DIRECT DRIVE MICRO HEARING DEVICE

• US 20120308062A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Bachman, Mark, Djalilian, Hamid R., Merlo, Mark, Paulick, Peyton
• Granted Patent: US 8,885,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/318
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/21 Direction finding using differential microphone array [DMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/407 Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/652 Ear tips; Ear moulds hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10

Abstract

A device and methods are provided for a hearing device. In one embodiment, a hearing device includes a microphone to receive sound, an interactive tip and actuator. The actuator can include an actuator element and preload force element to place the interactive tip in contact with a portion of an ear. The hearing device includes circuitry coupled to the microphone and actuator, the circuitry configured to process sound received by the microphone and drive the actuator based on processed sound, wherein the actuator drives the interactive tip relative to a portion of the ear based on one or more signals received from the circuitry.

Claims

1. A hearing device comprising:

a microphone configured to receive sound;

an interactive tip;

an actuator including an actuator element and preload force element, the preload force element configured to place the interactive tip in contact with a portion of an ear; and

circuitry coupled to the microphone and actuator, the circuitry configured to process sound received by the microphone and drive the actuator based on processed sound,

wherein the actuator is configured to drive the interactive tip relative to a portion of an ear based on one or more signals received from the circuitry.

2. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein energy is transferred to the portion of the ear by at least one of electronic, electromagnetic, acoustic, photonic, vibration, magnetic, and mechanical means.

3. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the portion of the ear relates to one of an umbo, tympanic membrane, ossicles and section of the ear near the tympanic membrane.

4. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the microphone is arranged on the hearing device to face an opening of an ear canal or tympanic membrane of the ear.

5. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the actuator element is a voice coil actuator including a magnet, inner flux guide, outer flux guide, and voice coil.

6. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry drives current through the actuator element to produce a force along or at an angle to the axis of the hearing device, the force driving the interactive tip.

7. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes a power source, and one or more elements for driving, controlling signal processing, and charging the hearing device.

8. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the interactive tip stimulates the portion of the ear or tympanic membrane to generate perceived sound.

9. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein housing can provide one or more of a seal for an ear canal, sound baffle for the tympanic membrane, a flexible outer surface and at least one feature to hold the hearing device in place.

10. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the preload force element is a spring element, and the actuator is configured to provide free movement of the interface tip and to provide force towards the interface tip at any position of the interface tip.

11. The hearing device of claim 10, wherein the position of the interface tip does not influence force provided by the actuator.

12. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the preload force element and the actuator element are arranged in one of a series and parallel relationship to drive the interface tip.

13. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a magnet configured to form a flux circuit with an inner rod, first flux guide and a second flux guide, wherein at least one of an air and fluid gap exists between the second flux guide and the inner rod.

14. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the interactive tip interfaces with the portion of the ear using a fluid.

15. The hearing device of claim 14, wherein the fluid is a fluid filled pouch configured to contact a tympanic membrane.

16. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the interactive tip is a non-floating actuator.

17. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the hearing device interfaces with a component in the ear to fix the position of the hearing device.

18. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the hearing device can be charged by an ear worn device, the ear worn device charging the hearing device by one of wired and wireless charging.

19. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the hearing device includes a non-contact stop mechanism configured to turn the hearing device off.

20. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the hearing device includes means for reducing feedback to the hearing device.

21. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein interface tip drives an insert attached to a portion of the tympanic membrane by one or more of electromagnetic, mechanical, and photonic movement.

22. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the hearing device includes one or more elements to reduce sound from reaching one or more of portions of the ear canal, tympanic membrane, middle ear, or inner ear.

23. A hearing device comprising:

an active section, the active section including

a microphone configured to receive sound,

a first actuator component, and

circuitry configured to process sound received by the microphone and drive the first actuator component based on processed sound; and

a passive section separate from the active section, the passive section including an electromagnetic actuator and interactive tip,

wherein the electromagnetic actuator of the passive section is driven by the first actuator to drive a portion of the ear based on one or more signals received from the circuitry.

24. The hearing device of claim 23, wherein the passive component includes a preload force element for the interactive tip and the electromagnetic actuator.