Starkey Laboratories, Inc.

Berd, L.l.c.

Kyle D Olson

Sidney A Higgins

Michael Karl Sacha

Justin R Burwinkel

David Tourtelotte

Andy S Lin

Jeffrey Paul Solum

Gregory John Haubrich

Yoshi Kasahara

Christine Marie Tan

Charles S Spanjers

Peter Flanagan

Thomas Howard Burns

Jay M Stewart

Sourav Bhunia

Christopher David Young

Amit Shahar

Dustin Degen

Brantly Sturgeon

Casey Edward Murray

Kent Giswold

Erik Carlson

Fue Yang

Krishna Chaithanya Vastare

Dave Tourtelotte

Kaysar Rahim

Brad Guertin

Fa Wang

Archelle Georgiou Feldshon

Peggi S Cross

Brantly A Sturgeon

Christopher D Young

An ear-wearable electronic device comprises a shell and a faceplate connected to the shell. Electronic circuitry and a power source are respectively disposed in the shell. A removal handle includes a proximal end connected to the faceplate. First and second electrical conductors extend along the removal handle and comprise first and second proximal ends coupled to the electronic circuitry. An electrical contact module is disposed at a distal end of the removal handle. The electrical contact module comprises a substrate. A first electrical contact is mounted on, or supported by, the substrate and coupled to a first distal end of the first electrical conductor. A second electrical contact is mounted on, or supported by, the substrate and coupled to a second distal end of the second electrical conductor.

Ear-wearable electronic device including multi-function removal handle

An ear-worn electronic device comprises a housing configured for deployment in, on or about an ear of a wearer and a power source situated in the housing. A sensor is situated in or on the housing and coupled to the power source. The sensor is configured to generate a sensor signal representative of motion of the wearer's head and relative motion between the sensor and skin of the wearer's ear resulting from the wearer's head motion. A controller is situated in the housing and coupled to the power source and the sensor. The controller is configured to assess a fit of the device using the sensor signal.

Sensor based ear-worn electronic device fit assessment

Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable devices and systems that can detect a risk of infection in a device wearer. In a first aspect, an ear-wearable infection sensor device is included having a control circuit, a microphone, a sensor package, and an electroacoustic transducer, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is in electrical communication with the control circuit. The ear-wearable infection sensor device can be configured to analyze data from the sensor package to determine physiological parameters of a device wearer and evaluate the physiological parameters to detect the risk of an infection. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Infection risk detection using ear-wearable sensor devices

Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for a hearing assistance device housing for biometric sensing. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device for a wearer includes a housing customized to conform to a continuous section of an inner portion of an ear of the wearer and to extend radially to one or more edges of a conchal bowl of the ear. The housing is configured to be placed in the inner portion of the ear of the wearer, and a biometric sensor is included on a surface of the housing. According to various embodiments, the housing is configured to maintain contact of the biometric sensor with the inner portion of the ear of the wearer during activity of the wearer, to enhance accuracy of biometric sensing.

Hearing assistance device housing for improved biometric sensing

A hearing assistance device may be turned on or off in response to a change in magnetic field or detection of a gesture. A magnetic sensor may be used to identify a change in a magnetic field. An inertial measurement unit or other force sensor may be used to detect a gesture. In response to the magnetic field change or gesture, a hearing assistance device may be caused to change a device function or change a device power mode.

Buttonless on/off switch for hearing assistance device

An example system includes an ear-wearable device comprising a housing and a rechargeable battery located within the housing; a supplemental power storage device configured to provide electrical energy; and circuitry configured to transfer, responsive to occurrence of an event, electrical energy from the supplemental power storage device to the rechargeable battery prior to an initial use of the ear-wearable device.

System configured to decrease battery ageing of ear wearable device due to transportation or storage of the device while ensuring high charge before initial use

A system includes a hearing device comprising a rechargeable power source, power management circuitry, and a first charging interface comprising a first cathode contact and a first anode contact spaced apart from the first cathode contact. A charging module comprises a second charging interface configured to detachably couple with the first charging interface of the hearing device. The second charging interface comprises a second anode contact having a contact surface and a displaceable second cathode contact. An arrangement is configured to displace at least a portion of the second cathode contact above the contact surface to facilitate electrical contact between the first and second cathode contacts prior to electrical contact between the first and second anode contacts. Charging circuitry of the charging module is coupled to the second charging interface and configured to charge the rechargeable power source of the hearing device.

System for charging an ear-worn electronic device

Techniques to detect a non-alert state of a user may include receiving sensor data from an ear-worn electronic device disposed at least partially in the ear of a user, determining an alertness state of the user based on the sensor data, and providing alert data in response to the alertness state comprising a non-alert state to a user stimulation interface of the ear-worn electronic device or to an external device.

Alertness determination for non-alert detection using ear-worn electronic devices

A system may have a rechargeable hearing instrument with a power source, an ultraviolet (UV) sensor configured to convert received UV light into electrical power and charging circuitry coupled to the UV sensor and to the power source. The charging circuitry may use the electrical power to charge the power source. A charger may have a charging cavity configured to receive the rechargeable hearing instrument. A power source within the charger powers a UV light source located within the charger configured to provide UV light to the UV sensor of the rechargeable hearing instrument when the rechargeable hearing instrument is placed within the charging cavity.

Light sensor in hearing instrument

Examples of this disclosure relate to an accessory device for a hearing instrument. The accessory device comprises a connector tip that comprises a first wire segment and a second wire segment. The first and second wire segments are electrically conductive and electrically insulated from each other. The connector tip also comprises a first set of bristles and a second set of bristles. The first and second sets of bristles are electrically conductive. The first set of bristles is electrically connected to the first wire segment and electrically insulated from the second wire segment. The second set of bristles is electrically connected to the second wire segment and electrically insulated from the first wire segment. The first set of bristles is spaced sufficiently far from the second set of bristles as to prevent a short circuit between the first and second sets of bristles.

Connector tip with bristles for hearing instruments

An ear-worn electronic device comprises a housing configured to be worn in, at or about an ear of a wearer. Audio processing circuitry is disposed in or supported by the housing and comprises one or more microphones and a speaker or a receiver. A controller is disposed in the housing and coupled to the audio processing circuity. A rechargeable power source and charging circuitry are disposed in the housing. The charging circuitry is coupled to the controller and comprises first and second charge contacts situated at a wall of the housing. A user-actuatable control is coupled to the controller and comprises a touch sensor. The touch sensor comprises the first and second charge contacts.

User-actuatable touch control for an ear-worn electronic device

An ear-worn electronic device comprises a housing configured to be worn in, at or about an ear of a wearer, electronic circuitry disposed in or supported by the housing, a controller disposed in the housing and coupled to the electronic circuitry, and a rechargeable power source and charging circuitry respectively disposed in the housing. The charging circuitry is coupled to the controller and comprises first and second charge contacts situated at a wall of the housing. A user-actuatable control is operatively coupled to the controller and comprises a touch sensor coupled to the first and second charge contacts. The touch sensor comprises a threshold detector configured to distinguish between skin contact with the first and second charge contacts and contact between a conductive material more conductive than skin and the first and second charge contacts.

Water immune user-actuatable touch control for an ear-worn electronic device

Techniques to detect a non-alert state of a user may include receiving sensor data from an ear-worn electronic device worn by a user, automatically determining whether to initiate an alertness mode of the ear-worn electronic device based on the sensor data, and determining an alertness state of the user in response to determining to initiate the alertness mode.

Alertness mode initiation for non-alert detection using ear-worn electronic devices

Various embodiments of a hearing device and a system of using such device are disclosed. The hearing device includes a housing, electronic components disposed within the housing, and an earpiece adapted to be disposed in an ear canal of the ear of the wearer. The device also includes a sensor adapted to be in contact with a portion of the ear of the wearer, where the sensor is further adapted to detect a physiological characteristic of the wearer and generate a sensor signal based on the physiological characteristic that is received by a controller of the electronic components disposed within the housing; and a cable that operatively connects the sensor to the earpiece, where the cable is biased to maintain contact between the sensor and the portion of the ear of the wearer when the earpiece is disposed in the ear canal of the wearer.

Hearing device including a sensor and hearing system including same

An electronic device comprises an enclosure configured for insertion into the ear canal and comprising a distal end configured to extend at least beyond a first bend of the ear canal. A distal temperature sensor is situated at a location of the enclosure that faces a tragus-side of the ear canal between the first and second bends when the enclosure is fully inserted into the ear canal. A proximal temperature sensor is situated on the enclosure at a location spaced apart from a surface of the ear canal and proximal of the distal temperature sensor in an outer ear direction when the enclosure is fully inserted into the ear canal. A processor, coupled to the distal and proximal temperature sensors and to memory, is configured to calculate an absolute core body temperature using a heat balance equation stored in the memory and the first and second temperature signals.

Growing community of inventors

Roseville, MN, United States of America

Kyle D Olson