Patent ID: 12196637

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

FIG.3shows an embodiment of an apparatus200in the form of a wireless communication device configured for use with the various aspects of the present invention. An exemplary wireless communication device200will be described in more detail with reference toFIG.3, which illustrates a schematic view of the communication device200. The communication device200is often referred to as user equipment (UE) or terminal, but it is understood these terms are merely exemplary and not limiting as to the nature, function, construction and/or capabilities of the communication device200. The communication device200in accordance with various aspects of the present invention may be any device capable of sending and receiving wireless signals. Non-limiting examples of the communication device200may include a mobile station (MS) or mobile device such as a mobile phone or what is known as a “smart phone”, a computer provided with a wireless interface card or other wireless interface facility (e.g., USB dongle), personal data assistant (PDA) or a tablet provided with wireless communication capabilities, or any combinations of these or the like. The communication device200may be for example a mobile device, that is, a device not fixed to a particular location, or it may be a stationary device. The communication device200may need human interaction for communication, or may not need human interaction for communication. The communication device200may provide, for example, communication of data for carrying communications such as voice, electronic mail (email), text message, multimedia and the like. Users may thus be offered and provided numerous services via their communication devices200. Non-limiting examples of these services comprise two-way or multi-way calls, data communication or multimedia services or simply an access to a data communications network system, such as the Internet. Users may also be provided broadcast or multicast data. Non-limiting examples of the content comprise downloads, television and radio programs, videos, advertisements, various alerts and other information.

The wireless communication device200may include at least one signal processor220that includes at least one central processing unit (CPU)222and at least one memory device224including computer program code configured to, with the at least one central processing unit222, cause the communication device200at least to carry out certain steps. The wireless communication device200may include a user input interface arrangement such as shown as a user input/output device240that is responsive to receiving a user input. Such a user input might be made by a finger or stylus touching a touch sensitive screen surface (touchscreen) of a display230. Thus, as shown in a step168inFIG.1B, the user input device240of the exemplary wireless communication device200ofFIG.3may receive and condition the sensed touch input and send a signal to the signal processor220that includes the above mentioned at least one CPU222and the at least one memory device224. The received touch input from the user in step168may be a selection of a pressure monitoring application displayed as an icon on the screen of the display230of the exemplary wireless communication device200. When the wireless communication device200is held in the hand or hands of the user, the screen of the display230is visible to the user and pressure monitoring application imagery may be presented via the pressure monitoring application so as to be viewable by the user. In response to the user input in step168ofFIG.1B, a pressure monitoring application launch signal may be generated by the signal processor220. If the pressure monitoring application is stored on the Read Only Memory (ROM)224, the pressure monitoring application launch signal may be used internally within the signal processor220to launch the pressure monitoring application. Or, it could be transmitted to a memory device238that may have the executable code for the pressure monitoring application stored in whole or in part therein. The launch of the pressure monitoring application causes the pressure monitoring application to be presented on the display230. In an embodiment, it may then prompt the user to input other information concerning the functionality and operation of the pressure monitoring application, for example the predetermined intervals of reading, monitoring, recording and/or communicating the ambient barometric pressure of the wireless communication device200.

In operation, as shown by a step169inFIG.1B, the wireless communication device200receives user input initiating pressure monitoring by the pressure monitoring application. For example, the user may be present in a situation, such as during a commercial aircraft flight, where monitoring of air pressure is desired. A step172may then be performed to determine the barometric pressure at the location of the wireless communication device200, for instance using the barometer250of the wireless communication device200. The barometer250may be responsive to signals originating from the pressure monitoring application, and configured to transmit the barometric pressure in the ambient environment of the wireless communication device200at predetermined intervals, for example every second, every minute or any other predetermined amount of time, to the pressure monitoring application for logging and/or display of the barometric pressures. The barometer250by itself or the barometer250in conjunction with the signal processor220is able to determine the predetermined interval for reading the barometric pressure and communicating such barometric pressure to the pressure monitoring application.

As shown in a step174, the pressure monitoring application is configured to display a plot of pressure readings taken at each of the predetermined intervals on the display230of the wireless communication device200. In step176, the pressure monitoring application is configured to continuously calculate the likelihood of barotrauma due to the barometric pressure readings provided from the barometer250and recorded by the pressure monitoring application. The pressure monitoring application is configured to determine whether the recorded pressure changes are rapid enough to cause the user discomfort and/or barotrauma or likely to lead to user discomfort and/or barotrauma. If a pressure change or expected pressure change based on a trend of one or more pressure changes is determined to be rapid enough to cause discomfort and/or barotrauma, the pressure monitoring application sends a notification in step178ofFIG.1Cfor the user to employ protective measures, such as inserting earplugs designed to reduce or eliminate discomfort and/or barotrauma associated with rapid barometric pressure changes. The notification can be in the form of a graphic or other image on the display230of the wireless communication device200and/or an audible notification or other visual indication such as a blinking light on the wireless communication device200. If the pressure changes are determined to not be rapid enough to cause discomfort and/or barotrauma, then the process returns to step172and continues to determine the barometric pressure at predetermined intervals, for example every second. Once step178has been initiated, the pressure monitoring application continues to determine the barometric pressure at predetermined intervals in a step180. The pressure monitoring application will continue to log barometric pressure readings, and in step182determine whether the pressure change over the predetermined intervals, either based on change between each interval or over a set number of intervals, are likely to cause discomfort and/or barotrauma. If the answer to step182is in the affirmative, then the pressure monitoring application may either continue to provide an indication for the user to employ protective measures as in step178or simply refrain from providing the user any further indications since the previous indication to employ protective measures still applies. This may be a user selected option, for example whether to continue to send indications or only send a single indication as to whether protective measures are needed. This could also be an indication in the form of color coding on a graph of the pressure monitoring application displayed on the display230, for example, providing a certain color such as red on the graph when protective measures should remain employed. If the pressure change is determined in step182to be unlikely to cause discomfort and/or barotrauma, then in step184the pressure monitoring application provides an indication to the user to discontinue the protective measures, for example by removing the previously inserted earplugs. In step186, if the user discontinues pressure monitoring, the pressure monitoring application ends and no longer requests the current barometric pressures from the barometer250of the wireless communication device200. In step186if the user does not discontinue pressure monitoring, the pressure monitoring application returns to step180and continues to determine the barometric pressure at predetermined intervals. In this manner, the pressure monitoring application will continue to either provide an indication to the user to employ protective measures in step178or discontinue protective measures in step184depending upon the variability of the barometric pressure recorded by the barometer250of the wireless communication device200. A nontransitory computer readable medium such as the ROM224or the mass storage device238may have a computer program stored thereon that is executable by the signal processor220for causing the wireless communication device200to carry out a method such as shownFIGS.1B and1Cby the pressure monitoring application. Thus the wireless communication device200may be understood as a product including at least one processor220and at least one memory224,223,238including an application that is executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device200at least to carry out a method such as shown inFIGS.1B and1C.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the protective measures may be earplugs designed to reduce or eliminate discomfort and/or barotrauma associated with rapid barometric pressure changes and/or variations. The earplugs may be those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,784, which has been incorporated by reference in its entirety, but for the purposes readability portions will be specifically discussed herein. An exemplary embodiment of an earplug configured for use with the present invention is illustrated inFIGS.10and11.FIG.9is a schematic illustration of the operation of the earplugs configured for use with the present invention under conditions comparable to those ofFIG.2, except for the use of the exemplary embodiment of the earplug according to the present invention. More specifically,FIG.9depicts the effect of a decrease in barometric pressure. The decrease may be significant and/or rapid enough to cause ear discomfort and/or barotrauma, for example as a result of a blockage of the Eustachian tube26or because the Eustachian tube26has not had sufficient time to open and equilibrate the pressure between the outside environment and middle ear28. InFIG.9, the outside environment has a lower barometric pressure, for example 29 inches of mercury or lower (14.243 psi or less; 982.05 mbar or less), than the pressure inside the middle ear28, which is still at the barometric pressure, for example 29.92 to 31 inches of mercury (14.695 to 15.225 psi; 1,013.25 to 1,049.78 mbar), before the decrease of barometric pressure. The pressure inside the middle ear is a result of the middle ear being pressurized and filled with air prior to the decrease in barometric pressure, and not being able to equilibrate to the current ambient pressure because the Eustachian tube26is blocked, schematically depicted at27, or fails to functional normally or rapid enough so that the air in the middle ear28cannot escape through the Eustachian tube26, or at least not at the desired rate sufficient to cause the desired depressurization of the middle ear28so as to equilibrate the pressure inside the middle ear28with the outside environment.

However, because of the installation of the earplug24, which is schematically depicted inFIG.9, the pressure in the volume between the ear drum20and the earplug24remains at the prior barometric pressure before the decrease in barometric pressure, and this prior barometric pressure is the same as the pressure in the middle ear28or at a sufficiently close pressure so as to not cause noticeable ear discomfort or barotrauma. The earplug24is adapted to slowly release air in the volume30to the outside environment through the external ear canal22, and as shown, airflow in direction A illustrated by the arrows occurs. Similarly, provided that there is only partial blockage of the Eustachian tubes, airflow through the blockage27travels in the direction depicted by arrow B, so that the pressure in the middle ear equilibrates with the current ambient barometric pressure as it exists in the outside environment.

Similarly,FIG.8is a schematic illustration of the operation of the earplug configured for use with the present invention under conditions comparable to those ofFIG.7, except for the use of the exemplary embodiment of the earplug according to the present invention. More specifically,FIG.8depicts the effect of an increase in barometric pressure. InFIG.8, the outside environment has a higher barometric pressure, for example 29.92 to 31 inches of mercury (14.695 to 15.225 psi; 1,013.25 to 1,049.78 mbar), than the pressure inside the middle ear28a, which is still at the barometric pressure, for example 29 inches of mercury or lower (14.243 psi or less; 982.05 mbar or less), before the increase in barometric pressure. The pressure inside the middle ear28ais a result of the middle ear28abeing pressurized and filled with air prior to the increase in barometric pressure, and not being able to equilibrate to the current ambient barometric pressure of the outside environment because the Eustachian tube26ais blocked, schematically depicted by blockage27a, so that the middle ear28acannot draw in air through the Eustachian tube26a, or at least not at the desired rate sufficient to cause the desired pressurization of the middle ear28a. However, because of the installation of the earplug24a, which is schematically depicted inFIG.8, the pressure in the volume30abetween the ear drum20aand the earplug24aremains at the prior barometric pressure before the increase in barometric pressure, and this prior barometric pressure is the same as the pressure in the middle ear28aor at a sufficiently close pressure so as to not cause noticeable ear discomfort or barotrauma. The earplug24ais adapted to slowly permit the inflow of air into the volume30athrough the external ear canal22aand as shown, airflow in direction C illustrated by the arrows occurs. Similarly, provided that there is only partial blockage of the Eustachian tube26a, airflow through the blockage27atravels in the direction depicted by arrow D, so that the pressure in the middle ear28aequilibrates with the current ambient pressure as it exists in the outside environment.

An exemplary embodiment of the earplug configured for use with the present invention is illustrated inFIGS.10and11.FIG.11shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the earplug10with each of the components identified. The earplug10has a body12shaped generally like a conventional sound attenuating ear plug body comprising a ribbed neck section13of the earplug10. The ribbed neck section13provides an air tight seal with the walls of the ear canal when the earplug10is in use. The seal is important to ensure that the pressure regulation is controlled by the pressure regulator14and is not affected by a poorly sealed ear plug. There is a bore15extending through the earplug10to permit airflow regulated by the pressure regulator14therethrough. The pressure regulator14, which is preferably made of porous metal or porous ceramic, and most preferably, porous ceramic material, permits air leakage therethrough, preferably in the range of 6.1×10−5to 1.4×10−3cc/sec.FIG.10shows a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the earplug10configured for use with the present invention with the plurality of ribs17providing a secure and leakage resistant means of retaining the earplug in the ear and preventing any air leakage except through the pressure regulator14.

The pressure regulator14may be made from a porous ceramic material, and the porous ceramic material may preferably be comprised of 73.9% by weight of Al2O3, 24.6% by weight of SiO2, 0.1% by weight of CaO, 0.1% by weight of MgO, 0.4% by weight of Fe2O3, 0.4% by weight of TiO2, 0.3% by weight of K2O and 0.2% by weight of Na2O. The porous ceramic material may also preferably be P-3-C CoorsTek material available from CoorsTek, Inc. of Golden, Colorado. The pressure regulator14may be made by combining the porous ceramic material with a bonding agent and forming the combination into a small right circular cylinder approximately 0.125 inches (3.18 mm) long with a diameter of 0.083 inches (2.1 mm). Once the cylinder is formed it is heated until the material fuses together and forms the solid pressure regulator14. The porosity of the ceramic is controlled by adjusting the particle size, bonding agent, and controlling the curing temperature or the heating profile. The pressure regulator14may then be forced into the bore15of the earplug10which has an inside diameter of 0.078 inches (1.98 mm). The interference fit provides an air-tight seal between the pressure regulator14ceramic and the bore15of the earplug10.

The body12of the earplug10may be made from any suitable material used for the manufacture and/or construction of earplugs. Preferably, the material used to construct the body12should be sufficiently air-tight so that air only passes through the pressure regulator14, and should also be sufficiently resilient so as to be capable of forming at least a substantially air-tight seal with a user's ear canal. Even more preferably, the material may be a soft molded silicone having a durometer of between about 60 to 64 on the OO scale. It is understood that the OO scale has a spherical radius of 1.20 mm, a diameter of 2.40 mm, an extension of 2.54 mm and a spring force of 113 gf (1.11N).

An exemplary method of using the earplug10for the elimination or reduction of discomfort and/or barotrauma associated with barometric pressure changes, will be discussed with reference toFIGS.4-6,10and11. The user of the earplugs10may be aware of impending conditions that may result in the onset discomfort and/or barotrauma, such as a change in barometric pressure, and the earplug10may be inserted into the user's ear canals to reduce the likelihood of experiencing such symptoms. For example, the user may utilize a pressure monitoring application according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention discussed above to receive and/or obtain data related to changes in barometric pressure, including indications as to when to insert or remove the earplugs10as discussed above.

Features of an exemplary pressure monitoring application according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are shown inFIGS.4-6. An exemplary screen for the initiation of the pressure monitoring application is shown inFIG.4, and can be used to begin monitoring and logging of the ambient barometric pressure by the pressure monitoring application. For example, the initiation of the pressure monitoring application shown inFIG.4may correspond with the beginning of a commercial aircraft flight, either at take-off or departure from the gate. The user may begin monitoring of the ambient barometric pressure by the pressure monitoring application by selecting the “Start” icon as shown on the exemplary screen inFIG.4.

As shown by the exemplary barometric charts inFIGS.5and6generated by the pressure monitoring application, the barometric pressure readings may be organized for presentation on the user device as a chart of the barometric pressure at predetermined intervals during the selected time frame. The chart may include an indication of when to insert the earplugs10or keep the earplugs10inserted, for example by displaying a graphic of an earplug within the screen of the pressure monitoring application as inFIG.5. Likewise, the pressure monitoring application may display an indication or remove an indication from the screen when the earplugs10are no longer required as a result of the ambient barometric pressure stabilizing or reaching other threshold criteria. As shown inFIG.6, the pressure monitoring application may be provided to display a summary of the monitored pressures over the entire duration of monitoring, for example for the entire flight. This information can be saved in the pressure monitoring application and retrieved for future use, for example if the user will be traveling along the same route or other similar travel itinerary.

An exemplary use of the pressure monitoring application will now be discussed with reference to exemplary barometric pressures and thresholds for initiating protective measures, such as earplugs having pressure regulators therein. The user of the pressure monitoring application initiates pressure monitoring (FIG.1B—step169) by the pressure monitoring application. In this example, the user has set the predetermined intervals for determining the ambient barometric pressure at the user's electronic device, e.g., “smart” phone, containing the pressure monitoring application at one second. Accordingly, at time T1the pressure monitoring application determines the ambient barometric pressure, for example by receiving a reading of the ambient barometric pressure from a barometer within and/or coupled to the electronic device. One predetermined interval later, in this example one second, at time T2the pressure monitoring application determines the ambient barometric pressure again (FIG.1B—step172). The pressure monitoring application is then configured to determine the pressure change over the predetermined interval by taking the absolute value of the ambient barometric pressure at time T1minus the ambient barometric pressure at time T2divided by the duration of the predetermined interval. For example, if the ambient barometric pressure at time T1was 1000 mbar, and the ambient barometric pressure at time T2was 995 mbar the pressure change would be 5 mbar/sec. The pressure monitoring application then compares this pressure change with a predetermined or preset threshold to determine whether the pressure monitoring application should provide an indication to the user to employ protective measures (FIG.1C—step178). The threshold may be correlated to the magnitude of pressure change either over the predetermined interval, another period of time or both that is likely to cause ear discomfort and/or barotrauma. For example, a pressure change of approximately 20 mbar may result in the Eustachian tube opening and causing a popping sensation for the user's ears. While this alone may not cause ear discomfort and/or barotrauma, this pressure change of 20 mbar may be sufficient to cause ear discomfort and/or barotrauma in the event the Eustachian tube is blocked and/or does not open as normal. Accordingly, in this example, the threshold may be set at 20 mbar/sec or at a lower rate of pressure change, such as 3 mbar/sec in order to allow the user some opportunity to initiate the protective measures prior to a total pressure change that may result in ear discomfort and/or barotrauma. In other words, the pressure monitoring application may be configured to identify an immediate pressure change likely to result in ear discomfort and/or barotrauma and to predict a cumulative pressure change likely to result in ear discomfort and/or barotrauma. For example, using the pressure change of 5 mbar/sec from the above example, would result in a predicted cumulative pressure change of 300 mbar/min if pressure change was constant. It is understood that any values for the measured ambient barometric pressure, threshold and/or pressure change are merely exemplary and the present invention is not limited to any particular values. Instead, the values are merely provided to facilitate a better understanding of the functionality and advantages of the present invention.

Unless the user has discontinued pressure monitoring by the pressure monitoring application (FIG.1C—step186), the pressure monitoring application will continue to determine the ambient barometric pressure at the predetermined intervals. For example, at time T3, which in the example above would be one second after T2and two seconds after T1, the pressure monitoring application may determine the barometric pressure to be 1001 mbar. As a result, the pressure change of T2relative to T3would be 6 mbar/sec, and if this pressure change is over the set threshold the indication to employ protective measures would be provided (FIG.1C—step178) or a previous indication would still apply. As evident from this example, the pressure change from T1to T3would be 1 mbar/sec, which may be lower than the set threshold of 3 mbar/sec, but by determining the pressure change for each predetermined interval the pressure monitoring application can also address ambient barometric pressure variability which may also cause ear discomfort and/or barotrauma. As an alternative, the pressure monitoring application may be configured to take the average of ambient barometric pressures over a number of predetermined intervals and compare this average to an ambient barometric pressure taken at a set time or an average of barometric pressures taken over other predetermined intervals, for example a rolling average. However, if the ambient barometric pressure taken at time T3was 994 mbar, the pressure change between T2and T3would be 1 mbar/sec, and potentially below the set threshold. Accordingly, the pressure monitoring application would be configured to provide an indication to the user to discontinue the protective measures (FIG.1C—step184). If the user has not discontinued pressure monitoring (FIG.1C—step186) by the pressure monitoring application, the pressure monitoring application will continue to determine the ambient barometric pressure at the next predetermined interval, which in the example provided would be time T4. If the threshold was 3 mbar/sec, an ambient barometric pressure taken at time T4(one second after time T3) of less than 991 mbar or greater than 997 mbar (when ambient barometric pressure at time T3is 994 mbar) would result in provision of an indication to the user to employ, or maintain, protective measures (FIG.1C—step178). However, if the ambient barometric pressure taken at time T4was between 991 and 997 mbar, resulting in a pressure change is less than 3 mbar/sec, the pressure monitoring application would be configured to provide an indication to the user to discontinue the protective measures (FIG.1C—step184).

In order to reduce the amount of times a user must employ and then discontinue the protective measures, the pressure monitoring application may be configured so as to require a certain number of consecutive pressure changes over a number of predetermined intervals to be below the threshold. For example, the pressure monitoring application may be configured to require ten consecutive pressure changes over ten predetermined intervals to be below the threshold before providing an indication to the user to discontinue the protective measures. In this manner, this may reduce the likelihood the user experiences ear discomfort and/or barotrauma as a result of inopportune and/or untimely employment or discontinuance of the protective measures. Another alternative, may be for the pressure monitoring application to compare pressure changes from non-sequential predetermined intervals so that the pressure change over a sufficiently large period of time is determined for whether to provide an indication to discontinue the protective measures.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of this invention, it is intended that all matter contained in this disclosure or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted, as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is to be understood that all of the present figures, and the accompanying narrative discussions of corresponding embodiments, do not purport to be completely rigorous treatments of the invention under consideration. It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.