US 12,324,699 B2
Systems and methods for electronic stethoscope wireless auscultation
Subramaniam Venkatraman, Oakland, CA (US); Dan Freschl, Oakland, CA (US); Connor Landgraf, Oakland, CA (US); Michael Thompson, San Francisco, CA (US); and Niladri Bora, Grass Valley, CA (US)
Assigned to EKO HEALTH, INC., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed by Eko Health, Inc., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed on May 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/313,842.
Prior Publication US 2022/0354451 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 7/04 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); H04R 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 7/045 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0004 (2013.01); A61B 5/7264 (2013.01); A61B 5/7475 (2013.01); A61B 7/04 (2013.01); H04R 1/10 (2013.01); H04R 2420/07 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
operating an electronic stethoscope device in one of an internal digital mode and a wireless digital mode based on a detected user action, wherein:
operating the electronic stethoscope device in the internal digital mode comprises powering speakers electrically connected to the electronic stethoscope device; and
operating the electronic stethoscope device in the wireless digital mode comprises not powering the speakers electrically connected to the electronic stethoscope device, generating audio data, and wirelessly transmitting the generated audio data to at least one external device in real-time, the at least one external device configured to wirelessly capture or play the generated audio data in real-time via at least one listening device that is not physically or electronically connected to the electronic stethoscope device, wherein the detected user action is a mechanical configuration change of an output of the electronic stethoscope device, and wherein the mechanical configuration change of the output of the electronic stethoscope device is a mechanical and acoustic disconnection of earpieces of the electronic stethoscope device from a body of the electronic stethoscope device at the output;
operating in the internal digital mode, including powering the speakers electrically connected to the electronic stethoscope device and playing first audio data via the speakers electrically connected to the electronic stethoscope device;
in response to the mechanical and acoustic disconnection of the earpieces, automatically covering and sealing the output via a spring-loaded cap and switching from operating in the internal digital mode to operating the electronic stethoscope device in the wireless digital mode, wherein switching from operating the electronic stethoscope device in the internal digital mode to operating the electronic stethoscope device in the wireless digital mode comprises powering off the speakers electrically connected to the electronic stethoscope device in response to the mechanical and acoustic disconnection of the earpieces, generating the audio data via a microphone of the electronic stethoscope device, and initiating the wirelessly transmitting of the generated audio data to the at least one external device in real-time; and
playing the generated audio data at the at least one listening device that is not physically or electronically connected to the electronic stethoscope device.