Hearing aid for people having asymmetric hearing loss
First Claim
1. A hearing aid apparatus for use with a patient having a first ear and a first body side on which the first ear is disposed, and a second ear and a second body side on which the second ear is disposed, wherein the first has a hearing loss sufficiently profound that a normal approximately symmetric hearing condition is incapable of being substantially restored with an amplification adjusted hearing aid, the hearing aid apparatus being configured for enabling the patient to hear sounds that original from a plurality of directions, the hearing aid apparatus comprising:
- a first hearing aid member placeable on a patient'"'"'s body on the same side of the patient'"'"'s body as the first ear, the first hearing aid member including a first transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the patient'"'"'s first ear and converting those received sounds into first transmittable electrical signals,a second hearing aid member placeable on the patient'"'"'s second body side, the second hearing aid member including a second transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the patient'"'"'s second ear, and converting the received sounds into second electrical signals, a receiver for receiving the first transmittable electrical signals, and a first signal processor for processing the second electrical signals and first transmittable electrical signals into signals configured for being received by the patient'"'"'s second ear for facilitating the hearing of sounds that would be received by both of the patient'"'"'s first and second ears, wherein the only hearable sound signals received by the patient'"'"'s ear are generated through the second hearing aid member, and further comprising a signal alteration processor for altering one of the first transmittable electrical signal and second electrical signal so that the patient can hear differences between sounds received by the first hearing aid member and sounds received by the second hearing aid member to permit the patient to distinguish between sounds received by the first hearing aid member and sounds received by the second hearing aid member to aid the patient, in achieving a sense of the direction of origin of the sounds being output into the second ear.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The hearing aid apparatus includes a first hearing aid member and a second hearing aid member. The first hearing aid member is placeable on a patient'"'"'s body, and includes a first transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the patient'"'"'s first ear and converting these received sounds into first transmittable signals. The second hearing aid is placeable on a patient'"'"'s body adjacent to the patient'"'"'s second ear, and includes a receiver for receiving the first transmittable electrical signals and a second transducer for converting the first transmittable electrical signals into sound signals configured for delivery to the patient'"'"'s second ear.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A hearing aid apparatus for use with a patient having a first ear and a first body side on which the first ear is disposed, and a second ear and a second body side on which the second ear is disposed, wherein the first has a hearing loss sufficiently profound that a normal approximately symmetric hearing condition is incapable of being substantially restored with an amplification adjusted hearing aid, the hearing aid apparatus being configured for enabling the patient to hear sounds that original from a plurality of directions, the hearing aid apparatus comprising:
-
a first hearing aid member placeable on a patient'"'"'s body on the same side of the patient'"'"'s body as the first ear, the first hearing aid member including a first transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the patient'"'"'s first ear and converting those received sounds into first transmittable electrical signals, a second hearing aid member placeable on the patient'"'"'s second body side, the second hearing aid member including a second transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the patient'"'"'s second ear, and converting the received sounds into second electrical signals, a receiver for receiving the first transmittable electrical signals, and a first signal processor for processing the second electrical signals and first transmittable electrical signals into signals configured for being received by the patient'"'"'s second ear for facilitating the hearing of sounds that would be received by both of the patient'"'"'s first and second ears, wherein the only hearable sound signals received by the patient'"'"'s ear are generated through the second hearing aid member, and further comprising a signal alteration processor for altering one of the first transmittable electrical signal and second electrical signal so that the patient can hear differences between sounds received by the first hearing aid member and sounds received by the second hearing aid member to permit the patient to distinguish between sounds received by the first hearing aid member and sounds received by the second hearing aid member to aid the patient, in achieving a sense of the direction of origin of the sounds being output into the second ear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A hearing aid apparatus for use with a patient having a first ear and a first body side on which the first ear is disposed, and a second ear and a second body side on which the second ear is disposed, wherein the first ear has a hearing loss sufficiently profound that a normal approximately symmetric hearing condition is incapable of being substantially restored with an amplification adjusted hearing aid and wherein the second ear is capable of hearing sound signals, the hearing aid apparatus configured for enabling the patient to hear sounds that original from a plurality of directions, the hearing apparatus comprising:
-
a first hearing aid member placeable on a patient'"'"'s body on a patient'"'"'s first body side, the first hearing aid member including a first transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the, patient'"'"'s first ear and converting those received sounds into first transmittable electric signals a second hearing aid member placeable on a patient'"'"'s second body side, the second hearing aid member including a second transducer for receiving sounds that would be received by the patient'"'"'s second ear and converting the received sounds into second electrical signals, a receiver for receiving the first transmittable electrical signals, and a first signal processor for processing the first transmittable electrical signals and the second electrical signals into signals configured for being received by the patient'"'"'s second ear for facilitating the hearing of sounds that would be received by both of the patient'"'"'s first and second ears, wherein the first signal processor includes a signal processor for processing one of the first transmittable electrical signal and second electrical signal, and a non0sound producing indicia member in communication with the signal processor configured providing one of a tactile or visual signal to the patient to aid the patient in achieving a sense of direction of origin of the sounds being output into the second car. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
-
Specification