Hearing faculty testing and apparatus therefor
US4374526A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 10, 1979 |
| Grant date | Feb 22, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 10, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/6817
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A hearing faculty test and apparatus therefor is based on the findng that sound input to the ear gives rise to a returned wave from and related to the condition of the inner ear, this wave being detectable as an echo from the ear drum. The apparatus preferably comprises a sealing aural probe (1) housing transducers (2,3) respectively to project a repetitive transient sound by pulse generator (4) activation and to pick-up for detection (5) successive echoes by time-gating. Detected echoes are preferably averaged during processing (6) for display. The echo occurs about 5-20 ms after its sound and a maximum operating frequency of about 50 Hz is appropriate. A continuous sound input can be used with consequent echo interference detectable as rapid changes of acoustic impedance with sound input frequency. Another alternative can involve detection of the ear drum movement by returned waves.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.