Patents by Inventor Anna Barnacka

Anna Barnacka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12551163
    Abstract: A system and method for noninvasive sleep monitoring are disclosed. The system includes an in-ear biosensor system (“biosensor system”) and a data analysis system. The biosensor system includes at least one earbud placed at or within an ear canal of an individual. The earbud includes an acoustic sensor that detects biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals from the individual in the ear canal. A controller board of the biosensor system collects and forwards the biosignals to the data analysis system. The data analysis system analyzes the biosignals to identify and monitor physiological information of the individual during sleep. The physiological information includes sleep stages, sleeping position information, sleep events including snore, breathing cessation and bruxism events, and sleep disorders, in examples. The system can also induce changes to the physiological information during sleep using external stimuli to improve a quality of sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: MindMics, Inc.
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Karlen Shahinyan
  • Publication number: 20260013739
    Abstract: A system and method for leak correction and normalization of in-ear pressure measurement for hemodynamic monitoring are disclosed. The system includes an acoustical assembly and a data analysis system. The acoustical assembly includes an earbud system that forms an earbud seal with an ear canal of an individual, where the earbud system includes an earbud with an in-ear acoustic sensor that detects acoustic signals in the ear canal. The acoustic signals include audible signals and infrasonic signals. The data analysis system receives the acoustic signals from the earbud system, identifies hemodynamic pressure signals from a body of the individual included within the infrasonic signals, and identifies signal characteristics of the pressure signals over time. The data analysis system can then correct the hemodynamic pressure signals for effects caused by leaks in the earbud seal based upon changes to the signal characteristics over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2025
    Publication date: January 15, 2026
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Panchal, Martin D. Ring, Pratistha Shakya
  • Patent number: 12440112
    Abstract: A system and method for leak correction and normalization of in-ear pressure measurement for hemodynamic monitoring are disclosed. The system includes an acoustical assembly and a data analysis system. The acoustical assembly includes an earbud system that forms an earbud seal with an ear canal of an individual, where the earbud system includes an earbud with an in-ear acoustic sensor that detects acoustic signals in the ear canal. The acoustic signals include audible signals and infrasonic signals. The data analysis system receives the acoustic signals from the earbud system, identifies hemodynamic pressure signals from a body of the individual included within the infrasonic signals, and identifies signal characteristics of the pressure signals over time. The data analysis system can then correct the hemodynamic pressure signals for effects caused by leaks in the earbud seal based upon changes to the signal characteristics over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2025
    Assignee: MINDMICS, INC
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Panchal, Martin D. Ring, Pratistha Shakya
  • Publication number: 20250195024
    Abstract: A system and method for heart rhythm detection and reporting are disclosed. This cardiology system includes a biosensor system and a data analysis system. The biosensor system is worn by an individual and includes sensors that detect biosignals including infrasonic signals from the individual. The data analysis system receives the biosignals from the biosensor system, and determines heart rhythms of the individual based upon the biosignals. The system identifies at least some of biosignals as being associated with cardiovascular activity, such as pulse wave signals. Preferably, the biosensor system is an in-ear biosensor system that detects the biosignals via left and right earbuds placed within or at ear canals of the individual. The system can also identify arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (Afib) arrhythmias from the heart rhythms, report information to health care and safety professionals and update medical records of the individuals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2024
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Charles R. Bridges, Karlen Shahinyan
  • Patent number: 12302056
    Abstract: A vibroacoustic earbud (“earbud”) is proposed that includes a housing and an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The housing includes a nozzle with a nozzle tip that is configured for positioning within an ear canal of an individual. The sensor is included within the nozzle and detects biosignals including infrasonic signals from a body of the individual in the ear canal. The nozzle tip engages with a wall of the ear canal to provide an earbud seal, the result of which forms an ear canal acoustic volume that amplifies the biosignals. The earbud is tuned/designed to minimize loss of amplitude of the biosignals detected by the sensor in the ear canal acoustic volume when an unintentional leak occurs in the earbud seal that possibly reduces acoustic pressure in the ear canal acoustic volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Martin D Ring, John V Cunsolo
  • Publication number: 20240348964
    Abstract: An earbud for detecting biosignals from and presenting audio signals at an inner ear canal and method therefor are disclosed. The earbud includes a nozzle and a housing including a body. The nozzle extends from the housing body and has a proximal end arranged for positioning within an inner ear canal of an individual. An earbud tip of the earbud attaches to the proximal end of the nozzle and is adapted to engage the inner ear canal. The earbud includes a speaker and various sensors including an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The infrasonic/vibration sensor detects the biosignals including infrasonic signals from the body of the individual in the canal, and the speaker transmits sound from an audio source into the canal via the nozzle. The earbud preferably seals the inner ear canal to block external sound while also decreasing an acoustic volume of the canal that amplifies the biosignals prior to detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Panchal, Martin D. Ring, Thomas Devlin
  • Publication number: 20240292142
    Abstract: A vibroacoustic earbud (“earbud”) is proposed that includes a housing and an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The housing includes a nozzle with a nozzle tip that is configured for positioning within an ear canal of an individual. The sensor is included within the nozzle and detects biosignals including infrasonic signals from a body of the individual in the ear canal. The nozzle tip engages with a wall of the ear canal to provide an earbud seal, the result of which forms an ear canal acoustic volume that amplifies the biosignals. The earbud is tuned/designed to minimize loss of amplitude of the biosignals detected by the sensor in the ear canal acoustic volume when an unintentional leak occurs in the earbud seal that possibly reduces acoustic pressure in the ear canal acoustic volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2024
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Martin D Ring, John V Cunsolo
  • Patent number: 12047726
    Abstract: An earbud for detecting biosignals from and presenting audio signals at an inner ear canal and method therefor are disclosed. The earbud includes a nozzle and a housing including a body. The nozzle extends from the housing body and has a proximal end arranged for positioning within an inner ear canal of an individual. An earbud tip of the earbud attaches to the proximal end of the nozzle and is adapted to engage the inner ear canal. The earbud includes a speaker and various sensors including an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The infrasonic/vibration sensor detects the biosignals including infrasonic signals from the body of the individual in the canal, and the speaker transmits sound from an audio source into the canal via the nozzle. The earbud preferably seals the inner ear canal to block external sound while also decreasing an acoustic volume of the canal that amplifies the biosignals prior to detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: MindMics, Inc.
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Mahendra Panchal, Martin D Ring, Thomas Devlin
  • Patent number: 12003914
    Abstract: A vibroacoustic earbud (“earbud”) is proposed that includes a housing and an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The housing includes a nozzle with a nozzle tip that is configured for positioning within an ear canal of an individual. The sensor is included within the nozzle and detects biosignals including infrasonic signals from a body of the individual in the ear canal. The nozzle tip engages with a wall of the ear canal to provide an earbud seal, the result of which forms an ear canal acoustic volume that amplifies the biosignals. The earbud is tuned/designed to minimize loss of amplitude of the biosignals detected by the sensor in the ear canal acoustic volume when an unintentional leak occurs in the earbud seal that possibly reduces acoustic pressure in the ear canal acoustic volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Martin D Ring, John V Cunsolo
  • Patent number: 11992360
    Abstract: A system and method for heart rhythm detection and reporting are disclosed. This cardiology system includes a biosensor system and a data analysis system. The biosensor system is worn by an individual and includes sensors that detect biosignals including infrasonic signals from the individual. The data analysis system receives the biosignals from the biosensor system, and determines heart rhythms of the individual based upon the biosignals. The system identifies at least some of biosignals as being associated with cardiovascular activity, such as pulse wave signals. Preferably, the biosensor system is an in-ear biosensor system that detects the biosignals via left and right earbuds placed within or at ear canals of the individual. The system can also identify arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (Afib) arrhythmias from the heart rhythms, report information to health care and safety professionals and update medical records of the individuals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Charles R Bridges, Karlen Shahinyan
  • Publication number: 20240065605
    Abstract: A system and method for cardiovascular monitoring and reporting are disclosed. The system (CV monitoring system) includes a data analysis system and an in-ear biosensor system that preferably includes left and right earbuds. The earbuds include infrasound/vibration sensors that detect biosignals from the individual including signals associated with cardiovascular activity (CV signals). The analysis system calculates cardiovascular function measurements (CV function measurements) based upon the CV signals. The CV monitoring system uses machine learning to predict blood pressure (BP) measurements of the individual based upon the CV signals and the calculated CV function measurements. In an embodiment, the CV monitoring system includes an EKG detection system that detects EKG signals associated with heart function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Charles R. Bridges, Siddharth Patel
  • Publication number: 20230404518
    Abstract: An earbud based auscultation system and method therefor are disclosed. The system includes a signal detector and a network interface. The signal detector includes a body that accepts an earbud, and a base of the body is positioned against a body of a patient and receives biosignals from the patient. The earbud includes sensors that detect the biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals via the base and sends the biosignals to the network interface, which forwards the biosignals to a remote device such as a server. An analysis system can access the biosignals at the remote device to identify and characterize physiological processes of the patient based on the biosignals. In embodiments, a second earbud is placed in the ear canal of the patient or coupled to a second signal detector placed against the patient's body. In one example, the network interface is a wireless interface of an earbud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Mahendra Panchal, Robert Ciesielski
  • Patent number: 11844618
    Abstract: A system and method for cardiovascular monitoring and reporting are disclosed. The system (CV monitoring system) includes a data analysis system and an in-ear biosensor system that preferably includes left and right earbuds. The earbuds include infrasound/vibration sensors that detect biosignals from the individual including signals associated with cardiovascular activity (CV signals). The analysis system calculates cardiovascular function measurements (CV function measurements) based upon the CV signals. The CV monitoring system uses machine learning to predict blood pressure (BP) measurements of the individual based upon the CV signals and the calculated CV function measurements. In an embodiment, the CV monitoring system includes an EKG detection system that detects EKG signals associated with heart function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Charles R Bridges, Siddharth Patel
  • Publication number: 20230107691
    Abstract: A closed loop system using in-ear infrasonic hemodynography and method therefor are disclosed. The system includes an in-ear biosensor system that detects biosignals including infrasonic signals of an individual, and sends the biosignals to an analysis system that identifies physiological data from the biosignals that is associated with the autonomic nervous system of the individual. External sensors can detect other physiological data of the individual during environmental conditions and under different stimuli, and send the other data and the context under which it was detected to the analysis system. The analysis system can train a machine learning model with the identified physiological data in conjunction with the other physiological data, execute actions in response to new information to adjust the autonomic nervous system of the individual, optimize their performance on tasks, and train the individual to adjust their autonomic nervous system in response to new stimuli.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Mahendra Panchal
  • Publication number: 20230064524
    Abstract: A synchronous clinical data collection, analysis and reporting system and method therefor are disclosed. The system collects and analyzes data from a patient, obtained via one or more medical devices. The medical devices include reference clinical devices installed at a medical setting that monitor vital signs and obtain signal data of the patient, and include one or more devices under test (DUT)s that obtain device-specific signal data. A clinical data recorder is configured to use signal data from one of the clinical devices as a reference signal to synchronize the signal data from each clinical device into clinical datasets. The reference signal is also used by the DUTs to synchronize the signal data from each of the DUTs into DUT datasets. Operators of the DUTs and an administrator of the system can access anonymized versions of the clinical datasets and/or the DUT datasets both during and after a medical session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Mahendra Panchal
  • Publication number: 20220408175
    Abstract: A vibroacoustic earbud (“earbud”) is proposed that includes a housing and an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The housing includes a nozzle with a nozzle tip that is configured for positioning within an ear canal of an individual. The sensor is included within the nozzle and detects biosignals including infrasonic signals from a body of the individual in the ear canal. The nozzle tip engages with a wall of the ear canal to provide an earbud seal, the result of which forms an ear canal acoustic volume that amplifies the biosignals. The earbud is tuned/designed to minimize loss of amplitude of the biosignals detected by the sensor in the ear canal acoustic volume when an unintentional leak occurs in the earbud seal that possibly reduces acoustic pressure in the ear canal acoustic volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Martin D Ring, John V Cunsolo
  • Publication number: 20220240796
    Abstract: A system (CV stenosis system) and method for noninvasive cardiac stenosis monitoring, diagnosis, analysis and reporting are disclosed. The CV stenosis system includes an in-ear biosensor system and a data analysis system. The in-ear biosensor system includes at least one earbud placed at or within an ear canal of an individual, where the at least one earbud includes one or more acoustic/vibration sensors that operate in both infrasonic and audible frequency ranges and detect biosignals from the individual. The data analysis system receives the biosignals from the biosensor system, separates the biosignals into components including infrasonic cardiac signals, and determines a type and level/severity of cardiovascular stenosis of the individual based upon the biosignals. In embodiments, the CV stenosis system can detect aortic stenosis and determine its severity, and detect stenoses of the left and right carotid arteries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Karlen Shahinyan
  • Publication number: 20220218273
    Abstract: A system and method for noninvasive sleep monitoring are disclosed. The system includes an in-ear biosensor system (“biosensor system”) and a data analysis system. The biosensor system includes at least one earbud placed at or within an ear canal of an individual. The earbud includes an acoustic sensor that detects biosignals including infrasonic and audible signals from the individual in the ear canal. A controller board of the biosensor system collects and forwards the biosignals to the data analysis system. The data analysis system analyzes the biosignals to identify and monitor physiological information of the individual during sleep. The physiological information includes sleep stages, sleeping position information, sleep events including snore, breathing cessation and bruxism events, and sleep disorders, in examples. The system can also induce changes to the physiological information during sleep using external stimuli to improve a quality of sleep.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Karlen Shahinyan
  • Publication number: 20220174393
    Abstract: An earbud for detecting biosignals from and presenting audio signals at an inner ear canal and method therefor are disclosed. The earbud includes a nozzle and a housing including a body. The nozzle extends from the housing body and has a proximal end arranged for positioning within an inner ear canal of an individual. An earbud tip of the earbud attaches to the proximal end of the nozzle and is adapted to engage the inner ear canal. The earbud includes a speaker and various sensors including an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The infrasonic/vibration sensor detects the biosignals including infrasonic signals from the body of the individual in the canal, and the speaker transmits sound from an audio source into the canal via the nozzle. The earbud preferably seals the inner ear canal to block external sound while also decreasing an acoustic volume of the canal that amplifies the biosignals prior to detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Mahendra Panchal, Martin D. Ring, Thomas Devlin
  • Patent number: 11234069
    Abstract: An earbud for detecting biosignals from and presenting audio signals at an inner ear canal and method therefor are disclosed. The earbud includes a nozzle and a housing including a body. The nozzle extends from the housing body and has a proximal end arranged for positioning within an inner ear canal of an individual. An earbud tip of the earbud attaches to the proximal end of the nozzle and is adapted to engage the inner ear canal. The earbud includes a speaker and various sensors including an infrasonic/vibration sensor. The infrasonic/vibration sensor detects the biosignals including infrasonic signals from the body of the individual in the canal, and the speaker transmits sound from an audio source into the canal via the nozzle. The earbud preferably seals the inner ear canal to block external sound while also decreasing an acoustic volume of the canal that amplifies the biosignals prior to detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: MindMics, Inc.
    Inventors: Anna Barnacka, Jal Mahendra Panchal, Martin D Ring, Thomas Devlin