Or relating to earpieces
AssigneeEarswitch Ltd.
InventorNicholas Roy Gompertz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for detecting ear structure movements or changes, or changes in pressure in the ear-canal of a user, in order to control or affect the function of an associated device. The apparatus includes a sensor apparatus capable of being worn by the user to be located in or adjacent an ear-canal of the user. The sensor apparatus includes at least one sensor being located and configured to detect and capture sensor data relating to middle ear, ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin, and/or other ear structure movements or changes of characteristics, or changes in pressure in the ear-canal of the user. A device is provided for processing and analysing sensor data from the sensor apparatus. The device analyses sensor data concerning: eye movement or directional auditory attention or focus data, and/or voluntary control data.
Claims21
A wearable apparatus for detecting either movements or changes in an ear structure of a user in order to control or affect a function of an associated device, wherein the wearable apparatus comprises:
- a sensor apparatus that is configured to be worn by said user to be located in an ear-canal of said user, the sensor apparatus including at least one sensor being wholly or partially located in said ear-canal to have a position of the sensor fixed relative to a position of an ear-drum of said user such that the sensor apparatus detects either movements or changes of characteristics of a middle ear, an ear-drum complex, an ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures without detecting ear movements caused by jaw movements, and the sensor apparatus being configured to capture sensor data relating to the movements or the changes of characteristics;
- and
- a processor for processing and analysing the sensor data from the sensor apparatus, wherein the processor is configured to:
- determine eye movement or directional auditory attention or focus by analysing the sensor data relating further to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, the ear-drum complex, the ear-drum margin, and/or the associated ear structures, as isolated from ear movements caused by jaw movements
- such that, through identification of change(s) or difference(s) in the sensor data, the wearable apparatus is capable of controlling or affecting the function of the associated device.
A method for detecting either movements or changes in an ear structure of a user in order to control or affect a function of an associated device, wherein the method comprises:
- detecting and capturing sensor data from a sensor apparatus worn by the user and located in an ear-canal of the user, the sensor apparatus including at least one sensor being wholly or partially located in said ear-canal to have a position of the sensor fixed relative to a position of an ear-drum of said user such that the sensor apparatus detects either movements or changes of characteristics of a middle ear, an ear-drum complex, an ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures without detecting ear movements caused by jaw movements, and the sensor apparatus being configured to capture the sensor data relating to the movements or the changes of characteristics;
- determining eye movement or directional auditory attention or focus, by analysing the sensor data relating further to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, the ear-drum complex, the ear-drum margin, and/or the associated ear structures, as isolated from ear movements caused by jaw movements;
- and
- utilising identified change(s) or difference(s) in the sensor data to control or affect the function of the associated device.
A wearable apparatus for detecting either movements or changes in an ear structure of a user in order to control or affect a function of an associated device, wherein the wearable apparatus comprises:
- a sensor apparatus that is configured to be worn by said user to be located in an ear-canal of said user, the sensor apparatus including at least one sensor being wholly or partially located in said ear-canal to have a position of the sensor fixed relative to a position of an ear-drum of said user such that the sensor apparatus detects either movements or changes of characteristics of a middle ear, an ear-drum complex, an ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures without detecting ear movements caused by jaw movements, and the sensor apparatus being configured to capture sensor data relating to the movements or the changes of characteristics;
- and
- a processor for processing and analysing the sensor data from the sensor apparatus, wherein the processor is configured to
- determine vertical eye movement or eye-convergence by analysing the sensor data relating further to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, the ear-drum complex, the ear-drum margin, and/or the associated ear structures, as isolated from ear movements caused by jaw movements
- such that, through identification of change(s) or difference(s) in the sensor data, the wearable apparatus is capable of controlling or affecting the function of the associated device.
A wearable apparatus for detecting either movements or changes in an ear structure of a user in order to control or affect a function of an associated device, wherein the wearable apparatus comprises:
- a sensor apparatus that is configured to be worn by said user to be located in an ear-canal of said user, the sensor apparatus including at least one sensor being wholly or partially located in said ear-canal to have a position of the sensor fixed relative to a position of an ear-drum of said user such that the sensor apparatus detects either movements or changes of characteristics of a middle ear, an ear-drum complex, an ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures without detecting ear movements caused by jaw movements, and the sensor apparatus being configured to capture sensor data relating to the movements or the changes of characteristics;
- and
- a processor for processing and analysing the sensor data from the sensor apparatus, wherein the processor is configured to analyze voluntary control data by analysing the sensor data relating further to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, the ear-drum complex, the ear-drum margin, and/or the associated ear structures, as isolated from ear movements caused by jaw movements such that, through identification of change(s) or difference(s) in the sensor data, the wearable apparatus is capable of controlling or affecting the function of the associated device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.