The field of invention generally relates to hearing devices. More specifically, it relates to a non-surgical hearing system and method that can be used either as a hearing aid or a hearing device and transmits acoustic signals to the hearing organ through bone conduction.
Bone conduction hearing aids commonly known as bone conduction devices mechanically transmit sound information to a recipient's cochlea by transferring vibrations to a person's skull. The bone conduction devices transfer vibrations from an external vibrator to the skull through a bone conduction implant. The bone conduction implant penetrates the skin and is physically attached to both the vibrator and the skull.
The traditional bone conductor hearing aid comprises a vibrator that is pressed against the head behind the ear by a spring arrangement extending from the other side of the head. The constant pressure created by the spring arrangement against the skull bone often causes headaches and skin irritation.
A direct bone conductor comprises a vibrator, which is directly and firmly connected to an anchoring component. The anchoring component is anchored to the skull bone through which the vibrations are directly transmitted from the vibrator to the skull bone. This type of bone conductor may be designed with a permanent skin penetration which may lead to problems with skin infections.
In general, earphones are composed of earphone terminals, an earphone cable, and a plug. The earphone terminals are directly inserted into the ear to hear the music and audio through the earphone cable. However, listening audio or music for a long time through the earphone may damage the inner ear organ resulting in a hearing loss.
Thus, in light of the above discussion, it is implied that there is a need for a hearing system and method which is non-surgical, bone conductor, can be used as a normal hearing device and does not suffer from the problems discussed above.
The principle object of this invention is to provide a hearing system and method which is non-surgical and bone conduction hearing device.
The other object of the invention is to provide a hearing system, which can be used as a hearing aid for users with sensorineural, conductive, mixed and single sided hearing losses.
The other object of the invention is to provide a dual use hearing system that can be used either as a hearing aid for hearing loss patients and as an audio device for normal people.
A further object of the invention is to provide a hearing system which can be attached behind the ear of the user.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bone conduction hearing system which sends sound vibrations directly to cochlea through auditory nerve.
This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which, like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.
The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The present invention discloses a system and method for a bone conduction hearing which provides a hearing device attached behind the ear of the user. The hearing device transmits audio signals into the hearing organ through bone conduction, where the acoustic signals are converted into sound vibrations and conducted through skull bone. The proposed hearing system facilitates the hearing loss users and the normal users to use the hearing device as a hearing aid and as an ear phone.
In an embodiment, the hearing device 102 comprises a female mating member 104 and the adhesive member 106 comprises a male mating member 108.
In an embodiment, back part of the adhesive member 106 is attached behind the ear of the user and front part of the adhesive member 106 is formed with the male mating member 108. The hearing device 102 is fitted on the adhesive member 106 by connecting the female mating member 104 with the male mating member 108.
In an embodiment, the adhesive member 106 may comprise an adhesive patch or sheet where one side of the adhesive patch may comprise the male mating member 108 to connect to the female mating member 104 of the hearing device 102. The other side of the adhesive patch may comprise an adhesive surface which is removably attached to the skin on the head behind the ear of the user.
In an embodiment, the adhesive patch may comprise holes to overcome issues due to sweating at the attached skin area.
In an embodiment, the female mating member 104 and the male mating member 108 may comprise at least one of silicon, plastic and magnetic mating member, among others. Alternatively, the female mating member 104 and the male mating member 108 may comprise various other soft mating attachments that do not cause any skin issues or problems to the user.
The hearing device 102 is configured with an enclosure which encloses various components of the hearing device 102. The components of the hearing device 102 may convert and transmit the audio signals into inner ear of the user through bone conduction.
In an embodiment, the ear hook structure 300 comprises a device enclosing part 302 and a hook part 304. The device enclosing part 302 is designed to enclose the hearing device 102.
In an embodiment, the hearing device 102 is enclosed in the device enclosing part 302 and the assembled ear hook structure is placed behind the ear of the user. Further, the hearing device 102 is connected to the adhesive member 106 and the hook part 304 is anchored to the user ear so that the ear hook structure is supported by the user ear firmly.
In an embodiment, the hook part 304 may be flexible and may be adjusted or bent while it is anchored on the user ear. The hook part 304 of the ear hook structure 300 may comprise a flexible outer component and an adjustable or bendable inner wire component.
In an embodiment, the ear hook structure 300 may be attached to at least one of non surgical bone conduction hearing device 102, any type of hearing aid, cochlear implant sound processor, behind the ear devices (BTE) and bone anchoring hearing implants processor (BAHA) among others.
In an embodiment, the ear hook structure 400 comprises a device enclosing part 402, a primary hook part 404 and a secondary hook part 406. The device enclosing part 402 is designed to enclose the hearing device 102. The primary hook part 404 is designed to anchor to the upper part of the user ear and the secondary hook part 406 is designed to anchor to the lower part of the user ear.
In an embodiment, the hearing device 102 enclosure may be designed with an outer groove part formed around the peripheral of the hearing device 102 that facilitates the hearing device 102 to easily fit into the devices enclosing part 302. The device enclosing part 302 thereby sits into the outer groove part and firmly grips the hearing device 102.
In an embodiment, the ear hook structure 400 with dual hooks is assembled with the hearing device 102 and placed behind the ear of the user. The hearing device 102 is connected to the adhesive member 106 which is attached behind the ear. The primary hook part 404 is anchored to the upper part of the user ear and the secondary hook part 406 is anchored to the lower part of the user ear. The primary hook part 404 and the secondary hook part 406 firmly support the hearing device 102 by the user ear.
In an embodiment, the device enclosing parts 302 and 402 of the ear hook structures 300 and 400 may be designed with a rigid material to firmly secure the hearing device 102 within it.
In an embodiment, the head band 500 comprises an elongated band support 502 that surrounds and covers the behind part of the head when worn by the user.
The head band 500 further comprises a pair of device supporting sections 504/1 and 504/2 which are thicker when compared to the elongated band support 502 and firmly support hearing devices 102 on either of the head band 500. The pair of device supporting sections 504/1 and 504/2 are designed to be place behind the ear when worn by the user, so that the hearing devices 102 may be placed behind the ear of the user.
The head band 500 further comprises a pair of end sections 506/1 and 506/2 which are designed to sit in front of the ears when worn by the user so that the head band 500 is supported by the pair of end sections 506/1 and 506/2.
In an embodiment, the head band 500 may be flexible and adjustable so that the user may adjust the head band 500 to securely fit to the user's head. In an embodiment, the pair of device supporting sections 504/1 and 504/2 may be designed with rigid material compared to other sections of the head band 500, so that the device supporting sections 504/1 and 504/2 may firmly hold the hearing device 102.
In an embodiment, the ring featured structure 600 comprises a band connector 602 and a device holder 604. The band connector 602 is designed to connect to the device supporting section 504 of the head band 500. The device holder 604 is designed to accommodate the hearing device 102.
In an embodiment, the band connector 602 may comprise adjustable connecting parts to facilitate easy and secure connection of the ring featured structure 600 to the head band 500. In an embodiment, the band connector 602 may comprise either a clip mechanism or a lock mechanism or a Velcro strap mechanism.
In an embodiment, the device holder 604 may be designed with a rigid material to firmly secure the hearing device 102 within it.
In an embodiment, the hearing device 102 is assembled into the device holder 604 and the band connector 602 is fixed to the head band 500.
In an embodiment, once the assembled ring featured structure 600 is fixed to the head band 500, the head band 500 is worn by the user head from behind the head. The hearing device 102 is placed behind the ear so that the female mating member 104 of the hearing device 102 is connected with the male mating member 108 of the adhesive member 106 which is attached behind the ear.
In an embodiment, the ring featured structure 600 may be assembled with the hearing device 102 and fixed to end terminals of spectacles. Consequently, when the spectacles are worn by the user, the end terminals may reach behind the ear of the user and so the hearing device 102 may be attached to the adhesive member 106.
In an embodiment, the hearing device 102 may be incorporated with a button or switch to facilitate the user to change the hearing mode of the hearing device 102 between a hearing aid mode and a regular mode. The hearing aid mode is arranged for hearing aid users who may have sensorineural, conductive, mixed and single sided hearing losses In the hearing aid mode, the hearing device 102 is used as a hearing aid device. The regular mode is arranged for normal users so that the hearing device 102 is used as an ear phone to listen to audio or music.
In an embodiment, the hearing device 102 may enclose a mode changing component to change the hearing mode when the user presses the button. In an embodiment, in the hearing aid mode, the components enclosed in the hearing device 102 may receive audio signals from surrounding environment.
In the regular mode, the components enclosed in the hearing device 102 may receive audio signals from an external device. The external device may comprise a smart device such as a portable computing device, a smart mobile phone, a tablet PC, or any other appropriate storage and/or communication device that may be connected to the hearing device 102 either through wired or wireless.
In an embodiment the hearing device 102 may comprise a connection slot to connect the wired plug of the external device.
In an embodiment, the components 900 of the hearing device 102 may comprise a microphone 902, an audio processor 904, a controller 906, an amplifier 908, a sound vibrator 910, a magnetic stimulator 912, a hearing mode activator 914, a wireless transceiver 916 and a power supply unit 918.
The microphone 902 is configured to capture audio signals from ambient sounds or from voices from one or more persons around the user and transmit the audio signals to the audio processor 904. In an embodiment, the microphone 902 may comprise, but not limited to, analog, digital, MEMS, electret, active, passive, directional or omni-directional or a combination thereof.
The audio processor 904 processes the audio signals and transmits the processed audio signals to the controller 906. The controller 906 transmits electrical signals to an amplifier 908.
The amplifier 908 amplifies the electrical signals and transmits the amplified signals to the sound vibrator 910. The sound vibrator 910 converts the amplified signals into vibrations which are transmitted to the inner ear via bone conduction.
In an embodiment, the sound vibrator 910 may comprise at least one of a DC vibrational motor, a coreless DC vibration motor, an electromagnetic vibrator or a bone conduction vibrator.
In an embodiment, a magnetic stimulator 912 may comprise a pair of resonant coils have magnetic cores around which the current carrying wires are wound. The modulated electrical signals from the controller 906 generate a stimulatory electromagnetic field to selectively activate sensory neurons in the user brain, thus to provide a sensory audible stimulation. The magnetic stimulation may be provided either using a transcranial magnetic stimulation coil or a DC motor.
In an embodiment, a hearing mode activator 914 may work in conjunction with a button provided on the hearing device 102. The hearing mode activator 914 is configured to change the hearing mode of the hearing device 102. The hearing mode may comprise a hearing aid mode and a regular mode. The hearing aid mode is configured for hearing loss users and the regular mode is configured for normal users to avoid hearing loss.
When the user presses the button for a hearing aid mode, the hearing mode activator 914 sends signal to the controller 906 and the controller 906 activates the microphone 902 to capture ambient audio signals. When the user presses the button for a regular mode, the hearing mode activator 914 sends signal to the controller 906 and the controller 906 activates the wireless transceiver 916 to receive audio or music from an external device of the user. The audio signal is processed by the audio processor 904. Thus, in the regular mode, the hearing device 102 may be used as a wireless audio device such as an earphone.
Alternatively, in an embodiment, the hearing device 102 may comprise a slot to allow insertion of wired plug of the external device, thus allowing the hearing device 102 for wired connections in regular mode.
In an embodiment, the wireless transceiver 916 may comprise a Bluetooth communication to connect the hearing device 102 the user's device such as a smart phone in regular mode. In an embodiment, the Bluetooth communication further enable application integration, customization of hearing device, speech therapy, and live listening.
In an embodiment, the button provided on the hearing device 102 to activate the hearing mode activator 914 may comprise either a toggle button or a haptic button or a tactile button or a touch button
In an embodiment, the hearing mode may be activated by smart device like smartphone with Bluetooth connectivity.
In an embodiment, a power supply unit 918 may comprise a battery for supplying power to the components of the hearing device 102.
In an embodiment, the method 1000 begins with attaching an adhesive member behind the ear of the user, as depicted at step 1002. Subsequently, the hearing device is connected to the adhesive member through corresponding mating members which may comprise at least one of silicon, plastic, and magnetic mating members, among others, as depicted at step 1004. Thereafter, the hearing mode of the hearing device is selected by the user either as a hearing aid mode or as an ear phone mode through a button provided on the hearing device, as depicted at step 1006.
Later, the audio input signals are converted into sound vibrations by the sound vibrator, as depicted at step 1008. Next, the sound vibrations are transmitted to the hearing organ i.e., inner ear through skull, as depicted at step 1010.
The hearing system provides a non-surgical and bone conduction hearing device that transmits the sound vibrations from the sound vibrator to the cochlea through the auditory nerve. The hearing system may be used as a hearing aid for users with sensorineural, conductive, mixed and single sided hearing losses. The hearing system not only facilitates users with hearing loss, but also avoids hearing loss for normal people.
The hearing system may be utilized as a hearing aid and as an audio device such as ear phone, since the audio signals are transmitted through skull via vibrations.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the scope of the embodiments as described here.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202141047709 | Oct 2021 | IN | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IN2022/050358 | 4/14/2024 | WO |