IP Library Granted Patent US 10,292,601
Granted Patent B2
US 10,292,601 · App. 15/282,570 · Granted May 21, 2019

Wearable customized ear canal apparatus

Inventors: Rodney Perkins (Woodside, CA); William Facteau (Atherton, CA); Brent Edwards (San Francisco, CA); Paul Rucker (San Francisco, CA); Kulbir Sandhu (Fremont, CA); Cem Shaquer (Saratoga, CA); Lakshman Rathnam (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: EarLens Corporation
A61B5/02055A61B5/0059A61B5/026A61B5/0408A61B5/0452A61B5/0476A61B5/0478A61B5/0488A61B5/0492A61B5/112A61B5/1118A61B5/14517A61B5/14532A61B5/14552A61B5/4094A61B5/4815A61B5/4839A61B5/4866A61B5/4875A61B5/6817A61M31/00A61N1/306H04R1/028H04R25/00H04R25/02H04R25/70A61B5/021A61B5/024A61B5/0816A61B5/1112A61B5/1451A61B5/14539A61B5/14542A61B5/4266A61B5/4818A61M2210/0662H04R2225/023H04R2225/025H04R2225/55H04R2460/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,292,601
App. No.
15/282,570
Granted
May 21, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is directed to a wearable system wherein elements of the system, including various sensors adapted to detect biometric and other data and/or to deliver drugs, are positioned proximal to, on the ear or in the ear canal of a person. In embodiments of the invention, elements of the system are positioned on the ear or in the ear canal for extended periods of time. For example, an element of the system may be positioned on the tympanic membrane of a user and left there overnight, for multiple days, months, or years. Because of the position and longevity of the system elements in the ear canal, the present invention has many advantages over prior wearable biometric and drug delivery devices.

Claims (13)

1. A system comprising:

a medial ear canal assembly including a transducer configured to be positioned on a tympanic membrane of a user;

a lateral ear canal assembly including a signal source configured to be positioned in an ear canal of a user; and

sensors connected to the medial ear canal assembly, the sensors being connected to a transmitter.

2. A method of sensing physical characteristics of a system user, the system comprising a medial ear canal assembly configured to be positioned on or near a tympanic membrane of the system user, the medial ear canal assembly comprising transducer sensors and a transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:

using the sensors to measure biometric data of the user; and

transmitting the measured biometric data using the transmitter.

3. An ear canal platform comprising:

a medial ear canal assembly configured to be positioned on or over a tympanic membrane of a user; and

sensors connected to the signal output transducer, the sensors being connected to a transmitter.

4. A method of sensing physical characteristics of a user having a medial ear canal assembly configured to be positioned on or near a tympanic membrane of the user, the medial ear canal assembly comprising sensors and a transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:

using the sensors to measure biometric data of the user; and

transmitting the measured biometric data using the transmitter.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2021
From: EARLENS CORPORATION
To: CRG SERVICING LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 058544/0318 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2017
From: EARLENS CORPORATION
To: CRG SERVICING LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 042448/0264 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2016
From: FACTEAU, WILLIAM; EDWARDS, BRENT; RUCKER, PAUL; SANDHU, KULBIR; SHAQUER, CEM; RATHNAM, LAKSHMAN; PERKINS, RODNEY
To: EARLENS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039913/0206 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62236295 · Oct 2, 2015
Provisional Application 62395667 · Sep 16, 2016
Related Publication 20170095167A1 · Apr 6, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,192,706