# US 12,594,006 B2 · Smartphone application with pop-open soundwave guide for diagnosing otitis media in a telemedicine environment

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- Number: US 12,594,006 B2
- Document ID: US12594006B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/958,307
- Filed: 2022-09-30
- Published: 2023-03-30
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-30
- Assignees: Wavely Diagnostic Inc.
- Applicants: Wavely Diagnostic Inc.
- Inventors: Arna Ionescu Stoll; Thomas Edwards; Treasure Lynae Hinds; Gregory Thomas Janky
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594006B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/125: {objective methods}
- A61B 1/227: for ears, i.e. otoscopes
- A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20)
- A61B 5/6817: {Ear canal}
- A61B 5/6898: {Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers}
- G16H 40/40: for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- G16H 50/20: for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
- A61B 5/12: Audiometering
- A61B 2560/0443: Modular apparatus
- 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

## Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for the remote detection of otitis media in children at home or in other locations for use in a telemedicine environment. The system runs on a smartphone application and is easy for a child's caregiver to use. The system also includes a pop-open soundwave guide that directs an audio signal from a smartphone's speaker to the patient's eardrum and back to the smartphone's microphone.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for directing a caregiver to properly conduct a diagnostic test for otitis media in a patient's ear using a screen display of a smartphone, the method comprising:
accessing a diagnostic application stored on the smartphone to provide information about the smartphone to the diagnostic application;
displaying an alignment indicator, wherein the alignment indicator includes at least one of a mark and a line, on the screen display that is aligned with an attachment indicator guide on a soundwave guide to ensure proper positioning of the soundwave guide on the smartphone;
receiving instructions for proper placement of a small end of the soundwave guide at an ear canal opening of the patient and how to run the diagnostic test;
generating a diagnostic signal that is sent into the patient's ear;
analyzing a response signal that results from the diagnostic signal traveling to and back from a middle ear portion of the patient; and
outputting a message that indicates a condition of the middle ear portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the message is at least one of “Middle Ear Fluid Likely” or “Middle Ear Fluid Unlikely”.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising calibrating the smartphone to generate the diagnostic signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 further comprising starting a countdown time for initiating the diagnostic test that sends the diagnostic signal into the patient's ear through the soundwave guide.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the calibration of the smartphone is done with a machine learning model.