American electronics manufacturer Bose is well-known for its audio technology and sound systems for both personal and commercial settings. Despite having thirty (30) patents in consumer sleep technology, the company’s only targeted sleep product until this year was the short-lived noise-masking Sleepbuds earphones, which were discontinued after less than two years on the market due to battery issues. Now, Bose has released the Sleepbuds II, which play low-frequency tracks specifically designed to drown out ambient noise. The earphones were used in a recent study where 80% of 55 users reported an overall improvement in quality of sleep.

Interestingly, Bose’s most recently published consumer sleep patent application (filed in May of 2020) also teaches earphones for better sleep. The claimed device includes a built-in microphone and adjusts audio output based on detected respiration to better match the user’s breathing rhythm as well as transition from “masking sounds” to “awakening sounds” at the appropriate time. Bose has not claimed a respiratory detection feature in the Sleepbuds II product release; however, the patent may indicate plans for further development and future updates. While Samsung also has patents for earphones that adjust sound based on user respiration, Bose is the first company in the consumer sleep sector to combine this technology with audio tracks specifically designed for sleep. You can view more patents on soundscape devices for sleep on the Magic Number® Patent Radian®.