Patent · US Active

Light based hearing systems, apparatus, and methods

US10178483B2 · kind B2 · utility

33Cited by
330References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 2016
Grant dateJan 8, 2019
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E60/10
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a method of aligning the elements of a tympanic lens, the method comprising the steps of: forming mold of a user's ear canal, including the user's tympanic membrane; digitally scanning the ear canal mold to create a digital model of the user's ear canal; using the digital data to size a chassis for the tympanic lens; manufacturing a chassis; manufacturing an ear canal mold, manufacturing an alignment tool, including a chassis alignment feature and a photodetector alignment feature; mating the ear canal mold and alignment tool; placing the chassis into the mold, using the alignment tool to fix the position of the chassis with respect to a model of the user's tympanic membrane and features thereof; mounting a microactuator and photodetector to the chassis; and using the photodetector alignment feature to position the photodetector prior to fixing the photodetector in place.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.