# US 11,026,654 B2 · Electronic stethoscope with accessories > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,654 B2 - Document ID: US11026654B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/723,119 - Filed: 2019-12-20 - Published: 2020-07-02 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-31 - Assignees: Star Luminal LLC - Applicants: Star Luminal LLC - Inventors: David Julian Friedman; Sarah Elizabeth Friedman; Christopher Adam Leedy; Ronald Graczyk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026654B2 ## CPC - A61B 7/04: Electric stethoscopes - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 1/1025: Accumulators specially adapted for earpieces; Arrangements specially adapted for charging thereof - H04R 1/46: Special adaptations for use as contact microphones, e.g. on musical instrument, on stethoscope (throat mountings H04R1/14) - A61B 7/003: {Detecting lung or respiration noise} - H04R 1/1091: {Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083} - H04R 23/008: {using optical signals for detecting or generating sound} - H04R 2410/05: Noise reduction with a separate noise microphone - H04R 2420/07: Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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 Electronic stethoscopes may have various accessories, modular components, and various configurations for powering the various components and accessories of the electronic stethoscope. In one embodiment, an electronic stethoscope apparatus includes a microphone configured to generate an electrical signal in response to received sound from a living subject; amplification circuitry; a speaker operably coupled to the amplification circuitry to output the electric signal after amplification; and a power supply configured to power the amplification circuitry. Circuitry for advanced signal processing may also be included, such as noise cancelling circuitry. The electronic stethoscope may also include removable electronic modules for wired or wireless headphones, battery packs, lights, and/or an electronic device for implementing the percussive method. An electronic stethoscope may also include components for implementing a laser enhanced stethoscope that can be used to pick up sounds from the surface of a living subject without making direct contact with the living subject. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a light; a lens positioned over the light; a switch to turn the light on or off; a clipping mechanism configured to removably attach the apparatus to a bell portion of a stethoscope; and at least one capacitive touch sensor configured to adjust a brightness of the light in response to sensing a finger of a user, wherein: the switch is accessible to a user while the apparatus is attached to the bell portion with the clipping mechanism, the apparatus is configured not to block any portion of a diaphragm of the stethoscope while the apparatus is attached to the bell portion with the clipping mechanism, the apparatus is configured to enter a sleep mode that consumes less power than a normal operating mode upon a determination that the at least one capacitive touch sensor has not sensed a presence of the finger of the user within a predetermined amount of time, and the at least one capacitive touch sensor is proximate to the lens, such that the at least one capacitive touch sensor is configured to sense a presence of the finger of the user through the lens. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clipping mechanism comprises flexible, rubberized plastic configured to deflect when attaching the apparatus to the stethoscope or detaching the apparatus from the stethoscope, and further wherein the flexible, rubberized plastic is configured to dampen noise from passing from the apparatus into the stethoscope. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clipping mechanism is configured to fit on at least two different sized bells of at least two different stethoscopes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clipping mechanism comprises at least two arms configured to wrap around an outer perimeter of the bell portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one arm of the at least two arms is operably connected to a spring, such that the at least one arm is movable when attaching the apparatus to the bell portion and the spring holds the at least one arm in place after the apparatus is attached to the bell portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light is powered by a battery and the battery is at least one of: stored directly in the apparatus; or stored in a different portion of the stethoscope than the apparatus and wherein the apparatus is electrically connected to the different portion through an electrical wire. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the battery is stored in the different portion of the stethoscope, and the electrical wire is removably connected to the apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the battery is stored directly in the apparatus, and the apparatus further comprises a port for removably connecting a device to the apparatus, such that the device is powered by the battery. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the stethoscope is an electronic stethoscope comprising: a microphone configured to generate an electrical signal in response to received sound from a living subject; amplification circuitry operably coupled to the microphone and configured to amplify the electric signal generated by the microphone; and a speaker operably coupled to the amplification circuitry and configured to output the electric signal after amplification, wherein the battery powers at least one of the microphone, the amplification circuitry, or the speaker. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the microphone is embedded into tubing connected between a diaphragm and an ear piece of the electronic stethoscope, wherein the tubing is configured to allow acoustic sound waves to travel from the diaphragm to the ear piece, and wherein the microphone does not impede the acoustic sound waves from traveling within the tubing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a percussive device configured to apply a percussive force to a living subject, the percussive device comprising: a membrane having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite the second surface; and a linear actuator configured to move a plunger linearly in response to application or removal of an electrical signal, wherein: the linear actuator is configured to move the plunger such that the plunger impacts the first surface of the membrane, the membrane is configured to transmit a percussive force from the first surface to the second surface as a result of the plunger impacting the first surface of the membrane, and the linear actuator is powered by the battery. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the linear actuator comprises an electromechanical solenoid or a voice coil. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the percussive device is configured to removably attach to the stethoscope or is incorporated into the stethoscope. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electrical signal is a first electrical signal, and further wherein the stethoscope is an electronic stethoscope comprising an acoustic sensor configured to generate a second electrical signal indicative of a response of a living subject to the plunger impacting the membrane and transmitting a percussive force into the living subject. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first electrical signal is controlled to cause a desired magnitude and duration of the percussive force. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is generally round in shape, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a plurality of capacitive touch sensors oriented at or near a periphery of the apparatus and configured to adjust the brightness of the light in response to the user moving the finger around the periphery of the apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens is configured to focus the light in a particular direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens is positioned on a side of the apparatus opposite the clipping mechanism. ### Claim 19 A modular electronic stethoscope apparatus comprising: an electronic stethoscope module comprising: a microphone configured to generate an electrical signal in response to received sound from a living object, amplification circuitry operably coupled to the microphone and configured to amplify the electric signal generated by the microphone, a speaker operably coupled to the amplification circuitry and configured to output the electric signal after amplification, and a power supply configured to power the amplification circuitry; a light module comprising: a light, a lens positioned over the light, a switch to turn the light on or off, a clipping mechanism configured to removably attach the light module to a bell portion of the electronic stethoscope module, and at least one capacitive touch sensor configured to adjust the brightness of the light in response to sensing the finger of a user, wherein: the switch is accessible to a user while the light module is attached to the bell portion with the clipping mechanism, the light module is configured not to block any portion of a diaphragm of the stethoscope while the light module is attached to the bell portion with the clipping mechanism, the light module is configured to enter a sleep mode that consumes less power than a normal operating mode upon a determination that the at least one capacitive touch sensor has not sensed a presence of the finger of the user within a predetermined amount of time, and the at least one capacitive touch sensor is proximate to the lens, such that the at least one capacitive touch sensor is configured to sense a presence of the finger of the user through the lens; and a percussive module comprising: a membrane having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite the second surface, and a linear actuator configured to move a plunger linearly in response to application or removal of an electrical signal, wherein: the linear actuator is configured to move the plunger such that the plunger impacts the first surface of the membrane, the membrane is configured to transmit a percussive force from the first surface to the second surface as a result of the plunger impacting the first surface of the membrane, and the percussive module is configured to removably attach to the electronic stethoscope module. ### Claim 20 An apparatus comprising: a light; a lens positioned over the light; a switch to turn the light on or off; a clipping mechanism configured to removably attach the apparatus to a tubing portion of a stethoscope; and at least one capacitive touch sensor configured to adjust a brightness of the light in response to sensing a finger of a user, wherein: the switch is accessible to a user while the apparatus is attached to the tubing portion with the clipping mechanism, and the apparatus is configured not to block any portion of a diaphragm of the stethoscope while the apparatus is attached to the tubing portion with the clipping mechanism, the apparatus is configured to enter a sleep mode that consumes less power than a normal operating mode upon a determination that the at least one capacitive touch sensor has not sensed a presence of the finger of the user within a predetermined amount of time, and the at least one capacitive touch sensor is proximate to the lens, such that the at least one capacitive touch sensor is configured to sense a presence of the finger of the user through the lens.