Patent
Electromechanical stimulation system for treating tinnitus
| العنوان: | Electromechanical stimulation system for treating tinnitus |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 11778,396 |
| تاريخ النشر: | October 03, 2023 |
| Appl. No: | 16/641625 |
| Application Filed: | August 27, 2018 |
| مستخلص: | An electromechanical stimulation system for treating tinnitus comprising a proximal unit (10), configured to be placed proximate to a user's ear (1), and an input interface (50) configured to be operated by the user. The proximal unit comprises an electromechanical device (30) configured to transmit mechanical vibrations (35) with predetermined frequency (f), intensity (A) and waveform, to tissues proximate to the user's ear; a control unit (20), configured to actuate the electromechanical device in such a way that the frequency, the intensity and the waveform of the mechanical vibrations can be modified; a transceiver element (40) adapted to receive control signals (45) for the control unit. The input interface comprises a transmitter element (60) configured to transmit control signals (45) to the transceiver element; a microcontroller (70) configured to emit the control signals to generate the mechanical vibrations of the electromechanical device at a first frequency between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, and to cause a repetition of the vibrations for all the plurality of frequencies of this range; an input element (80) configured to receive from the user an instruction to start generating said vibrations at a stationary frequency corresponding to a current frequency, to stand by, to receive from the user an instruction to stop modifying the frequency of said vibrations, such that said user can notify to said microcontroller (70) a frequency value at which he/she perceives a significant decrease of tinnitus symptoms; to continue generating mechanical vibrations at this stationary frequency. |
| Inventors: | UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI SIENA (Siena, IT); AZIENDA OSPEDALIERA UNIVERSITARIA SENESE (Siena, IT) |
| Assignees: | UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI SIENA (Siena, IT), AZIENDA OSPEDALIERA UNIVERSITARIA SENESE (Siena, IT) |
| Claim: | 1. An electromechanical stimulation system for treating tinnitus comprising: a proximal unit configured to be placed on tissues of a user's skull which correspond to bones of the user's skull selected among the temporal bone; the occipital bone; the frontal bone, said proximal unit comprising: an electromechanical vibrator configured to transmit mechanical vibrations having predetermined frequency, intensity and waveform, to said tissues; an adhesive application device configured to maintain the electromechanical vibrator in contact with said tissues; a control unit configured to actuate said electromechanical vibrator in such a way that said frequency, said intensity and said waveform of said mechanical vibrations can be modified; and said proximal unit configured to receive control signals for said control unit; and an electronic device configured to be operated by said user and comprising: an electromagnetic transmitter configured to transmit control signals to said proximal unit; a microcontroller configured to emit said control signals towards said control unit for generating mechanical vibrations of said electromechanical vibrator at a first frequency set within a range between 20 Hz and 20 kHz and at an intensity lower than a predetermined intensity limit value, and for causing a repetition of said mechanical vibrations at a plurality of frequencies within said range; and an input interface configured to: receive from said user an instruction to start said repetition of said mechanical vibrations; stand by; receive from said user a frequency scanning stop-instruction to stop said repetition of said mechanical vibrations when a stationary frequency corresponding to a current frequency of said mechanical vibrations is achieved at which said user perceives a decrease of said tinnitus; notify to said microcontroller a frequency value corresponding to said stationary frequency; and continue generating said mechanical vibrations at said stationary frequency; wherein said microcontroller is configured to cause said repetition of said mechanical vibrations at an intensity lower than or equal to an audibility threshold, wherein said microcontroller is configured to change said mechanical vibrations emitted by said electromechanical vibrator within an intensity range between −20 dB HL and 20 dB HL, and wherein said microcontroller is configured to preliminarily cause said electromechanical vibrator to carry out said change of said mechanical vibrations by: emitting said mechanical vibrations at an intensity at most 10% higher than an audibility threshold, during an acclimation time after said instruction to start generating said mechanical vibrations; and reducing said intensity to a value lower than said audibility threshold after said acclimation time; wherein said microcontroller continues to deliver a multisensory stimulation to said user by way of said mechanical vibrations at said intensity value lower than said audibility threshold. |
| Claim: | 2. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to carry out a step of fine tuning of said frequency of said mechanical vibrations upon receiving said frequency scanning stop-instruction, said step of fine tuning comprising repeating said mechanical vibrations at frequencies about a frequency of one of said mechanical vibrations being generated when receiving said frequency scanning stop-instruction. |
| Claim: | 3. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to carry out an intensity adjustment of said mechanical vibrations upon receiving said frequency scanning stop-instruction at said stationary frequency. |
| Claim: | 4. The stimulation system according to claim 2 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to carry out an intensity adjustment of said mechanical vibrations at the end of said step of fine tuning of said frequency. |
| Claim: | 5. The stimulation system according to claim 3 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to carry out a step of fine tuning of said intensity of said mechanical vibrations after receiving said frequency scanning stop-instruction and after said intensity adjustment of said mechanical vibrations. |
| Claim: | 6. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to modify the intensity of said mechanical vibrations such that said user can modify said intensity if no decreases of said tinnitus symptoms at the end of said mechanical vibrations are perceived. |
| Claim: | 7. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said electromechanical vibrator is programmed for automatically transmitting mechanical vibrations at predetermined time intervals. |
| Claim: | 8. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said electromechanical vibrator is selected among a voice coil type actuator and a piezoelectric actuator. |
| Claim: | 9. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to carry out a step of adjusting the waveform of said mechanical vibrations. |
| Claim: | 10. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said adhesive application device further configured for removably receiving said electromechanical vibrator. |
| Claim: | 11. The stimulation system according to claim 10 , wherein said adhesive application device is configured for being adhesively applied to said tissues. |
| Claim: | 12. The stimulation system according to claim 1 , wherein said microcontroller is configured to carry out a step of fine tuning of said intensity of said mechanical vibrations after receiving said frequency scanning stop-instruction. |
| Patent References Cited: | 5325872 July 1994 Westermann 5788656 August 1998 Mino 6077215 June 2000 Leysieffer 6210321 April 2001 Di Mino et al. 20080064993 March 2008 Abolfathi 20130163797 June 2013 Suzman 20140064533 March 2014 Kasic, II 20140121450 May 2014 Kasic 20150164381 June 2015 Rush 20160250440 September 2016 Merz 20160366527 December 2016 Jones 3 184 046 June 2017 3184046 June 2017 2015/020753 February 2015 WO-2015020753 February 2015 |
| Other References: | Clark, John. (1981). Uses and abuses of hearing loss classification. ASHA. 23. 493-500. (Year: 1981). cited by examiner Henry, Paula & Letowski, Tomasz. (2007). Bone conduction: Anatomy, physiology, and communication. 192. (Year: 2007). cited by examiner Dobie R. A., “A review of randomized clinical trials in tinnitus,” The Laryngoscope, vol. 109, No. 8, pp. 1202-1211 (Sep. 1999). cited by applicant |
| Assistant Examiner: | Honrath, Marc D. |
| Primary Examiner: | Cox, Thaddeus B |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Maschoff Brennan |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.11778396 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |