Patents Examined by Curtis Kuniz
  • Patent number: 6879695
    Abstract: A personal sound link module (60) is inserted into a tunnel (40) made through the soft tissue connecting the retro-auricular space (50) with the ear canal (30). The module contains an acoustic transducer (65), located at the distal part (68) of the module, close to or inside the ear canal, an antenna (64) that receives and also potentially sends signals to a remote source, signal processing circuitry (67), telemetry circuitry (69), a power source (66) that powers the module, and possibly a microphone (63). Signals transmitted from a remote source are received through the antenna and telemetry circuitry, processed, and presented to the acoustic transducer, where they are converted to sound waves broadcast into the user's ear canal. The remote source may be a radio station, radio receiver, CD player, DVD player, tape player, audio system, telephone, TV receiver or station, or other source of audio signals intended to be heard privately by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation
    Inventors: Albert A. Maltan, Janusz A. Kuzma