US 11,778,392 B2
Ear-worn electronic device configured to compensate for hunched or stooped posture
Justin R. Burwinkel, Eden Prairie, MN (US); and Kevin Seitz-Paquette, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Assigned to Starkey Laboratories, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/603,822
Filed by Starkey Laboratories, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 27, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/057521
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 14, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/096671, PCT Pub. Date May 20, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/935,361, filed on Nov. 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0217474 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 25/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/107 (2006.01); A61B 5/11 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); G01B 21/22 (2006.01); G08B 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 25/407 (2013.01) [A61B 5/1071 (2013.01); A61B 5/1114 (2013.01); A61B 5/6817 (2013.01); A61B 5/7405 (2013.01); A61B 5/7455 (2013.01); G01B 21/22 (2013.01); H04R 25/405 (2013.01); H04R 25/505 (2013.01); H04R 25/603 (2019.05); H04R 25/604 (2013.01); H04R 25/609 (2019.05); A61B 2560/0257 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0219 (2013.01); G08B 7/00 (2013.01); H04R 2225/61 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ear-worn electronic hearing device configured for use in, on, or about an ear of a wearer, the device comprising:
a processor operatively coupled to memory;
a speaker or a receiver operatively coupled to the processor;
one or both of a microphone arrangement and a telecoil arrangement operatively coupled to the processor;
a sensor operatively coupled to the processor and configured to sense an angular position of the device relative to a horizontal plane oriented orthogonal to a direction of gravity, the angular position of the device substantially corresponding to an orientation of the wearer's head relative to the horizontal plane, a longitudinal plane orthogonal to the horizontal plane, and a frontal plane orthogonal to the horizontal plane and the longitudinal plane;
wherein the processor is configured to:
detect a change in the angular position of the device from a first angular position to a second angular position, the first angular position corresponding to a specified angular position that provides for a target or optimal level of device performance and the second angular position resulting in suboptimal device performance; and
implement a corrective action that improves performance of the device relative to the suboptimal device performance while operating the device at the second angular position.