# US 2023/0273673 A1 · Improvements in or relating to earpieces

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- Number: US 2023/0273673 A1
- Document ID: US20230273673A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/015,765
- Filed: 2021-07-16
- Published: 2023-08-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-16
- Assignees: Earswitch Ltd.
- Inventors: Nicholas Roy Gompertz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230273673A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/01: Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence)
- G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)}
- A61B 5/6817: {Ear canal}
- H04R 1/1091: {Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083}
- A61B 5/121: {evaluating hearing capacity}
- G06F 3/013: {Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence)}
- H04R 25/305: {Self-monitoring or self-testing}
- H04R 25/554: {using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils}
- H04R 25/70: {Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- 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

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.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-25. (canceled)

### Claim 26

An apparatus for detecting ear structure movements or changes, or changes in pressure in an ear-canal of a user, in order to control or affect a function of an associated device, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a sensor apparatus that is configured to be worn by said user to be located in or adjacent the ear-canal of said user, the sensor apparatus including 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 said user; and
a processor for processing and analysing the sensor data from the sensor apparatus, wherein the processor is configured to analyze sensor data concerning:
(i) eye movement or directional auditory attention or focus data, by analysing data relating to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures, or changes of pressure in the ear-canal; and/or
(ii) voluntary control data, by analysing data relating to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures, or changes of pressure in the ear-canal;
such that, through identification of change(s) or difference(s) in the sensor data, the apparatus is capable of controlling or affecting the function of the associated device.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the sensor apparatus is configured to detect change in:
(i) movement of the eardrum complex, or associated ear structures, through two or three dimensional analysis or image processing;
(ii) distance from the sensor apparatus;
(iii) direction of movement, size of movement, degree of movement, duration of movement, position, and/or shape of a part or whole of the ear-drum complex, auditory canal, ear-drum margin, adjacent wall of auditory tube (ear-canal) and/or associated or other ear structure(s);
(iv) pressure in the ear-canal;
(v) colour of at least part of the ear-drum complex or related ear structures;
(vi) frequency of vibration of at least part of the ear-drum complex;
(vii) reflection;
(viii) any other measure indicating movement of the ear-drum complex and/or associated structures; and/or
(ix) any one or more of the above providing a discernible difference between different areas of the same ear structure or different ear structures, or a pair of sensors, each associated with a different ear of the user.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the sensor apparatus further comprises:
an imaging detector;
a thermal imaging detector;
a static or scanning laser detector;
a time of flight detector;
LIDAR (laser imaging, detection, and ranging);
laser triangulation;
laser Doppler vibrometry;
digital holography;
optical coherence tomography;
a photoplethysmograph (PPG) sensor, with or without an oxygen saturation sensor;
a pressure detector; and/or
an ultrasonic detector.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein controlling or affecting the function of the associated device comprises:
(i) operating as an intentional switch trigger;
(ii) graduated or variable intentional control;
(iii) two or more dimensional or variable control of user interfaces;
(iv) controlling direction, amplitude and frequency of sound output of earphone device;
(v) optical focus control;
(vi) multi-functional control of the same interface or different interfaces; change in state of a device;
(vii) control of a digital, electronic of other device, or electronic interface, including those remote from said user;
(viii) virtual or real movement control; and/or
(ix) monitoring of ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin or other ear structure movements as a biometric measure of health, disease, physiological and behavioural activity.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein, processing and analysing sensor data concerning eye movement or directional auditory attention or focus data provides:
graduated, dynamic or variable control of interfaces by detecting movements of the middle ear; and/or
intentional graduated, dynamic or variable control of interfaces by detecting voluntary movements of the middle ear.

### Claim 31 (depends on 26)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein, the apparatus comprises a further sensor apparatus that is configured to be worn by said user to be located in or adjacent a second ear-canal of said user to provide additional sensor data.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein, the processor is configured to receive sensor data from the sensors worn in both ears of said user and is configured to utilize identified change(s) or difference(s) in two sets of sensor data to control or affect the function of the associated device.

### Claim 33 (depends on 26)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 further comprising a feedback apparatus.

### Claim 34 (depends on 26)

The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 further comprising an apparatus for detecting eye-convergence, gaze focussing, depth of intended visual focus, horizontal and/or vertical eye movements, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 35

A method for detecting ear structure movements or changes, or changes in pressure in an ear-canal 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 located in or adjacent an ear-canal of the user, the sensor apparatus including 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 said user;
processing and analysing the sensor data concerning:
(i) eye movement or directional auditory attention or focus data, by analysing data relating to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures, or changes of pressure in the ear-canal; and/or
(ii) voluntary control data, by analysing data relating to a degree, speed, size of movement or change, or duration of movement of the middle-ear, ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin, and/or associated ear structures, or changes of pressure in the ear-canal; and
utilising identified change(s) or difference(s) in the sensor data to control or affect the function of the associated device.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein processing and analysing the sensor data comprises detecting change in:
(i) movement of the eardrum complex, or associated ear structures, through two or three dimensional analysis or image processing;
(ii) distance from the sensor apparatus;
(iii) direction of movement, size of movement, degree of movement, duration of movement, position, and/or shape of a part or whole of the ear-drum complex, auditory canal, ear-drum margin, adjacent wall of auditory tube (ear-canal) and/or associated or other ear structure(s);
(iv) pressure in the ear-canal;
(v) colour of at least part of the ear-drum complex or related ear structures;
(vi) frequency of vibration of at least part of the ear-drum complex;
(vii) reflection;
(viii) any other measure indicating movement of the ear-drum complex and/or associated structures; and/or
(ix) any one or more of the above providing a discernible difference between different areas of the same ear structure or different ear structures, or a pair of sensors, each associated with a different ear of the user.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein controlling or affecting the function of the associated device comprises:
(i) operating as an intentional switch trigger;
(ii) graduated or variable intentional control;
(iii) two or more dimensional or variable control of user interfaces;
(iv) controlling direction, amplitude and frequency of sound output of earphone device;
(v) optical focus control;
(vi) multi-functional control of the same interface or different interfaces; change in state of a device;
(vii) control of a digital, electronic or other device, or electronic interface, including those remote from said user;
(viii) virtual or real movement control; and/or
(ix) monitoring of ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin or other ear structure movements as a biometric measure of health, disease, physiological and behavioural activity.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The method as claimed in claim 35 wherein processing and analysing the sensor data concerning eye movement or directional auditory attention/focus data provides:
(i) graduated, dynamic or variable control of interfaces by detecting movements of the ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin and/or other ear structure; and/or
(ii) intentional graduated, dynamic or variable control of interfaces by detecting voluntary movements of the ear-drum complex, ear-drum margin and/or other ear structure.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The method as claimed in claim 35 further comprising detecting eye-convergence, gaze focussing, depth of intended visual focus, horizontal and/or vertical eye movements, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 40 (depends on 35)

The method as claimed in claim 35 further comprising receiving sensor data from sensors worn in both ears of said user and utilising identified change(s) or difference(s) in two sets of sensor data to control or affect the function of an associated device.