# US 12,223,240 B2 · Device and method for earpiece design > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,223,240 B2 - Document ID: US12223240B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/367,293 - Filed: 2021-07-02 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-02 - Assignees: GN Hearing A/S - Applicants: GN Hearing - Inventors: Vidya Krull - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12223240B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - G06F 30/23: using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM] - G06F 30/17: Mechanical parametric or variational design - H04R 1/1091: {Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083} - H04R 25/658: {Manufacture of housing parts} - H04R 31/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)} - G06F 2111/16: Customisation or personalisation - H04R 1/1016: {Earpieces of the intra-aural type} - H04R 25/652: {Ear tips; Ear moulds (hybrid ear moulds or post-processing thereof for their customisation H04R25/659)} - H04R 2225/77: Design aspects, e.g. CAD, of hearing aid tips, moulds or housings - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - 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 A method of predictive design of an earpiece for a user, includes: obtaining 3D scan data of an ear; obtaining a model earpiece with an earpiece configuration based on an analysis of the 3D scan data; determining coupling data indicative of a coupling of the model earpiece; evaluating the earpiece configuration based on the coupling data; and providing a personalized earpiece based on an output of the evaluation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of predictive design of an earpiece for a user, the method comprising: electronically obtaining 3D scan data of an ear; electronically obtaining a model earpiece with an earpiece configuration based on the 3D scan data; electronically determining coupling data by an electronic device, wherein the coupling data is determined prior to providing an initial earpiece to the user; evaluating the earpiece configuration based on the coupling data and one or more criteria, at least one of the one or more criteria indicates a probability of comfort, wherein the coupling data comprises a force parameter, a pressure parameter, a contact surface area parameter, or any combination of two or more of the foregoing; provisioning personalized earpiece information after the act of evaluating is performed; and outputting the personalized earpiece information to enable a manufacturer or a technician to make the earpiece based on the personalized earpiece information, such that the earpiece is personalized for the user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed prior to providing the initial earpiece to the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3D scan data is based on a 3D scan of an impression of the ear. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3D scan data is based on a 3D scan of the ear. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3D scan data comprises front pinna data, back pinna data, and ear canal data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of electronically obtaining the model earpiece comprises obtaining an initial model earpiece based on an analysis of the 3D scan data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the initial model earpiece is the model earpiece. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the act of electronically obtaining the model earpiece comprises modifying the initial model earpiece. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the act of electronically obtaining the model earpiece comprises modifying the initial model earpiece to obtain a first model earpiece. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the first model earpiece is the model earpiece. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprises a comfort criterion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising obtaining validation information after the first model earpiece has been validated with the user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of electronically determining the coupling data comprises modelling one or more ear canal dynamics. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the one or more ear canal dynamics includes jaw opening and closing performance, chewing performance, head movement performance, or a combination of the foregoing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of evaluating comprises determining whether the coupling data satisfies the one or more criteria, the one or more criteria including a first criterion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising including the earpiece configuration into a fine-tuning data set if the coupling data does not satisfy the first criterion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of electronically obtaining the model earpiece comprises performing an analysis of the 3D scan data, and wherein the analysis of the 3D scan data comprises a finite element analysis of the 3D scan data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the personalized earpiece comprises a digital personalized earpiece. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the personalized earpiece information comprises a result from the act of evaluating. ### Claim 20 An electronic device comprising one or more processors, memory, and an interface, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: electronically obtain 3D scan data of an ear; electronically obtain a model earpiece with an earpiece configuration based on the 3D scan data; electronically determine coupling data by the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to determine the coupling data prior to providing an initial earpiece to a user; evaluate the earpiece configuration based on the coupling data and one or more criteria, at least one of the one or more criteria indicates a probability of comfort, wherein the coupling data comprises a force parameter, a pressure parameter, a contact surface area parameter, or any combination of two or more of the foregoing; provision personalized earpiece information after the earpiece configuration is evaluated; and output the personalized earpiece information to enable a manufacturer or a technician to make an earpiece based on the personalized earpiece information, such that the earpiece is personalized for the user.