Listening device with automatic mode change capabilities

• US 10,165,375 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Neumeyer, Frederick Charles, Knox, John Michael Page, Yancey, Gregory Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan D
• Application Number:
  US15/842,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20180109885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/43 Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture

Abstract

A hearing aid includes a casing configured to fit behind an ear of a user'"'"'s head and against a side of the user'"'"'s head. The hearing aid further includes a first proximity sensor associated with the casing and configured to generate a first signal that is proportional to a proximity of the casing to the ear and includes a processor coupled to the first proximity sensor and configured to select an operating mode from a plurality of operating modes in response to the first signal.

Claims

1. A device configured to be placed in an ear of a user, the device comprising:

a housing;

a speaker and at least one microphone carried by the housing;

a first sensor configured to produce a first signal indicative of a proximity to a user'"'"'s ear;

a second sensor configured to produce a second signal indicative of a positioning of a hand of the users a third sensor, distinct from the first sensor and the second sensor, and configured to produce a third signal indicative of one or more inputs associated with the device being worn on a side of a users'"'"' head; and

a processor coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor, wherein the processor is configured, in response to data received from one of the first sensor, the second sensor, or the third sensor, to change an operating mode or state of at least one component of the device from a first mode or state to a second mode or state.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one component of the device comprises the speaker.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one component of the device comprises a portion of circuitry.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the first mode or state is an on state and the second mode or state is an off state.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the first mode or state is an active mode and the second mode or state is a sleep mode.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the first mode or state is an in-ear mode, and wherein the second mode or state is an out-of-ear mode.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one component of the device comprises the at least one microphone.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the first mode or state is an on state and the second mode or state is a sleep state.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the first mode or state is sleep state and the second mode or state is an on state.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the first mode or state is an on state and the second mode or state is an off state.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein the first mode or state is an off state and the second mode or state is an on state.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the input sensed by the third sensor comprises input related to a phone of the user and wherein the first mode or state is a normal mode and the second mode or state is a phone mode.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the input relates to voice or sound.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the input relates to detecting the presence of a phone device in a proximity of the device.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein a detected signal from at least one of the first, second or third sensors causes a change in mode of operation of a phone device that is wirelessly coupled to the device.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the phone device is wirelessly coupled to the device via a Bluetooth connection allowing direct reception of an audio signal.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the phone is wirelessly coupled to the device via a transceiver-enabled connection allowing direct reception of an audio signal.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured, in response to data received from each of the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor, to change the operating mode or state of at least one component of the device from the first mode or state to the second mode or state.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the first mode or state is a re-charge mode.