Patent Issued for Health monitoring with ear-wearable devices and accessory devices (USPTO 11395076): Starkey Laboratories Inc.

2022 AUG 10 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Haubrich, Gregory John (Champlin, MN, US), Solum, Jeffrey Paul (Greenwood, MN, US), filed on March 1, 2021, was published online on July 19, 2022, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 11395076 is assigned to Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Ear-wearable devices are devices designed to be worn on, in, or near one or more of a user’s ears. Common types of ear-wearable devices include hearing assistance devices (e.g., “hearing aids” and “hearing instruments”), earbuds, headphones, hearables, cochlear implants, and so on. In some examples, an ear-wearable device may be implanted or osseointegrated into a user. Some ear-wearable devices include additional features beyond just environmental sound-amplification. For example, some modern ear-wearable devices include advanced audio processing for improved device functionality, controlling and programming the devices, and beamforming, and some can even communicate wirelessly with external devices including other hearing aids (e.g., for streaming media).”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In general, this disclosure describes techniques for health monitoring that involve ear-wearable devices and devices that act as accessories to ear-wearable devices. For instance, in one example, this disclosure describes a method of health monitoring, the method comprising: establishing, by each accessory device in a set of accessory devices, a respective communication link between the accessory device and an ear-wearable device, the respective communication link being a wireless communication link in which the accessory device receives radio signals generated by the ear-wearable device, an optical communication channel in which the accessory device receives light generated by the ear-wearable device, or an electrical communication channel in which the accessory device receives electrical pulses generated by the ear-wearable device; receiving, by a particular accessory device in the set of accessory devices, first data via the communication link between the particular accessory device and the ear-wearable device, the first data comprising information generated based on sensor signals from sensors that monitor a user of the ear-wearable device; and performing, by the set of accessory devices, a health monitoring activity based on the first data.

“In another example, this disclosure describes a method comprising: obtaining, by the ear-wearable device, sensor data from one or more sensors configured to gather information about a user of the ear-wearable device; determining, by the ear-wearable device, based on the sensor data, whether the user has experienced an acute health event; in response to determining that the user has experienced an acute health event: establishing, by the ear-wearable device, a communication link between the ear-wearable device and a first accessory device, the communication link being a wireless communication link in which the accessory device receives wireless signals generated by the ear-wearable device; and sending, by the ear-wearable device, first health data to the first accessory device via the communication link, the first health data being based on the sensor data; and in response to determining subsequently that the user has not experienced the acute health event, sending, by the ear-wearable device, second health data based on the sensor data to a second accessory device while the ear-wearable device is coupled to a charging device that charges a power source of the ear-wearable device.

“In one example, this disclosure describes a method of health monitoring, the method comprising: establishing, by each accessory device in a set of accessory devices, a respective communication link between the accessory device and an ear-wearable device, the respective communication link being: a wireless communication link in which the accessory device receives radio signals generated by the ear-wearable device, an optical communication channel in which the accessory device receives light generated by the ear-wearable device, or an electrical communication channel in which the accessory device receives electrical pulses generated by the ear-wearable device; receiving, by a particular accessory device in the set of accessory devices, first data via the communication link between the particular accessory device and the ear-wearable device, the first data comprising information generated based on sensor signals from sensors that monitor a user of the ear-wearable device; and performing, by the set of accessory devices, a health monitoring activity based on the first data.

“In another example, this disclosure describes an accessory device comprising: one or more communication units configured to: establish a communication link between the accessory device and an ear-wearable device, the communication link being: a wireless communication link in which the accessory device receives radio signals generated by the ear-wearable device, an optical communication channel in which the accessory device receives light generated by the ear-wearable device, or an electrical communication channel in which the accessory device receives electrical pulses generated by the ear-wearable device; and receive first data via the communication link between the accessory device and the ear-wearable device, the first data comprising information generated based on sensor signals from sensors that monitor a user of the ear-wearable device; and one or more processors configured to perform a health monitoring activity based on the first data.

“In another example, this disclosure describes an accessory device comprising: means for establishing a communication link between the accessory device and an ear-wearable device, the communication link being a wireless communication link in which the accessory device receives radio signals generated by the ear-wearable device, an optical communication channel in which the accessory device receives light generated by the ear-wearable device, or an electrical communication channel in which the accessory device receives electrical pulses generated by the ear-wearable device; means for receiving first data via the communication link between the accessory device and the ear-wearable device, the first data comprising information generated based on sensor signals from sensors that monitor a user of the ear-wearable device; and means for performing a health monitoring activity based on the first data.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A method of health monitoring, the method comprising: establishing a respective communication link between an ear-wearable device and two or more accessory devices of a set of accessory devices linked concurrently or selectively to the ear-wearable device via the respective communication links; sensing for temperature of the wearer using a temperature sensor of the ear-wearable device deployed in a wearer’s ear; communicating temperature data produced by the temperature sensor from the ear-wearable device to at least one accessory device of the set of accessory devices; and performing at least in part, by the at least one accessory device, a health monitoring activity including monitoring for fever using the temperature data.

“2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for one or more indicators of fever of the wearer other than elevated temperature.

“3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for wearer motion indicative of fever using a motion sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“4. The method of claim 3, wherein sensing for wearer motion indicative of fever comprises sensing for violent body movement of the wearer using the motion sensor.

“5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in wearer respiration indicative of fever using a respiration sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in heart rate of the wearer indicative of fever using a heart rate sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in wearer brain activity indicative of fever using an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in blood pressure of the wearer indicative of fever using a blood pressure sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“9. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of accessory devices comprises two or more of a smartphone, a smartwatch, a tablet computer, a personal computer, a server device, a wireless base station, a wireless router, a wireless communication hub, a charging device, and a storage case.

“10. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of accessory devices comprises two or more of a media streamer, a phone streamer device, a smart television, a smart speaker device, a medical alarm device, a key fob, a motion or presence sensor device, a smart display, a screen-enhanced smart speaker, a prosthetic device, a mobility device, a remote microphone, and a remote control for the ear-wearable device.

“11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ear-wearable device is implemented as a hearing device comprising at least one microphone, a receiver or a speaker, and audio signal processing circuitry.

“12. An ear-wearable device, comprising: a temperature sensor configured to sense for temperature of a wearer when the ear-wearable device is deployed in the wearer’s ear; a communication device configured to establish a respective communication link between the ear-wearable device and two or more accessory devices of a set of accessory devices linked concurrently or selectively to the ear-wearable device via the respective communication links; and at least one of the accessory devices of the set of accessory devices configured to receive temperature data produced by the temperature sensor and to perform, at least in part, a health monitoring activity including monitoring for fever of the wearer using the temperature data.

“13. The device of claim 12, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for one or more indicators of fever of the wearer other than elevated temperature.

“14. The device of claim 12, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for wearer motion indicative of fever using a motion sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“15. The device of claim 14, wherein sensing for wearer motion indicative of fever comprises sensing for violent body movement of the wearer using the motion sensor.

“16. The device of claim 12, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in wearer respiration indicative of fever using a respiration sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“17. The device of claim 12, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in heart rate of the wearer indicative of fever using a heart rate sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“18. The device of claim 12, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in wearer brain activity indicative of fever using an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“19. The device of claim 12, wherein performing the health monitoring activity comprises sensing for changes in blood pressure of the wearer indicative of fever using a blood pressure sensor of the ear-wearable device.

“20. The device of claim 12, wherein the set of accessory devices comprises two or more of a smartphone, a smartwatch, a tablet computer, a personal computer, a server device, a wireless base station, a wireless router, a wireless communication hub, a charging device, and a storage case.

“21. The device of claim 12, wherein the set of accessory devices comprises two or more of a media streamer, a phone streamer device, a smart television, a smart speaker device, a medical alarm device, a key fob, a motion or presence sensor device, a smart display, a screen-enhanced smart speaker, a prosthetic device, a mobility device, a remote microphone, and a remote control for the ear-wearable device.

“22. The device of claim 12, wherein the ear-wearable device is implemented as a hearing device comprising at least one microphone, a receiver or a speaker, and audio signal processing circuitry.

“23. An ear-wearable device, comprising: a temperature sensor configured to sense for temperature of a wearer when the ear-wearable device is deployed in the wearer’s ear; one or more sensors configured to sense for an indication of fever of the wearer other than by sensing temperature; a communication device configured to establish a respective communication link between the ear-wearable device and two or more accessory devices of a set of accessory devices linked concurrently or selectively to the ear-wearable device via the respective communication links; and at least one of the accessory devices of the set of accessory devices configured to receive temperature data produced by the temperature sensor and to perform, at least in part, a health monitoring activity including monitoring for fever of the wearer using the temperature data and data produced by the one or more sensors.

“24. The device of claim 23, wherein one or more sensors comprise a motion sensor.

“25. The device of claim 23, wherein one or more sensors comprise a respiration sensor.

“26. The device of claim 23, wherein one or more sensors comprise a heart rate sensor.

“27. The device of claim 23, wherein one or more sensors comprise an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor.

“28. The device of claim 23, wherein one or more sensors comprise a blood pressure sensor.”

URL and more information on this patent, see: Haubrich, Gregory John. Health monitoring with ear-wearable devices and accessory devices. U.S. Patent Number 11395076, filed March 1, 2021, and published online on July 19, 2022. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11395076.PN.&OS=PN/11395076RS=PN/11395076

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