Systems and methods for photo-mechanical hearing transduction
First Claim
1. A method for delivering sound to a human subject, said method comprising:
- positioning a light-responsive output transducer assembly on a tympanic membrane of the user, the light-responsive output transducer assembly comprising a light sensitive area, wherein a support component of the output transducer assembly contacts an outer surface of the tympanic membrane such that the support component is releasable from the tympanic membrane;
providing an electrical signal in response to a sound signal;
generating modulated light energy in response to the electrical signal, the modulated light energy comprising optical power and an optical signal, the optical signal capable of transmitting the sound, the optical power capable of driving the output transducer assembly; and
delivering the modulated light energy to the light sensitive area of the output transducer assembly, wherein the modulated light energy extends across a gap to the light sensitive area and drives the transducer assembly with the optical power and the optical signal and wherein the modulated light energy induces the output transducer assembly to vibrate in accordance with the sound signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Hearing systems for both hearing impaired and normal hearing subjects comprise an input transducer and a separate output transducer. The input transducer will include a light source for generating a light signal in response to either ambient sound or an external electronic sound signal. The output transducer will comprise a light-responsive transducer component which is adapted to receive light from the input transducer. The output transducer component will vibrate in response to the light input and produce vibrations in a component of a subject'"'"'s hearing transduction pathway, such as the tympanic membrane, a bone in the ossicular chain, or directly on the cochlea, in order to produce neural signals representative of the original sound.
301 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for delivering sound to a human subject, said method comprising:
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positioning a light-responsive output transducer assembly on a tympanic membrane of the user, the light-responsive output transducer assembly comprising a light sensitive area, wherein a support component of the output transducer assembly contacts an outer surface of the tympanic membrane such that the support component is releasable from the tympanic membrane; providing an electrical signal in response to a sound signal; generating modulated light energy in response to the electrical signal, the modulated light energy comprising optical power and an optical signal, the optical signal capable of transmitting the sound, the optical power capable of driving the output transducer assembly; and delivering the modulated light energy to the light sensitive area of the output transducer assembly, wherein the modulated light energy extends across a gap to the light sensitive area and drives the transducer assembly with the optical power and the optical signal and wherein the modulated light energy induces the output transducer assembly to vibrate in accordance with the sound signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for delivering a sound to a human subject having an ear, the ear having an auditory canal and a tympanic membrane, said method comprising:
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positioning a light-responsive output transducer assembly in the auditory canal of the user, the light-responsive output transducer assembly comprising a light sensitive area, wherein a support component of the output transducer assembly contacts an outer surface of the tympanic membrane of the user such that the support component is releasable from the tympanic membrane; providing an electrical signal in response to the sound; generating light energy in response to the electrical signal, the light energy comprising optical power and an optical signal, the optical signal capable of transmitting the sound, the optical power capable of driving the output transducer assembly; and delivering the light energy to the light sensitive area of the output transducer assembly with a cone of the light energy, wherein the cone of the light energy extends across a gap to the light sensitive area to drive the transducer assembly with the optical power and the optical signal and wherein the cone extending to the light sensitive area induces the output transducer assembly to vibrate in accordance with the sound. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification