System and method for detecting the insertion or removal of a hearing instrument from the ear canal
US7406179B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04R2460/15
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A hearing instrument system detects the insertion or removal of a hearing instrument into a space and includes first and second acoustic transducers, first and second level detection circuitry, and signal processing circuitry. The first acoustic transducer receives a first electrical signal and in response radiates acoustic energy, and the second acoustic transducer receives radiated acoustic energy and in response generates a second electrical signal. The first level detection circuitry is operable to receive the first electrical signal and generate a first intensity signal, and the second level detection circuitry is operable to receive the second electrical signal and generate a second intensity signal. The signal processing circuitry is operable to receive the first and second intensity signals and compare the first and second intensity signals and determine whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the space or removed from the space based on the comparison.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.