Supersonic bone conduction hearing aid and method

• US 5,047,994 A
• Filed: 11/02/1990
• Issued: 09/10/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University
• Original Assignee: The Center For Innovative Technology
• Inventors: Lenhardt, Martin L., Regelson, William, Clarke, Alex M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US07/608,429
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 367/116, 381/68.3, 381/68.1
• US Class Current: 367/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/353 Frequency, e.g. frequency shift or compression
• 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 supersonic bone conduction hearing aid that receives conventional audiometric frequencies and converts them to supersonic frequencies for connection to the human sensory system by vibration bone conduction. The hearing is believed to use channels of communications to the brain that are not normally used for hearing. These alternative channels do not deteriorate significantly with age as does the normal hearing channels. The supersonic bone conduction frequencies are discerned as frequencies in the audiometric range of frequencies.

Claims

1. A supersonic hearing aid for echo location comprising:

a source of supersonic sound for radiating to objects to be detected;

two microphones adapted to be spaced apart for receiving said radiated supersonic sound waves when they are reflected from objects to be detected and converting said sounds to electrical signals;

an amplifier for said electrical signals; and

two transducers for converting said amplified supersonic electrical signals to supersonic vibration signals for connecting said supersonic vibration signals to the human sensory system on both the left side and right side of the head to assist in echo location.