EP0145160A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Anti-snoring device
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1984-10-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-10-10
Abstract
Abstract A compact self-contained electronic anti snoring device is adapted to be worn in the outer ear or attached thereto. It comprises a miniature microphone (10) for detecting snoring sounds and means (14) responsive to the detection of snoring sounds for generating an aversive audio signal. The aversive audio stimulus is emitted via a speaker (10) in the user's ear. Preferably, a combined microphone'speaker is used and the snoring sounds are detected via the auditory canal. Means (14,15,19) are also provided to vary the amplitude and duration of the audio stimulus with successive snores to obviate habituation. A counter (20) is also provided to record the number of snores during a sleeping period and provide an indication of the effectiveness of the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony Russell Dowling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:54
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F5/00; A61F5/56; H; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/94
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A compact self-contained electronic anti-snoring device adapted to be worn in or mounted to the outer ear of the user, said device comprising receiving means (10-13) adjacent to the ear for detecting snoring sounds of the user, signal generating means (14) connected to the output of said receiving means and responsive to detection of the snoring sounds for generating an aversive audio signal, and speaker means (10) connected to said signal generating means (14) and adapted to be worn in the outer ear of the user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A compact self-contained electronic anti-snoring device adapted to be worn in or mounted to the outer ear of the user, said device comprising receiving means (10-13) adjacent to the ear for detecting snoring sounds of the user, signal generating means (14) connected to the output of said receiving means and responsive to detection of the snoring sounds for generating an aversive audio signal, and speaker means (10) connected to said signal generating means (14) and adapted to be worn in the outer ear of the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 1. wherein said receiving means is adapted to fit in the ear and detect the snoring sound via vibrations in the head and the auditory canal of the ear.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the receiving means comprises a transducer (10) combining a microphone and said speaker means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving means comprises filter means (11), demodulator means (12) and a snore duration detector (13) connected in series, said snore duration detector providing an output signal to said signal generating means (14) only in response to snoring sounds exceeding a predetermined duration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal generating means (14) comprises sound control means (15) for varying the amplitude of said audio signal with successive detected snoring sounds.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said signal generating means comprises duration control means (14) for varying the duration of said audio signal with successive detected snoring sounds.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising random generating means (19) connected to said sound control means (15) and said duration control means (14) for generating controlling signals to vary randomly the manner in which the amplitude and duration of the audio signal vary with successive detected snoring sounds.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising timer means (16) connected to the output of said receiving means for measuring the time delay between detected snoring sounds, said timer means providing an output to reset said sound control means and said duration control means when the measured delay exceeds a preset value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means (20) for counting the number of snores detected, encoding means (21) for encoding said number, and playback means (22) for reproducing the encoded number in an audibly detectable form.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
An anti-snoring device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising cut-out means (24) for terminating the operation of the device when the number of snores detected within a predetermined period exceeds a preset number.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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