IP Library Granted Patent US 10,972,846
Granted Patent B2
US 10,972,846 · App. 15/493,827 · Granted Apr 6, 2021

Microphone placement

Inventors: Marcus Vardfjäll (Mölnlycke, SE); Henrik Fyrlund (Mölnlycke, SE); Kristian Asnes (Mölnlycke, SE); Clas Johansson (Mölnlycke, SE)
Assignee: Cochlear Limited
H04R25/606H04R25/556H04R25/602H04R2225/021H04R2225/0213H04R2460/13
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,972,846
App. No.
15/493,827
Granted
Apr 6, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device including a prosthesis configured with a sound capture system and configured to evoke a hearing percept based on a captured sound captured by the sound capture system, wherein at least a portion of the prosthesis is configured to attach to a head of a recipient such that sound is captured by the sound capture system externally of the recipient at a location below an ear canal of a human.

Claims (40)

1. A method, comprising:

capturing sound at an exterior location of a recipient of a hearing prosthesis at a location corresponding to at least one of:

a lower pinna location of the recipient; or

outside an area over a mastoid bone of the recipient; and

evoking a hearing percept based on the captured sound, wherein

the recipient has a skull,

the action of capturing sound is executed using a sound capture device of the hearing prosthesis, and

skull vibration radiation captured by the sound capture device is lower than that which would be the case if the sound was instead captured at an upper pinna location of the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the action of capturing sound at the exterior location of the recipient is outside the area over the mastoid bone of the recipient.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the skull vibration radiation captured by the sound capture device is at least 30% lower than that which would be the case if the sound was instead captured at the upper pinna location of the recipient.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the hearing percept is evoked via a bone conduction vibrator that is located at and/or above a substantially hard tissue location of the recipient; and

the sound is captured at a location that is located above a substantially soft tissue location of the recipient.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the hearing percept is evoked via a bone conduction vibrator that outputs most of its vibrational energy into a skull of the recipient at a first location; and

the sound is captured at a second location that is within 4 inches of the first location, the second location being at a substantially soft tissue location of the recipient.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the actions of capturing sound and evoking a hearing percept are executed using a hearing prosthesis including a vibrator;

wherein the vibrator generates energy to evoke the hearing percept; and

the sound is captured with a sound capture device at a location that is lower with respect to a height direction of the recipient than a center of gravity of the vibrator; and

the sound capture device and the vibrator are part of a main body of the hearing prosthesis.

7. A method, comprising:

capturing sound with a sound capture device; and

evoking a hearing percept utilizing the captured sound, wherein

the sound is captured using

an upside down behind-the-ear (BTE) device, and

the method further comprises capturing sound using a behind-the-ear (BTE) device that is not upside down.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the upside down BTE device includes a vibrator located in a housing assembly of the upside down BTE device configured to be located behind the ear of the recipient; and

the sound is captured with a sound capture device that is supported by the housing assembly of the upside down BTE device.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the method action of evoking a hearing percept results in the evocation of the hearing percept with at least about 10 dB more gain relative to that which would be the case with a right side up BTE device, without causing deleterious feedback, all other things being equal.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the upside down BTE device includes a vibrator located in a body thereof configured to impart vibrational energy into the recipient to evoke a hearing percept; and

the vibrator has a center of gravity that is located higher with respect to a height direction of the head than the location where the sound is captured.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

removing the upside down BTE device from a first location of a person; and

after removing the BTE device, placing the behind-the-ear (BTE) device that is not upside down at the first location.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2017
From: VARDFJÄLL, MARCUS; FYRLUND, HENRIK; ASNES, KRISTIAN; JOHANSSON, CLAS
To: COCHLEAR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 044026/0784 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62326238 · Apr 22, 2016
Related Publication 20170311099A1 · Oct 26, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,641,383