# US 10,117,605 B2 · System, method and apparatus for patient communications in remote hearing diagnostics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,117,605 B2 - Document ID: US10117605B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/296,136 - Filed: 2016-10-18 - Published: 2018-04-19 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-18 - Applicants: Dave Davis; Brian Lisiewski - Inventors: Dave Davis; Brian Lisiewski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117605B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/123: {subjective methods} - A61B 5/0022: {Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet} - A61B 5/7465: {Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network (telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002)} - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - G16H 80/00: ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring - H04L 67/025: for remote control or remote monitoring of applications - H04L 67/04: specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability - H04R 25/70: {Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting} - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 67/141: Setup of application sessions (admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70) - H04R 2225/55: Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange - H04R 2420/03: Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers - H04R 2430/01: Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract Method, system and apparatus for patient communications in remote hearing diagnostics is disclosed. The invention may include electrical circuitry for conditioning audio input and output signals as well as a means of switching paths for the audio data between equipment sources and personnel involved in a remote hearing diagnostics session. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for patient communications in remote hearing diagnostics between a computer having a computer microphone input and a computer speaker output, a hearing diagnostics test equipment having a test equipment microphone input and a test equipment speaker output, and a second microphone input and speaker output, the apparatus comprising: a direct current (DC) voltage blocking circuit that eliminates a biasing voltage sourced by the test equipment microphone input; a first audio signal level reduction circuit for reducing a signal level of an audio signal provided to the test equipment microphone input; a second audio signal level reduction circuit for reducing a signal level of an audio signal received from the test equipment speaker output; and an audio selection switch that enables a selectable electrical connection from the computer to either the test equipment microphone input and speaker output or to the second microphone input and speaker output. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the audio signal level reduction circuits reduces powered output levels provided by the speakers outputs. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one connector for connecting the test equipment microphone input and speaker output to the apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one connector for connecting the computer microphone input and speaker output to the apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one connector for connecting the second microphone input and speaker output to the apparatus. ### Claim 6 A system for patient communications in remote hearing diagnostics, the system comprising: a first computing device having a computer microphone input and a computer speaker output; a first headset having a first headset microphone input and a first headset speaker output; diagnostic test equipment having a test equipment microphone input and a test equipment speaker output; and an adapter that is connected to the first computing device, the first headset, and the diagnostic test equipment, wherein the adapter comprises: a direct current (DC) voltage blocking circuit that eliminates a biasing voltage sourced by the test equipment microphone input; a first audio signal level reduction circuit for reducing a signal level of an audio signal provided to the test equipment microphone input; a second audio signal level reduction circuit for reducing a signal level of an audio signal received from the test equipment speaker output; and an audio-selection switch that enables a selectable electrical connection from the first computing device to either the diagnostic test equipment microphone input and speaker output or to the first headset microphone input and speaker output. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the adapter is removably coupled to the diagnostic test equipment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the adapter is removably coupled to the first headset. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the adapter is removably coupled to the first computing device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising a second computing device that is connected to the first computing device via a computer network. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the second computing device is equipped with a second headset, the second headset having a second headset microphone input and a second headset speaker output. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the computer network is the Internet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first computing device includes a webcam or other type of conferencing device that enables audio/video sessions with the second computing device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the first computing device is one of a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the adapter is removably coupled to the computer speaker output and computer microphone input of the first computing device.