# US 2010/0166240 A1 · Hearing apparatus for pets

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- Number: US 2010/0166240 A1
- Document ID: US20100166240A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/317,515
- Filed: 2008-12-27
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-27
- Inventors: Richard W. Prior
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166240A1

## CPC

- H04R 1/028: {associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles}
- A01K 15/021: {Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats}
- A01K 15/022: {Anti-barking devices}
- A01K 27/009: {with electric-shock, sound, magnetic- or radio-waves emitting devices}
- H04R 2201/023: Transducers incorporated in garment, rucksacks or the like
- H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
- 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)
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS

## Abstract

An apparatus that provides vibration cues, indicative of ambient sounds, to deaf and hard-of-hearing pets. This apparatus, attached to a pet's collar, receives sounds via an attached microphone, processes said sounds to discriminate changes in sound patterns or to detect specifically-programmed sound patterns, and then outputs vibrations that are indicative of the received sounds.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sound receiving apparatus wherein said apparatus is wearable by an animal and said apparatus comprises; a) a battery power source; b) a microphone and audio amplifier; c) a signal processing means comprising a method to distinguish input sounds according to frequency, amplitude, tone combinations, patterns of sound, or changes of said sounds; and d) an electrically-powered vibration means that is controlled by said signal processing means and is indicative to said animal of received sounds.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vibrations are modulated to include changes of vibration amplitude or frequency, a burst of vibrations or a plurality of bursts, or any combination of said modulation methods

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of microphones and signal processing means are used to indicate the direction of a received sound.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein a visual indication, such as an LED display, is used with, or in lieu of, the vibration means.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein a visual indication, such as an LED or plurality of LEDs, provides cues to a human regarding the quality of voice commands applied to said apparatus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein said signal processing method includes human-user-defined sound patterns.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vibration patterns include human-user-defined sequences.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vibration means comprises a poke or prod means wherein the pressure, duration, frequency, or number of pokes or prods is indicative of said claim 1 input sound patterns.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

An attachment means wherein said claim 1 apparatus is placed on an animal via a collar, harness, or other non-surgical means.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 9)

A means of claim 9 wherein said means includes elastic or other flexible material to tightly couple said claim 1 vibrations to the animal's skin.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A handheld, manually-operated remote means to activate the vibration means of claim 1 apparatus wherein said remote means communicates to the claim 1 apparatus via audio-range, ultrasonic, infra-red, or RF means.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein a human user can remotely activate specific vibration modes of the claim 1 apparatus.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

An apparatus remotely located to the apparatus of claim 1 that augments sound-processing capabilities and communicates to said apparatus of claim 1 via audio-range, ultrasonic, infra-red, or RF means.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2)

An apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a motion sensor indicative of the animal-user's motion and wherein signals from said motion sensing are processed via software to further modify the vibration modes of claim 2.