CN101208992B - 具有增强的高频响应的助听系统 - Google Patents

具有增强的高频响应的助听系统 Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN101208992B
CN101208992B CN2006800201818A CN200680020181A CN101208992B CN 101208992 B CN101208992 B CN 101208992B CN 2006800201818 A CN2006800201818 A CN 2006800201818A CN 200680020181 A CN200680020181 A CN 200680020181A CN 101208992 B CN101208992 B CN 101208992B
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
signal
assistance system
filtering
transducer
hearing assistance
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
CN2006800201818A
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
CN101208992A (zh
Inventor
S·普拉
R·C·帕金斯
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
EarLens Corp
Original Assignee
EarLens Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by EarLens Corp filed Critical EarLens Corp
Publication of CN101208992A publication Critical patent/CN101208992A/zh
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CN101208992B publication Critical patent/CN101208992B/zh
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/40—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/40—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic
    • H04R25/402—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic using contructional means
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/45—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback
    • H04R25/453—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback electronically
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
    • H04R25/554—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
    • H04R25/604—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers
    • H04R25/606—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers 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
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R3/00—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R3/04—Circuits for transducers, loudspeakers or microphones for correcting frequency response
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R23/00—Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00
    • H04R23/008—Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00 using optical signals for detecting or generating sound
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/09—Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/13—Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers

Abstract

本发明给出提供增强的高频响应的助听系统和方法。该高频响应提高助听系统的信噪比并允许保留和传输高频空间定位线索。

Description

具有增强的高频响应的助听系统
技术领域
本发明涉及助听方法和系统。更具体地说，本发明涉及具有提高语音接收阈值(SRT)并保留和传送高频空间定位线索至中耳或内耳的增强的高频响应的方法和系统。这类系统可用来改善正常或受损听力的听音过程。
之前的研究表明当语音带宽经低通滤波时，对高于3kHz的带宽而言语音的可理解性不会改善(Fletcher 1995)，这就是为什么电话系统被设置在局限于大约3.5kHz的带宽内，也是为什么助听带宽被限制在低于大约5.7kHz的频率内(Killion2004)。现在很明显的是在高于5kHz的语音中具有很大的能量(Jin等.J.AudioEng.Soc，慕尼黑2002)。此外，听力受损的患者通过放大的语音使用增大的带宽在安静(Vickers等2001)和噪声环境(Bear等2002)下都能得到改善。对于在高频下耳蜗中不具有死区的患者而言尤为如此(Moore，“Loudness perception andintensive resolution”，Cochlear Hearing Loss，Chapter4，pp90-115，Whurr出版物有限责任公司，伦敦1998)。因此，佩带大于5.7kHz带宽助听器的患者可望在安静和扩散域噪声状态下具有更好的听力。
许多研究，不管是对人(Shaw 1974)还是对猫(Musicant等1990)已表明对高于5kHz的频率而言，耳道入口处的声压随声源位置变化。这种空间滤波是由于耳廓对进入声波的衍射。已达成共识是这些衍射线索有助于空间定位的察觉(Best等，“The influence of high frequencies on speech localization”文摘981(2003年2月24日)，来自www.aro.org/abstract/abstracts.html)。由于传统助听器带宽受限，一些空间定位线索被从传递至中耳或内耳的信号中移除。因此，传统助听器的佩带者经常无法准确地确定说话方，其要求高于5kHz的语音能量。
耳鼓与耳道入口压力比在大约3.5kHz具有10dB的谐振(Wiener等1996，haw1974)。这与水平面的声源位置无关(Burkhard和Sachs 1975)。该比值是相对于耳鼓和耳道的大小和所产生的相对声阻抗的函数。因此，一旦衍射的声波传播过耳道的入口，就不再有空间滤波。换句话说，对于空间定位而言，将麦克风置于比耳道入口附近更靠近内侧的位置是没有额外的好处的。大多数助听器在麦克风输入后加入10dB的谐振，因为该增益是不依赖于空间的。
如今已证明对多个谈话者空间位置差异的分辨有助于对共存语音的辨别(Freyman等1999)。与其它研究一致，来自www.aro.org/abstract/abstracts.html的Carlile等的“Spatialisation of talkers and the segregation of concurrent speech”文摘1264(2004年2月24日)示出在两耳状态下当两耳的语音和屏蔽噪声相同时-4dB的语音接收阈值(SRT)，和当语音屏蔽以30°空间分离时-20dB的语音接收阈值。然耳当语音信号被低通滤波至5kHz时，SRT降低至-15dB。尽管前面对于单个声道的研究已指出高于5kHz语音中的信息不对语音可理解性产生任何影响，然而这些数据提示相比带宽实际听觉模拟上表现出的宽带宽，由外部感知承担的5dB无屏蔽带大为减少。SRT的5dB改善大部分是因为中心机制。然而，这里仍然不清楚通过一个声道(例如单耳)的听觉线索能实现多少程度的5dB改善。
最近在P.M.Hofman等人的“relearning sound localization with new ears”自然神经科学，卷1，第五页，1998年9月中记载了声源定位依赖于对隐含的声学线索的神经处理。Hofman等人发现基于频谱线索的准确定位对声谱构成约束，并且需要将声音扩展至宽频带以形成充分的频谱信息。然而，对于传统助听系统，由于耳道经常是完全堵住的并且传统助听系统通常具有低带宽滤波器，这类传统系统使用者无法接收三维定位空间线索。
此外，Wightman和Kistler(1997)发现当声音只被传至一只耳朵时收听者不能定位声音的实际声源。这意味着通过助听装置传递给一个耳朵的高频声谱线索不一定是有利的。Martin等人(2004)最近指出当到达一个耳朵的信号被低通滤波(2.5kHz)并因此保留有关声源侧角的双耳信息时，单耳至另一耳的频谱线索能正确地解释立面和前后的半域线索。这说明假设对侧的耳朵没有明显的低频听力损失，则使用一个宽带助听器的患者能通过该助听器定位声音，并因此能够处理耳间时间差线索。由于由Carlile等人(2004)观察到的外部确定造成的无屏蔽带的改善至少可用单耳放大来实现。未解决的问题是可通过单耳和通过部分屏蔽听觉耳道的装置能实现多少程度的5dB改善。
头关联传递函数(HRTF)是由于进入声波通过耳廓的衍射造成的。另一确定所测得HRTF的因素是耳道本身的开启度。已发现在耳道中部分堵塞耳道并因此改变HRTF的装置能消除方向依赖的耳廓线索。Burkhard和Sachs(1975)表明当耳道被堵塞时，空间依赖的垂直定位线索被改良但仍然被表现出来。对于新线索需要某些重新认识以从高频线索获得利益。Hoffman等(1998)表示这种认识在少于45天的周期上发生。
目前，多数传统助听系统分为三类：声学助听系统、电磁驱动助听系统和耳蜗植入物。声学助听系统依靠声学换能器，所述声学换能器产生将振动引入到鼓膜或耳鼓的放大的声波。面向听力受损者的电话耳机、无线电、电话和助听器都是采用声学驱动机构的实例。电话耳机例如将线路上传输的信号转换成扬声器中的振动能量，所述扬声器产生声能。这种声能在耳道中传播并振动鼓膜。这些具有不同频率和振幅的振动导致对声音的感知。对具有深度听力损伤的患者，外科植入的耳蜗植入物电学模拟听觉神经节细胞或树突。
将听觉信息通过电磁换能器传递至耳朵的助听系统是公知的。这些换能器将经过调制以含音频信息的电磁场转换成传递至鼓膜或中耳部分的振动。以磁体为代表的换能器因磁场形成位移以将振动作用于其所附着于的部分，由此这种电磁驱动系统的佩带者产生声音感知。这种声音感知方法在质量、效率方面具有优于声学驱动系统的一些优点，最重要的是明显减少“反馈”，这个问题对声学助听系统而言是共同的问题。
当一部分声学输出能量返回或“反馈”至输入换能器(麦克风)，声学助听系统中发生反馈，由此造成自激振荡。反馈电势一般正比于系统的放大水平，因此许多声学驱动系统的输出增益必须被减小到低于理想水平以防止反馈情形。这种问题导致输出增益不足以补偿听力损失，尤其对于严重病例，一直是声学型助听器的主要问题。为了最小化到达麦克风的反馈，许多声学助听装置堵住或对耳道提供最小通风。尽管能减少反馈，然而代价是“堵塞”，作为多数助听器使用者问题所在的隧道式听觉感知。由于驱动机构是机械的而非声学的，因此直接驱动耳鼓能使反馈最小化。由于以机械方式振动耳鼓，声音被耦合于耳道并且沿相反方向支持声波传播。然而，机械-声学耦合是低效率的并且这种低效率性被用作削弱导致增加的系统增益的耳道中的声音。
一个非侵入地将磁体耦合于鼓膜并解决某些上述问题的系统记载于Perkins等人的5259032号美国专利中，该文献被援引包含于此。Perkins专利公开一种用于产生电磁信号的装置，该装置具有通过表面粘合剂微弱但充分地附于佩带者鼓膜的换能器组合件。同样原因包含于此的5425104号美国专利公开一种产生电磁信号的装置，该装置具有在个人声道外的驱动装置。然而，由于磁场强度根据距离平方的倒数而减小(1/R2)，因此前述产生音频承载磁场的方法效率很低并因此不实用。
尽管传统助听器在提高听力方面已相对成功，然而传统助听器不能明显提高高频空间定位线索的保留。由于这些原因必须提供改进的助听系统。
背景技术
前面已描述5259032和5425014号美国专利。其它相关专利包括：5,015,225；5,276,910；5,456,654；5,797,834；6,084,975；6,137,889；6,277,148；6,339,648；6,354,990；6,366,863；6,387,039；6,432,248；6,436,028；6,438,244；6,473,512；6,475,134；6,592,513；6,603,860；6,629,922；6,676,592和6,695,943。其它相关出版物包括：美国专利出版物No.2002-0183587，2001-0027342；期刊出版物Decraemer等“A method for determining three-dimensional vibration in the ear，”Hearing Res.，77：19-37(1994)；Puria等人“Sound-pressure measurements in the cochlear vestibule of humancadaver ears，”J.Acoust.Soc.Am.，101(5)：2754-2770(1997年5月)；Moore，“Loudness perception and intensity resolution，”Cochlear Hearing Loss，第4章，90-115页，Whurr出版物有限公司，伦敦(1998)；Puria和Allen“Measurements and model of the cat middle ear：Evidence of tympanicmembrane acoustic delay，”J.Acoust.Soc.Am.，104(6)：3463-3481(1998年12月)；Hoffman et a！.(1998)；Fay et a！.，“Cat eardrum responsemechanics，”Cal ladine Festschrift(2002)，Ed.S.Pellegrino，TheNetherlands，Kiuwer Academic Publishers；and Hato et a！.，“Three-dimensional stapes footplate motion in human temporal bones，”Audiol.Neurootol.，8：140-152(2003年1月30日).Conference presentat ion 25文摘：Best等的“The influence of high frequencies on speech localization，”文摘981(2003年2月24日)来自www.aro.org/abstracts/abstracts.html，以及Carlile等的“Spatialisation of talkers and the segregation of concurrentspeech，”文摘1264(2004年2月24日)来自www.aro.org/abstracts/abstracts.Html。
发明内容
本发明提供一种提高语音接收阈值并保留中耳或内耳的高频空间定位线索的改善的高频响应的助听系统和方法。
根据本发明的原理构造的助听系统总地包括输入换能器组合件、发射器组合件以及输出换能器组合件。输入换能器组合件接收声音输入，一般既包括环境声(在用于听力受损个人的助听器的情形下)或来自例如电话、蜂窝电话、无线电、数字音频单元或任何一种其它电信和/或娱乐装置的声音产生或接收装置的电子声音信号。输入换能器组合件将信号传送给发射器组合件，发射器组合件处理来自换能器组合件的信号以产生以某些方法被调制的处理信号，以呈现或编码基本上代表由输入换能器组合件接收的声音输入的声音信号。已处理输出信号的准确性质将被选择以供输出换能器组合件使用以提供电源和信号，由此使输出换能器组合件产生机械振动、声音输出、压力输出(或其它输出)，这些输出当正确地耦合于患者的听觉换能路径时会在患者中产生神经脉冲，所述神经脉冲可被患者认为是原始声音输入或至少是合理地代表原始声音输入的事物。
本发明的助听系统的至少一些组合件被放置在位于患者的收听耳道内的壳体或外壳中。典型地，壳体在第一端和第二端上均具有一个或多个开口以提供开放式耳道并允许环境声(例如低频和高频三维定位线索)以高水平被直接传送至鼓膜。有利地是，壳体中的开口不堵塞听觉通道并最小化与正常耳压的干扰。在一些实施例中，壳体容纳输入换能器、发射器组合件和电池。在其它实施例中，发射器组合件部分和电池被设置在耳朵的后面(BTE)，同时输入换能器被设置在壳体内。
在助听器的情形下，输入换能器组合件典型地包括设置在收听耳道内的外壳内的麦克风。合适的麦克风在助听器产业中是公知的并在专利和技术文献中充分描述。麦克风一般产生由发射器组合件接收的电输出，发射器组合件随后产生已处理信号。在耳机和其它助听系统的情形下，至输入换能器组合件的声音输入一般是电子输入，例如来自电话、蜂窝电话、便携娱乐单元等。在这种情形下，输入换能器组合件一般具有合适的放大器或其它电子接口，用来接收电子声音输入并形成适合驱动输出换能器组合件的过滤的电子输出。
尽管麦克风的位置可以在耳廓后面、在眼镜的鬓角片中或患者的其它位置上，然而较佳地将其放置在耳道内以使麦克风接收和发射被引入到耳道内的较高的频率信号并因此提高最终SRT。
本发明的发射器组合件典型地包括数字信号处理器，用来处理来自输入换能器的电信号并将信号传递给产生驱动输出换能器的已处理输出信号的发射器组合件。数字信号处理器经常具有一般大于6kHz的频率响应带宽的滤波器，更佳地在大约6kHz和大约20kHz之间，最佳地在大约7kHz个13kHz之间。这样的发射器组合件与现有技术的发射器的不同点在于较高的带宽导致处于耳道入口或耳道内的麦克风对空间定位线索更大程度的保留。
在一个实施例中，与数字信号处理器通信的发射器组合件以具有开放内腔的线圈以及尺寸适于配合在线圈的开放内腔中的磁心的形式出现。功率源耦合于线圈以向线圈供电。传递给线圈的电流基本对应于由数字信号处理器处理的电信号。一种可用的基于电磁的组合件记载于共同享有的提交于2004年7月28日的题为“Improved Transducer for Electromagnet ic Hearing Devices”的10/902660号美国专利申请，其全部内容被援引包含于此。
本发明的输出换能器组合件可以是能够从发射器组合件接收已处理信号的任何器件。输出换能器组合件典型地被配置成耦合于患者的听觉换能路径中的某个点以诱发被患者解释为声音的神经脉冲。典型地，输出换能器组合件的一部分耦合于鼓膜、听骨链中的骨或直接耦合于耳蜗中振动耳蜗内流体的位置。具体的附着点记载于美国在先专利5,259,032；5,456,654；6,084,975和6,629,922中，其全部内容被援引包含于此。
在一个实施例中，本发明提供一种具有可放置于用户耳道内以捕捉进入用户耳道的环境声的输入换能器的助听系统。发射器组合件从输入换能器接收电信号。发射器组合件包括频率响应带宽在6.0kHz-20kHz范围内的信号处理器。发射器组合件被配置成将经滤波的信号传递给位于用户中耳和内耳中的输出换能器，其中经滤波的信号是由输入换能器接收的环境声的代表。输入换能器和发射器组合件的配置提供允许环境声直接到达用户中耳的开放式耳道。
在另一实施例中，本发明提供一种方法。该方法包括将输入换能器放置在用户的耳道内并将来自输入换能器、指示由输入换能器接收的环境声的信号传送至发射器组合件。在发射器组合件处通过具有大于约6.0kHz带宽的滤波器的信号处理器处理(例如滤波)信号。经滤波的信号被传递至用户的中耳或内耳。输入换能器和发射器组合件的放置提供开放式耳道，这允许未经滤波的环境声直接到达用户的中耳。
如上所述，在较佳实施例中，信号处理器具有在大约6kHz和大约20kHz之间的带宽，以保留和传输高频空间定位线索。
尽管下面的讨论集中于使用电磁发射器组合件和输出换能器的情形，然而应当理解本发明不局限于这些发射组合件，并且各种其它类型的发射器组合件可用于本发明。例如，2004年10月12日提交的未决和共同享有的题为“Systems and Methods for Photo-mechanical HearingTransduction，”60/618,408号美国临时专利申请(该文献的全部内容被原因包含于此)中记载的光-机械听觉换能器组合件可与本发明的助听系统一起使用。此外，其它发射器组合件，例如光学发射器、超声发射器、红外线发射器、声学发射器或液压发射器等均可利用本发明的原理。
本发明的上述方面和其它方面通过参照附图细阅下面的详细说明将变得更为易懂。
附图说明
图1是包括外耳、中耳和一部分内耳的人耳的横截面图。
图2示出本发明中换能器耦合于鼓膜的一个实施例。
图3A和3B示出耦合于锤骨的换能器的其它实施例。
图4A示意地示出本发明的提供开放式耳道以使环境声/声学信号直接到达鼓膜的助听系统。
图4B示出本发明中线圈沿壳体内壁设置的助听系统的另一实施例。
图5示意地示出由本发明表现的助听系统。
图6A示出具有位于耳道壳内表面的麦克风(输入换能器)和放置在与耦合于鼓膜的换能器连通的耳道内的发射器组合件的助听系统实施例。
图6B示出本发明的麦克风位于入口附近的耳道壳壁中的另一内侧图。
图7是示出到达耳鼓的声学信号与耳鼓处的有效放大信号以及两者的组合效果的曲线图。
具体实施方式
现在参照图1，图中示出外耳10、中耳12和一部分内耳14的横截面图。外耳10主要包括耳廓15和听觉耳道17。内耳12一侧由鼓膜(耳鼓)16包围并包含一组三个相互连结的微骨：锤骨(锤)18、砧骨(砧)20和镫骨(镫)22。总言之，这三块骨头被认为是听骨或听骨链。锤骨18连接于鼓膜16而镫骨22——听骨链中的最后一块骨头——连接于内耳的耳蜗。
在正常的听觉中，经过外耳或听觉耳道17的声波撞击鼓膜16并使其振动，连接于鼓膜16的锤骨18因此也与砧骨20和镫骨22一起运动。听骨链中这三块骨头作为一组由鼓膜接收的微机械振动的阻力匹配杠杆起作用。鼓膜16和骨头作为传输线系统以使听觉装置的带宽最大(Puria和Allen，1998)。镫骨振动又在被称为耳蜗24的螺旋结构的前庭中形成流体压力(Puria等，1998)。流体压力导致沿基膜(未示出)的纵轴线行进的波。皮层组织位于基膜上方，所述基膜包括由一行内毛细胞和三行外毛细胞构成的感觉上皮。耳蜗中的内毛细胞(未示出)受到基膜运动的刺激。这里，液压使内耳流体产生位移并且毛细胞中的机械能被转换成电脉冲，该电脉冲被传送到神经路径和脑部的听觉中心(颞叶)，这导致声音感知。外毛细胞被认为是放大和缩小内毛细胞的输入。当存在感官神经听觉损伤时，一般受损的是外毛细胞，因此降低到达内毛细胞的输入，这会导致声音感知度的降低。通过助听系统实现的放大可完全或部分地保留其它由外毛细胞提供的正常的放大和缩小。
输出换能器组合件目前的较佳耦合点是在鼓膜16的外表面上并如图2所示。在所示实施例中，输出换能器组合件26包括被设置成与鼓膜10的外表面接触的换能器28。换能器28一般包括一高能永磁体。换能器的较佳定位方法是采用包括换能器28和支承组合件30的接触换能器组合件。支承组合件30附着于或悬浮在一部分鼓膜16上。支承组合件是具有足以支承换能器28的表面积的生物适应性结构并且可振动地耦合于鼓膜16。
较佳地，附着于鼓膜的支承组合件30的表面基本与鼓膜的相应表面的形状一致，尤其是鼓膜凸区32。在一个实施例中，支承组合件30是其中嵌入有换能器的圆锥形。在该实施例中，膜可松脱地与鼓膜表面接触。或者，诸如矿油的表面湿润剂被较佳地用来提高支承组合件30的能力以通过表面粘合剂形成与鼓膜16微弱但充分的附着。一种已知的接触换能器组合件记载于5259032号美国专利中，该文献被援引包含于此。
图3A和3B示出换能器置于人的锤骨上的其它实施例。在图3A中，换能器磁体40连接于下锤骨柄的内侧。较佳地，磁体40被嵌入到钛或其它生物适应材料中。作为示例，在6084975号美国专利中公开一种将磁体40耦合于锤骨的方法，该文献已在前面的内容中包含援引于此，通过在下锤骨柄的后骨膜上形成切口，从锤骨柄抬高骨膜从而在锤骨柄的侧表面和骨膜10之间形成一囊，磁体40被安装于锤骨18的锤骨柄44的内表面。一种不锈钢夹具装置被放置在囊中，换能器磁体34与之相连。夹具的内部具有合适的尺寸以使夹具现在保持在将磁体置于其内侧面上的锤骨柄上。
或者，图3B示出其中夹具36在锤骨18的颈部周围固定于锤骨柄和锤骨的头部38之间的实施例。在该实施例中，夹具36延伸以提供使换能器磁体34朝向鼓膜16和耳道17定向的平台，以使换能器磁体34处于基本最佳位置以从发射器组合件接收信号。
图4A示出本发明所围绕的助听系统40的较佳实施例。助听系统40包括安装于右耳耳道中并在鼓膜16上相对于磁体换能器28定位的发射器组合件42(为清楚起见用形成横截面图的壳体44表示)。在本发明的较佳实施例中，换能器28在鼓膜凸区32抵靠于鼓膜16。换能器还可位于中耳的其它声学部分上，包括锤骨(见图3A和3B)、砧骨20和镫骨22。当位于鼓膜16的鼓膜凸区32上时，换能器28自然地相对于耳道17倾斜。倾斜度根据情况而不同，但一般相对耳道呈60°角。
发射器组合件42具有配置成与人的耳道壁的特性相匹配的壳体44。壳体44优选密合地配入到人耳道中以使发射器组合件42被重复地插入或从耳道中移除并且当重新插入到人耳时仍然能够很好地对准。在所述实施例中，壳体44也被配置成支承线圈46和磁心48以当发射器组合件42被正确地安装于耳道17中时使磁心48的末端相对换能器28位于正确的距离和方向。磁心48一般包括铁素体，但可以是具有高导磁率的任何材料。
在一较佳实施例中，线圈46沿磁心的部分长度或全部长度缠绕在磁心48的外缘周围。总地来说，线圈具有足够的匝数以最佳地向换能器28驱动电磁场。匝数的变化取决于线圈直径、磁心直径、基于人耳道大小的线圈长度以及线圈和磁心组合件的可接受直径。一般来说，随着磁心直径的增加，由磁场作用于磁体上的力增加，并因此增加系统的效率。然而，这些参数受到人耳解剖结构的限制。如图4A所示，线圈46可仅缠绕磁心的一部分长度，使磁心的末端进一步伸入耳道17，它一般在到达鼓膜16时收敛。
一种将壳体44匹配于耳道内部尺寸的方法是在包括鼓膜的耳道腔中形成压痕。然后从阴性的压痕制造阳性包埋体。随后从阳性的包埋体形成壳体的外表面，它重现压痕的外表面。线圈46和磁心48根据相对于换能器28凸出定位的理想方向被放置和安装在壳体44中，所述理想方向可从耳道和鼓膜的阳性包埋体确定。在又一实施例中，发射器组合件42还包括具有微调能力以定向线圈和磁心组合件以使磁心相对于壳体和/或线圈定向和定位的安装平台(未示出)。在另一实施例中，对单人进行CT、MRI或光学扫描以产生耳道和鼓膜的3D模型。该3D模型随后被用来形成壳体44的外表面并安装磁心和线圈。
如图4A的实施例所示，发射机组合件42还包括位于壳体44内的数字信号处理(DSP)单元和其它元件50以及电池52。壳体44的近端53是开口54并且具有位于壳体上的输入换能器(麦克风)56以直接接收进入听觉耳道17的环境声。开放式腔室58为包含于其内的壳体44和发射器组合件42等器件提供入口。牵引线60也被包含在壳体44中以使发射器组合件能容易地从耳道中移去。
在许多实施例中，较为有利地，壳体的声学开口62允许环境声进入壳体的开放式腔室58。这使环境声沿发射器组合件42的内部腔室经过开放的体积58并经过壳体44远端处的一个或多个开口64。因此，环境声波可到达并直接振动鼓膜16并单独将振动作用于鼓膜。开放式通道设计提供多个实质上的优点。首先，开放式通道17使许多声学助听系统中普遍存在的堵塞耳道的堵塞影响最小化。其次，开放式通道使高频空间定位线索直接被传送至鼓膜17。第三，进入耳道16的自然环境声使电磁驱动有效的声级输出受到限制或者以比堵塞耳道17的助听系统低得多的水平截止。最后，完全开放的壳体保留患者的自然耳蜗衍射线索，从而对环境适应性影响很小，如Hoffman等(1998)中所述那样。
如图5所示，在操作中，进入外耳和耳道17的环境声由位于开放式耳道17中的麦克风56捕获。麦克风56将声波转换成模拟电信号以由发射器组合件42的DSP单元68处理。DSP单元68可选择地耦合于输入放大器(未示出)以放大电信号。DSP单元68典型地包括将模拟电信号转换成数字信号的模数转换器66。数字信号随后被任何数量的数字信号处理器和滤波器68处理。处理可包括频率滤波、多频带压缩、噪声抑制和降噪算法的任何组合。数字处理信号随后通过数模转换器70被转换回模拟信号。模拟信号被形成并放大并被送至线圈46，线圈46产生含代表原始声音信号的音频信息的已调制电磁场并与磁心48一起将电磁场引导向换能器磁体28。换能器磁体28响应电磁场振动，由此使与之耦合的中耳声学部分(例如图4A中的鼓膜或图3A和3B中的锤骨18)振动。
在一个较佳实施例中，发射器组合件42包括具有一般大于6kHz频率响应带宽的滤波器，该频率更佳地在大约6kHz和20kHz之间，最佳地在大约6kHz和13kHz之间。这样的发射器组合件42与传统助听器中存在的传统发射器的区别在于更高的带宽导致位于听觉耳道入口或耳道17内的麦克风56对空间定位线索更大程度的保留。麦克风56的放置和更高的带宽滤波器使语音接收阈值提高至较现有对声源存在干扰的助听系统高5dB以上。由于中心机制，这种SRT的明显提高在有限带宽、有限增益和没有耳廓衍射线索的声音处理的现有助听器中是不可能的。
对大多数听力受损患者而言，在较高分贝范围下的声音再现是不必要的，因为他们的自然听力机制仍然能够接收在那个范围内的声音。对本领域内技术人员而言，通常将其称之为复聪现象，即听力受损患者的高声感知“正赶上”正常听力人员在高声下的高声感知力(Moore，1998)。因此，开放式通道装置被配置成在自然声学听觉起作用的水平下切断或饱和。这样能大为降低驱动发射器组合件所需的电流，从而实现更小型的电池和/或更长的电池寿命。由于反馈增加并因此限制装置的功能性增益，大开口在声学助听器中是不可行的。在本发明的电池驱动装置中，由于鼓膜直接振动，声学反馈明显减弱。由于鼓膜作为扬声器椎体，这使振动最终导致在耳道中产生声音。然而，所产生的声能的能级明显小于在耳道中产生直接声能的传统助听器中的声能能级。这导致比传统声学助听器大得多的开放式耳道电磁发射器和换能器的功能性增益。
由于输入换能器(例如麦克风)位于耳道内，因此麦克风能接收和发送高频三维空间线索。如果麦克风不位于听觉耳道内(例如如果麦克风位于耳后(BTE))，则到达其麦克风的信号不带有依赖空间的耳廓线索。因此成为空间信息的机会很小。
图4B示出发射器组合件42的另一实施例，其中麦克风56位于壳体44的耳道的开口附近并且线圈46位于壳体44的内壁上。磁心62位于线圈46的内径中并且可安装于壳体44或线圈46。在该实施例中，环境声仍然进入耳道并穿过开放式腔室58和逸出端口68以直接振动鼓膜16。
现在参照图6A和6B，图中示出另一实施例，其中一个或多个DSP单元50和电池52位于驱动单元70中的听觉耳道外。驱动单元70可经由耳钩钩在耳廓15的顶端。这种结构为壳体44的开放式腔室58提供额外的间隙(图4B)，并允许引入不另行配合在每个人的耳廓中的器件。在该实施例中，还优选使麦克风56位于耳道17的开口内或开口处以获得来自外耳17的高带宽空间定位线索的利益。如图6A和6B所示，进入耳道17的声音由麦克风56捕获。该信号随后经由连接于壳体44的插口76的缆线74中的输入线被送至位于驱动单元70中的DSP单元50以等待处理。一旦信号由DSP单元50处理，则信号由输出线通过电缆74回接的输出线被传送至线圈46。
图7是示出有效输出声压水平(SPL)相比输入声压水平的曲线图。如图所示，由于本发明的助听系统40提供开放式听觉耳道17，因此能直接使环境声通过听觉耳道并直接传送到鼓膜17上。如曲线图所示，标有“声学”的直线表示通过开放式耳道直接到达鼓膜的声学信号。标有“放大”的直线示出通过本发明的助听系统被引向鼓膜的信号。在输入节点水平Lk，输出线性地增加。在输入饱和层Ls上方，放大的输出信号受到限制并且不再随着输入水平的增加而增加。如图所示，在输入水平Lk和Ls之间，输出可以被压缩。标有“组合的声学+放大”的直线表示声学信号和增大信号的组合效果。要注意尽管放大系统的输出在Ls上方饱和，然而由于来自开放式耳道的声学输入，组合效果是有效声音输入继续增加。
已以示例和阐述为目的对本发明较佳实施例给出前面的说明。这种说明不是穷尽性的或者将本发明限制在所公开的准确形式。显然，许多修改和变化对本领域内技术人员而言都是明显的。本发明的范围由下面的权利要求书及其等效物限定。

Claims (21)

1.一种助听系统，包括：
具有用于容纳输入换能器和发射器组合件的至少一部分的开放式腔室的壳体，所述壳体的外表面被配置成与用户的耳道的内壁一致；
输入换能器，所述输入换能器被置于所述壳体的内部以捕获进入用户耳道的环境声；以及
发射器组合件，所述发射器组合件从所述输入换能器接收电信号，所述发射器组合件包括频率响应带宽在6.0kHz-20kHz范围内的信号处理器，所述发射器组合件被配置成将经滤波的信号传送给置于用户的中耳或内耳中的输出换能器；
其中所述壳体包括配置为毗邻耳道入口放置的第一端以及配置为放置于鼓膜附近的第二端，其中所述输入换能器与所述发射器组合件的配置提供了允许环境声直接到达用户中耳的开放式耳道，其中所述第二端包括允许来自耳道入口外部的环境声直接到达用户中耳的一个或多个开口。
2.如权利要求1所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述频率响应带宽允许在7kHz-13kHz的范围内将高频定位线索传送至用户的中耳。
3.如权利要求1所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述发射器组合件包括光学发射器。
4.如权利要求1所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述发射器组合件包括声学发射器。
5.如权利要求1所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述发射器组合件包括液压发射器。
6.如权利要求1所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述发射器组合件包括电磁发射器和从所述信号处理器接收信号的传送元件，所述电磁发射器通过所述传送元件将经滤波的信号传递至所述输出换能器。
7.如权利要求6所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述输出换能器耦合于中耳的声学部分，所述输出换能器被配置成从所述传送元件接收所述经滤波的信号。
8.如权利要求7所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述经滤波的信号是已调制电磁场的形式。
9.如权利要求8所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述输出换能器耦合于用户的鼓膜。
10.如权利要求9所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述输出换能器被嵌入到配置成可松脱地与鼓膜表面接触的圆锥形膜中。
11.如权利要求7所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述换能器包括永磁体。
12.如权利要求1所述的助听系统，其特征在于，所述输入换能器位于所述壳体的第一端。
13.一种用于提供具有高频响应的助听系统的方法，所述方法包括：
将输入换能器置于用户的耳道内；
将指示所述输入换能器接收到的环境声的信号传送至发射器组合件；
在所述发射器组合件处用具有大于6.0kHz的带宽的信号处理器对所述信号进行滤波；
将经滤波的信号传递给用户的中耳或内耳；以及
其中所述输入换能器和发射器组合件的放置提供了允许未经滤波的环境声直接到达用户中耳的开放式耳道，并且其中提供开放式耳道是通过将所述输入换能器以及所述发射器组合件的至少一部分置于壳体的开放腔室内来实现的，所述壳体包括允许未经滤波的环境声直接到达用户中耳的开口。
14.如权利要求13所述的方法，其特征在于，所述信号处理器具有在6kHz与20kHz之间的带宽。
15.如权利要求13所述的方法，其特征在于，所述经滤波的信号包括高频空间定位线索。
16.如权利要求13所述的方法，其特征在于，所述发射器组合件包括与所述信号处理器通信的电磁发射器和传送元件，其中将经滤波的信号传递至用户的中耳包括：
将信号从所述信号处理器引导至所述电磁发射器；
通过所述传送元件将经滤波的电磁信号从所述电磁发射器传递至中耳。
17.如权利要求16所述的方法，其特征在于，包括将输出换能器耦合于用户的鼓膜，
其中通过所述传送元件将经滤波的电磁信号从所述电磁发射器传递至中耳是通过将所述经滤波的电磁信号传递给根据所述滤波的电磁信号机械地振动的输出换能器来实现的。
18.如权利要求16所述的方法，其特征在于，包括将所述电磁发射器和所述传送元件置于耳道内并将所述信号处理器置于耳道外。
19.如权利要求16所述的方法，其特征在于，传递经滤波的信号包括传递经滤波的光学信号。
20.如权利要求16所述的方法，其特征在于，传递经滤波的信号包括传递经滤波的声学信号。
21.如权利要求13所述的方法，其特征在于，所述输入换能器和发射器组合件的放置减少反馈并提供3dB-8dB的信噪比。
CN2006800201818A 2005-05-03 2006-04-21 具有增强的高频响应的助听系统 Active CN101208992B (zh)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11/121,517 2005-05-03
US11/121,517 US7668325B2 (en) 2005-05-03 2005-05-03 Hearing system having an open chamber for housing components and reducing the occlusion effect
PCT/US2006/015087 WO2006118819A2 (en) 2005-05-03 2006-04-21 Hearing system having improved high frequency response

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN101208992A CN101208992A (zh) 2008-06-25
CN101208992B true CN101208992B (zh) 2012-11-14

Family

ID=37308466

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN2006800201818A Active CN101208992B (zh) 2005-05-03 2006-04-21 具有增强的高频响应的助听系统

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (6) US7668325B2 (zh)
EP (2) EP1880574B1 (zh)
JP (1) JP5341507B2 (zh)
CN (1) CN101208992B (zh)
DK (2) DK2802160T3 (zh)
WO (1) WO2006118819A2 (zh)

Families Citing this family (51)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8295523B2 (en) 2007-10-04 2012-10-23 SoundBeam LLC Energy delivery and microphone placement methods for improved comfort in an open canal hearing aid
US7668325B2 (en) 2005-05-03 2010-02-23 Earlens Corporation Hearing system having an open chamber for housing components and reducing the occlusion effect
US7867160B2 (en) 2004-10-12 2011-01-11 Earlens Corporation Systems and methods for photo-mechanical hearing transduction
ATE410041T1 (de) * 2005-05-13 2008-10-15 Cesar Guilherme Vohringer Cic-hörgerät
WO2007133814A2 (en) * 2006-01-04 2007-11-22 Moses Ron L Implantable hearing aid
US8422709B2 (en) 2006-03-03 2013-04-16 Widex A/S Method and system of noise reduction in a hearing aid
WO2007099116A2 (en) 2006-03-03 2007-09-07 Widex A/S Hearing aid and method of compensation for direct sound in hearing aids
KR100859979B1 (ko) * 2007-07-20 2008-09-25 경북대학교 산학협력단 튜브 진동 트랜스듀서에 의한 정원창 구동 방식의 인공중이
WO2009049320A1 (en) 2007-10-12 2009-04-16 Earlens Corporation Multifunction system and method for integrated hearing and communiction with noise cancellation and feedback management
KR100931209B1 (ko) * 2007-11-20 2009-12-10 경북대학교 산학협력단 간편 설치가 가능한 정원창 구동 진동 트랜스듀서 및 이를이용한 이식형 보청기
KR20090076484A (ko) * 2008-01-09 2009-07-13 경북대학교 산학협력단 고막 관통형 진동소자 및 이를 이용한 이식형 보청기
JP4469898B2 (ja) * 2008-02-15 2010-06-02 株式会社東芝 外耳道共鳴補正装置
US20090299215A1 (en) * 2008-05-30 2009-12-03 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Measurement of sound pressure level and phase at eardrum by sensing eardrum vibration
BRPI0915203A2 (pt) 2008-06-17 2016-02-16 Earlens Corp dispostivo, sistema e método para transmitir um sinal de áudio, e, dispostivo e método para estimular um tecido alvo
DK2301262T3 (da) 2008-06-17 2017-11-13 Earlens Corp Optiske elektromekaniske høreapparater med kombineret effekt- og signalopbygning
US8396239B2 (en) 2008-06-17 2013-03-12 Earlens Corporation Optical electro-mechanical hearing devices with combined power and signal architectures
US8737664B2 (en) * 2008-06-18 2014-05-27 Apple Inc. In-the-ear porting structures for earbud
KR20110086804A (ko) 2008-09-22 2011-08-01 사운드빔, 엘엘씨 듣기용 밸런스드 아마추어 장치 및 방법
DK2237573T3 (da) * 2009-04-02 2021-05-03 Oticon As Adaptiv feedbackundertrykkelsesfremgangsmåde og anordning dertil
EP2262285B1 (en) * 2009-06-02 2016-11-30 Oticon A/S A listening device providing enhanced localization cues, its use and a method
CN102598712A (zh) 2009-06-05 2012-07-18 音束有限责任公司 光耦合的中耳植入体声学系统和方法
US9544700B2 (en) 2009-06-15 2017-01-10 Earlens Corporation Optically coupled active ossicular replacement prosthesis
CN102598713A (zh) * 2009-06-18 2012-07-18 音束有限责任公司 用于听力系统的耳膜可植入装置及方法
EP2443773B1 (en) 2009-06-18 2017-01-11 Earlens Corporation Optically coupled cochlear implant systems
BRPI1016075A2 (pt) 2009-06-22 2016-05-10 SoundBeam LLC dispositivo para transmitir som para um ouvido de um usuário e métodos associados.
EP2446645B1 (en) 2009-06-22 2020-05-06 Earlens Corporation Optically coupled bone conduction systems and methods
WO2010151647A2 (en) 2009-06-24 2010-12-29 SoundBeam LLC Optically coupled cochlear actuator systems and methods
WO2010151636A2 (en) 2009-06-24 2010-12-29 SoundBeam LLC Optical cochlear stimulation devices and methods
US20130303941A1 (en) * 2010-12-13 2013-11-14 The Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Illinois Method and Apparatus for Evaluating Dynamic Middle Ear Muscle Activity
EP2656639B1 (en) 2010-12-20 2020-05-13 Earlens Corporation Anatomically customized ear canal hearing apparatus
WO2013016589A1 (en) * 2011-07-26 2013-01-31 Neukermans Armand P Hearing aid for non-contact eardrum pressure activation
WO2013027373A1 (ja) * 2011-08-25 2013-02-28 パナソニック株式会社 光マイクロホン
US9462365B1 (en) 2012-03-14 2016-10-04 Google Inc. Structure and manufacture of bone-conduction transducer
US10034103B2 (en) 2014-03-18 2018-07-24 Earlens Corporation High fidelity and reduced feedback contact hearing apparatus and methods
EP3169396B1 (en) 2014-07-14 2021-04-21 Earlens Corporation Sliding bias and peak limiting for optical hearing devices
US9924276B2 (en) 2014-11-26 2018-03-20 Earlens Corporation Adjustable venting for hearing instruments
US9794694B2 (en) * 2015-03-11 2017-10-17 Turtle Beach Corporation Parametric in-ear impedance matching device
DK3355801T3 (da) 2015-10-02 2021-06-21 Earlens Corp Tilpasset øregangsindretning til lægemiddelafgivelse
US11350226B2 (en) 2015-12-30 2022-05-31 Earlens Corporation Charging protocol for rechargeable hearing systems
US10492010B2 (en) 2015-12-30 2019-11-26 Earlens Corporations Damping in contact hearing systems
US10178483B2 (en) 2015-12-30 2019-01-08 Earlens Corporation Light based hearing systems, apparatus, and methods
CN109952771A (zh) 2016-09-09 2019-06-28 伊尔兰斯公司 接触式听力系统、设备和方法
US10029068B2 (en) 2016-11-01 2018-07-24 Polyvagal Science LLC Methods and systems for reducing sound sensitivities and improving auditory processing, behavioral state regulation and social engagement behaviors
WO2018093733A1 (en) 2016-11-15 2018-05-24 Earlens Corporation Improved impression procedure
US10646331B2 (en) * 2017-04-26 2020-05-12 University Of Maryland, Baltimore Ossicular prosthesis and method and system for manufacturing same
EP3682652A4 (en) * 2017-09-13 2021-06-16 Earlens Corporation CONTACT HEARING PROTECTION DEVICE
CA3091209C (en) 2018-03-01 2021-08-31 Polyvagal Science LLC Systems and methods for modulating physiological state
WO2019173470A1 (en) 2018-03-07 2019-09-12 Earlens Corporation Contact hearing device and retention structure materials
WO2019199680A1 (en) 2018-04-09 2019-10-17 Earlens Corporation Dynamic filter
WO2020028082A1 (en) 2018-07-31 2020-02-06 Earlens Corporation Nearfield inductive coupling in a contact hearing system
CN112753232B (zh) 2018-09-24 2022-02-01 Med-El电气医疗器械有限公司 通用骨传导和中耳植入物

Family Cites Families (409)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3209082A (en) 1957-05-27 1965-09-28 Beltone Electronics Corp Hearing aid
US3229049A (en) * 1960-08-04 1966-01-11 Goldberg Hyman Hearing aid
US3440314A (en) * 1966-09-30 1969-04-22 Dow Corning Method of making custom-fitted earplugs for hearing aids
US3549818A (en) 1967-08-15 1970-12-22 Message Systems Inc Transmitting antenna for audio induction communication system
US3585416A (en) * 1969-10-07 1971-06-15 Howard G Mellen Photopiezoelectric transducer
US3594514A (en) 1970-01-02 1971-07-20 Medtronic Inc Hearing aid with piezoelectric ceramic element
US3710399A (en) * 1970-06-23 1973-01-16 H Hurst Ossicle replacement prosthesis
DE2044870C3 (de) 1970-09-10 1978-12-21 Dietrich Prof. Dr.Med. 7400 Tuebingen Plester Hörgeräteanordnung für die induktive Übertragung akustischer Signale
US3712962A (en) 1971-04-05 1973-01-23 J Epley Implantable piezoelectric hearing aid
US3764748A (en) 1972-05-19 1973-10-09 J Branch Implanted hearing aids
US3808179A (en) * 1972-06-16 1974-04-30 Polycon Laboratories Oxygen-permeable contact lens composition,methods and article of manufacture
US3882285A (en) * 1973-10-09 1975-05-06 Vicon Instr Company Implantable hearing aid and method of improving hearing
US4075042A (en) 1973-11-16 1978-02-21 Raytheon Company Samarium-cobalt magnet with grain growth inhibited SmCo5 crystals
GB1489432A (en) 1973-12-03 1977-10-19 Commw Scient Ind Res Org Communication or signalling system
US3965430A (en) 1973-12-26 1976-06-22 Burroughs Corporation Electronic peak sensing digitizer for optical tachometers
US3985977A (en) 1975-04-21 1976-10-12 Motorola, Inc. Receiver system for receiving audio electrical signals
US4002897A (en) * 1975-09-12 1977-01-11 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Opto-acoustic telephone receiver
US4031318A (en) 1975-11-21 1977-06-21 Innovative Electronics, Inc. High fidelity loudspeaker system
US4338929A (en) 1976-03-18 1982-07-13 Gullfiber Ab Ear-plug
US4120570A (en) 1976-06-22 1978-10-17 Syntex (U.S.A.) Inc. Method for correcting visual defects, compositions and articles of manufacture useful therein
US4098277A (en) 1977-01-28 1978-07-04 Sherwin Mendell Fitted, integrally molded device for stimulating auricular acupuncture points and method of making the device
US4109116A (en) 1977-07-19 1978-08-22 Victoreen John A Hearing aid receiver with plural transducers
DE2964775D1 (en) 1978-03-09 1983-03-24 Nat Res Dev Measurement of small movements
US4252440A (en) * 1978-12-15 1981-02-24 Nasa Photomechanical transducer
US4248899A (en) * 1979-02-26 1981-02-03 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of Agriculture Protected feeds for ruminants
JPS5850078B2 (ja) 1979-05-04 1983-11-08 株式会社 弦エンジニアリング 振動ピックアップ型イヤ−マイクロホンの送信装置および送受信装置
IT1117418B (it) * 1979-08-01 1986-02-17 Marcon Srl Perfezionamento nelle capsule di ri produzione del suono per apparecchi acustici
US4303772A (en) 1979-09-04 1981-12-01 George F. Tsuetaki Oxygen permeable hard and semi-hard contact lens compositions methods and articles of manufacture
US4357497A (en) 1979-09-24 1982-11-02 Hochmair Ingeborg System for enhancing auditory stimulation and the like
DE3008677C2 (de) * 1980-03-06 1983-08-25 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Hörprothese zur elektrischen Stimulation des Hörnervs
US4319359A (en) * 1980-04-10 1982-03-09 Rca Corporation Radio transmitter energy recovery system
US4334321A (en) * 1981-01-19 1982-06-08 Seymour Edelman Opto-acoustic transducer and telephone receiver
US4556122A (en) 1981-08-31 1985-12-03 Innovative Hearing Corporation Ear acoustical hearing aid
US4588867A (en) 1982-04-27 1986-05-13 Masao Konomi Ear microphone
JPS5919918A (ja) 1982-07-27 1984-02-01 Hoya Corp 酸素透過性ハ−ドコンタクトレンズ
DE3243850A1 (de) 1982-11-26 1984-05-30 Manfred 6231 Sulzbach Koch Induktionsspule fuer hoergeraete von hoergeschaedigten zum empfang niederfrequenter elektrischer signale
US4689819B1 (en) 1983-12-08 1996-08-13 Knowles Electronics Inc Class D hearing aid amplifier
US4592087B1 (en) * 1983-12-08 1996-08-13 Knowles Electronics Inc Class D hearing aid amplifier
JPS60154800A (ja) 1984-01-24 1985-08-14 Eastern Electric Kk 補聴器
US4756312A (en) 1984-03-22 1988-07-12 Advanced Hearing Technology, Inc. Magnetic attachment device for insertion and removal of hearing aid
US4628907A (en) 1984-03-22 1986-12-16 Epley John M Direct contact hearing aid apparatus
US4641377A (en) * 1984-04-06 1987-02-03 Institute Of Gas Technology Photoacoustic speaker and method
US4524294A (en) * 1984-05-07 1985-06-18 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army Ferroelectric photomechanical actuators
DE3420244A1 (de) 1984-05-30 1985-12-05 Hortmann GmbH, 7449 Neckartenzlingen Mehrfrequenz-uebertragungssystem fuer implantierte hoerprothesen
DE3431584A1 (de) 1984-08-28 1986-03-13 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Hoerhilfegeraet
GB2166022A (en) 1984-09-05 1986-04-23 Sawafuji Dynameca Co Ltd Piezoelectric vibrator
CA1246680A (en) * 1984-10-22 1988-12-13 James M. Harrison Power transfer for implanted prosthesis
US4729366A (en) * 1984-12-04 1988-03-08 Medical Devices Group, Inc. Implantable hearing aid and method of improving hearing
US4741499A (en) * 1984-12-31 1988-05-03 The Boeing Company Anti-icing system for aircraft
DE3506721A1 (de) 1985-02-26 1986-08-28 Hortmann GmbH, 7449 Neckartenzlingen Uebertragungssystem fuer implantierte hoerprothesen
US4963963A (en) 1985-02-26 1990-10-16 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Infrared scanner using dynamic range conserving video processing
DE3508830A1 (de) 1985-03-13 1986-09-18 Robert Bosch Gmbh, 7000 Stuttgart Hoergeraet
US4606329A (en) 1985-05-22 1986-08-19 Xomed, Inc. Implantable electromagnetic middle-ear bone-conduction hearing aid device
US5015225A (en) 1985-05-22 1991-05-14 Xomed, Inc. Implantable electromagnetic middle-ear bone-conduction hearing aid device
US4776322A (en) 1985-05-22 1988-10-11 Xomed, Inc. Implantable electromagnetic middle-ear bone-conduction hearing aid device
US5699809A (en) 1985-11-17 1997-12-23 Mdi Instruments, Inc. Device and process for generating and measuring the shape of an acoustic reflectance curve of an ear
JPS62170263A (ja) 1986-01-23 1987-07-27 森　敬 治療照射光插入具
US4948855A (en) 1986-02-06 1990-08-14 Progressive Chemical Research, Ltd. Comfortable, oxygen permeable contact lenses and the manufacture thereof
US4840178A (en) * 1986-03-07 1989-06-20 Richards Metal Company Magnet for installation in the middle ear
US4817607A (en) * 1986-03-07 1989-04-04 Richards Medical Company Magnetic ossicular replacement prosthesis
US4800884A (en) * 1986-03-07 1989-01-31 Richards Medical Company Magnetic induction hearing aid
US4759070A (en) 1986-05-27 1988-07-19 Voroba Technologies Associates Patient controlled master hearing aid
US4870688A (en) 1986-05-27 1989-09-26 Barry Voroba Mass production auditory canal hearing aid
US4742499A (en) * 1986-06-13 1988-05-03 Image Acoustics, Inc. Flextensional transducer
NL8602043A (nl) * 1986-08-08 1988-03-01 Forelec N V Werkwijze voor het verpakken van een implantaat, bijvoorbeeld een electronisch circuit, verpakking en implantaat.
US5068902A (en) 1986-11-13 1991-11-26 Epic Corporation Method and apparatus for reducing acoustical distortion
US4766607A (en) 1987-03-30 1988-08-23 Feldman Nathan W Method of improving the sensitivity of the earphone of an optical telephone and earphone so improved
JPS63252174A (ja) 1987-04-07 1988-10-19 森　敬 光照射治療装置
US4774933A (en) 1987-05-18 1988-10-04 Xomed, Inc. Method and apparatus for implanting hearing device
EP0296092A3 (en) 1987-06-19 1989-08-16 George Geladakis Arrangement for wireless earphones without batteries and electronic circuits, applicable in audio-systems or audio-visual systems of all kinds
US20030021903A1 (en) 1987-07-17 2003-01-30 Shlenker Robin Reneethill Method of forming a membrane, especially a latex or polymer membrane, including multiple discrete layers
US4800982A (en) 1987-10-14 1989-01-31 Industrial Research Products, Inc. Cleanable in-the-ear electroacoustic transducer
JPH021308A (ja) * 1987-12-08 1990-01-05 Rise Technol Inc グレースケールアドーオン
DE8816422U1 (zh) * 1988-05-06 1989-08-10 Siemens Ag, 1000 Berlin Und 8000 Muenchen, De
US4944301A (en) 1988-06-16 1990-07-31 Cochlear Corporation Method for determining absolute current density through an implanted electrode
US4936305A (en) * 1988-07-20 1990-06-26 Richards Medical Company Shielded magnetic assembly for use with a hearing aid
US5201007A (en) * 1988-09-15 1993-04-06 Epic Corporation Apparatus and method for conveying amplified sound to ear
US5031219A (en) 1988-09-15 1991-07-09 Epic Corporation Apparatus and method for conveying amplified sound to the ear
US5015224A (en) * 1988-10-17 1991-05-14 Maniglia Anthony J Partially implantable hearing aid device
US4957478A (en) 1988-10-17 1990-09-18 Maniglia Anthony J Partially implantable hearing aid device
US5066091A (en) 1988-12-22 1991-11-19 Kingston Technologies, Inc. Amorphous memory polymer alignment device with access means
DE3918086C1 (zh) * 1989-06-02 1990-09-27 Hortmann Gmbh, 7449 Neckartenzlingen, De
US5117461A (en) * 1989-08-10 1992-05-26 Mnc, Inc. Electroacoustic device for hearing needs including noise cancellation
US5003608A (en) * 1989-09-22 1991-03-26 Resound Corporation Apparatus and method for manipulating devices in orifices
US5061282A (en) 1989-10-10 1991-10-29 Jacobs Jared J Cochlear implant auditory prosthesis
US4999819A (en) * 1990-04-18 1991-03-12 The Pennsylvania Research Corporation Transformed stress direction acoustic transducer
US5272757A (en) 1990-09-12 1993-12-21 Sonics Associates, Inc. Multi-dimensional reproduction system
US5094108A (en) * 1990-09-28 1992-03-10 Korea Standards Research Institute Ultrasonic contact transducer for point-focussing surface waves
KR100229086B1 (ko) 1990-11-07 1999-11-01 빈센트 블루비너지 청각 장치를 위한 접촉 변환기 조립체
US5259032A (en) 1990-11-07 1993-11-02 Resound Corporation contact transducer assembly for hearing devices
DE69233156T2 (de) 1991-01-17 2004-07-08 Adelman, Roger A. Verbessertes hörgerät
DE4104358A1 (de) * 1991-02-13 1992-08-20 Implex Gmbh Implantierbares hoergeraet zur anregung des innenohres
US5167235A (en) 1991-03-04 1992-12-01 Pat O. Daily Revocable Trust Fiber optic ear thermometer
DE69222039T2 (de) 1991-04-01 1998-01-15 Resound Corp Unauffälliges kommunikationsverfahren unter verwendung einer elektromagnetischen fernbedienung
US5282858A (en) 1991-06-17 1994-02-01 American Cyanamid Company Hermetically sealed implantable transducer
US5142186A (en) 1991-08-05 1992-08-25 United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Single crystal domain driven bender actuator
US5163957A (en) 1991-09-10 1992-11-17 Smith & Nephew Richards, Inc. Ossicular prosthesis for mounting magnet
US5276910A (en) 1991-09-13 1994-01-04 Resound Corporation Energy recovering hearing system
US5440082A (en) 1991-09-19 1995-08-08 U.S. Philips Corporation Method of manufacturing an in-the-ear hearing aid, auxiliary tool for use in the method, and ear mould and hearing aid manufactured in accordance with the method
ATE154180T1 (de) * 1992-03-31 1997-06-15 Siemens Audiologische Technik Schaltungsanordnung mit einem schaltverstärker
US5402496A (en) * 1992-07-13 1995-03-28 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Auditory prosthesis, noise suppression apparatus and feedback suppression apparatus having focused adaptive filtering
US5360388A (en) 1992-10-09 1994-11-01 The University Of Virginia Patents Foundation Round window electromagnetic implantable hearing aid
US5715321A (en) * 1992-10-29 1998-02-03 Andrea Electronics Coporation Noise cancellation headset for use with stand or worn on ear
US5455994A (en) 1992-11-17 1995-10-10 U.S. Philips Corporation Method of manufacturing an in-the-ear hearing aid
US5531787A (en) 1993-01-25 1996-07-02 Lesinski; S. George Implantable auditory system with micromachined microsensor and microactuator
EP0627206B1 (en) 1993-03-12 2002-11-20 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Apparatus for ultrasound medical treatment
US5440237A (en) 1993-06-01 1995-08-08 Incontrol Solutions, Inc. Electronic force sensing with sensor normalization
US6676592B2 (en) 1993-07-01 2004-01-13 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Dual coil floating mass transducers
US5554096A (en) * 1993-07-01 1996-09-10 Symphonix Implantable electromagnetic hearing transducer
US5913815A (en) 1993-07-01 1999-06-22 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Bone conducting floating mass transducers
US20090253951A1 (en) 1993-07-01 2009-10-08 Vibrant Med-El Hearing Technology Gmbh Bone conducting floating mass transducers
US5456654A (en) 1993-07-01 1995-10-10 Ball; Geoffrey R. Implantable magnetic hearing aid transducer
US5800336A (en) 1993-07-01 1998-09-01 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Advanced designs of floating mass transducers
US5624376A (en) * 1993-07-01 1997-04-29 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Implantable and external hearing systems having a floating mass transducer
US5897486A (en) * 1993-07-01 1999-04-27 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Dual coil floating mass transducers
ITGE940067A1 (it) * 1994-05-27 1995-11-27 Ernes S R L Protesi acustica endoauricolare.
RU2074444C1 (ru) 1994-07-26 1997-02-27 Евгений Инвиевич Гиваргизов Матричный автоэлектронный катод и электронный прибор для оптического отображения информации
US5531954A (en) 1994-08-05 1996-07-02 Resound Corporation Method for fabricating a hearing aid housing
US5572594A (en) 1994-09-27 1996-11-05 Devoe; Lambert Ear canal device holder
US5549658A (en) 1994-10-24 1996-08-27 Advanced Bionics Corporation Four-Channel cochlear system with a passive, non-hermetically sealed implant
US5701348A (en) 1994-12-29 1997-12-23 Decibel Instruments, Inc. Articulated hearing device
US5558618A (en) 1995-01-23 1996-09-24 Maniglia; Anthony J. Semi-implantable middle ear hearing device
US5906635A (en) * 1995-01-23 1999-05-25 Maniglia; Anthony J. Electromagnetic implantable hearing device for improvement of partial and total sensoryneural hearing loss
US5868682A (en) 1995-01-26 1999-02-09 Mdi Instruments, Inc. Device and process for generating and measuring the shape of an acoustic reflectance curve of an ear
DE19504478C2 (de) 1995-02-10 1996-12-19 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gehörgangseinsatz für Hörhilfen
US5692059A (en) 1995-02-24 1997-11-25 Kruger; Frederick M. Two active element in-the-ear microphone system
US5740258A (en) * 1995-06-05 1998-04-14 Mcnc Active noise supressors and methods for use in the ear canal
US5721783A (en) * 1995-06-07 1998-02-24 Anderson; James C. Hearing aid with wireless remote processor
US5606621A (en) * 1995-06-14 1997-02-25 Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. Hybrid behind-the-ear and completely-in-canal hearing aid
US5949895A (en) 1995-09-07 1999-09-07 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Disposable audio processor for use with implanted hearing devices
US5772575A (en) 1995-09-22 1998-06-30 S. George Lesinski Implantable hearing aid
JP3567028B2 (ja) 1995-09-28 2004-09-15 株式会社トプコン 光歪素子の制御装置及び制御方法
CA2236743C (en) 1995-11-13 2007-06-05 Cochlear Limited Implantable microphone for cochlear implants and the like
WO1997019573A1 (en) 1995-11-20 1997-05-29 Resound Corporation An apparatus and method for monitoring magnetic audio systems
US5729077A (en) * 1995-12-15 1998-03-17 The Penn State Research Foundation Metal-electroactive ceramic composite transducer
US5795287A (en) 1996-01-03 1998-08-18 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Tinnitus masker for direct drive hearing devices
AU710983B2 (en) 1996-02-15 1999-10-07 Armand P. Neukermans Improved biocompatible transducers
US5951601A (en) 1996-03-25 1999-09-14 Lesinski; S. George Attaching an implantable hearing aid microactuator
DE19618964C2 (de) 1996-05-10 1999-12-16 Implex Hear Tech Ag Implantierbares Positionier- und Fixiersystem für aktorische und sensorische Implantate
US5797834A (en) 1996-05-31 1998-08-25 Resound Corporation Hearing improvement device
JPH09327098A (ja) 1996-06-03 1997-12-16 Yoshihiro Koseki 補聴器
US6222927B1 (en) * 1996-06-19 2001-04-24 The University Of Illinois Binaural signal processing system and method
US6978159B2 (en) 1996-06-19 2005-12-20 Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Illinois Binaural signal processing using multiple acoustic sensors and digital filtering
US6493453B1 (en) 1996-07-08 2002-12-10 Douglas H. Glendon Hearing aid apparatus
US5859916A (en) * 1996-07-12 1999-01-12 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Two stage implantable microphone
DE69739657D1 (de) 1996-07-19 2009-12-31 Armand P Neukermans Biokompatibler, implantierbarer microantrieb für ein hörgerät
US5899847A (en) * 1996-08-07 1999-05-04 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Implantable middle-ear hearing assist system using piezoelectric transducer film
US6005955A (en) 1996-08-07 1999-12-21 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Middle ear transducer
US5762583A (en) * 1996-08-07 1998-06-09 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Piezoelectric film transducer
US5879283A (en) * 1996-08-07 1999-03-09 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Implantable hearing system having multiple transducers
US5842967A (en) 1996-08-07 1998-12-01 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Contactless transducer stimulation and sensing of ossicular chain
US5707338A (en) * 1996-08-07 1998-01-13 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Stapes vibrator
US5836863A (en) 1996-08-07 1998-11-17 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Hearing aid transducer support
US5814095A (en) 1996-09-18 1998-09-29 Implex Gmbh Spezialhorgerate Implantable microphone and implantable hearing aids utilizing same
US6024717A (en) * 1996-10-24 2000-02-15 Vibrx, Inc. Apparatus and method for sonically enhanced drug delivery
US5804109A (en) 1996-11-08 1998-09-08 Resound Corporation Method of producing an ear canal impression
US5922077A (en) 1996-11-14 1999-07-13 Data General Corporation Fail-over switching system
JPH10190589A (ja) 1996-12-17 1998-07-21 Texas Instr Inc <Ti> 適応ノイズ制御システムおよびオンラインフィードバック経路モデル化およびオンライン２次経路モデル化方法
DE19653582A1 (de) * 1996-12-20 1998-06-25 Nokia Deutschland Gmbh Einrichtung zum kabellosen optischen Übertragen von Video- und/oder Audioinformationen
DE19700813A1 (de) 1997-01-13 1998-07-16 Eberhard Prof Dr Med Stennert Mittelohrprothese
US5804907A (en) 1997-01-28 1998-09-08 The Penn State Research Foundation High strain actuator using ferroelectric single crystal
JP3819511B2 (ja) * 1997-02-13 2006-09-13 富士写真フイルム株式会社 Ｃｃｄ撮像デバイスにおけるモニタ方法およびディジタルスチルカメラ
US5888187A (en) * 1997-03-27 1999-03-30 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Implantable microphone
US5987146A (en) 1997-04-03 1999-11-16 Resound Corporation Ear canal microphone
US6445799B1 (en) 1997-04-03 2002-09-03 Gn Resound North America Corporation Noise cancellation earpiece
US6181801B1 (en) * 1997-04-03 2001-01-30 Resound Corporation Wired open ear canal earpiece
US6240192B1 (en) * 1997-04-16 2001-05-29 Dspfactory Ltd. Apparatus for and method of filtering in an digital hearing aid, including an application specific integrated circuit and a programmable digital signal processor
US6045528A (en) * 1997-06-13 2000-04-04 Intraear, Inc. Inner ear fluid transfer and diagnostic system
US6408496B1 (en) 1997-07-09 2002-06-25 Ronald S. Maynard Method of manufacturing a vibrational transducer
US5954628A (en) * 1997-08-07 1999-09-21 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Capacitive input transducers for middle ear sensing
US6264603B1 (en) 1997-08-07 2001-07-24 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Middle ear vibration sensor using multiple transducers
US7014336B1 (en) 1999-11-18 2006-03-21 Color Kinetics Incorporated Systems and methods for generating and modulating illumination conditions
US6139488A (en) 1997-09-25 2000-10-31 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Biasing device for implantable hearing devices
JPH11168246A (ja) * 1997-09-30 1999-06-22 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 圧電アクチュエータ、赤外線センサおよび圧電光偏向器
US6068590A (en) * 1997-10-24 2000-05-30 Hearing Innovations, Inc. Device for diagnosing and treating hearing disorders
US6498858B2 (en) 1997-11-18 2002-12-24 Gn Resound A/S Feedback cancellation improvements
AUPP052097A0 (en) 1997-11-24 1997-12-18 Nhas National Hearing Aids Systems Hearing aid
US6093144A (en) * 1997-12-16 2000-07-25 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Implantable microphone having improved sensitivity and frequency response
EP1060639B1 (en) 1997-12-18 2006-03-08 Softear Technologies, L.L.C. Compliant hearing aid and method of manufacture
US6695943B2 (en) 1997-12-18 2004-02-24 Softear Technologies, L.L.C. Method of manufacturing a soft hearing aid
US6473512B1 (en) 1997-12-18 2002-10-29 Softear Technologies, L.L.C. Apparatus and method for a custom soft-solid hearing aid
US6438244B1 (en) 1997-12-18 2002-08-20 Softear Technologies Hearing aid construction with electronic components encapsulated in soft polymeric body
US6366863B1 (en) 1998-01-09 2002-04-02 Micro Ear Technology Inc. Portable hearing-related analysis system
ATE383730T1 (de) * 1998-02-18 2008-01-15 Widex As Binaurales digitales hörhilfesystem
US6369262B1 (en) * 1998-03-10 2002-04-09 University Of Dayton Diacrylate monomers and polymers formed therefrom
US5900274A (en) * 1998-05-01 1999-05-04 Eastman Kodak Company Controlled composition and crystallographic changes in forming functionally gradient piezoelectric transducers
US6084975A (en) 1998-05-19 2000-07-04 Resound Corporation Promontory transmitting coil and tympanic membrane magnet for hearing devices
US20080063231A1 (en) 1998-05-26 2008-03-13 Softear Technologies, L.L.C. Method of manufacturing a soft hearing aid
US6137889A (en) * 1998-05-27 2000-10-24 Insonus Medical, Inc. Direct tympanic membrane excitation via vibrationally conductive assembly
US6681022B1 (en) 1998-07-22 2004-01-20 Gn Resound North Amerca Corporation Two-way communication earpiece
US6217508B1 (en) * 1998-08-14 2001-04-17 Symphonix Devices, Inc. Ultrasonic hearing system
US6261223B1 (en) 1998-10-15 2001-07-17 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Method and apparatus for fixation type feedback reduction in implantable hearing assistance system
AT408607B (de) 1998-10-23 2002-01-25 Vujanic Aleksandar Dipl Ing Dr Implantierbarer schallrezeptor für hörhilfen
US6393130B1 (en) * 1998-10-26 2002-05-21 Beltone Electronics Corporation Deformable, multi-material hearing aid housing
JP2000152394A (ja) * 1998-11-13 2000-05-30 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 軽度難聴者用補聴装置、軽度難聴者対応伝送システム、軽度難聴者対応記録再生装置、及び軽度難聴者対応再生装置
US6940988B1 (en) 1998-11-25 2005-09-06 Insound Medical, Inc. Semi-permanent canal hearing device
US6473513B1 (en) 1999-06-08 2002-10-29 Insonus Medical, Inc. Extended wear canal hearing device
US8197461B1 (en) 1998-12-04 2012-06-12 Durect Corporation Controlled release system for delivering therapeutic agents into the inner ear
KR100282067B1 (ko) * 1998-12-30 2001-09-29 조진호 중이 이식형 보청기의 트랜스듀서
US6359993B2 (en) 1999-01-15 2002-03-19 Sonic Innovations Conformal tip for a hearing aid with integrated vent and retrieval cord
US6277148B1 (en) 1999-02-11 2001-08-21 Soundtec, Inc. Middle ear magnet implant, attachment device and method, and test instrument and method
US6385363B1 (en) * 1999-03-26 2002-05-07 U.T. Battelle Llc Photo-induced micro-mechanical optical switch
GB9907050D0 (en) 1999-03-26 1999-05-19 Sonomax Sft Inc System for fitting a hearing device in the ear
US6135612A (en) 1999-03-29 2000-10-24 Clore; William B. Display unit
US6312959B1 (en) 1999-03-30 2001-11-06 U.T. Battelle, Llc Method using photo-induced and thermal bending of MEMS sensors
US6724902B1 (en) * 1999-04-29 2004-04-20 Insound Medical, Inc. Canal hearing device with tubular insert
US6738485B1 (en) 1999-05-10 2004-05-18 Peter V. Boesen Apparatus, method and system for ultra short range communication
US6094492A (en) * 1999-05-10 2000-07-25 Boesen; Peter V. Bone conduction voice transmission apparatus and system
US6879698B2 (en) 1999-05-10 2005-04-12 Peter V. Boesen Cellular telephone, personal digital assistant with voice communication unit
US6754537B1 (en) 1999-05-14 2004-06-22 Advanced Bionics Corporation Hybrid implantable cochlear stimulator hearing aid system
US6259951B1 (en) 1999-05-14 2001-07-10 Advanced Bionics Corporation Implantable cochlear stimulator system incorporating combination electrode/transducer
DE19942707C2 (de) 1999-09-07 2002-08-01 Siemens Audiologische Technik Im Ohr tragbares Hörhilfegerät oder Hörhilfegerät mit im Ohr tragbarer Otoplastik
US7058182B2 (en) 1999-10-06 2006-06-06 Gn Resound A/S Apparatus and methods for hearing aid performance measurement, fitting, and initialization
US6629922B1 (en) 1999-10-29 2003-10-07 Soundport Corporation Flextensional output actuators for surgically implantable hearing aids
US6554761B1 (en) * 1999-10-29 2003-04-29 Soundport Corporation Flextensional microphones for implantable hearing devices
US6726718B1 (en) 1999-12-13 2004-04-27 St. Jude Medical, Inc. Medical articles prepared for cell adhesion
US6888949B1 (en) * 1999-12-22 2005-05-03 Gn Resound A/S Hearing aid with adaptive noise canceller
US6436028B1 (en) 1999-12-28 2002-08-20 Soundtec, Inc. Direct drive movement of body constituent
US6940989B1 (en) 1999-12-30 2005-09-06 Insound Medical, Inc. Direct tympanic drive via a floating filament assembly
US20030208099A1 (en) 2001-01-19 2003-11-06 Geoffrey Ball Soundbridge test system
US6387039B1 (en) 2000-02-04 2002-05-14 Ron L. Moses Implantable hearing aid
DE10015421C2 (de) * 2000-03-28 2002-07-04 Implex Ag Hearing Technology I Teil- oder vollimplantierbares Hörsystem
US7095981B1 (en) 2000-04-04 2006-08-22 Great American Technologies Low power infrared portable communication system with wireless receiver and methods regarding same
US6631196B1 (en) 2000-04-07 2003-10-07 Gn Resound North America Corporation Method and device for using an ultrasonic carrier to provide wide audio bandwidth transduction
DE10018361C2 (de) 2000-04-13 2002-10-10 Cochlear Ltd Mindestens teilimplantierbares Cochlea-Implantat-System zur Rehabilitation einer Hörstörung
US6536530B2 (en) * 2000-05-04 2003-03-25 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Hydraulic control system for downhole tools
US6668062B1 (en) 2000-05-09 2003-12-23 Gn Resound As FFT-based technique for adaptive directionality of dual microphones
US6432248B1 (en) 2000-05-16 2002-08-13 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Process for making a garment with refastenable sides and butt seams
US6648813B2 (en) 2000-06-17 2003-11-18 Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research Hearing aid system including speaker implanted in middle ear
US6785394B1 (en) 2000-06-20 2004-08-31 Gn Resound A/S Time controlled hearing aid
DE10031832C2 (de) * 2000-06-30 2003-04-30 Cochlear Ltd Hörgerät zur Rehabilitation einer Hörstörung
US6800988B1 (en) * 2000-07-11 2004-10-05 Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd. Voltage and light induced strains in porous crystalline materials and uses thereof
IT1316597B1 (it) * 2000-08-02 2003-04-24 Actis S R L Generatore optoacustico di ultrasuoni da energia laser alimentatatramite fibra ottica.
DE10041725B4 (de) 2000-08-25 2004-04-29 Phonak Ag Gerät zur elektromechanischen Stimulation und Prüfung des Gehörs
US6754359B1 (en) 2000-09-01 2004-06-22 Nacre As Ear terminal with microphone for voice pickup
DE10046938A1 (de) 2000-09-21 2002-04-25 Implex Ag Hearing Technology I Mindestens teilimplantierbares Hörsystem mit direkter mechanischer Stimulation eines lymphatischen Raums des Innenohres
US7394909B1 (en) 2000-09-25 2008-07-01 Phonak Ag Hearing device with embedded channnel
US7050876B1 (en) 2000-10-06 2006-05-23 Phonak Ltd. Manufacturing methods and systems for rapid production of hearing-aid shells
US6842647B1 (en) * 2000-10-20 2005-01-11 Advanced Bionics Corporation Implantable neural stimulator system including remote control unit for use therewith
WO2002039874A2 (en) 2000-11-16 2002-05-23 A.B.Y. Shachar Initial Diagnosis Ltd. A diagnostic system for the ear
US7313245B1 (en) 2000-11-22 2007-12-25 Insound Medical, Inc. Intracanal cap for canal hearing devices
US7050675B2 (en) 2000-11-27 2006-05-23 Advanced Interfaces, Llc Integrated optical multiplexer and demultiplexer for wavelength division transmission of information
US6801629B2 (en) 2000-12-22 2004-10-05 Sonic Innovations, Inc. Protective hearing devices with multi-band automatic amplitude control and active noise attenuation
EP1224840A2 (de) 2000-12-29 2002-07-24 Phonak Ag Im ohr montiertes hörhilfe-implantat und hörhilfe-implantat
US20020086715A1 (en) 2001-01-03 2002-07-04 Sahagen Peter D. Wireless earphone providing reduced radio frequency radiation exposure
WO2002083034A2 (en) 2001-04-12 2002-10-24 Otologics Llc Hearing aid with internal acoustic middle ear transducer
US7181034B2 (en) 2001-04-18 2007-02-20 Gennum Corporation Inter-channel communication in a multi-channel digital hearing instrument
CA2443782A1 (en) 2001-05-07 2002-11-14 Dusan Milojevic Process for manufacturing electrically conductive components
US20020172350A1 (en) 2001-05-15 2002-11-21 Edwards Brent W. Method for generating a final signal from a near-end signal and a far-end signal
US7354792B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2008-04-08 President And Fellows Of Harvard College Manufacture of silicon-based devices having disordered sulfur-doped surface layers
US7390689B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2008-06-24 President And Fellows Of Harvard College Systems and methods for light absorption and field emission using microstructured silicon
US7057256B2 (en) 2001-05-25 2006-06-06 President & Fellows Of Harvard College Silicon-based visible and near-infrared optoelectric devices
US6727789B2 (en) 2001-06-12 2004-04-27 Tibbetts Industries, Inc. Magnetic transducers of improved resistance to arbitrary mechanical shock
US7072475B1 (en) 2001-06-27 2006-07-04 Sprint Spectrum L.P. Optically coupled headset and microphone
US6775389B2 (en) * 2001-08-10 2004-08-10 Advanced Bionics Corporation Ear auxiliary microphone for behind the ear hearing prosthetic
US20050036639A1 (en) * 2001-08-17 2005-02-17 Herbert Bachler Implanted hearing aids
US6592513B1 (en) 2001-09-06 2003-07-15 St. Croix Medical, Inc. Method for creating a coupling between a device and an ear structure in an implantable hearing assistance device
US6944474B2 (en) * 2001-09-20 2005-09-13 Sound Id Sound enhancement for mobile phones and other products producing personalized audio for users
US20030097178A1 (en) 2001-10-04 2003-05-22 Joseph Roberson Length-adjustable ossicular prosthesis
US7245732B2 (en) 2001-10-17 2007-07-17 Oticon A/S Hearing aid
US20030081803A1 (en) 2001-10-31 2003-05-01 Petilli Eugene M. Low power, low noise, 3-level, H-bridge output coding for hearing aid applications
WO2003061335A1 (en) 2002-01-02 2003-07-24 Advanced Bionics Corporation Wideband low-noise implantable microphone assembly
DE10201068A1 (de) * 2002-01-14 2003-07-31 Siemens Audiologische Technik Auswahl von Kommunikationsverbindungen bei Hörgeräten
GB0201574D0 (en) * 2002-01-24 2002-03-13 Univ Dundee Hearing aid
US20030142841A1 (en) 2002-01-30 2003-07-31 Sensimetrics Corporation Optical signal transmission between a hearing protector muff and an ear-plug receiver
US20050018859A1 (en) 2002-03-27 2005-01-27 Buchholz Jeffrey C. Optically driven audio system
US6872439B2 (en) 2002-05-13 2005-03-29 The Regents Of The University Of California Adhesive microstructure and method of forming same
US6829363B2 (en) 2002-05-16 2004-12-07 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing aid with time-varying performance
FR2841429B1 (fr) 2002-06-21 2005-11-11 Mxm Dispositif d'aide auditive pour la rehabilitation de patients ateints de surdites neurosensorielles partielles
US6931231B1 (en) 2002-07-12 2005-08-16 Griffin Technology, Inc. Infrared generator from audio signal source
JP3548805B2 (ja) 2002-07-24 2004-07-28 東北大学長 補聴システム及び補聴方法
US6837857B2 (en) 2002-07-29 2005-01-04 Phonak Ag Method for the recording of acoustic parameters for the customization of hearing aids
GB0217556D0 (en) * 2002-07-30 2002-09-11 Amersham Biosciences Uk Ltd Site-specific labelling of proteins using cyanine dye reporters
JP2004067599A (ja) * 2002-08-07 2004-03-04 Kunihiko Tominaga 腟内洗浄剤
WO2004018980A2 (en) * 2002-08-20 2004-03-04 The Regents Of The University Of California Optical waveguide vibration sensor for use in hearing aid
US7076076B2 (en) 2002-09-10 2006-07-11 Vivatone Hearing Systems, Llc Hearing aid system
WO2004033172A1 (en) 2002-10-04 2004-04-22 Henkel Corporation Room temperature curable water-based mold release agent for composite materials
US7349741B2 (en) 2002-10-11 2008-03-25 Advanced Bionics, Llc Cochlear implant sound processor with permanently integrated replenishable power source
US6920340B2 (en) 2002-10-29 2005-07-19 Raphael Laderman System and method for reducing exposure to electromagnetic radiation
US6975402B2 (en) 2002-11-19 2005-12-13 Sandia National Laboratories Tunable light source for use in photoacoustic spectrometers
US7203334B2 (en) 2002-11-22 2007-04-10 Knowles Electronics, Llc. Apparatus for creating acoustic energy in a balanced receiver assembly and manufacturing method thereof
JP4020774B2 (ja) * 2002-12-12 2007-12-12 リオン株式会社 補聴器
EP1435757A1 (en) 2002-12-30 2004-07-07 Andrzej Zarowski Device implantable in a bony wall of the inner ear
US7273447B2 (en) * 2004-04-09 2007-09-25 Otologics, Llc Implantable hearing aid transducer retention apparatus
US20040166495A1 (en) 2003-02-24 2004-08-26 Greinwald John H. Microarray-based diagnosis of pediatric hearing impairment-construction of a deafness gene chip
US7424122B2 (en) 2003-04-03 2008-09-09 Sound Design Technologies, Ltd. Hearing instrument vent
US7945064B2 (en) 2003-04-09 2011-05-17 Board Of Trustees Of The University Of Illinois Intrabody communication with ultrasound
US7430299B2 (en) 2003-04-10 2008-09-30 Sound Design Technologies, Ltd. System and method for transmitting audio via a serial data port in a hearing instrument
WO2004093488A2 (en) 2003-04-15 2004-10-28 Ipventure, Inc. Directional speakers
US20050038498A1 (en) 2003-04-17 2005-02-17 Nanosys, Inc. Medical device applications of nanostructured surfaces
DE10320863B3 (de) 2003-05-09 2004-11-11 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh Befestigung eines Hörhilfegerätes oder einer Otoplastik im Ohr
US20040236416A1 (en) 2003-05-20 2004-11-25 Robert Falotico Increased biocompatibility of implantable medical devices
US20040234089A1 (en) * 2003-05-20 2004-11-25 Neat Ideas N.V. Hearing aid
USD512979S1 (en) 2003-07-07 2005-12-20 Symphonix Limited Public address system
US7442164B2 (en) * 2003-07-23 2008-10-28 Med-El Elektro-Medizinische Gerate Gesellschaft M.B.H. Totally implantable hearing prosthesis
AU2004301961B2 (en) 2003-08-11 2011-03-03 Vast Audio Pty Ltd Sound enhancement for hearing-impaired listeners
AU2003904207A0 (en) 2003-08-11 2003-08-21 Vast Audio Pty Ltd Enhancement of sound externalization and separation for hearing-impaired listeners: a spatial hearing-aid
WO2005029914A1 (en) 2003-09-19 2005-03-31 Widex A/S A method for controlling the directionality of the sound receiving characteristic of a hearing aid and a signal processing apparatus for a hearing aid with a controllable directional characteristic
US6912289B2 (en) 2003-10-09 2005-06-28 Unitron Hearing Ltd. Hearing aid and processes for adaptively processing signals therein
US20050088435A1 (en) 2003-10-23 2005-04-28 Z. Jason Geng Novel 3D ear camera for making custom-fit hearing devices for hearing aids instruments and cell phones
KR20050039446A (ko) 2003-10-25 2005-04-29 대한민국(경북대학교 총장) 중이 이식형 보청기용 트랜스듀서의 진동소자 제작방법 및그에 의해 제작된 진동소자
US20050101830A1 (en) 2003-11-07 2005-05-12 Easter James R. Implantable hearing aid transducer interface
US7043037B2 (en) * 2004-01-16 2006-05-09 George Jay Lichtblau Hearing aid having acoustical feedback protection
US20070135870A1 (en) 2004-02-04 2007-06-14 Hearingmed Laser Technologies, Llc Method for treating hearing loss
US20050226446A1 (en) 2004-04-08 2005-10-13 Unitron Hearing Ltd. Intelligent hearing aid
WO2005107320A1 (en) 2004-04-22 2005-11-10 Petroff Michael L Hearing aid with electro-acoustic cancellation process
US20050271870A1 (en) 2004-06-07 2005-12-08 Jackson Warren B Hierarchically-dimensioned-microfiber-based dry adhesive materials
US7867160B2 (en) 2004-10-12 2011-01-11 Earlens Corporation Systems and methods for photo-mechanical hearing transduction
US7668325B2 (en) * 2005-05-03 2010-02-23 Earlens Corporation Hearing system having an open chamber for housing components and reducing the occlusion effect
US8295523B2 (en) * 2007-10-04 2012-10-23 SoundBeam LLC Energy delivery and microphone placement methods for improved comfort in an open canal hearing aid
US7955249B2 (en) * 2005-10-31 2011-06-07 Earlens Corporation Output transducers for hearing systems
US7421087B2 (en) * 2004-07-28 2008-09-02 Earlens Corporation Transducer for electromagnetic hearing devices
US20060058573A1 (en) 2004-09-16 2006-03-16 Neisz Johann J Method and apparatus for vibrational damping of implantable hearing aid components
US7570775B2 (en) * 2004-09-16 2009-08-04 Sony Corporation Microelectromechanical speaker
EP1795045B1 (en) * 2004-10-01 2012-11-07 Hear Ip Pty Ltd Acoustically transparent occlusion reduction system and method
US7243182B2 (en) 2004-10-04 2007-07-10 Cisco Technology, Inc. Configurable high-speed serial links between components of a network device
KR100610192B1 (ko) 2004-10-27 2006-08-09 경북대학교 산학협력단 압전형 진동자
US8602964B2 (en) 2004-11-30 2013-12-10 Cochlear Limited Implantable actuator for hearing aid applications
KR100594152B1 (ko) 2004-12-28 2006-06-28 삼성전자주식회사 전원노이즈를 제거하는 이어폰 잭과 그 동작방법
US20070250119A1 (en) 2005-01-11 2007-10-25 Wicab, Inc. Systems and methods for altering brain and body functions and for treating conditions and diseases of the same
GB0500616D0 (en) 2005-01-13 2005-02-23 Univ Dundee Hearing implant
GB0500605D0 (en) 2005-01-13 2005-02-16 Univ Dundee Photodetector assembly
US8550977B2 (en) 2005-02-16 2013-10-08 Cochlear Limited Integrated implantable hearing device, microphone and power unit
DE102005013833B3 (de) 2005-03-24 2006-06-14 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh Hörhilfevorrichtung mit optischem Mikrofon
KR100624445B1 (ko) 2005-04-06 2006-09-20 이송자 광음악요법을 위한 이어폰
US7479198B2 (en) 2005-04-07 2009-01-20 Timothy D'Annunzio Methods for forming nanofiber adhesive structures
EP1874399B1 (en) 2005-04-29 2018-06-20 Cochlear Limited Focused stimulation in a medical stimulation device
WO2006127960A2 (en) 2005-05-26 2006-11-30 The Board Of Regents University Of Oklahoma 3-dimensional finite element modeling of human ear for sound transmission
DE102005034646B3 (de) 2005-07-25 2007-02-01 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh Hörvorrichtung und Verfahren zur Reduktion von Rückkopplungen
US20070036377A1 (en) 2005-08-03 2007-02-15 Alfred Stirnemann Method of obtaining a characteristic, and hearing instrument
US8184840B2 (en) 2005-08-22 2012-05-22 3Win N.V. Combined set comprising a vibrator actuator and an implantable device
US20070076913A1 (en) 2005-10-03 2007-04-05 Shanz Ii, Llc Hearing aid apparatus and method
US7753838B2 (en) * 2005-10-06 2010-07-13 Otologics, Llc Implantable transducer with transverse force application
US20070127766A1 (en) 2005-12-01 2007-06-07 Christopher Combest Multi-channel speaker utilizing dual-voice coils
US8014871B2 (en) 2006-01-09 2011-09-06 Cochlear Limited Implantable interferometer microphone
US20070206825A1 (en) 2006-01-20 2007-09-06 Zounds, Inc. Noise reduction circuit for hearing aid
US8295505B2 (en) 2006-01-30 2012-10-23 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Earphone with controllable leakage of surrounding sound and device therefor
US8246532B2 (en) 2006-02-14 2012-08-21 Vibrant Med-El Hearing Technology Gmbh Bone conductive devices for improving hearing
US8879500B2 (en) 2006-03-21 2014-11-04 Qualcomm Incorporated Handover procedures in a wireless communications system
US7650194B2 (en) 2006-03-22 2010-01-19 Fritsch Michael H Intracochlear nanotechnology and perfusion hearing aid device
US7359067B2 (en) 2006-04-07 2008-04-15 Symphony Acoustics, Inc. Optical displacement sensor comprising a wavelength-tunable optical source
DE102006026721B4 (de) 2006-06-08 2008-09-11 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Testen eines Hörgerätes
AR062036A1 (es) * 2006-07-24 2008-08-10 Med El Elektromed Geraete Gmbh Accionador de bobina movil para implantes del oido medio
WO2008014498A2 (en) 2006-07-27 2008-01-31 Cochlear Americas Hearing device having a non-occluding in the-canal vibrating component
US7826632B2 (en) 2006-08-03 2010-11-02 Phonak Ag Method of adjusting a hearing instrument
US20080054509A1 (en) 2006-08-31 2008-03-06 Brunswick Corporation Visually inspectable mold release agent
DE102006046700A1 (de) * 2006-10-02 2008-04-10 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh Hinter-dem-Ohr-Hörgerät mit externem, optischem Mikrofon
US20080123866A1 (en) 2006-11-29 2008-05-29 Rule Elizabeth L Hearing instrument with acoustic blocker, in-the-ear microphone and speaker
DE102006057424A1 (de) 2006-12-06 2008-06-12 Robert Bosch Gmbh Verfahren und Anordnung zur Warnung des Fahrers
CA2674136A1 (en) 2007-01-03 2008-07-10 Widex A/S A component for a hearing aid and a method of making a component for a hearing aid
US20080298600A1 (en) 2007-04-19 2008-12-04 Michael Poe Automated real speech hearing instrument adjustment system
JP5292396B2 (ja) 2007-07-10 2013-09-18 ヴェーデクス・アクティーセルスカプ 補聴器中のレシーバを識別する方法
KR100859979B1 (ko) 2007-07-20 2008-09-25 경북대학교 산학협력단 튜브 진동 트랜스듀서에 의한 정원창 구동 방식의 인공중이
DE102007041539B4 (de) 2007-08-31 2009-07-30 Heinz Kurz Gmbh Medizintechnik Längenvariable Gehörknöchelchenprothese
WO2009049320A1 (en) * 2007-10-12 2009-04-16 Earlens Corporation Multifunction system and method for integrated hearing and communiction with noise cancellation and feedback management
AU2007360696A1 (en) 2007-10-30 2009-05-07 3Win N.V. Body-worn wireless transducer module
KR20090076484A (ko) 2008-01-09 2009-07-13 경북대학교 산학협력단 고막 관통형 진동소자 및 이를 이용한 이식형 보청기
US9445183B2 (en) 2008-02-27 2016-09-13 Linda D. Dahl Sound system with ear device with improved fit and sound
EP2296580A2 (en) 2008-04-04 2011-03-23 Forsight Labs, Llc Corneal onlay devices and methods
US9943401B2 (en) 2008-04-04 2018-04-17 Eugene de Juan, Jr. Therapeutic device for pain management and vision
JP2010004513A (ja) 2008-05-19 2010-01-07 Yamaha Corp イヤホン
WO2009152442A1 (en) 2008-06-14 2009-12-17 Michael Petroff Hearing aid with anti-occlusion effect techniques and ultra-low frequency response
DK2301262T3 (da) 2008-06-17 2017-11-13 Earlens Corp Optiske elektromekaniske høreapparater med kombineret effekt- og signalopbygning
BRPI0915203A2 (pt) * 2008-06-17 2016-02-16 Earlens Corp dispostivo, sistema e método para transmitir um sinal de áudio, e, dispostivo e método para estimular um tecido alvo
US8396239B2 (en) * 2008-06-17 2013-03-12 Earlens Corporation Optical electro-mechanical hearing devices with combined power and signal architectures
US8233651B1 (en) 2008-09-02 2012-07-31 Advanced Bionics, Llc Dual microphone EAS system that prevents feedback
JP2010068299A (ja) 2008-09-11 2010-03-25 Yamaha Corp イヤホン
KR20110086804A (ko) 2008-09-22 2011-08-01 사운드빔, 엘엘씨 듣기용 밸런스드 아마추어 장치 및 방법
US8554350B2 (en) 2008-10-15 2013-10-08 Personics Holdings Inc. Device and method to reduce ear wax clogging of acoustic ports, hearing aid sealing system, and feedback reduction system
US8506473B2 (en) 2008-12-16 2013-08-13 SoundBeam LLC Hearing-aid transducer having an engineered surface
WO2009068696A2 (en) 2008-12-19 2009-06-04 Phonak Ag Method of manufacturing hearing devices
AU2009201537B2 (en) 2009-01-21 2013-08-01 Advanced Bionics Ag Partially implantable hearing aid
US8545383B2 (en) 2009-01-30 2013-10-01 Medizinische Hochschule Hannover Light activated hearing aid device
US8437486B2 (en) 2009-04-14 2013-05-07 Dan Wiggins Calibrated hearing aid tuning appliance
CN102598712A (zh) 2009-06-05 2012-07-18 音束有限责任公司 光耦合的中耳植入体声学系统和方法
US9544700B2 (en) 2009-06-15 2017-01-10 Earlens Corporation Optically coupled active ossicular replacement prosthesis
CN102598713A (zh) 2009-06-18 2012-07-18 音束有限责任公司 用于听力系统的耳膜可植入装置及方法
EP2446645B1 (en) 2009-06-22 2020-05-06 Earlens Corporation Optically coupled bone conduction systems and methods
BRPI1016075A2 (pt) 2009-06-22 2016-05-10 SoundBeam LLC dispositivo para transmitir som para um ouvido de um usuário e métodos associados.
WO2010151647A2 (en) 2009-06-24 2010-12-29 SoundBeam LLC Optically coupled cochlear actuator systems and methods
EP2449797B1 (en) 2009-06-30 2019-08-07 Sonova AG Hearing device with a vent extension
DE102009034826B4 (de) 2009-07-27 2011-04-28 Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. Hörvorrichtung und Verfahren
US8340335B1 (en) 2009-08-18 2012-12-25 iHear Medical, Inc. Hearing device with semipermanent canal receiver module
US20110069852A1 (en) 2009-09-23 2011-03-24 Georg-Erwin Arndt Hearing Aid
US8515109B2 (en) 2009-11-19 2013-08-20 Gn Resound A/S Hearing aid with beamforming capability
DK2629551T3 (en) * 2009-12-29 2015-03-02 Gn Resound As Binaural hearing aid system
US8526651B2 (en) 2010-01-25 2013-09-03 Sonion Nederland Bv Receiver module for inflating a membrane in an ear device
EP2656639B1 (en) 2010-12-20 2020-05-13 Earlens Corporation Anatomically customized ear canal hearing apparatus
US9698129B2 (en) 2011-03-18 2017-07-04 Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. Stacked integrated component devices with energization
WO2012149970A1 (en) 2011-05-04 2012-11-08 Phonak Ag Adjustable vent of an open fitted ear mould of a hearing aid
US8696054B2 (en) 2011-05-24 2014-04-15 L & P Property Management Company Enhanced compatibility for a linkage mechanism
US8885860B2 (en) 2011-06-02 2014-11-11 The Regents Of The University Of California Direct drive micro hearing device
US8600096B2 (en) 2011-08-02 2013-12-03 Bose Corporation Surface treatment for ear tips
US8824695B2 (en) 2011-10-03 2014-09-02 Bose Corporation Instability detection and avoidance in a feedback system
CN104094615A (zh) 2011-11-22 2014-10-08 福纳克股份公司 处理听力仪器中的信号的方法以及听力仪器
US8761423B2 (en) 2011-11-23 2014-06-24 Insound Medical, Inc. Canal hearing devices and batteries for use with same
US9211069B2 (en) 2012-02-17 2015-12-15 Honeywell International Inc. Personal protective equipment with integrated physiological monitoring
US9185501B2 (en) 2012-06-20 2015-11-10 Broadcom Corporation Container-located information transfer module
US9185504B2 (en) 2012-11-30 2015-11-10 iHear Medical, Inc. Dynamic pressure vent for canal hearing devices
US9692829B2 (en) 2012-12-03 2017-06-27 Mylan Inc. Medication delivery system and method
US8923543B2 (en) 2012-12-19 2014-12-30 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing assistance device vent valve
US9532150B2 (en) 2013-03-05 2016-12-27 Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Eardrum supported nanomembrane transducer
KR101703842B1 (ko) 2013-03-05 2017-02-08 주식회사 아모센스 자기장 및 전자파 차폐용 복합시트 및 이를 구비하는 안테나 모듈
US20140288356A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2014-09-25 Jurgen Van Vlem Assessing auditory prosthesis actuator performance
JP6060915B2 (ja) 2014-02-06 2017-01-18 ソニー株式会社 イヤピースおよび電気音響変換装置
US10034103B2 (en) 2014-03-18 2018-07-24 Earlens Corporation High fidelity and reduced feedback contact hearing apparatus and methods
EP3169396B1 (en) 2014-07-14 2021-04-21 Earlens Corporation Sliding bias and peak limiting for optical hearing devices
EP3086574A3 (en) 2015-04-20 2017-03-15 Oticon A/s Hearing aid device and hearing aid device system
DK3355801T3 (da) 2015-10-02 2021-06-21 Earlens Corp Tilpasset øregangsindretning til lægemiddelafgivelse

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2006118819A3 (en) 2007-12-13
US7668325B2 (en) 2010-02-23
DK1880574T3 (da) 2014-11-03
JP5341507B2 (ja) 2013-11-13
WO2006118819A2 (en) 2006-11-09
EP2802160A1 (en) 2014-11-12
EP1880574A2 (en) 2008-01-23
EP1880574B1 (en) 2014-08-06
US20160066101A1 (en) 2016-03-03
CN101208992A (zh) 2008-06-25
US20180262846A1 (en) 2018-09-13
US20200037082A1 (en) 2020-01-30
JP2008541560A (ja) 2008-11-20
US9949039B2 (en) 2018-04-17
US9154891B2 (en) 2015-10-06
EP2802160B1 (en) 2016-12-21
DK2802160T3 (en) 2017-02-13
US20220007115A1 (en) 2022-01-06
EP1880574A4 (en) 2009-07-15
US20100202645A1 (en) 2010-08-12
US20060251278A1 (en) 2006-11-09

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN101208992B (zh) 具有增强的高频响应的助听系统
US10516950B2 (en) Multifunction system and method for integrated hearing and communication with noise cancellation and feedback management
US7421087B2 (en) Transducer for electromagnetic hearing devices
US6084975A (en) Promontory transmitting coil and tympanic membrane magnet for hearing devices
US7043040B2 (en) Hearing aid apparatus
US6137889A (en) Direct tympanic membrane excitation via vibrationally conductive assembly
US6726618B2 (en) Hearing aid with internal acoustic middle ear transducer
US8216123B2 (en) Implantable middle ear hearing device having tubular vibration transducer to drive round window
US8295523B2 (en) Energy delivery and microphone placement methods for improved comfort in an open canal hearing aid
Verhaegen Active implants in otology; Overlapping indications.

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
C06 Publication
PB01 Publication
C10 Entry into substantive examination
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
C14 Grant of patent or utility model
GR01 Patent grant
C53 Correction of patent for invention or patent application
CB03 Change of inventor or designer information

Inventor after: Prat Sandrine

Inventor after: Perkins Rodney C.

Inventor after: V Pulvweina heat

Inventor before: Prat Sandrine

Inventor before: Perkins Rodney C.

COR Change of bibliographic data

Free format text: CORRECT: INVENTOR; FROM: PURIA SUNIL PERKINS RODNEY C. TO: PURIA SUNIL PERKINS RODNEY C. PLUVINAGE VINCENT