EP4145858A1 - Messpad - Google Patents

Messpad Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4145858A1
EP4145858A1 EP21194333.7A EP21194333A EP4145858A1 EP 4145858 A1 EP4145858 A1 EP 4145858A1 EP 21194333 A EP21194333 A EP 21194333A EP 4145858 A1 EP4145858 A1 EP 4145858A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
measuring
measuring pad
carrier
shell
pad
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21194333.7A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Matthias Riepenhoff
Harald Krüger
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sonova Holding AG
Original Assignee
Sonova AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sonova AG filed Critical Sonova AG
Priority to EP21194333.7A priority Critical patent/EP4145858A1/de
Publication of EP4145858A1 publication Critical patent/EP4145858A1/de
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
    • H04R25/603—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/65—Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
    • H04R25/652—Ear tips; Ear moulds

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a measuring pad for a hearing device.
  • Ear level devices such as hearing devices may be configured to provide electrical, optical or other biometric measurements. There may thus be a need for a solution to place measuring elements (electrodes, optical sensors, etc.) on a surface of a shell or housing of the hearing device, in particular for devices comprising a custom made shell.
  • the object is achieved by a measuring pad according to claim 1.
  • a measuring pad for a shell of a hearing device comprises a carrier and one or a plurality of measuring elements, wherein the carrier has a curved shape adapted to a local curvature of an individual or average ear canal.
  • the one or the plurality of measuring elements comprise one or a plurality of:
  • the measuring elements comprise a plurality of electrodes.
  • At least part of the plurality of electrodes is electrically connected and forms at least one group of electrodes.
  • the electrodes protrude from the carrier or are flush with the carrier.
  • the one or the plurality of measuring elements comprises at least one optical sensor, in particular a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor.
  • PPG photoplethysmography
  • the optical sensor is arranged within an area spanned by the plurality of electrodes.
  • the curved shape of the carrier is defined by multiple radii, wherein a radius of the curved shape in a first direction is positive or negative and a second radius in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is positive, negative or infinite.
  • the carrier comprises a marking, in particular an indentation or a protrusion, configured to engage a complementary feature on an opening of a shell of a hearing device.
  • a marking may facilitate installation of the measuring pad with the carrier disposed at an intended position and/or with an intended orientation on the shell as defined by the marking).
  • the measuring pad further comprises flexible wires and/or a flexible printed circuit board configured to contact the one or the plurality of the measuring elements to an electronic module within a hearing device.
  • the measuring pad further comprises an electronic circuit, wherein the one or at least part of the plurality of the measuring elements is electrically connected to the electronic circuit.
  • the electronic circuit is a printed circuit board or arranged on a printed circuit board, which may in particular be flexible and/or curved.
  • a curvature of the carrier in a first direction is different than in a second direction.
  • a kit comprising a plurality of prefabricated measuring pads as described above, wherein the curved shape of each one of the plurality of prefabricated measuring pads is different from the curved shape of any other one of the plurality of prefabricated measuring pads of the kit.
  • a suitable measuring pad may thus be selected from the kit for an optimized fitting of the measuring pad, in particular the carrier, into an opening of a shell of a hearing device.
  • the shell may have an individual shape customized to a shape of an individual ear canal.
  • a hearing device comprising a shell, in particular a shell customized to a shape of an individual ear canal, and at least one measuring pad as described above, arranged within a respective opening in the shell, wherein the carrier is preferably flush with the shell.
  • the opening is facing an ear canal wall of an ear canal when the shell is inserted into the ear canal.
  • said opening is a first opening and the hearing device further comprises a faceplate covering a second opening of the shell.
  • the second opening may be provided at a side of the shell facing away from a tympanic membrane inside an ear canal when the shell is inserted into the ear canal.
  • the measuring pad comprises at least one pair of electrodes configured to detect a skin resistance to verify correct placement of the hearing device at or in an ear.
  • the measuring pad further comprises at least one optical sensor, wherein the correct placement of the hearing device corresponds to a correct placement of the optical sensor at or in the ear.
  • the shell has a curvature, wherein the curved shape of the carrier of the measuring pad copies the curvature of the shell at the respective opening.
  • the carrier is glued to the shell from an outside or from an inside of the shell.
  • the shell may preferably be made of titanium.
  • the measuring pad provides a good contact (electrical connection, vicinity) to the skin of a user at a contact position.
  • the measuring pad is inexpensive and reliable.
  • the mounting effort to install the measuring pad in a shell of a hearing device is low.
  • the solution allows to follow the curved shape of the ear canal.
  • the shell is made of a conductive material such as titanium
  • the carrier of the measuring pad may be made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic view of a prefabricated measuring pad 1.
  • Figure 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the measuring pad 1.
  • the measuring pad 1 comprises a carrier 2 and one or more measuring elements 3, e.g. electrodes 3, optical sensors.
  • a plurality of electrodes 3 of the measuring pad 1 may be electrically interconnected and form groups G1, G2 of electrodes 3.
  • a group G1, G2 may comprise a single electrode or a plurality of electrodes which may be electrically connected in parallel.
  • An electrode may for example have a diameter of 0.1 mm to 2 mm
  • a measuring pad 1 may comprise a plurality of groups G1, G2.
  • the carrier 2 may have a curved shape. The curvature of the carrier 2 may be defined by multiple radii.
  • the electrodes 3 may protrude from the carrier 2.
  • the protrusion may for example be in a range from 0 mm (no protrusion) up to the diameter of the electrode or in the range of 0 mm to 1mm . This reduces a contact resistance between the electrodes 3 and a skin of the user within the ear canal and may be used to improve retention of the hearing device in which the measuring pad 1 is applied.
  • the measuring pad 1 may comprise measuring elements 3 of different type. A pair of electrodes 3 or electrical contacts on the measuring pad 1 may be used to detect skin resistance and to use this information to verify correct placement of the hearing device at or in the ear.
  • a hearing device may be equipped with a plurality of such measuring pads 1.
  • the curvature of the measuring pad 1 may be adapted to a curvature of an ear canal (for instance an individual ear canal and/or an average ear canal).
  • the measuring pad 1 may be selected from a kit of prefabricated measuring pads 1 having different curvatures. Each measuring pad 1 of a kit may be a mass product.
  • FIG 3 is a schematic view of a shell 5 of a hearing device having a measuring pad 1 installed.
  • the shell 5 will typically have a curved surface.
  • the measuring pad 1 will be arranged within an opening 6 of the shell 5 and may copy the curvature of the shell 5.
  • the measuring pad 1 may comprise a marking 4, such as an indentation or a protrusion 4 to facilitate correct orientation during mounting of the measuring pad 1 in an opening 6 of the shell 5 of the hearing device.
  • the measuring pad 1 may be glued to the shell 5 from the outside or from the inside of the shell 5.
  • the measuring pad 1 may comprise wires 7 or a printed circuit board 7 to provide contact to an electronic module within the hearing device.
  • the printed circuit board may be a flexible printed circuit board.
  • the wires may be comprised in a cable.
  • the cable may be a flexible cable with flexible wires.
  • the cable may comprise twisted pair wires.
  • the cable may comprise a shielding.
  • the cable may comprise a flexible printed circuit board.
  • Figure 4 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a measuring pad 1.
  • Figure 5 is a schematic cross sectional view of the measuring pad 1.
  • the measuring pad 1 may comprise an electronic circuit 8.
  • the electronic circuit 8 may be a printed circuit board (PCB), which may be flexible and/or curved. At least two of the measuring elements 3, in particular at least two of the electrodes 3 or all electrodes 3, on the measuring pad 1 may have an individual connection with the printed circuit board.
  • the electronic module or circuit 8 may be configured to amplify and/or process signals of the measuring elements 3.
  • the measuring pad 1 comprises different types of measuring elements 3.
  • the types of measuring elements may comprise
  • the diameter of the measuring pad 1 may be 1 mm to 6 mm, in particular 2 mm to 5 mm.
  • the curvature of the carrier may be different in a first direction X and in a second direction Y which may be perpendicular to the x direction.
  • the radius may be infinite, i.e. the measuring pad 1 may be flat in the respective direction. In other embodiments, the radius may be positive or negative.
  • Figure 6 is a schematic view of a carrier 2 having an infinite radius R1 in the first direction X and a positive non-infinite radius R2 in the second direction Y.
  • the carrier 2 is hence a section of a cylinder.
  • Figure 7 is a schematic view of a carrier 2 having a positive non-infinite radius R1 in the first direction X and a positive non-infinite radius R2 in the second direction Y.
  • the radius R1 may be the same as the radius R2 or different.
  • the carrier 2 is hence a section of an ellipsoid or sphere.
  • the carrier 2 may have an infinite radius R1 in the first direction X and an increasing or otherwise varying positive non-infinite radius R2 in the second direction Y.
  • the carrier 2 may hence be a section of a cone.
  • a kit of prefabricated carriers 2 or measuring pads 1 is provided, e.g. having the following positive radii in the x direction/y direction:
  • a hearing device comprises a housing or shell 5, the shell 5 comprises one or more measuring pads 1.
  • the carrier 2 of the one or more measuring pads 1 may be flush with a surface of the shell 5.
  • the retention of the hearing device within an ear canal may be improved if the measuring pad 1 comprises protruding electrodes 3.
  • the measuring pad 1 may further have a window 9, e.g. to accommodate a sensor 10, in particular an optical sensor 10, e.g. a PPG sensor (photoplethysmography). Electrodes 3 are disposed around window 9, in particular such that window 9 is centred between electrodes 3. Optical sensor 10 accommodated inside window 9 is thus arranged within an area spanned by the electrodes 3. In the example illustrated in Fig. 4 , four electrodes 3 are provided in a square shaped arrangement, wherein optical sensor 10 is arranged within the square.
  • the electrodes 3 may protrude from the carrier 2, there may be embodiments in which the electrodes 3 are supposed to be flush with the surface of the shell 5 and also with the surface of the carrier 2.
  • multiple electrodes 3 may be used for contact measurement to confirm a suitable position of the optical sensor 10. It can be assumed, that a suitable position of the optical sensor is reached when each of the multiple electrodes is in contact with the skin. In this case it is assured, that the optical window is close to the skin. When an electrode is not in contact with the skin, for example the electrical resistance of this electrode to the other electrodes would be infinite or would be higher than a predefined limit. By an electrical measurement it can easily be determined if each of the multiple electrodes is in contact with the skin or not.
  • the electrical measurements carried out through the electrodes may thus provide one indicator for a suitable position of the optical sensor.
  • Arranging optical sensor 9 within the area spanned by a plurality of electrodes 3, for instance such that the optical sensor is centered between the electrodes, can be further beneficial to verify a correct placement of the optical sensor at or in an ear.
  • Another indicator may be provided by a measurement conducted by the optical sensor itself. A sensor in a bad position would deliver unexpected results.
  • the measuring pad 1 may have more than one sensor 10 and one of the sensors 10 may be configured to confirm that another one of the sensors 10 is in good condition. If for example measurements of one type of sensors 10 indicates a correct position of the measuring pad 1 and another measurement with another type of sensors 10 would indicate the contrary, it can be assumed, that one of the sensors 10 is not in a good condition.
  • One sensor 10, for example an electrode 3, may be considered as a robust sensor 10. A measurement conducted with a robust sensor 10 may indicate a good or bad condition of another sensor 10.
  • an electrode 3 based measurement indicates a suitable position of the measuring pad 1 in an ear and at the same time an optical sensor 10 indicates that the position of the measuring pad 1 may not be good, it can be assumed that the less robust optical sensor 10 is not in a good condition. A user of the device may be notified that some sensor 10 is not in a good condition and be instructed to check the device.
  • the carrier 2 may be made of a dielectric material while the shell 5 may be made of an electrically conductive material such as a metal, e.g. titanium.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Measurement And Recording Of Electrical Phenomena And Electrical Characteristics Of The Living Body (AREA)
EP21194333.7A 2021-09-01 2021-09-01 Messpad Pending EP4145858A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21194333.7A EP4145858A1 (de) 2021-09-01 2021-09-01 Messpad

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21194333.7A EP4145858A1 (de) 2021-09-01 2021-09-01 Messpad

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4145858A1 true EP4145858A1 (de) 2023-03-08

Family

ID=77595424

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP21194333.7A Pending EP4145858A1 (de) 2021-09-01 2021-09-01 Messpad

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4145858A1 (de)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106994012A (zh) * 2016-01-22 2017-08-01 周常安 穿戴式生理活动传感器、感测装置及感测系统
US20190174215A1 (en) * 2017-12-05 2019-06-06 Shenzhen GOODIX Technology Co., Ltd. Earplug apparatus and electronic apparatus
EP3806495A1 (de) * 2019-10-07 2021-04-14 Sonion Nederland B.V. Hörgerät mit einem optischen sensor

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106994012A (zh) * 2016-01-22 2017-08-01 周常安 穿戴式生理活动传感器、感测装置及感测系统
US20190174215A1 (en) * 2017-12-05 2019-06-06 Shenzhen GOODIX Technology Co., Ltd. Earplug apparatus and electronic apparatus
EP3806495A1 (de) * 2019-10-07 2021-04-14 Sonion Nederland B.V. Hörgerät mit einem optischen sensor

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