Systems, Devices, Components and Methods for Bone Conduction Hearing Aids

• US 20130018218A1
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sophono, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sophono, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Haller, Markus C., Pergola, Nicholas F., Kasic, James F.
• Application Number:
  US13/550,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018218A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/456 mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/002 Damping circuit arrangements for transducers, e.g. motional feedback circuits

Abstract

Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods are disclosed for hearing devices and systems.

Claims

1. A hearing system, comprising:

an external audio processor comprising a magnetic spacer, and

an implantable array of a plurality of magnets;

wherein the magnetic spacer and implantable array are configured to permit the audio processor to be magnetically coupled to a skull of a patient when the implantable array is implanted in the patient'"'"'s skull, and further wherein a position of the audio processor on the patient'"'"'s skull may be modified by the patient in accordance with a geometry of the plurality of magnets in the array.

2. A hearing system, comprising:

an external audio processor comprising a microphone, an electromagnetic (EM) transducer, and an accelerometer configured to sense mechanical vibrations generated by the transducer;

wherein the audio processor further comprises feedback control means for actively cancelling noise associated with the mechanical vibrations and removing or cancelling same from signals measured by the microphone, such means employing output signals from the accelerometer to actively cancel such noise.

3. A hearing system, comprising:

an external audio processor comprising a magnetic spacer;

an implantable array of a plurality of magnets;

wherein the magnetic spacer is configured to permit a thickness thereof or a magnetic strength or force associated therewith to be adjusted by a patient.