Novel hearing aid design

• US 20030086583A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: McGivern, James P., Mann, Alfred E., Maltan, Albert A., Lee, Philip H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,786,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/67 Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

A hearing aid module (60) is shaped for insertion into a tunnel (40) made through the soft tissue that connects the retro-auricular space (50) with the ear canal (30). A hollow tube (44) may first be chronically or acutely implanted in such tunnel, and the hearing aid module inserted into the tube. The tube or hearing aid module may have a coating (45) containing a steroid or drug adapted to minimize infection and/or inflammation. The hearing aid module contains a speaker (65), a battery or other power source (66) powering the module, signal processing circuitry (67), and a microphone (63). Telemetry circuitry (69) within the module allows the signal processing circuitry to be programmed with a desired frequency response or signal processing strategy using an external programming unit (74). A remote control unit (75) permits the user to make simple adjustments, such as volume and/or tone control.

Claims

1. A hearing aid adapted for insertion into a tunnel (40) that connects a retro-auricular space (50) to an ear canal (30), comprising:

a hearing aid module (60) comprising;

a case (61)

electronic circuitry (67) housed in said case;

an acoustic transducer (65) electrically connected to said electronic circuitry;

a microphone (63) also electrically connected to said electronic circuitry; and

a power source (66) housed in said case and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry;

wherein the electronic circuitry includes signal processing circuitry for amplifying and processing signals sensed through the microphone and for presenting the amplified and processed signals to the acoustic transducer; and

wherein the acoustic transducer converts the amplified and processed signals received from the electronic circuitry to sound waves, which sound waves are emitted towards the ear canal.

2. The hearing aid module of claim 1 further comprising signal processing circuitry for processing sensed signals and presenting processed signals that are compatible with sounds traveling naturally through the ear canal.

3. The hearing aid module of claim 1 further comprising signal processing circuitry that performs voice command recognition.

4. The hearing aid module of claim 1 further comprising a coating (45) on the case, which coating contains a steroid or drug.

5. The hearing aid of claim 1 further including a hollow tube (44) adapted for insertion into the tunnel (40), and wherein the case (61) of the hearing aid module is adapted to be slidably inserted into withdrawn from said tube.

6. The hearing aid of claim 5 further comprising a coating (45) on the tube, which coating contains a steroid or drug.

7. The hearing aid module of claim 1 wherein said acoustic transducer (65) is located at a distal end (68) of said case and said microphone (63) is located at a proximal end (62) of said case.

8. The hearing aid module of claim 1 wherein said acoustic transducer is located at a distal end of said case and said microphone is located remotely from the hearing aid module.

9. The hearing aid module of claim 1 wherein said microphone is located between distal and proximal ends of the case, about halfway there between or closer to the distal end of said case.

10. The hearing aid module of claim 1 further including telemetry circuitry (69) housed in said case, which telemetry circuitry includes a wireless link over which communicative signals may be transmitted to the hearing aid module from a remote location.

11. The hearing aid module of claim 1 further including telemetry circuitry housed in said case, which telemetry circuitry transmits to a remote location sounds spoken by the user, sensed by the microphone, and processed by the signal processing circuits.

12. The hearing aid module of claim 1 further including telemetry circuitry housed in said case, which telemetry circuitry sends and receives signals that are coded so only designated target and source devices can be linked to the telemetry circuitry.

13. The hearing aid of claim 1 further including means for allowing the user to adjust the volume of the sound waves emitted from the acoustic transducer.

14. The hearing aid of claim 13 further including means for allowing the user to adjust the frequency content of the sound waves emitted from the acoustic transducer.

15. The hearing aid module of claim 1 wherein the power source comprises a rechargeable battery.

16. The hearing aid module of claim 1 wherein the power source comprises a super capacitor.

17. The hearing aid of claim 1 further including an external programming unit (74) coupled to the hearing aid through a suitable communications link.

18. The hearing aid of claim 17 further including the external programming unit coupled with a remote location through an existing telecommunications network.

19. The hearing aid module of claim 1 further comprising a cable connector adapted for communications with at least one external device.

20. The hearing aid module of claim 19 wherein the at least one external device comprises an external power source, an external programming unit, a remote control unit, a remote microphone, and an external signal source.

21. A hearing aid module adapted for insertion into a tunnel connecting a retro-auricular space to an ear canal, comprising:

a case;

means contained in said case for processing electrical signals representing sound waves;

means for sensing sound waves;

means for transducing said sound waves into electrical signals and for providing said signals to the processing means, which transducing means are electrically connected to the sensing means and the processing means;

means for converting said processed signals received from the processing means to sound waves and for emitting such sound waves towards the ear canal; and

means for providing power to said module electrically connected to at least the electronic circuitry.

22. A method of aiding the hearing function of a user, comprising:

making a tunnel through soft tissue of the user that connects a retro-auricular space behind a pinna with an ear canal;

inserting inside the tunnel a hearing aid module, the hearing aid module having a case adapted for insertion into the tunnel, with an acoustic transducer located at a distal end of the module so as to be near the ear canal, a microphone located at a proximal end of the module so as to be near the retro-auricular space, and a power source and signal processing circuits located within the module.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising coating the hearing aid module with a coating containing a drug or steroid.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein inserting the hearing aid module further comprises inserting the hearing aid module into a tube and inserting the tube inside the tunnel.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising coating the tube with a coating containing a drug or steroid.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising removing the tube after a period of time for the tissue to heal and re-inserting the hearing aid module without the tube.

27. The method of claim 22 further comprising processing signals so that sound waves from said acoustic transducer are compatible with sounds traveling naturally through the ear canal.

28. The method of claim 22 further comprising transmitting signals to the hearing aid module from a remote location.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising transmitting signals via a wireless network.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising transmitting signals via a cable connected to the hearing aid module.

31. The method of claim 22 further comprising controlling and programming the hearing aid module via at least one wireless communications link with at least one remote device.