# US 12,594,422 B2 · Systems and devices for treating equilibrium disorders and improving gait and balance

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- Number: US 12,594,422 B2
- Document ID: US12594422B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/626,645
- Filed: 2020-07-10
- Published: 2022-07-28
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-10
- Assignees: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
- Applicants: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
- Inventors: Buye Xu; Justin R. Burwinkel; Jason A. Galster; Peggi S. Cross; Jay Stewart; Martin McKinney
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594422B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/36003: {of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance}
- A61N 1/36031: {using physiological parameters for adjustment}
- A61N 1/36036: {of the outer, middle or inner ear}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

Embodiments herein relate to systems, devices and methods for the treatment of equilibrium disorders and improving gait and balance. In an embodiment, a method of treating an equilibrium disorder is included. The method can include monitoring device wearer movement with a movement sensor, identifying a movement pattern consistent with an equilibrium disorder, estimating characteristics of the equilibrium disorder, and applying stimulation to at least one of the right ear, left ear, or brainstem of the device wearer of an ear-worn device. Other embodiments are also included herein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating an equilibrium disorder comprising:
monitoring movement of an ear-worn device wearer with a movement sensor integrated into an ear-worn device that is configured to be at least partially inserted into an ear canal of the device wearer;
identifying a movement pattern consistent with an equilibrium disorder;
estimating characteristics of the equilibrium disorder;
identifying that the movement pattern is consistent with sustained cyclical strides; and
applying auditory stimulation to at least one of the right ear, left ear, or brainstem of the ear-worn device wearer at a cyclical frequency using an electroacoustic transducer of the ear-worn device, wherein the cyclical frequency equals an ambulatory pace.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the characteristics of the equilibrium disorder relating to at least one of a site of a lesion, the ear-worn device wearer's perceived head position versus actual head position, and the ear-worn device wearer's perceived head movement versus actual head movement.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring signals associated with a directional movement in the horizontal plane of the device wearer; and
measuring a stride length of the device wearer based on the identified phases of the stride cycle and the directional movement of the device wearer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a movement pattern consistent with sustained cyclical strides comprises identifying a movement pattern consistent with sustained cyclical strides that is sustained for at least 3 seconds.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising
analyzing data from the movement sensor to determine a sustained cyclical stride pace of the device wearer; and
applying cyclical auditory stimulation to at least one of the right or left ear using the ear-worn device at a pace that is faster than the determined sustained cyclical stride pace when the determined sustained cyclical stride pace is below a threshold value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising
adaptively determining a threshold value for the device wearer; and
applying cyclical auditory stimulation to at least one of the right or left ear using the ear-worn device at a pace that is slower than the determined sustained cyclical stride pace when the determined sustained cyclical stride pace is above a threshold value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein identifying that the movement pattern is consistent with sustained cyclical strides is performed using a microphone that is integrated into the ear-worn device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
identifying phases in the sustained cyclical strides; and
detecting a shuffling-type gait by detecting variability in a timing of the phases of the sustained cyclical strides that cross a predetermined threshold value.

### Claim 9

An ear-worn device system comprising:
an ear-worn device comprising
a control circuit;
a sensor package in communication with the control circuit;
a power supply circuit in electrical communication with the control circuit;
wherein a portion of the ear-worn device is configured to be inserted into a first ear canal of an ear-worn device wearer;
a second ear-worn device comprising:
a second control circuit;
a second sensor package in communication with the control circuit;
a second power supply circuit in electrical communication with the control circuit;
wherein a portion of the second ear-worn device is configured to be inserted into a second ear canal of the ear-worn device wearer;
wherein the system is configured to
monitor ear-worn device wearer movement with a movement sensor integrated into the ear-worn device;
identify a movement pattern consistent with an equilibrium disorder;
estimate the characteristics of the equilibrium disorder;
determine that the equilibrium disorder originates from one of the first ear or the second ear; and
apply stimulation differentially based on the determination of the origin of the equilibrium disorder, the stimulation comprising at least one of caloric stimulation, nerve stimulation, auditory stimulation, electromagnetic stimulation, and optical stimulation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to monitor the ear-worn device wearer movement with the movement sensor after the application of stimulation and adjusting ongoing application of stimulation based on detected movement.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, the ear-worn device wearer movement comprising eye movement.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, the movement pattern comprising nystagmus.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein estimating the characteristics of the equilibrium disorder includes estimating the lateral distribution of the equilibrium disorder.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein estimating the characteristics of an equilibrium disorder comprises determining aspects of nystagmus including two or more of a fast phase velocity, a slow phase velocity, a direction of nystagmus beating, a directional preponderance, and a gaze angle.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, the ear-worn device further comprising a heating element or a heat sink.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, the ear-worn device further comprising an earbud configured to be inserted into an ear canal of the ear-worn device wearer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, the earbud comprising a stimulation transducer configured to apply the stimulation to the ear-worn device wearer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to, upon determining that the equilibrium disorder originates from the first ear, applying a higher level of stimulation to the first ear than to the second ear.

### Claim 19 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to, upon determining that the equilibrium disorder originates from the first ear, applying a different type of stimulation to the first ear than to the second ear.

### Claim 20 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to:
determine that the equilibrium disorder originates the first ear; and
apply stimulation differentially to the first ear.