Controlling ear stimulation in response to electrical contact sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9987489-B2
Application number	US-201615340145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

Systems and related methods for controlling an ear stimulation device with a personal computing device, in response to determination of electrical contact of an electrode in a stimulator earpiece with an ear of a user of the personal computing device, are described. If the electrode is not in good electrical contact with the ear of the user, delivery of the stimulus is prevented and the user is notified of the status of the electrode. In various aspects, the user is instructed to reposition the earpiece or replace, clean, moisten, or apply gel to at least a portion of the electrode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling an ear stimulation device with a personal computing device, comprising:
detecting at electrical signal input circuitry, via at least one first electrode of an earpiece of an ear stimulation device, an electrical signal indicative of electrical contact of the at least one first electrode with the ear of a user of a personal computing device, wherein the at least one earpiece is operably connected to the personal computing device, and wherein the ear stimulation device is adapted to stimulate at least one nerve innervating the ear of the user of the personal computing device;
determining, using contact determination circuitry on the personal computing device, whether the at least one first electrode is in good electrical contact with the ear of the user;
if the at least one first electrode is not in good electrical contact with the ear of the user, sending a control signal from the personal computing device to the ear stimulation device, under control of neural stimulus control signal determination circuitry on the personal computing device, to prevent delivery via the earpiece of a stimulus to the ear at which the earpiece is located; and
delivering, under control of notification circuitry on the personal computing device, a notification to the user relating to the status of the at least one first electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal computing device includes a phone, watch, wearable device, tablet computer, laptop computer, or desktop computer.

3. The method of claim 1 , including receiving, at handshake circuitry on the personal computing device, a handshake signal from ear stimulation device control circuitry associated with the ear stimulation device.

4. The method of claim 1 , including delivering, under control of test signal circuitry on the personal computing device, an electrical test signal via at least one second electrode of the at least one earpiece, and detecting the electrical signal via the at least one first electrode responsive to the electrical test signal.

5. The method of claim 4 , including determining an electrical impedance between the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the at least one first electrode is in good electrical contact with the ear of the user includes determining an amplitude of the electrical signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the at least one first electrode is in good electrical contact with the ear of the user includes determining a signal-to-noise ratio of the electrical signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , including delivering, under control of test signal circuitry on the personal computing device, an audio test signal via a sound source associated with the at least one earpiece, and determining proper placement of the at least one earpiece based upon audio feedback.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the at least one first electrode is in good electrical contact with the ear of the user includes determining a phase shift or frequency content of the electrical signal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes instructing the user to reposition the earpiece.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes instructing the user to replace at least a portion of the at least one first electrode.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes instructing the user to clean at least a portion of the at least one first electrode.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes instructing the user to moisten at least a portion of the at least one first electrode.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes instructing the user to apply gel to at least a portion of the at least one first electrode.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes delivering a text notification.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes delivering a visible notification.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes delivering an audio notification.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the notification to the user includes delivering a directional notification.

19. An ear stimulation device control system, comprising:
a personal computing device configured to control delivery via an ear stimulation device of a stimulus to at least one nerve innervating an ear of a user of the personal computing device, the ear stimulation device including an earpiece including at least one first electrode, the personal computing device including
electrical signal input circuitry adapted to receive an electrical signal indicative of electrical contact of the at least one first electrode with the ear of a user of the personal computing device;
contact determination circuitry configured to determine whether the at least one first electrode is in good electrical contact with the ear of the user;
neural stimulus control signal determination circuitry configured to send a control signal from the personal computing device to the ear stimulation device to prevent delivery of the stimulus if the at least one first electrode is not in good electrical contact with the ear of the user; and
notification circuitry configured to deliver a notification to the user relating to the status of the at least one first electrode.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the personal computing device includes a phone, watch, wearable device, tablet computer, laptop computer, or desktop computer.

21. The system of claim 19 , including handshake circuitry adapted to receive a handshake signal from ear stimulation device control circuitry associated with the ear stimulation device.

22. The system of claim 19 , including test signal circuitry configured to deliver an electrical test signal via at least one second electrode of the at least one ear stimulation device, and detecting the electrical signal via the at least one first electrode responsive to the electrical test signal.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the contact determination circuitry is configured to determine an electrical impedance between the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the contact determination circuitry is configured to determine an amplitude of the electrical signal.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein the contact determination circuitry is configured to determine a signal-to-noise ratio of the electrical signal.

26. The system of claim 19 , wherein the contact determination circuitry is configured to determine a phase shift or frequency content of the electrical signal.

27. The system of claim 19 , wherein the notification circuitry is configured to instruct the user to reposition the earpiece.

28. The system of claim 19 , wherein the notification circuitry is configured to instruct the user to replace at least a portion of the at least one first electrode.

29. The system of claim 19 , wherein the notification circuitry is configured to instruct the user to clean at least a portion of the at least

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Goodall Eleanor V
• Hyde Roderick A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Kare Jordin T
• Kitzan Melanie K
• Leuthardt Eric C
• Malamud Mark A
• Malaska Stephen L
• Myhrvold Nathan P
• Scheid Brittany
• Sharadin Katherine E
• Sweeney Elizabeth A
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Wood Victoria Y H

Classifications

• A61N1/36036 Primary

  of the outer, middle or inner ear · CPC title

• A61H2201/5058

  Sensors or detectors · CPC title

• A61H2230/305

  used as a control parameter for the apparatus (A61H2230/045 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R25/70

  Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting · CPC title

• A61H2201/5061

  Force sensors · CPC title