Method and system for transcutaneous proximity wireless control of a canal hearing device
First Claim
1. A system for proximity wireless control of a canal hearing device comprising:
- a hand-held wireless controller configured to generate a magnetic field for transmittance transcutaneously through a cartilaginous tissue of an ear; and
a canal hearing device configured for positioning laterally in an ear canal of the ear, the canal hearing device having one or more reed switches incorporated within the canal hearing device, wherein one or more of the reed switches are positioned within a cartilaginous region of the ear and are oriented to respond to the magnetic field when the magnetic field is applied non-invasively exterior to the ear and anterior to a tragus at a temporomandibular joint region, said magnetic field being transmitted transcutaneously through the cartilaginous tissue to the canal hearing device for control of the canal hearing device while the hand-held wireless controller remains outside of the ear canal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Examples of systems and methods of wireless control of a canal hearing device by applying a magnetic field on the skin at the temporomandibular region of the head are described. An exemplary hearing device may include one or more magnetic sensors for wireless activation by the magnetic end of a remote control device applied inconspicuously to the anterior of the external ear. The activation of a reed switch magnetic sensor within the canal hearing device may be decoded by the electronics of the hearing device to implement a control command, such as volume change, program setting change, ON, or OFF. According to examples described, wireless control of the canal hearing device may be implemented with a natural, comfortable, and inconspicuous hand-arm motion. In some embodiments, multiple reed switches may be arranged to selectively respond to a magnetic field applied within distinct “hot spot” regions, for separate remote control commands.
40 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system for proximity wireless control of a canal hearing device comprising:
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a hand-held wireless controller configured to generate a magnetic field for transmittance transcutaneously through a cartilaginous tissue of an ear; and a canal hearing device configured for positioning laterally in an ear canal of the ear, the canal hearing device having one or more reed switches incorporated within the canal hearing device, wherein one or more of the reed switches are positioned within a cartilaginous region of the ear and are oriented to respond to the magnetic field when the magnetic field is applied non-invasively exterior to the ear and anterior to a tragus at a temporomandibular joint region, said magnetic field being transmitted transcutaneously through the cartilaginous tissue to the canal hearing device for control of the canal hearing device while the hand-held wireless controller remains outside of the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for wirelessly controlling a canal hearing device positioned laterally inside an ear canal of an ear, the method comprising:
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positioning a remote control device external to the ear and anterior to a tragus; transmitting a magnetic field generated by the remote control device transcutaneously into the canal hearing device through cartilaginous tissue present between the remote control and the canal hearing device; activating a reed switch incorporated within the canal hearing device in response to the magnetic field, wherein the reed switch is positioned in a cartilaginous region of the ear and wherein the reed switch is oriented to generate a control command based on the activation of the reed switch while the remote control device remains outside of the ear canal and anterior to the tragus. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for wirelessly controlling a canal hearing device comprising:
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a remote control device configured to transmit a magnetic field for transmittance transcutaneously through a cartilaginous tissue of an ear; and a canal hearing device configured for positioning laterally inside an ear canal of the ear, the canal hearing device having a plurality of magnetic sensors incorporated therein, wherein said magnetic sensors are positioned in a cartilaginous region of the ear and oriented to selectively respond to the magnetic field from the remote control device when said remote control device is positioned non-invasively exterior to the ear and anterior to a tragus at a temporomandibular region for transmitting the magnetic field transcutaneously to any of the magnetic sensors through the cartilaginous tissue between the remote control device and any of the magnetic sensors while the remote control device remains outside of the ear canal. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of wirelessly controlling a canal hearing device positioned laterally inside an ear canal of an ear comprising:
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positioning a remote control device non-invasively external to the ear and anterior to a tragus; transcutaneously transmitting a magnetic field from the remote control into the canal hearing device through cartilaginous tissue therebetween to selectively activate one of multiple magnetic sensors incorporated within the canal hearing device positioned laterally inside the ear canal, wherein at least one of the magnetic sensors is oriented to respond to the magnetic field when the magnetic field is transmitted non-invasively exterior to the ear and anterior to the tragus; and decoding the activation of one or more magnetic sensors by the canal hearing device to implement a control command within said canal hearing device while the remote control device remains outside of the ear canal.
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- 34. A canal hearing device configured for lateral placement inside an ear canal of an ear, the canal hearing device having one or more magnetic sensors incorporated therein and positioned in a cartilaginous region of the ear, wherein the one or more magnetic sensors are oriented to respond to a magnetic field source applied non-invasively exterior to the ear and anterior to a tragus at a temporomandibular joint region and transmitted transcutaneously to the one or more magnetic sensors through cartilaginous tissue present between the magnetic field source and the canal hearing device so that the canal hearing device is configured to be controlled while the magnetic field source is outside of the ear canal.
Specification