Patents by Inventor Ki-Woong Seong

Ki-Woong Seong 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).

  • Publication number: 20220295200
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hearing aid in which a receiver is provided in a form implanted into the mastoid antrum. In the hearing aid, an output device is used while being disposed at a position separated from an input device, so that the hearing aid is less affected by feedback and does not have sound feedback even at a high output, and thus the hearing aid is applicable to people having moderate to severe hearing loss. Further, an implantation operation method for locating the output device in the mastoid antrum is simple and it is possible to obtain constant hearing aid performance regardless of the level of the implantation technology of the output device. Still further, a receiver using air as an output medium is implanted into the mastoid antrum, so that the implantable hearing aid has small resistance to the output medium and has high output efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Kyu-Yup LEE, Ki Woong SEONG
  • Patent number: 11064303
    Abstract: A hearing aid having a bellows vibration body is disclosed. The hearing aid comprises: an external unit having a microphone for converting an external voice into an electrical signal; an internal unit which can be implanted under the skin and is for communicating with the external unit; a bellows vibration body which can be connected to the auditory ossicles and comprises a non-magnetic body; and an audio transmission tube for transmitting an acoustic signal, which is output from the internal unit, to the bellows vibration body, wherein the bellows vibration body vibrates in accordance with the acoustic signal transmitted by means of the audio transmission tube and thus transmits the vibration to the auditory ossicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jin-ho Cho, Hyung Gyu Lim, Dong Ho Shin, Ki Woong Seong
  • Patent number: 10631111
    Abstract: Provided are a vibration transducer and an implantable hearing aid device. In one embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output a sound signal, a sound transmission tube configured for transmitting the sound signal to a round window of the subject, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the sound transmission tube to transmit vibration due to the sound signal to the round window. In other embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output an electrical signal, a vibration generation part configured for receiving the electrical signal to generate vibration, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the vibration generation part to transmit the vibration to a round window of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC CO
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Ki Woong Seong, Jyung Hyun Lee, Hyung Gyu Lim, Dong Ho Shin
  • Publication number: 20200021926
    Abstract: A hearing aid having a bellows vibration body is disclosed. The hearing aid comprises: an external unit having a microphone for converting an external voice into an electrical signal; an internal unit which can be implanted under the skin and is for communicating with the external unit; a bellows vibration body which can be connected to the auditory ossicles and comprises a non-magnetic body; and an audio transmission tube for transmitting an acoustic signal, which is output from the internal unit, to the bellows vibration body, wherein the bellows vibration body vibrates in accordance with the acoustic signal transmitted by means of the audio transmission tube and thus transmits the vibration to the auditory ossicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jin-ho CHO, Hyung Gyu LIM, Dong Ho SHIN, Ki Woong SEONG
  • Publication number: 20180324533
    Abstract: Provided are a vibration transducer and an implantable hearing aid device. In one embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output a sound signal, a sound transmission tube configured for transmitting the sound signal to a round window of the subject, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the sound transmission tube to transmit vibration due to the sound signal to the round window. In other embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output an electrical signal, a vibration generation part configured for receiving the electrical signal to generate vibration, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the vibration generation part to transmit the vibration to a round window of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Ki Woong Seong, Jyung Hyun Lee, Hyung Gyu Lim, Dong Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 10057696
    Abstract: Provided are a vibration transducer and an implantable hearing aid device. In one embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output a sound signal, a sound transmission tube configured for transmitting the sound signal to a round window of the subject, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the sound transmission tube to transmit vibration due to the sound signal to the round window. In other embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output an electrical signal, a vibration generation part configured for receiving the electrical signal to generate vibration, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the vibration generation part to transmit the vibration to a round window of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Ki Woong Seong, Jyung Hyun Lee, Hyung Gyu Lim, Dong Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 9584923
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a three-coil type round window driving vibrator, which includes a permanent magnet having the same magnetic poles adjoining each other and is designed to allow electric current flowing through coils to run in opposite directions in order to increase driving force without being affected by an external magnetic field. The round window driving vibrator includes a permanent magnet having three poles of SNS or NSN, a coil member wound around an outer periphery of the permanent magnet, and a vibration member connected to one end of the permanent magnet. Here, the coil member includes a first coil wound around a middle section of the permanent magnet and second and third coils wound around upper and lower sections of the permanent magnet, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Hyung-Gyu Lim, Ki-Woong Seong, Jyung-Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 9344818
    Abstract: A microphone for an implantable hearing aid includes a body part having a cylindrical housing installed to pass through a tympanum and a microphone controller installed within the cylindrical housing to convert an acoustic signal into an electrical signal, an acoustic collection part that provides a passage for transmitting external sounds into the body part, the acoustic collection part being disposed on one end of the body part in a direction of an external auditory meatus, and a wire connection part connecting the microphone controller to the hearing aid, the wire connection part being disposed on the other end of the body part in a direction of a middle ear cavity. The microphone is easily installed on the tympanum in a noninvasive manner, and attenuation in sensibility of the microphone is prevented. Thus, the microphone may be significantly utilized for the implantable hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Kyu-Yup Lee, Hyung Gyu Lim, Ki-Woong Seong, Jyung Hyun Lee, Seong Tak Woo
  • Publication number: 20150264494
    Abstract: Provided are a vibration transducer and an implantable hearing aid device. In one embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output a sound signal, a sound transmission tube configured for transmitting the sound signal to a round window of the subject, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the sound transmission tube to transmit vibration due to the sound signal to the round window. In other embodiment, the implantable hearing aid device includes a signal processing part implantable in a subject, the signal processing part processing a signal from a microphone to output an electrical signal, a vibration generation part configured for receiving the electrical signal to generate vibration, and a bellows member disposed at an end side of the vibration generation part to transmit the vibration to a round window of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Ki Woong Seong, Jyung Hyun Lee, Hyung Gyu Lim, Dong Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 8989394
    Abstract: Disclosed are an active delay method and an improved wireless binaural hearing device. The binaural hearing device includes: a first hearing device including a first microphone, an amplifier and a wireless transmitter; and a second hearing device including a second microphone, an amplifier, a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver which receives a signal from the wireless transmitter, an active delay circuit which synchronizes the received signal with a signal acquired by the second microphone, a neural network which synchronizes the delayed signal, and a speaker which converts the synchronized signal into a voice signal. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent incorrect detection of the position of the sound source or paralalia due to a time delay which is produced in the wireless binaural hearing device and reduce noises due to a time difference between both hearing devices, thereby providing a binaural hearing device with high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kyunpook National University Academic Industry Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Jin Ho Cho, Ki Woong Seong, Jyung Hyun Lee, Myoung Nam Kim, Sang Hyo Woo
  • Publication number: 20140314262
    Abstract: A microphone for an implantable hearing aid includes a body part having a cylindrical housing installed to pass through a tympanum and a microphone controller installed within the cylindrical housing to convert an acoustic signal into an electrical signal, an acoustic collection part that provides a passage for transmitting external sounds into the body part, the acoustic collection part being disposed on one end of the body part in a direction of an external auditory meatus, and a wire connection part connecting the microphone controller to the hearing aid, the wire connection part being disposed on the other end of the body part in a direction of a middle ear cavity. The microphone is easily installed on the tympanum in a noninvasive manner, and attenuation in sensibility of the microphone is prevented. Thus, the microphone may be significantly utilized for the implantable hearing aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Kyu-Yup Lee, Hyung Gyu Lim, Ki-Woong Seong, Jyung Hyun Lee, Seong Tak Woo
  • Publication number: 20120328111
    Abstract: Disclosed are an active delay method and an improved wireless binaural hearing device. The binaural hearing device includes: a first hearing device including a first microphone, an amplifier and a wireless transmitter; and a second hearing device including a second microphone, an amplifier, a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver which receives a signal from the wireless transmitter, an active delay circuit which synchronizes the received signal with a signal acquired by the second microphone, a neural network which synchronizes the delayed signal, and a speaker which converts the synchronized signal into a voice signal. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent incorrect detection of the position of the sound source or paralalia due to a time delay which is produced in the wireless binaural hearing device and reduce noises due to a time difference between both hearing devices, thereby providing a binaural hearing device with high quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Kyungpook National University Academic Industry Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: JIN HO CHO, KI WOONG SEONG, JYUNG HYUN LEE, MYOUNG NAM KIM, SANG HYO WOO
  • Publication number: 20120323066
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a three-coil type round window driving vibrator, which includes a permanent magnet having the same magnetic poles adjoining each other and is designed to allow electric current flowing through coils to run in opposite directions in order to increase driving force without being affected by an external magnetic field. The round window driving vibrator includes a permanent magnet having three poles of SNS or NSN, a coil member wound around an outer periphery of the permanent magnet, and a vibration member connected to one end of the permanent magnet. Here, the coil member includes a first coil wound around a middle section of the permanent magnet and second and third coils wound around upper and lower sections of the permanent magnet, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Jin-Ho CHO, Hyung-Gyu LIM, Ki-Woong SEONG, Jyung-Hyun LEE
  • Patent number: 8216123
    Abstract: An implantable middle ear hearing device having a tubular vibration transducer to drive a round window is designed to input sound to a round window opposite an oval window in an inner ear. The tubular vibration transducer has a unique structure that does not attenuate the magnitude of a signal, particularly, in a high frequency band. Sound delivery effect is much higher than those of conventional schemes. It is also possible to minimize difficulties associated with and problems resulting from the operation, which the conventional methods would have. Further, the transducer can have a relatively less compact than ossicle contact type transducers, and thus be easily fabricated. The hearing device can be applied to a sensorineural hearing loss patient with the ossicle damaged. Moreover, since sound is directly transmitted without through the ear drum and the ossicle, high efficiency sound delivery is achievable and hearing loss compensation are easy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kyungpook National University Industry Academic Corporation Foundation
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Il-Yong Park, Ki-Woong Seong
  • Publication number: 20090281367
    Abstract: A trans-tympanic membrane transducer and an implantable hearing aid system using the same. The trans-tympanic membrane transducer vibrates the tympanic membrane using a miniature magnetic member perpendicularly extending through a portion of the tympanic membrane and a coil implanted adjacent to the magnet to generate alternating magnetic field corresponding to sound signal, so as to remarkably improve sound qualities in high frequency bands, which are hardly achievable by a conventional air conduction hearing aid. This overcomes difficulty, inconvenience and risk associated with a conventional operation that implants a miniature magnet on the surface of the tympanic membrane or on an auditory organ such as the ossicle in the middle ear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Il-Yong Park, Sang-Heun Lee, Kyu-yup Lee, Myoung-Nam Kim, Ki-Woong Seong
  • Publication number: 20090023976
    Abstract: An implantable middle ear hearing device having a tubular vibration transducer to drive a round window is designed to input sound to a round window opposite an oval window in an inner ear. The tubular vibration transducer has a unique structure that does not attenuate the magnitude of a signal, particularly, in a high frequency band. Sound delivery effect is much higher than those of conventional schemes. It is also possible to minimize difficulties associated with and problems resulting from the operation, which the conventional methods would have. Further, the transducer can have a relatively less compact than ossicle contact type transducers, and thus be easily fabricated. The hearing device can be applied to a sensorineural hearing loss patient with the ossicle damaged. Moreover, since sound is directly transmitted without through the ear drum and the ossicle, high efficiency sound delivery is achievable and hearing loss compensation are easy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC CORPORATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jin-Ho Cho, Il-Yong Park, Ki-Woong Seong