Circuit and a receiver comprising the circuit

• US 10,477,308 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonion Nederland BV
• Original Assignee: Sonion Nederland BV
• Inventors: van Halteren, Aart Zeger
• Primary Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad K
• Application Number:
  US15/858,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 11/02 Loudspeakers
• 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 2225/59 Arrangements for selective connection between one or more amplifiers and one or more receivers within one hearing aid
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/03 Connection circuits to selectively connect loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 7/02 characterised by the construction

Abstract

A circuit and a receiver comprising the circuit, the circuit is able to either feed a received signal directly to the receiver coil or amplify the signal before transmission to the coil. The circuit receives a supply power and amplifies the input signal if the supply power exceeds a threshold value.

Claims

1. A method of operating a sound generator, the method comprising the steps of:

A) receiving an audio signal,

B) receiving a supply voltage,

C) if the supply voltage does not exceed a threshold voltage, feeding the received audio signal to the sound generator, the received audio signal having a first signal strength,

D) if the supply voltage exceeds the threshold voltage;

a) feeding the supplied voltage to an amplifier,

b) feeding the audio signal to the amplifier, and

c) causing the amplified audio signal to be fed to the sound generator, the amplified audio signal having a second signal strength exceeding the first signal strength,

where step A) comprises receiving the audio signal on a first and a second input terminal of a circuit also including;

a first and a second output terminal, the first and second output terminals connected to the sound generator, and

a first and a second switch,

where step B) comprises receiving the supply voltage from a power supply,

where step C) comprises;

the first switch connecting the first input terminal to the first output terminal, and

the second switch connecting the second input terminal to the second output terminal, and

where step D) comprises;

the first switch connecting the first input terminal to an input of a first amplifier or an output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal, and

the second switch connecting the second input terminal to an input of a second amplifier or an output of the second amplifier to the second output terminal.

2. An assembly of a sound generator and a circuit, the sound generator comprising a coil having a first and a second coil terminal,

the circuit comprising:

a first and a second input terminal,

a first and a second output terminal, the first output terminal connected to the first coil terminal and the second output terminal connected to the second coil terminal,

a first and a second switch,

the first switch being configured to either make a first connection or a second connection,

the first connection connecting the first input terminal to an input of a first amplifier or to an output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal and

the second connection connecting the first input terminal to the first output terminal, and

the second switch being adapted to either make a third connection or a fourth connection;

the third connection connecting the second input terminal to an input of a second amplifier or to an output of the second amplifier to the second output terminal, when the first switch either connects the first input terminal to the input of the first amplifier or the output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal, and

the fourth connection connecting the second input terminal to the second output terminal, when the first switch connects the first input terminal to the first output terminal.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the circuit further comprises a third and a fourth switch, wherein:

the first and third switches are configured to either make a fifth connection or a sixth connection,

the fifth connection connecting the first input terminal to the input of the first amplifier and the output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal and

the sixth connection connecting the first input terminal to the first output terminal, and

the second and fourth switches are adapted to either make a seventh connection or an eighth connection;

the seventh connection connecting the second input terminal to the input of the second amplifier and the output of the second amplifier to the second output terminal, when the first and third switches connect the first input terminal to the input of the first amplifier and the output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal, and

the eighth connection connecting the second input terminal to the second output terminal, when the first and third switches connect the first input terminal to the first output terminal.

4. An assembly according to claim 2, further comprising:

a voltage input terminal connected to voltage supplies of the first and second amplifiers,

a controller connected to the voltage input terminal, the controller being configured to control the switches.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to, when the voltage supplied to the voltage input terminal is below a predetermined voltage:

control the first switch to connect the first input terminal to the first output terminal and

control the second switch to connect the second input terminal to the second output terminal.

6. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to, when the voltage supplied to the voltage input terminal is above a predetermined voltage:

control the first switch to connect the first input terminal to the input of the first amplifier and the output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal,

control the second switch to connect the second input terminal to the input of the second amplifier and the output of the second amplifier to the second output terminal.

7. An assembly according to claim 2, further comprising:

a housing defining an inner space,

a diaphragm dividing the inner space into at least two chambers,

a magnet assembly defining a magnet gap,

an armature comprising a portion extending through the magnet gap and a coil tunnel of the coil, the armature being connected to the diaphragm.

8. A circuit for use in the assembly according to claim 2, the circuit comprising:

a voltage input terminal connected to voltage supplies of the first and second amplifiers, and

a controller connected to the voltage input terminal, the controller being configured to control the switches.

9. A circuit according to claim 8, further comprising a third and a fourth switch, wherein:

the first and third switches are configured to either make a fifth connection or a sixth connection,

the fifth connection connecting the first input terminal to the input of the first amplifier and the output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal and

the sixth connection connecting the first input terminal to the first output terminal, and

the second and fourth switches are adapted to either make a seventh connection or an eight connection;

the seventh connection connecting the second input terminal to the input of the second amplifier and the output of the second amplifier to the second output terminal, when the first and third switches connect the first input terminal to the input of the first amplifier and the output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal and

the eight connection connecting the second input terminal to the second output terminal, when the first and third switches connect the first input terminal to the first output terminal.

10. A circuit according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to, when the voltage supplied to the voltage input terminal is below a predetermined voltage:

control the first switch to connect the first input terminal to the first output terminal and

control the second switch to connect the second input terminal to the second output terminal.

11. A circuit according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to, when the voltage supplied to the voltage input terminal is above a predetermined voltage:

control the first switch to connect the first input terminal to the input of the first amplifier and the output of the first amplifier to the first output terminal,

control the second switch to connect the second input terminal to the input of the second amplifier and the output of the second amplifier to the second output terminal.