US 12,329,518 B2
Auditory ability test device and method based on optical coherence tomography
Jeehyun Kim, Daegu (KR); Pilun Kim, Daegu (KR); and Mansik Jeon, Daegu (KR)
Assigned to KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, Daegu (KR)
Appl. No. 17/276,695
Filed by KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, Daegu (KR)
PCT Filed Dec. 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/KR2019/017659
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/159075, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 6, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2019-0010487 (KR), filed on Jan. 28, 2019; and application No. 10-2019-0038346 (KR), filed on Apr. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0022780 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/12 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/125 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0066 (2013.01); A61B 5/6817 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An auditory ability test device based on optical coherence tomography, the auditory ability test device comprising:
a main console comprising:
a light source,
a light classifier configured to classify light emitted from the light source into a reference light and a measurement light,
a coherence signal collector configured to perform conversion of a coherence signal into data, wherein the coherence signal is induced by coherence from reference reflected light and measurement reflected light corresponding to reflection of the reference light and reflection of the measurement light, respectively, and
a calculator configured to generate a 3-dimensional (3D) structure of a hearing organ and measure an auditory ability according to the data;
a reference end configured to receive the reference light through a first optical fiber connected to the light classifier and transmit the reference reflected light generated through a reflector to the main console; and
a measurement end configured to receive the measurement light at one end thereof through a second optical fiber connected to the light classifier, and generate a sound inside of the measurement end,
wherein the measurement end is configured to be inserted into the hearing organ through a speculum coupled to another end of the measurement end, to emit the sound and the measurement light, and to transmit the measurement reflected light reflected from the hearing organ to the main console, and
wherein the measurement end is configured to re-emit another sound of another frequency different from a uniform initial frequency of the sound to induce the hearing organ to vibrate, to re-emit another measurement light to the hearing organ, and to transmit another measurement reflected light reflected from the hearing organ vibrating at the another frequency to the main console, and
wherein the calculator is configured to measure the auditory ability for each frequency by comparing the measurement reflected light reflected from the vibration generated by the uniform initial frequency with the another measurement reflected light reflected from the vibration generated by the another sound of the another frequency.