a device to transmit sound to a user having an ear comprising cochlear bone tissue, the method comprising:

providing the device comprising a transducer;

forming a channel in the cochlear bone tissue; and

positioning the device at least partially within the channel to couple the transducer to the cochlear bone tissue.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein fascia tissue is positioned over the device when the device is positioned at least partially within the channel.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the device is affixed to the cochlear bone tissue when the device is positioned at least partially within the channel.

39. A device to transmit a sound to a user having an ear having cochlear bone, tissue the device comprising:

input assembly means for transmitting a signal; and

output assembly means for vibrating the cochlear bone tissue to transmit the signal.