Integrated automatic telephone switch

• US 20030059073A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Ear Technology Incorporated (Starkey Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hagen, Lawrence T., Roberts, Randall W., Peterson, Timothy S., Bren, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,248,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

A hearing aid includes a microphone for providing an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal, a means for filtering the electrical signal and a means for automatic switching. Upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the means for automatic switching enables the means for filtering to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid to boost a low frequency gain and reduce a high frequency gain. Such filtering can be used with or without a telecoil. A hearing aid including a telecoil is configured with a preamplifier, a inductive element, and a switch control integrated onto a single common circuit board.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hearing aid comprising:

receiving an acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

providing an electrical signal representative of the acoustic signal, the electrical signal having a corresponding low frequency component and a high frequency component; and

filtering the electrical signal in response to detecting a presence of a magnetic field, wherein the high frequency component of the electrical signal is modified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes modifying the high frequency component of the electrical signal by attenuating the high frequency component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes boosting a gain for the low frequency component substantially concurrent with modifying the high frequency component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a presence of a magnetic field includes detecting the presence of the magnetic field using a reed switch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the electrical signal to modify the high frequency component includes filtering the electrical signal using a low pass filter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the electrical signal to modify the high frequency component includes switching from a set of stored parameters to another set of stored parameters to modify a frequency response of a programmable analog hearing aid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the electrical signal to modify the high frequency component includes digitally modifying a frequency response of the hearing aid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the electrical signal in response to detecting a presence of a magnetic field includes enabling the filtering using transistor switches in conjunction with a switch responsive to the magnetic field.

9. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone for providing an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

a means for filtering the electrical signal; and

a means for automatic switching responsive to a change in detection of a magnetic field, wherein, upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the means for automatic switching enables the means for filtering the electrical signal to modify the high frequency component of the electrical signal.

10. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the means for filtering the electrical signal attenuates the high frequency component of the electrical signal.

11. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the hearing aid further includes means for boosting a gain of the low frequency component of the electrical signal.

12. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the means for automatic switching includes a reed switch.

13. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the means for automatic switching includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

14. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the hearing aid further includes transistor switches to enable the means for filtering the electrical signal.

15. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the low frequency component is less than about 1000 Hz.

16. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the low frequency component is less than about 3000 Hz.

17. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the low frequency component is between about 300 Hz and about 1000 Hz.

18. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone for providing an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

a switch coupled to the microphone, the switch responsive to a change in detection of a magnetic field; and

a low pass filter coupled to the switch, wherein, upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the switch automatically switches to enable the low pass to filter out the high frequency component of the electrical signal.

19. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the switch includes a reed switch.

20. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the switch includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

21. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the low pass filter is a passive filter.

22. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the low pass filter is an active filter.

23. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the hearing aid further includes a signal processor and an amplifier adapted to boost a gain of the low frequency component of the electrical signal over a predetermined frequency range of the low frequency component.

24. The hearing aid of claim 23, wherein the predetermined frequency range of the low frequency component includes the frequencies of the low frequency component above 300 Hz.

25. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone for providing an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

a first memory adapted to provide standard parameters for operating the hearing aid;

a second memory adapted to provide parameters for operating the hearing aid with a communication device;

a signal processor coupled to the microphone, the signal processor response to parameters provided by the first and second memories; and

a switch responsive to a change in detection of a magnetic field, wherein, upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the switch automatically switches to enable the second memory to provide parameters for generating a frequency response with increased low frequency gain and reduced high frequency gain relative to a frequency response generated using parameters from the first memory.

26. The hearing aid of claim 25, wherein the second memory provides parameters for substantially reducing the high frequency component of the electrical signal while boosting a gain for the low frequency component of the electrical signal.

27. The hearing aid of claim 25, wherein the first memory provides parameters for processing the electrical signal such that a frequency response conforms to a prescription target.

28. The hearing aid of claim 25, wherein the switch includes a reed switch.

29. The hearing aid of claim 25, wherein the switch includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

30. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone for providing an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

a signal processor configured to digitally control transmitting an output signal representative of the acoustic signal; and

a switch responsive to a change in detection of a magnetic field, wherein, upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the switch automatically switches to enable the signal processor to digitally modify a frequency response to increase a low frequency gain and reduce a high frequency gain.

31. The hearing aid of claim 30, wherein the signal processor is further configured to substantially filter out the high frequency component while boosting a gain for the low frequency component.

32. The hearing aid of claim 30, wherein the switch includes a reed switch.

33. The hearing aid of claim 30, wherein the switch includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

34. A hearing aid comprising:

a circuit board;

a microphone;

a switch responsive to a magnetic field;

an inductive element;

a preamplifier coupled to the inductive element; and

a switch control, the switch control energizes a circuit that includes the inductive element in response to the switch detecting a magnetic field, while de-energizing a microphone circuit that includes the microphone, wherein the preamplifier, the inductive element, and the switch control are integrated onto the circuit board.

35. The hearing aid of claim 34, wherein the switch includes a reed switch.

36. The hearing aid of claim 34, wherein the switch includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

37. The hearing aid of claim 34, wherein the preamplifier is adapted to set a sensitivity of the inductor element to that of a hearing aid microphone.

38. The hearing aid of claim 34, wherein the switch control includes a transistor switch for the microphone and a transistor switch for the inductive element.