KR101911894B1 - A Hearing Device Having a Structure of Applying a Electric Stimulus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hearing device having an electric stimulation applying structure, and more particularly, to an electric stimulation applying structure capable of applying electric stimulation to ear or other body parts by a hearing device connected to a media reproducing device through wired or wireless communication To a hearing device. A hearing device having an electric stimulation applying structure includes: a wear member (11) having at least one contact portion; At least one earphone (12a, 12b) coupled with the wearer (11) and having a contact portion capable of generating one stimulus on at least a part of the outer surface; Stimulating electrodes (21a, 21b) formed on outer circumferential surfaces of the respective earphones (12a, 12b) so as to be able to contact the human body; An operation detection unit (S1) for detecting an operation state of earphones (12a, 12b); And an electric stimulus generator disposed in a receiving space formed in the wearing member (11).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a hearing device having an electric stimulation application structure,

The present invention relates to a hearing device having an electric stimulation applying structure, and more particularly, to an electric stimulation applying structure capable of applying electric stimulation to ear or other body parts by a hearing device connected to a media reproducing device through wired or wireless communication To a hearing device.

Various forms of stimulation known to be useful to the human body are known in the art and include, for example, low frequency stimulation, thermal stimulation, vibration stimulation, or electrical stimulation. Generally, such a stimulus is generated by a device having a stimulus generating circuit, and the device must be operated separately so that the stimulus is delivered to the human body. This has the disadvantage that accessibility to the stimulus generator is reduced and the device must be made independent and installed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2013-0037592 discloses an earphone for micro current stimulation capable of applying a minute current to the ear area. In addition, Patent Registration No. 10-1252452 discloses an earphone for inducing a flow of a minute current to apply a minute current to a predetermined portion while switching between the terminals is controlled by a minute current controller.

The earphone disclosed in the prior art has the disadvantage of generating a stimulus in a limited structure. The audiovisual device which transmits sound worn on the ear may have various structures and it is necessary that the electrical stimulation be appropriately applied according to the operating state of the audiovisual device. However, the prior art does not disclose such a structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the problems of known or prior arts and has the following purpose.

Prior art 1: Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0037592 (published by Yongsoon Lee, Apr. 16, 2013) Micro earphone for earphone stimulation Prior Art 2: Patent Registration No. 10-1252452 (Published by Park Chun Jung, April 16, 2013) Earphone for inducing flow of micro current

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric stimulation device for generating an electric stimulus in an earphone coupled to a hearing device and applying an electric stimulus through different stimulation electrodes applied according to the operating state of the hearing device, And to provide a hearing device having a stimulus applying structure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hearing device of the electric stimulation applying structure comprises a wear member having at least one contact portion, at least one member having a contact portion capable of generating one stimulus on at least a part of the outer surface, A contact detection unit for checking the contact state between the plurality of stimulation electrodes and the human body, an operation detection unit for detecting the operation state of the earphone, A distribution module including a switch module for electrically connecting the plurality of stimulating electrodes and the electric stimulation generator, and a connection state from the contact detection unit and an operation state from the operation detection unit Accordingly, the distribution module sets the connection state of the switch unit, And a control module for adjusting the size of the electrical stimulation generated by the stimulation generator.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hearing device comprises a stimulus detection unit for detecting the stimulation result according to the stimulus applied to each stimulation electrode and transmitting it to the control module.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hearing device comprises a distribution detection unit which receives the stimulation result from the control module, stores the stimulation result, and transmits the stimulation result to the allocation module.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of stimulating electrodes are classified into a plurality of stimulation groups according to the contact position of the human body or the stimulation application mode.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the order of stimulation to the stimulation group, the type, time or size of stimulation applied is determined by the stimulus rotation table.

The hearing device according to the present invention increases the effect of the electric stimulation by applying the electric stimulation through various stimulation electrodes according to the operation state of the earphone while forming the stimulation electrode on the peripheral surface of the earphone. In addition, the herring device according to the present invention allows the electric stimulation to be distributed periodically at predetermined portions, thereby enhancing the effect of the stimulation.

1 shows an embodiment of a heating device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a structure in which electric stimulation is applied in the heating device according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a structure in which electric stimulation is applied to a stimulation electrode group provided at different parts of the human body.
FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of an operating structure in which an electric stimulus is applied by a heating device according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following description, components having the same reference numerals in different drawings have similar functions, so that they will not be described repeatedly unless necessary for an understanding of the invention, and the known components will be briefly described or omitted. However, It should not be understood as being excluded from the embodiment of Fig.

1 shows an embodiment of a heating device according to the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the hearing device comprises a wear member 11 having at least one contact area; At least one earphone (12a, 12b) coupled with the wearer (11) and having a contact portion capable of generating one stimulus on at least a part of the outer surface; Stimulating electrodes (21a, 21b) formed on outer circumferential surfaces of the respective earphones (12a, 12b) so as to be able to contact the human body; An operation detection unit (S1, S2) for detecting the operation state of the earphones (12a, 12b); And an electric stimulus generator disposed in a receiving space formed in the wearing member (11).

The hearing device 10 may comprise a wear module to be worn on, for example, a neck, an ear, a wrist or a waist, and a sound transmission module for inserting or contacting the ear or ears to allow sound to be delivered to the ear. The wearing module includes a wearing member 11 for wearing the neck portion and the sound transmitting module may include earphones 12a and 12b connected to the wearing member 11 so as to be adjustable in length.

The wearing member 11 having a wearable structure on the neck can be made of a synthetic resin or a metal material treated to a sanitary level that can be contacted with the human body. The wearing member 11 may be made in a hollow circular or polygonal cross-section so that wiring can be arranged inside. The wearing member 11 may include at least one neck region contact area made of a conductive material on at least a part of the circumferential surface.

Accommodating spaces V1 and V2 can be formed at both ends of the wearing member 11 and Bluetooth signals can be transmitted to the inside of the accommodating spaces V1 and V2 through an electric stimulus generator such as a smart phone A communication chip 14; battery; Such as a circuit board or wiring distribution unit 112a, 112b that includes a microprocessor. The electronic components disposed in the accommodating spaces V1 and V2 can be electrically connected to the operation detecting units S1 and S2 or the stimulating electrodes 21a and 21b by the wiring disposed in the inner space of the wearing member 11 have. Pattern antennas AN1 and AN2 for wireless communication may be formed outside the accommodation spaces V1 and V2 or at other appropriate positions. The hearing device 10 may include a microphone for inputting an external sound or a call microphone 15 for transmitting a user's voice to a communication device such as a smart phone.

The earphones 12a and 12b may be connected to the signal transmission wiring disposed in the inner space of the wearer 11 and may be coupled to the wearer 11 so as to be adjustable in length. Playback sounds or voice signals of the external multimedia player or the smartphone can be received via the pattern antennas AN1 and AN2 and transmitted to the earphones 12a and 12b. The signals transmitted to the earphones 12a and 12b can be adjusted by the adjustment units 13a and 13b.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic pole electrodes 21a and 21b can be formed on the outer circumferential surface of the earphones 12a and 12b to be able to contact the human body. The stimulating electrodes 21a and 21b may have a function of transmitting an electric stimulus generated by the electric stimulus generator disposed in the accommodation spaces V1 and V2 to the human body. When the wearable member 11 is made to be in contact with the human body, the stimulating electrode 21c may be formed at the human body contact portion of the wearable member 11. [ The electrical stimulation may include, for example, stimulation with a vibrating stimulus (VR), a microcurrent stimulus (ME) generating a microcurrent of 1 to 1,000 ㎂, a low frequency stimulus (LF) generating a low frequency stimulus, And may include various stimuli such as stimulation (PR). The vibrating stimulus (VR) may be such as an electrical vibration, and may include, for example, a piezoelectric element by voltage or current. Micro current stimulation (ME) means that a current known to have a beneficial effect on the human body having a size of 1 to 1,000 占 흐 flows into the human body. The low frequency magnetic field (LF) refers to arranging a plurality of coated or printed electrodes on a dielectric thin film in contact with a human body, and inducing a low frequency into the human body by applying an alternating current of 10 to 100 Hz, for example. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TE) may be performed as an asymmetrically different phase, such as triphasic or sawtooth, at a frequency of 1 to 100 pps (pulse per second), such as 1 to 10 V and 0.01 to 10 mA For example, at a site such as a pain site or menstrual blood. The pressure stimulus PR can be generated, for example, in such a manner that the stimulating unit is formed of a heat shrinkable film and a heat resistant material so that the heat shrinkable film is expanded or contracted by the generation of heat of the heat resistant material in accordance with the current flow . The heat shrinkable film may be in a tube shape, and the pressure stimulus PR may be applied as a thermal stimulus. Various types of stimulation can be generated in the stimulation unit formed at various sites. One of the plurality of stimulating units for generating one stimulation or one of the stimulating units for generating different stimulation may be an operation stimulating unit. The operation stimulating unit can function to recognize that the stimulation is occurring to the user. For example, a pressure stimulus (PR) can be an action stimulus. If the pressure stimulus PR is selected as the working stimulus, the pressure stimulus may be generated intermittently or discontinuously. For example, the pressure stimulus may be generated randomly so as to have a time interval between 1 minute and 2 minutes. Alternatively, the working stimulus can be generated in a manner that applies a stimulus having a relatively large enough magnitude. Operational stimulation may be generated in a variety of ways and is not limited to the embodiments shown.

The state in which the electric stimulation is applied to the stimulating electrodes 21a, 21b and 21c can be displayed on the adjusting units 13a and 13b and the state of the sound signal transmission and the state of the electric stimulation are supplied to the adjusting units 13a and 13b And an adjustment button for adjusting the status display may be provided.

The stimulating electrodes 21a, 21b and 21c can be made in various forms and can be made in the form of coating the outer surface 121 of the earphones 12a and 12b with conductive ink. Or a plurality of annular electrodes 211 to 21K surrounding the outer surface 121 may be formed on the outer surface 121 based on a portion where the earphones 12a and 12b are in contact with the human body in a state of being inserted into the ear. The ring electrodes 211 to 21K may be connected by a contact electrode 125 to a connector 122 that is connected to a stimulation conductive wire disposed inside the transmission line 123 of the earphones 12a and 12b. Also, the ring electrodes 211 to 21K may be connected to each other by at least one connection electrode 221 and 222 formed in a strip shape.

The stimulating electrodes 21a and 21b can be made in various structures, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a structure in which electric stimulation is applied in the heating device according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N may be electrically connected to the electric stimulation generator 24 disposed on the wear member by the dispensing module 23. The stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N may be formed separately from each other in the earphone or the wearing member, and each of the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N may or may not be in contact with the human body. The contact state of each of the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N to the human body can be detected by the contact detecting unit 25. [ The contact detection unit 25 can detect the contact state of each of the magnetic pole electrodes 231 to 23N by applying a pulse current having a specific shape to each of the magnetic pole electrodes 231 to 23N. Or the contact pressure of each of the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N may be detected to detect the contact state. The contact state detected by the contact detection unit 25 can be transmitted to the distribution module 23. [ The distribution module 23 may include a switch unit for connecting each of the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N with the electric stimulus generator 24. [ The contact detection unit 25 can periodically check the contact state of the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N so that the magnitude of the stimulus applied to each of the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N is determined by the dispensing module 23 .

The distribution module 23 can apply electrical stimulation to the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N in various ways and the stimulating electrodes 231 to 23N can be classified in various ways depending on the contact state of each human body part have.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a structure in which electric stimulation is applied to a stimulation electrode group provided at different parts of the human body.

Referring to FIG. 3, the stimulating electrode includes one ear-stimulating unit 331 which contacts one ear; A two-pole unit 332 that is in contact with the other ear, and a neck-pole unit 333 that is disposed in the wearer and contacts the neck. Each of the stimulating units 331, 332, and 333 may be connected to the stimulation generating module 32 by the switch units SW1, SW2, and SW3, respectively. The stimulus generation module 32 may include the electric stimulation generator described above, and each of the switch units SW1, SW2, and SW3 may be included in the distribution module 23. [ Each stimulus generated in the stimulus generation module 32 can be controlled by the control module 31 and the magnitude of the micro current generated in each stimulation unit 331, 332, 333 can be adjusted, for example, have. For example, the operation states of the first earphone and the second earphone can be detected by the operation detection unit SE. The operating state of each earphone can be detected by the detection unit SE and the contact detection unit 25 can detect the state of operation of at least one stimulation electrode included in each of the stimulation units 331, 332, The contact state can be confirmed. The control module 31 then transmits information transmitted from the operation detection unit SE and the contact detection unit 25 to the distribution module 23 to set the connection state of each of the switch units SW1, SW2, SW3 have. Each of the switch units SW1, SW2, and SW3 may include a plurality of switches depending on the number of the magnetic pole electrodes included in each of the magnetic pole units 331, 332, and 333.

Each of the stimulating electrodes 331, 332, 333 may include a plurality of stimulating electrodes, and each stimulating electrode may include a sound absorbing elastic layer 341 forming part of the earphones 12a, 12b; And a conductive layer 342 formed on the upper side of the sound absorbing elastic layer 341. The sound absorbing elastic layer 341 can be disposed on the entire outer circumferential surface of the earphone or on the portion where the stimulating electrode is formed and the stimulating electrode can be closely contacted to the human body by the sound absorbing elastic layer 341. The conductive layer 342 is disposed above the sound absorbing elastic layer 341 and the conductive layer 342 of the ring electrode 211 to 21L is contacted with the conductive layer 342 of the earphone by the adhesive layer 343 And can be stably fixed. With this structure, the stimulation electrode can be stably contacted to the human body.

The stimulating electrode can be made in various structures and is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of an operating structure in which an electric stimulus is applied by a heating device according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the information detected in each of the stimulus detection units 411, 412, and 41S may be transmitted to the control module 31. FIG. Each of the stimulus detection units 411, 412, and 41S may have a function of detecting a result according to a stimulus applied to each stimulation electrode or stimulus group 441 to 44M. For example, a microcurrent having a specific waveform and magnitude may be applied to the one-pole group 441, and the shape applied to the human body may be detected. The stimulation detection units 411, 412 and 41S may periodically detect and transmit various stimulation results to the stimulation electrodes or stimulation groups 441 to 44M to the control module 31, And may transmit the transmitted information to the distribution module 23 and the distribution detection unit 42. [ The distribution detection unit 42 may store data on the results of stimulation by each stimulation electrode or stimulus group 441 to 44M and may store and transmit the current stimulation results to the dispensing module 23. The plurality of stimulating electrodes may be classified into a plurality of stimulating groups 441 to 44M depending on the contact position of the human body or the type of stimulation applied. Or may be classified into different stimulus groups 441 to 44M according to the results detected in the stimulus detection units 411 to 41S. If the plurality of stimulation groups 441 to 44M are classified in this manner, the electric stimulation can be sequentially applied, for example, the stimulation can be sequentially applied to the one stimulation group 441 from the M stimulation group 44M have. The stimulus may be applied in the form of a pulse, and the magnitude and time of the stimulus applied to each of the stimulus groups 441 to 44M may be the same or different from each other. And the period in which the stimulus is applied to the entire stimulus groups 441 to 44M can be determined. Thus, the order of application of stimulation to each of the stimulation groups 441 to 44M, the type, time, or size of the applied stimulus can be stored in the stimulus rotation table 43. [ And the distribution module 23 can determine the stimulus structure applied to each of the stimulus groups 441 to 44M based on the data stored in the stimulus rotation table 43. [

The stimulation can be done in various ways and is not limited to the embodiments shown.

The hearing device according to the present invention increases the effect of the electric stimulation by applying the electric stimulation through various stimulation electrodes according to the operation state of the earphone while forming the stimulation electrode on the peripheral surface of the earphone. In addition, the herring device according to the present invention allows the electric stimulation to be distributed periodically at predetermined portions, thereby enhancing the effect of the stimulation.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . The invention is not limited by these variations and modifications, but is limited only by the claims appended hereto.

10: herring device 11: wearing member
12a, 12b: earphone 13a, 13b:
14: communication chip 15: call microphone
21a, 21b, 21c: stimulating electrode 23: distribution module
24: electrical stimulation generator 25: contact detection unit
31: control module 32: stimulus generating module
42: distribution detection unit 43: stimulus rotation table
112a, 112b: wiring distribution unit 121: outer surface
122: connector 123: transmission wiring
125: contact electrode 211, 212, 21K, 21L: ring electrode
221, 222: connection electrodes 231, 232, 233, 23N:
331: 1 ear-stimulating unit 332: two-stimulating unit
333: a neck stimulation unit 341: a sound absorbing elastic layer
342: conductive layer 343: adhesive layer
411, 412, 41S: Stimulus detection unit 441, 442, 443, 44M: Stimulation group
AN1, AN2: Pattern antenna S1, S2: Operation detection unit
SE: Operation detection unit SW1, SW2, SW3: Switch unit
V1, V2: accommodation space

Claims (5)

A wearer having at least one contact area;
At least one earphone having a contact portion capable of generating one stimulus on at least a part of the outer surface in combination with the wear member;
A plurality of magnetic pole electrodes formed on an outer circumferential surface of each earphone so as to be able to contact the human body;
A contact detection unit for confirming a contact state between the plurality of stimulation electrodes and the human body;
An operation detection unit for detecting an operation state of the earphone;
An electric stimulus generator disposed in a receiving space formed in the wearer;
A distribution module including a switch unit for electrically connecting a plurality of stimulation electrodes and an electric stimulation generator;
And a control module for setting the connection state of the switch unit according to the connection state from the contact detection unit and the operation state from the operation detection unit and controlling the magnitude of the electric stimulus generated in the electric stimulation generator Hearing device with electric stimulation applied structure. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the hearing device comprises a stimulation detection unit for detecting the stimulation result according to the stimulus applied to each stimulation electrode and for transmitting the result to the control module. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the hearing device comprises a distribution detection unit that receives the stimulation result from the control module, stores the stimulation result, and transmits the stimulation result to the allocation module. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the plurality of stimulating electrodes are classified into a plurality of stimulation groups according to a contact position of the human body or a stimulation application mode. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the order of stimulation to the stimulation group, the type, time or size of stimulation applied is determined by the stimulus rotation table.

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