Etymotic Research, Inc.

Ivac Corporation

Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc.

Hearing Enhancement Group

Broadcom Corporation

Jain Irrigation Systems Limited

Jack Goldberg

Mead C Killion

Kurt E Zublin

Randy L Houk

Gregory A Flamme

Dana S Helmink

Steven Charles Dimmer

Eric Hadford

Michael Joseph Stern

Margo Gisselberg

Jeff Pelton

Robert J Rosati

Michael Patrick Defrank

Marl J Bell

James Richard Hendershot

Behzad Moeenziai

Jonathan R Hall

Luk Ching Chug

Thomas V Fantasia

A motion control apparatus and method are disclosed. The motion control apparatus comprises a movable mechanism coupled to an external energy source, the energy source providing kinetic energy to the mechanism. An energy conversion module is mechanically coupled to the mechanism for converting kinetic into electrical energy. An electronic circuit is coupled to the energy conversion module and a storage module and a mechanism controller is coupled to the electronic circuit. A sensor module is coupled to both the electronic circuit and the movable mechanism to sense the movement of the movable mechanism to determine speed of the movable mechanism and transmit speed information to the electronic circuit. The method comprises applying energy to a movable mechanism, converting kinetic to electrical energy, storing the electrical energy converted, controlling the motion of the mechanism and sensing the movement of the mechanism.

Motion control system and method with energy harvesting

A noise dosimeter with capability to rapidly predict noise exposure over an extended time period based on a measurement of short duration. Either an acoustic or an electrical earphone adapter provides a convenient means to connect the noise dosimeter to an external sound source. A direct input jack operable to receive at least one audio signal provides a signal to an RMS detector, which provides a DC signal to a two-stage amplifier circuit. The outputs of the amplifiers are provided to a processor having multiple A/D channels. The processor calculates accumulated noise doses and drives a display, which in one embodiment includes a panel of light-emitting diodes. In one embodiment, the dosimeter includes functionality for control of external devices such as sound boards.

Method and system for noise dosimeter with quick-check mode and earphone adapter

An active headworn device that includes a position sensing device used to determine whether the headworn device is in an extended state upon a user's head or in a contracted state off of the user's head. The position sensing device may be coupled with a microcontroller adapted to power up or power down the active headworn device based on a signal from the position sensing device. The position sensing device may various devices such as a Hall-effect device used in combination with a magnet or a LED in combination with a detector. The movement of the headworn device between positions changes the distance between components of the position sensing device such that the device signals the microcontroller to power up or down the active headworn device. The microcontroller may mute a portion of circuitry prior to the powering up or down the active headworn device to prevent undesirable feedback.

Position sensing apparatus and method for active headworn device

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for predicting long-term exposure to a hazardous environment based on a user-controllable measurement interval of short duration. In an embodiment, the system includes an electronic circuit for receiving one or more signals representative of the level of a hazard in an environment using one or more of a hazard level sensor and a direct input jack. The system further includes a processor within the electronic circuit for determining an accumulated dose over a user-controllable measurement interval. In addition, the processor predicts hazardous exposure for a user-settable extended period greater than the user-controllable measurement interval and based on the accumulated dose. The dosimeter also includes a user-operable switch within the electronic circuit and in communication with the processor for controlling the user-controllable measurement interval to be less than a nominal measurement interval.

Method and system for predicting long-term exposure to a hazardous environment

A headworn listening device includes a right ear assembly and a left ear assembly interconnected by a headband. The headworn listening device is preferably comfortable to wear and provides high-quality audio and flexible signal processing features without requiring customized fitting. The listening device includes a signal processor with programmable signal processing characteristics and a memory storing a plurality of user-selectable signal processing settings. For example, there may be signal processing settings for different environments, such as a first setting for a quiet environment and a second setting for a noisy environment. In operation, a user actuates a user-operable control coupled to a microcontroller to select a desired signal processing setting.

Headworn listening device and method

A personal noise dosimeter having functionality for increasing the dynamic range of the device. A microphone provides a signal to an RMS detector, which provides a DC signal to a two-stage amplifier circuit. The outputs of the amplifiers are provided to a processor having multiple A/D channels. The processor calculates accumulated noise doses and drives a display, which in one embodiment includes a panel of light-emitting diodes. A current source injects current into the output of the RMS detector to reduce performance degradation. Functionality detects and accounts for voltage offsets in the dosimeter. The microphone is turned off during offset determination. In one embodiment, the dosimeter includes functionality for control of external devices such as sound boards.

Method and system for noise dosimeter

A miniature resonating marker assembly that includes, in one embodiment, a ferromagnetic core, a wire coil disposed around the core, and a capacitor connected to the wire coil adjacent to the magnetic core. The core, coil, and capacitor form a signal element that, when energized, generates a magnetic field at a selected resonant frequency. The magnetic field has a magnetic center point positioned along at least one axis of the signal element. An inert encapsulation member encapsulates the signal element therein and defines a geometric shape of the resonating marker assembly. The geometric shape has a geometric center point substantially coincident with the magnetic center point along at least a first axis of the signal element. The shape and configuration of the assembly also provides for a miniature signal element specifically tuned to resonate at a selected frequency with a high quality factor.

Miniature resonating marker assembly

A method and apparatus for measurement of wide dynamic range signals is provided. The method and apparatus is particularly suited to measurement of physical parameters over a wide dynamic range and utilizes a plurality of concurrently operating channels of moderate dynamic range, each of which incorporates a detector. The method has the steps of transducing the physical signal into an electrical signal; amplifying and filtering the electrical signal through a plurality of channels, each of which operating within a preselected range of levels; applying the filtered and amplified electrical signals to a plurality of detectors, one for each channel; averaging, using a first time constant, the electrical signals to create a plurality of outputs; sampling the outputs; determining which channel of the plurality of channels has a valid output; averaging, using a second time constant greater than the first time constant, the resultant series of valid output samples (i.e., averaging the resultant magnitude signal) to provide a time-weighted decibel value, a series of which over time representing a varying average magnitude output signal; and periodically displaying the decibel value to the user of the apparatus.

Method and apparatus for measurement of wide dynamic range signals

A system for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication is provided. The system has a number of talker units, each having a microphone and a transmitter so that an audio input received at the microphone is transmitted via the transmitter as an output. The system includes a receiver unit having a receiver to receive the outputs of the talker units, and a mixer to mix the outputs to form a mixed output signal, and a transmitter to transmit the mixed output signal on a preselected frequency. The system also has a listener unit tunable to receive the mixed output signal transmitted on the preselected frequency. The system can be embodied in a serial daisy chain arrangement or in a parallel repeater arrangement. A method for enhancing speech intelligibility using wireless communication is provided. The method has the steps of: providing a listener unit to at least one listener and a talker unit to each of a plurality of talkers, each talker unit being capable of transmitting an audio signal; receiving the audio signals from the plurality of talker units; mixing the audio signals to form a mixed output signal; transmitting the mixed output signal on a preselected frequency; and receiving the mixed output signal at the listener unit on the preselected frequency.

System and method for enhancing speech intelligibility utilizing

A non-invasive, fluid monitor engages an open resonator with a segment of fluid line. The fluid line is disposed such that it and the fluid within become a part of the dielectric loading on the resonator. The open resonator is a part of an oscillator circuit that changes frequency of oscillation in response to the dielectric loading on the resonator. A frequency discriminator monitors the frequency of the oscillator to detect an air bubble in the fluid line. In the case where the resonator comprises a microstrip line, the microstrip line is disposed in parallel to the segment of the fluid line and the length of the microstrip line is selected to be equal to or greater than the maximum length of air bubble permitted thus providing a volumetric air-in-line sensor. The output of the frequency discriminator is compared to a threshold to determine a frequency shift large enough to indicate the presence of an air bubble.

Fluid monitor system and method using a resonator

A non-invasive, in-line fluid monitor includes a segment of fluid line disposed such that it and the fluid within become a part of the dielectric loading on an energized electromagnetic sensor device. Perturbations of the dielectric loading on the sensor device are monitored to determine certain fluid properties, such as pressure, composition, and the presence of air. The fluid line segment disposed through the electromagnetic sensor may be compliant and thus changes size in response to fluid pressure, altering the volume of the fluid line segment tin the cavity and altering the dielectric loading on the cavity. In one embodiment, a resonant cavity is used to encompass the segment of fluid line and a processor is used to compare changes in the resonant characteristics of the cavity to predetermined data to determine the properties of the fluid. In an alternative embodiment, a transmission device such as a delay line is utilized as the sensor element, and in another embodiment, a microstrip resonator is utilized as the sensor element. In yet another embodiment incorporating a means of determining the volumetric fluid flow rate, the size of air bubbles in the fluid is assessed.

In-line fluid monitor system and method

An infrared detector receives infrared energy from the target and provides a detector signal based primarily on the difference between the infrared detector temperature and the temperature of the reference temperature area of the detector. A contact temperature measurement device provides a reference signal which is a function of the temperature of the reference temperature area of the detector. A processor receives the detector and reference signals and combines the two signals in a non-linear manner to result in a signal which is representative of the temperature of the target. The method of non-linearly combining includes the use of gain and offset terms which may be altered to a limited extent by a technician in the field with a blackbody calibration source. As a result of the recalibration, accurate target temperature measurements are continually provided. Additionally, the method of non-linearly combining includes the use of additional gain and offset terms which are adjusted to account for the infrared radiation characteristics of an anatomical target as compared to blackbody calibration source targets. Temperature is determined by combining a polynomial function of the detector with a polynomial function of the reference signal.

System and method for temperature determination and calibration in a

The apparatus accurately measures flow rate of fluid within a conduit without direct fluid contact, based on the introduction of a thermal marker into the fluid stream by means of at least one externally mounted heater, and detection of the thermal marker by means of at least one externally mounted sensor. The transit time of the thermal marker can be ascertained for transit of the thermal marker from a heater to a sensor, or from one sensor to another sensor. A preferred embodiment of the heater comprises a resonant microwave cavity which heats the fluid radiatively, and a preferred embodiment of the sensor comprises a resonant microwave cavity through which a portion of the fluid conduit passes, the resonant characteristics of said microwave sensor being perturbed by the passage of the thermal marker.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Jack Goldberg