IP Library Granted Patent US 11,146,898
Granted Patent B2
US 11,146,898 · App. 16/594,964 · Granted Oct 12, 2021

Listening device with automatic mode change capabilities

Inventors: Frederick Charles Neumeyer (Austin, TX); John Michael Page Knox (Austin, TX); Gregory Charles Yancey (Austin, TX)
Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC
H04R25/50H04R25/505H04R25/554H04R25/65H04R25/603H04R2225/33H04R2225/43H04R2225/61
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,146,898
App. No.
16/594,964
Granted
Oct 12, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hearing aid includes a casing configured to fit behind an ear of a user's head and against a side of the user's head. The hearing aid further includes a first proximity sensor associated with the casing and configured to generate a first signal that is proportional to a proximity of the casing to the ear and includes a processor coupled to the first proximity sensor and configured to select an operating mode from a plurality of operating modes in response to the first signal.

Claims (23)

1. A listening device comprising:

a speaker;

a microphone configured to capture sound in an environment adjacent to the microphone;

a wireless communication interface configured to receive an audio signal;

a processor configured to communicate with the speaker, the microphone, and the wireless communication interface, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the audio signal was received by the wireless communication interface; and

in response to determining that the audio signal was received by the wireless communication interface, cause the speaker to output sound based on the audio signal received by the wireless communication interface instead of sound captured by the microphone;

a controller;

one or more sensors operable to send signals to the controller; and

a memory operable to store the signals received by the controller from the one or more sensors;

wherein the controller is configured to:

elect which of a plurality of listening profiles to reproduce; and

compare a difference between a ratio of the signals from the one or more sensors and a previous ratio stored in the memory to determine if a change in listening profile is required.

2. The listening device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to block unwanted sounds.

3. The listening device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect a background environment of the listening device.

4. The listening device according to claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to select and apply a soundshaping instruction based on the background environment.

5. The listening device according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to select and apply multiple sound-shaping instructions based on the background environment.

6. The listening device according to claim 4 , wherein the sound-shaping instruction is operable to filter out unwanted background noise.

7. The listening device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

in response to determining that the audio signal was not received by the wireless communication interface, cause the speaker to output sound based on sound captured by the microphone.

8. The listening device according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

9. The listening device according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication interface comprises a telecoil.

10. The listening device according to claim 1 , wherein the audio signal is generated by a phone.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2021
From: AUDIOTONIQ, INC.
To: III HOLDINGS 4, LLC
Reel/Frame 057404/0243 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2021
From: NEUMEYER, FREDERICK CHARLES; PAGE KNOX, JOHN MICHAEL; YANCEY, GREGORY CHARLES
To: AUDIOTONIQ, INC.
Reel/Frame 057436/0572 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 15842529 · Dec 14, 2017
Continuation 15404945 · Jan 12, 2017
Continuation 15261801 · Sep 9, 2016
Division 13935744 · Jul 5, 2013
Continuation 13244260 · Sep 23, 2011
Provisional Application 61388349 · Sep 30, 2010
Related Publication 20200037086A1 · Jan 30, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,418,757 US 12,663,435