Fragmented Wideband Tympanometry Without Air Pump Hardware

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Wideband tympanometry techniques are restricted by the need for tympanometry specific components like air pumps and pump regulators, which are expensive and impractical for consumer-grade audio devices, limiting their widespread use for hearing impairment evaluation.

Innovation Solution

Fragmented wideband tympanometry techniques generate tympanometry curves based on consistent pressure measurements during fragments of an evaluation time period, using audio devices without tympanometry specific components, and correlate these with historical data to assess hearing impairment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If wideband tympanometry techniques are implemented using traditional components (air pumps, pump regulators), then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetympanometry measurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the complex tympanometry-specific components (air pumps, pump regulators) from the audio device, retaining only the essential audio playback and recording capabilities. This allows the device to perform fragmented wideband tympanometry using simplified architecture, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables consumer-grade audio devices to perform multiple functions: standard audio playback/recording and fragmented wideband tympanometry. By making the audio device universal, it eliminates the need for dedicated tympanometry components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If tympanometry-specific components are included in audio devices, then hearing impairment evaluation capability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehearing impairment evaluation capabilityVSAvoidease of manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the hearing impairment evaluation capability from specialized medical equipment and implements it using only standard audio device components. This extraction approach maintains the evaluation capability while dramatically improving ease of manufacture by eliminating the need for specialized tympanometry components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the existing audio playback and recording pathways in consumer devices to copy and perform tympanometry measurements. By leveraging the already-manufactured audio components for a new medical application, it maintains evaluation capability while simplifying the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If fragmented evaluation time periods are used, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevaluation speedVSAvoidtympanometry curve accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the tympanometry evaluation into multiple fragmented time periods, each capturing absorbance data at different pressure points. By processing these segments collectively, the system achieves both rapid evaluation (improved productivity) and maintains curve accuracy (preserved measurement precision) through computational integration of the fragmented data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs multiple partial measurements across different time fragments rather than requiring a single continuous measurement. This partial action approach allows faster data collection while achieving complete tympanometry curves through aggregation, balancing productivity and precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables the evaluation of hearing impairment across a variety of audio devices, including consumer-grade true wireless stereos, without the need for costly tympanometry specific components, thereby expanding accessibility to hearing tests.

Implementation Method 1

audio data indicative of a sound absorbance associated with a middle ear (ME) system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound absorbance: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS12543975B2Universal fragmented wideband tympanometry

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 STMICROELECTRONICS INT NV

AI summary

Various embodiments of the present disclosure disclose various tympanometry techniques. A tympanometry curve is generated for a user based at least in part on audio data indicative of a sound absorbance associated with a middle ear (ME) system over a fragment of an evaluation time period. A curve-pressure pair including the tympanometry curve and a correlating pressure measurement is generated and utilized to identify historical data indicative of a plurality of historical curve-pressure pairs with similar pressure measurements to the correlating pressure measurement. A performance metric is generated for the ME system of the user based at least in part on a comparison between the tympanometry curve and the historical data.