Modularization of components of an ear-wearable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11330380-B2
Application number	US-202117162197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2021
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

An ear-wearable device is described that includes a plurality of modules that mate together forming a physical outer shell of the ear-wearable device. Each module from the plurality of modules is associated with a different, corresponding feature of the ear-wearable device and each module from the plurality of modules includes a respective physical portion that comprises a different, corresponding part of the outer shell. In addition, each module from the plurality of modules shares a physical interface with at least one other module from the plurality of modules.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hearing device comprising:
a plurality of modules that mate together forming a physical outer shell of the hearing device, wherein:
a first module from the plurality of modules comprises at least one microphone;
a second module from the plurality of modules comprises at least one processor;
a third module from the plurality of modules comprises a behind-the-ear transducer configured to couple the third module to an in-the-ear component of the hearing device, or is configured to communicate with an in-the-ear transducer of the hearing device;
each module from the plurality of modules includes a respective physical portion that comprises a different, corresponding part of the outer shell; and
each module from the plurality of modules shares a physical interface with at least one other module from the plurality of modules.

2. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the first module and the second module form, in the physical interface between the first module and the second module, an air inlet in the outer shell for receiving sound.

3. The hearing device of claim 2 , wherein:
the air inlet comprises a first air gap in the outer shell for receiving first sound; and
the first module and the second module form, in the physical interface between the first module and the second module, a second air gap in the outer shell for receiving second sound.

4. The hearing device of claim 2 , wherein:
the air inlet comprises a first air gap in the outer shell for receiving first sound;
the first module and the second module form, in the physical interface between the first module and the second module, a first part of a second air gap in the outer shell for receiving second sound; and
the first module and the third module form, in the physical interface between the first module and the third module, a second part of the second air gap in the outer shell for receiving the second sound.

5. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the behind-the-ear transducer is configured to couple the third module to the in-the-ear component of the hearing device.

6. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the behind-the-ear transducer is configured to communicate with the in-the-ear transducer of the hearing device.

7. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first module comprises at least one microphone of a first type; and
the first module or a fourth module from the plurality of modules comprises at least one microphone of a second type different from the first type.

8. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein:
at least one of the first module, the second module, the third module, and a fourth module from the plurality of modules comprises at least one battery of a first chemistry; and
at least one of the first module, the second module, the third module, the fourth module or a fifth module from the plurality of modules comprises at least one battery of a second chemistry different from the first chemistry.

9. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first module, the second module, the third module, and a fourth module from the plurality of modules comprises a first communication device of a first type.

10. The hearing device of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first module, the second module, the third module, the fourth module, and a fifth module from the plurality of modules comprises a second communication device of a second type different from the first type.

11. The hearing device of claim 10 , wherein one or both of the first and second communication devices are configured as a wireless communication device.

12. The hearing device of claim 10 , wherein one of the first and second communication devices comprises a radio frequency communication device and the other of the first and second communication devices comprises a magnetic or inductive communication device.

13. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first module, the second module, the third module, and a fourth module from the plurality of modules comprises a first sensor of a first type.

14. The hearing device of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first module, the second module, the third module, the fourth module, and a fifth module from the plurality of modules comprises a second sensor of a second type different from the first type.

15. A hearing device, comprising:
a plurality of modules that mate together forming a physical outer shell of the hearing device, wherein:
a first module from the plurality of modules comprises at least one microphone;
a second module from the plurality of modules comprises at least one processor;
a third module from the plurality of modules comprises a behind-the-ear transducer configured to couple the third module to an in-the-ear component of the hearing device, or is configured to communicate with an in-the-ear transducer of the hearing device;
each module from the plurality of modules includes a respective physical portion that comprises a different, corresponding part of the outer shell;
each module from the plurality of modules shares a physical interface with at least one other module from the plurality of modules; and
the at least one processor is configured to detect when an existing module from the plurality of modules is replaced with a new module.

16. The hearing device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to automatically reconfigure the hearing device to enable the new module in response to detecting when the existing module from the plurality of modules is replaced with the new module.

17. The hearing device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to identify each of the modules of the plurality of modules.

18. The hearing device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to adjust one or more settings of the hearing device based on characteristics of the modules of the plurality of modules.

19. The hearing device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to automatically adjust one or more settings of the hearing device based on characteristics of the new module.

20. The hearing device of claim 15 , wherein:
the existing module comprises a behind-the-ear transducer configured to couple the existing module to an in-the-ear component of the ear-wearable device;
the new module is configured to communicate with an in-the-ear transducer of the ear-wearable device;
the at least one processor is configured to automatically adjust one or more settings of the hearing device based on characteristics of the new module; and
the one or more settings of the hearing device comprise a setting that configures the at least one processor to execute different software in response to determining that the new module is configured to communicate with the in-the-ear transducer of the hearing device instead of comprising the behind-the-ear transducer configured to couple the existing module to the in-the-ear component of the hearing device.

21. A method, comprising:
identifying, by a processor of a first module from a plurality of modules of an ear-wearable device, each module from the plurality of modules;
adjusting, by the processor, one or more settings of the ear-wearable device based on characteristics of each of the modules;
detecting, by the processor, at least one module from the plurality of modules being replaced with a new module; and
automatically adjusting, by the processor, the one or more settings of the ear-wearable dev

Assignees

• Starkey Labs Inc

Inventors

• Higgins Sidney A
• Timmerman Scott
• Degen Dustin
• Rickheim Jodi
• Dahl Brian
• Filo Christopher Frank
• Gjerde Jr Kenneth Duane

Classifications

• H04R25/60 Primary

  Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles (ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654) · CPC title

• H04R25/305

  Self-monitoring or self-testing · CPC title

• H04R2225/0213

  Constructional details of earhooks, e.g. shape, material · CPC title

• H04R25/65

  Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture · CPC title

• H04R2410/07

  Mechanical or electrical reduction of wind noise generated by wind passing a microphone · CPC title