Hearing system having an open chamber for housing components and reducing the occlusion effect
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hearing system comprising:
- a shell having an outer surface and an open inner chamber, said outer surface configured to conform to an inner wall surface of the ear canal;
an input transducer disposed inside of the shell, wherein said input transducer captures ambient sound, including high frequency spatial localization cues, that enters the ear canal of the user and converts the captured sound into electrical signals; and
a transmitter assembly that receives the electrical signals from the input transducer, the transmitter assembly comprising a signal processor that has a frequency response bandwidth in a 6.0 kHz to 20 kHz range, the transmitter assembly configured to deliver filtered signals to an output transducer positioned in a middle or inner ear of the user, the filtered signals being representative of the ambient sound received by the input transducer,wherein openings in the shell allow ambient sound to pass through the open chamber and bypass the input transducer to directly reach the middle ear of the user; and
wherein the open chamber of the shell houses at least a portion of the transmitter assembly, and the shell comprises a first end that is configured to be positioned adjacent to an entrance of the ear canal and a second end that is configured to be positioned in proximity to the tympanic membrane, wherein the second end comprises one or more of said openings that allow the ambient sound from outside the entrance of the ear canal to directly reach the middle or inner ear of the user.
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Abstract
A hearing system comprises a shell having an open inner chamber. An input transducer and a transmitter assembly are disposed in the open inner chamber. The transmitter has a frequency response bandwidth in a 6 kHz to 20 kHz range, and the open chamber has an end adjacent a patient'"'"'s tympanic membrane with one or more openings that allow the ambient sound to pass through the chamber and directly reach the middle ear of the user.
311 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A hearing system comprising:
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a shell having an outer surface and an open inner chamber, said outer surface configured to conform to an inner wall surface of the ear canal; an input transducer disposed inside of the shell, wherein said input transducer captures ambient sound, including high frequency spatial localization cues, that enters the ear canal of the user and converts the captured sound into electrical signals; and a transmitter assembly that receives the electrical signals from the input transducer, the transmitter assembly comprising a signal processor that has a frequency response bandwidth in a 6.0 kHz to 20 kHz range, the transmitter assembly configured to deliver filtered signals to an output transducer positioned in a middle or inner ear of the user, the filtered signals being representative of the ambient sound received by the input transducer, wherein openings in the shell allow ambient sound to pass through the open chamber and bypass the input transducer to directly reach the middle ear of the user; and wherein the open chamber of the shell houses at least a portion of the transmitter assembly, and the shell comprises a first end that is configured to be positioned adjacent to an entrance of the ear canal and a second end that is configured to be positioned in proximity to the tympanic membrane, wherein the second end comprises one or more of said openings that allow the ambient sound from outside the entrance of the ear canal to directly reach the middle or inner ear of the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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positioning a shell within an open ear canal of a user to capture ambient sound,said shell having an outer surface which conforms to an inner wall of the ear canal; transmitting signals that are indicative of the ambient sound received by an input transducer within an open chamber of the shell to a transmitter assembly; filtering the signals at the transmitter assembly with a signal processor that has bandwidth that is above about 6.0 kHz; and delivering filtered signals to a middle ear or inner ear of the user; wherein the open chamber inside the shell allows non-filtered ambient sound to bypass the input transducer and directly reach the middle ear of the user; and wherein the open chamber of the shell houses at least a portion of the transmitter assembly, and the shell comprises a first end that is configured to be positioned adjacent to an entrance of the ear canal and a second end that is configured to be positioned in proximity to the tympanic membrane, wherein the second end comprises one or more of said openings that allow the ambient sound from outside the entrance of the ear canal to directly reach the middle or inner ear of the user. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification