Methods and apparatus for processing audio signals

• US 10,735,874 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2017
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Soundmed, LLC
• Inventors: Abolfathi, Amir A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eason, Matthew A
• Application Number:
  US15/676,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20170347210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0093 Features of implants not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/0098 Immediate loaded implants
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/46 Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope throat mountings H04R1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/01 Hearing devices using active noise cancellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/13 Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/604 of acoustic or vibrational transducers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and/or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and/or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transmitting vibrations comprising:

a removable oral appliance having a transducer housing engageable with at least one tooth and an electronics housing engageable with the at least one tooth,

wherein the removable oral appliance is engageable to the at least one tooth with an interference fit such that when the removable oral appliance is engaged with the at least one tooth, the removable oral appliance securely grabs onto the at least one tooth with the interference fit, wherein the transducer housing is engageable with a buccal portion of the at least one tooth and the electronics housing is engageable with a lingual portion of the at least one tooth, and wherein the buccal portion is opposite the lingual portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electronics assembly, wherein the electronics assembly is disposed within the electronics housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one tooth is five or less teeth, and wherein when the removable oral appliance is worn by a user, the removable oral appliance is in contact with the five or less teeth.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one microphone in communication with the electronic assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuatable transducer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the actuatable transducer is disposed within the transducer housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to omit an occlusal surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics housing is different from the transducer housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transducer housing and the electronics housing define an opening having a smaller size than the at least one tooth.

10. An apparatus for transmitting vibrations comprising:

a removable oral appliance having a transducer housing engageable with at least one tooth and an electronics housing engageable with the at least one tooth, wherein the removable oral appliance is engageable to the at least one tooth with an interference fit such that when the removable oral appliance is engaged with the at least one tooth, the removable oral appliance securely grabs onto the at least one tooth with the interference fit, wherein the transducer housing is engageable with a buccal portion of the at least one tooth and the electronics housing is engageable with a lingual portion of the at least one tooth, wherein the buccal portion is opposite the lingual portion, and wherein the apparatus is configured to omit an occlusal surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an electronics assembly, wherein the electronics assembly is disposed within the electronics housing.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one tooth is five or less teeth, and wherein when the removable oral appliance is worn by a user, the removable oral appliance is in contact with the five or less teeth.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one microphone in communication with the electronic assembly.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an actuatable transducer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the actuatable transducer is disposed within the transducer housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the electronics housing is different from the transducer housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the transducer housing and the electronics housing define an opening having a smaller size than the at least one tooth.