Patent Application
20190007762
This disclosure generally relates to eartips used in earpieces associated with acoustic devices.
Acoustic earpieces can be placed within human ears, e.g., as part of earphones, Bluetooth devices, etc., to deliver sound to the ears. Eartips are often used as an interface between an acoustic earpiece and the ear canal of the user.
In one aspect, this document features a method of producing an eartip. The method includes receiving one or more electronic files comprising information on structural features of a portion of an ear of a user, generating, by one or more processing devices, an electronic representation of the eartip or a cast of the eartip based on at least a portion of the information on the structural features of the portion of the ear, and producing the eartip based on the electronic representation. The eartip includes (i) an outlet, and (ii) a sealing structure disposed around an exterior of the outlet, wherein a first end of the sealing structure is attached to the outlet, and a second, opposite end of the sealing structure is physically separated from the exterior of the outlet. Generating the electronic representation includes configuring one or more structural parameters of the outlet or the sealing structure in accordance with the structural features of the portion of the ear (e.g., the ear canal).
In another aspect, this document features one or more non-transitory machine-readable storage devices having encoded thereon computer readable instructions for causing one or more processing devices to perform various operations. The operations include receiving one or more electronic files comprising information on structural features of a portion of an ear of a user, generating an electronic representation of the eartip or a cast of the eartip based on at least a portion of the information on the structural features of the portion of the ear, and producing the eartip based on the electronic representation. The eartip includes (i) an outlet, and (ii) a sealing structure disposed around an exterior of the outlet, wherein a first end of the sealing structure is attached to the outlet, and a second, opposite end of the sealing structure is physically separated from the exterior of the outlet. Generating the electronic representation includes configuring one or more structural parameters of the outlet or the sealing structure in accordance with the structural features of the portion of the ear (e.g., the ear canal).
In another aspect, this document features an eartip that includes a body that includes a receptacle for receiving a connection to an acoustic device, an outlet having a first end connected to the body, and a second distal end configured to radiate acoustic energy out of the eartip, and a sealing structure disposed around an exterior of the outlet. A first end of the sealing structure is attached to the distal end of the outlet, and a second, opposite end of the sealing structure is physically separated from the exterior of the outlet. The second end of the sealing structure is closer to the body than the first end of the sealing structure. One or more structural parameters of the outlet or the sealing structure are configured in accordance with the structural features of the ear canal of a user, the one or more structural parameters including at least one of a length and curvature of the outlet. A first portion of the sealing structure is undersized with respect to a corresponding first portion of the ear canal, and a second portion of the sealing structure is oversized with respect to a corresponding second portion of the ear canal.
Implementations of the above aspects can include one or more of the following features. Configuring the one or more structural parameters can include configuring a thickness of at least a portion of the sealing structure, the thickness being a distance between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the sealing structure. Configuring the one or more structural parameters can include configuring a thickness of at least a portion of the outlet, the thickness being a distance between an interior surface and an exterior surface of the outlet. Configuring the one or more structural parameters can include configuring a length and curvature of the outlet in accordance with the structural features of the portion of the ear. Configuring the one or more structural parameters can include configuring an orientation of the sealing structure in accordance with the structural features of the portion of the ear.
The eartip can include (i) a body connected to one end of the outlet, and (ii) a retaining structure connected to the body, such that when the eartip is worn by the user, the body fits in at least a part of the concha of the user's ear, and the retaining structure applies pressure to the antihelix of the user's ear. The one or more electronic files can include information on structural features of an antihelix of a user, and configuring the one or more structural parameters can include configuring a location at which the retaining structure is connected to the body. Configuring the one or more structural parameters can include configuring a location at which the outlet is connected to the body. The retaining structure may be configured in accordance with structural features of the pinna of the user's ear.
The one or more electronic files can be generated, at least in part, based on output of a scanning device configured to scan the portion of the ear of the user. The one or more electronic files can be generated, at least in part, based on a mold of the portion of the ear of the user. The electronic representation of the eartip can include a first portion of the sealing structure that is undersized with respect to a corresponding first portion of an ear canal, and a second portion of the sealing structure that is oversized with respect to a corresponding second portion of the ear canal.
The location of at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the sealing structure with respect to the structural features of the ear canal may be determined responsive to receiving user-input indicative of an eartip-type. The location of a distal end of the outlet with respect to the structural features of the portion of the ear may be determined responsive to receiving user-input indicative of an eartip-type, Producing the eartip based on the electronic representation can include producing a cast based on the electronic representation, and producing the eartip using the cast. The one or more structural parameters can include the length of the outlet and cross sectional area of at least a portion of the outlet, and at least one of the length and the cross sectional area can be configured based on target acoustic characteristics of the eartip. The target acoustic characteristics can include an acoustic mass below 900 Kg/m4.
Various implementations described herein may provide one or more of the following advantages. Eartips can be customized to accommodate diverse ear geometries, making the eartips available even to users who cannot comfortably use standard eartips. Different types of eartips can be produced in accordance with user preferences regarding comfort, fit, and style. By allowing eartips to be configured in accordance with structural features of a particular user's ear, deformation and wear-and-tear of the eartips may be reduced, thereby potentially increasing the life of the eartips. Electronically storing the representations of the custom eartips also allows for producing additional eartips on demand, potentially without subjecting the user to repeated measurement processes.
Two or more of the features described in this disclosure, including those described in this summary section, may be combined to form implementations not specifically described herein.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
This document describes customized eartips that are configured in accordance with structural features of the ear, including ear canals, of particular users. A customized eartip can include an outlet or nozzle and a sealing structure (which may also be referred to as the “umbrella”), which are configured to fit into the concha and/or ear canal. The eartip may also include a body, which may be connected to a retaining structure that is configured to hold the eartip in place using the concha and the anti-helix of the user as support. Because of variations in ear geometry, in some instances, non-customized eartips may be uncomfortable, loose, and/or even unusable for some users, particularly ones who have larger-than-usual, or smaller-than-usual structural features of the ear. For example, a user having an ear canal with a large cross-section may need to push an eartip deep into the canal for stability. However, even this may be loose, and/or cause discomfort for the particular user. On the other hand, a user having an ear canal with a small cross-section may find the same eartip to be too tight, and feel discomfort during the use of the eartip. The present disclosure describes technology for customizing various portions of an eartip based on structural features of the ear of a corresponding user and/or one or more preferences of the user with respect to comfort and stability. For example, eartips can be customized in accordance with structural features of the user's ear canal and/or pinna, as well as in accordance with a trade-off between comfort and stability as perceived by the user. In some cases, such personalized eartips can result in significant improvements in comfort level and overall user-experience associated with using the eartips. The technology described herein can therefore make eartips available to a wide range of users, including those who cannot comfortably use one-size-fits-all or one-size-fits-most eartips due to having ear features that are incompatible with such eartips. In some cases, the technology described herein may also improve audio and noise reduction performance, potentially due to improved effective acoustic seal of the custom eartips.
In some implementations, the outlet 210 can be covered, at least partially, by a sealing structure 215, which is configured to form a sealing fit with the ear canal of the user. In some cases, such a sealing fit reduces external noise entering the ear canal, thereby providing passive noise attenuation. In some implementations, the sealing structure 215 is disposed around an exterior of the outlet 210 such that a first end 220 of the sealing structure is attached to the distal end of the outlet 210, and a second, opposite end 225 of the sealing structure 215 is physically separated from the exterior of the outlet. As shown in
In some implementations, the body 205 is coupled to a retaining structure 230 that engages with external structural features of the user's pinna to provide mechanical stability for holding the eartip 200 in place. For example, the retaining structure 230 can be configured to engage with at least a portion of the antihelix of the user's ear, to support the body (which is configured to sit in at least a part of the concha) and hold the eartip 200 in place in the ear canal. The retaining structure 230 can have various shapes and sizes. In the example shown in
In some implementations, one or more of the body 205, the retaining structure 230, and the sealing structure 215 may be made of, for example, a soft silicone rubber having a prerequisite hardness (e.g., 30 Shore A or less). The walls of the sealing structure 215 can be of a uniform thickness, which may be, for example, less than one millimeter. The walls of the sealing structure 230 can be configured to taper to the base of the frusto-conical structure so that the walls deflect to provide a good seal and good passive attenuation without exerting significant radial pressure on the ear canal.
While the eartip 200 shown in
The technology described herein allows for customizing or personalizing various structural features of an eartip for a user such that the eartip conforms to particular structural features of the user's ear. For example, the shape and size of an outlet and/or sealing structure of an eartip may be customized in accordance with the structural features of the ear canal of the particular user. In some cases, the shape and structure of a retaining structure and a body of the eartip, as well as the locations at which the retaining structure is connected to the body may also be customized in accordance with structural features of the user's ear. For example, the retaining structure and the body, as well as their relative positions can be configured such that the body seats in the concha and the retaining structure seats under the antihelix.
In some cases, the customized eartip can be designed in accordance with a user's preferences regarding comfort and/or stability. For example,
In some implementations, the distal end 405 of the outlet in the variant 400 sits in the first half of the first bend of the ear canal 450, and the body end 409 of the sealing structure 407 terminates a few millimeters (e.g., 1-2 mm) inside the ear canal aperture. In some implementations, the sealing structure 407 may terminate outside the ear canal aperture. In some implementations, the depth of insertion is achieved using a combination of a first portion of the sealing structure that is undersized with respect to a corresponding first portion of the ear canal (i.e., sized smaller than the corresponding portion of the ear canal), and a second portion of the sealing structure that is oversized with respect to a corresponding second portion of the ear canal (i.e., sized larger than the corresponding portion of the ear canal). In some implementations, the transition region between the undersized (407a) and oversized (407b) portions of the sealing structure can be configured, for example, using a parameter that sets the length of the transition region based on a selected cross-section. For example, the transition region between the portions 407a and 407b may be determined based on a location of the user's ear canal that provides good seal/good acoustic performance. Specifically, if the typical transition region coincides with a portion of unusual curvature for a particular user, the quality of the seal may be compromised. In such a case, the location of the transition region can be customized to avoid the portion of unusual curvature.
In some implementations, the transition region may be centered approximately at the midpoint of the sealing structure. In the example of
As shown in the example of
The sealing structure and/or outlet of a customized eartip can have a uniform or non-uniform thickness. In some implementations, a non-uniform thickness of the sealing structure and/or the outlet may improve comfort and/or acoustic seal for the corresponding eartip. In some implementations, the thickness, whether uniform or non-uniform, may be customized for different users. For example, the thickness of the outlet and/or sealing structure for a user having larger ear canals can be larger than that for another user with smaller ear canals. In some implementations, increasing the thickness of the distal end of the sealing structure and/or the outlet may help to prevent inversion of the sealing structure during removal from the user's ear, thereby potentially improving durability of the eartips. In some implementations, the customized eartips can be constructed from soft silicone, e.g., silicone having Shore A hardness in the range of 15-40. In some implementations, the hardness of the silicone may be adjusted to improve comfort/fit, potentially in conjunction with adjustments to the thickness of the sealing structure and/or the outlet, in accordance with target mechanical characteristics of the eartips.
Customized eartips such as the ones shown in
At least a portion of the information on the structural features of the user's ear included in the one or more electronic files can be used to generate an electronic representation of the eartip (or a cast for the eartip). In some implementations, the outlet and/or the sealing structure may be customized during the generation of such an electronic representation in accordance with the corresponding structural features of the user's ear. For example, a length, curvature, and/or a thickness of at least a portion of the outlet may be customized in accordance with corresponding structural features of the ear canal. For example, an outlet for a user with a large concha can be configured to be longer than the outlet for a user with a smaller concha. In another example, an orientation and/or a thickness of at least a portion of the sealing structure may be configured in the electronic representation in accordance with the structural features of the ear canal. In some implementations, at least one of the length and the cross sectional area of the outlet can be configured based on target acoustic characteristics of the eartip. For example, the parameters may be configured based on a specified acoustic mass, which can represent the resistance of the air mass inside a given volume, such as that of the outlet. In some implementations, where the length of the outlet is determined by the ear geometry, a cross sectional area of the outlet can be adjusted (e.g., made larger to decrease the acoustic mass, and vice versa) to configure an eartip based on structural characteristics of the ear as well as target acoustic characteristics. In some implementations, the location of the distal ends 405, 415 of the respective variants in the ear canal can be configured in accordance with desired acoustic performance.
Various other structural parameters of the eartip may also be customized during the generation of the electronic representation of the eartip or the cast of the eartip. Examples of such structural parameters include shape and size of the retaining structure, shape and size of the body, location at which the outlet is connected to the body, and/or location(s) at which the retaining structure is connected to the body. In some implementations, customizing various structural features of the eartip can configure the eartip for custom placement within user's ear. For example, the sealing structure of the eartip may be custom shaped, and the retaining structure can be configured for custom placement at appropriate locations in a wearer's ear (e.g., within the concha and underneath the antihelix, respectively).
Once the electronic representation of the eartip or the cast of the eartip is generated, the actual eartip can be produced based on the electronic representation. In some implementations, this can include first producing a cast based on the electronic representation, and then producing the eartip by filling the cast with the material of the eartip. In some implementations, the eartip may be produced directly from the electronic representation, for example, by 3D printing the eartip based on the electronic representation. In some implementations, a combination of different techniques could be used where a portion of the eartip is produced from a cast, and a different portion is 3D printed. In some implementations, a customized sealing structure may be produced using a dynamic tool that shapes an initial generic membrane or structure (e.g., using compressed air applied from behind to force the generic structure against a custom model) to generate a customized sealing structure. In some implementations, the custom model itself may be 3D printed.
Generating the electronic representation of the eartip or the cast of the eartip, and customizing the representation, includes several steps.
In some implementations, one or more regions in the representation 500 are processed to affect the properties of the custom eartip, for example, to increase comfort, add retention properties, or improve seal. In the example of
Referring now to
The outlet 530 can then be defined to extend between the body 525 and the distal end 532 of the eartip. In some implementations, the diameter of the outlet 530 is approximately 4 mm or more. The cross-section of the outlet 530 at the body end may be shaped to match the shape of the acoustic transducer or the housing thereof to be connected. The cross section of the outlet 530 at other sections can be configured in accordance with structural features of the ear canal of the user, potentially subject to one or more constraints. For example, the equivalent diameter of each section of the outlet 530 may be configured to substantially match the cross section at the body end of the outlet 530, and/or abrupt changes in the size or shape of the outlet may be avoided. In some cases, if the outlet is too small or narrow for the body end diameter to be maintained for the entire length of the outlet, the diameter of the outlet may be gradually decreased until an equivalent diameter can be maintained for the entire length of the outlet. In some implementations, the outlet may be substantially centered with respect to the exterior surface, but configured to be as straight as possible.
In some implementations, the outlet 530 may also be configured in accordance with target acoustic properties. For example, an acoustic mass of the outlet may be designed to be below a threshold value, e.g., 900 Kg/m4. The acoustic mass can be decreased, for example, by increasing the cross-sectional area of the outlet, and/or shortening the outlet.
In some implementations, the electronic representation of the eartip can be configured to generate an electronic representation of a cast for the eartip. A cast generated using the latter electronic representation can be filled with the material of the earpiece (e.g., silicone) to produce the eartip. In some implementations, the thickness of the cast is between 0.40 mm and 0.50 mm. However, other values for the thickness are also possible.
In some implementations, one or more identifiers can be placed on the cast and/or the eartip produced using the case. Because the eartip and cast are personalized for a particular user, the identifier can be used to link the electronic representation of a cast or eartip to the particular user, and identify the physical cast/eartip during a production process.
Once the electronic representation of the eartip or cast is produced as described above, the physical eartip or cast can be produced using the electronic representation.
Operations of the process 600 also include generating an electronic representation of the eartip or a cast of the eartip based on at least a portion of the information on the structural features of the ear canal (604). Generating the electronic representation can include configuring one or more structural parameters of the outlet or the sealing structure in accordance with the structural features of the ear canal. The eartip can include, for example, an outlet, and a sealing structure disposed around an exterior of the outlet, as shown for example in
In some implementations, the electronic representation may be generated substantially as described above with reference to
In some implementations, the eartip can include a body, which may be connected to one end of the outlet, and a retaining structure, which may be connected to the body, such that when the eartip is worn by the user, the body fits in at least a part of the concha of the user's ear, and the retaining structure applies pressure to the antihelix of the user's ear. The body, outlet and retaining structure may be integrally formed, or may be formed of separate pieces. In some implementations, configuring the one or more structural parameters can include configuring a location at which the retaining structure is connected to or abuts the body, configuring a location at which the outlet is connected to or abuts the body, and/or configuring the retaining structure in accordance with structural features of the pinna of the user's ear. In some implementations, the one or more structural parameters may be configured in accordance with target acoustic characteristics of the eartip. For example, the length of the outlet and cross sectional area of at least a portion of the outlet can be configured in accordance with a target acoustic mass, as described above.
In some implementations, the electronic representation of the eartip can include a first portion of the sealing structure that is undersized with respect to a corresponding first portion of the ear canal, and a second portion that is oversized with respect to a corresponding second portion of the ear canal. Locations of the first and second portions of the sealing structure can be determined based on user-input indicative of a user's preference regarding an eartip-type. For example, the locations of the oversized and undersized portions can be determined based on whether the user prefers a “comfort” variant or a “stability” variant, as described above with reference to
Operations of the process 600 also include producing the eartip based on the electronic representation (606). This can include, for example, producing a cast based on the electronic representation, and producing the eartip using the cast. For example, a cast can be produced substantially as described above with reference to
The functionality described herein, or portions thereof, and its various modifications (hereinafter “the functions”) can be implemented, at least in part, via a computer program product, e.g., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, such as one or more non-transitory machine-readable media or storage device, for execution by, or to control the operation of, one or more data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, multiple computers, and/or programmable logic components.
A computer program can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a network.
Actions associated with implementing all or part of the functions can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform the functions of the calibration process. All or part of the functions can be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and/or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In some implementations, at least a portion of the functions may also be executed on a floating point or fixed point digital signal processor (DSP) such as the Super Harvard Architecture Single-Chip Computer (SHARC) developed by Analog Devices Inc. Processing devices suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. Components of a computer include a processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data.
Other embodiments and applications not specifically described herein are also within the scope of the following claims. Elements of different implementations described herein may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically set forth above. Elements may be left out of the structures described herein without adversely affecting their operation. Furthermore, various separate elements may be combined into one or more individual elements to perform the functions described herein.
