Magnetic coupling adaptor

• US 20040240692A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 7, LLC
• Original Assignee: III Holdings 7, LLC
• Inventors: Julstrom, Stephen D.
• Application Number:
  US10/877,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20040240692A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/04 comprising pocket amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an adaptor for use with a mobile cellular telephone, a combination cellphone/adaptor, and a method of using a hearing aid with a cellphone employing an adaptor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The adaptor may include a microphone, a battery, an inductor, and electronic circuitry disposed on a circuit board. The microphone may be positioned generally over receiver acoustic openings of the cellphone. The adaptor may be adapted to amplify a microphone signal to drive an inductor. The inductor may be located at an end of the adaptor. The inductor field may be concentrated in a region where a magnetic noise field associated with cellphone circuitry may be much lower.

Claims

1. An adaptor attachable to an electronic device, the adaptor being arranged to interface between the electronic device and a hearing aid, the adaptor comprising:

a housing;

a power supply;

a signal-receiving device; and

a magnetic field-generating device, wherein the adaptor is arranged to receive a signal from the electronic device and employ the received signal to drive the magnetic field-generating device to magnetically couple with the hearing aid permitting a user of the hearing aid to receive the signal from the electronic device.

2. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the signal-receiving device is one of a microphone and an earphone jack.

3. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the adaptor is arranged to generate a magnetic field and position the magnetic field in a region comprising a weak magnetic noise field.

4. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the adaptor is arranged to generate a magnetic field and position the magnetic field in a region of reduced radio frequency energy.

5. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the adaptor is arranged to be attached to the electronic device and generate and position a magnetic field in a region at least a distance away from the electronic device.

6. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the adaptor is arranged to generate a magnetic field comprising strong components in directions adapted for coupling with at least one telecoil in a hearing aid.

7. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the adaptor is arranged to generate a magnetic field comprising strong components along directions that in use are vertical and outwardly direct horizontal with respect to a head of a hearing aid user.

8. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field-generating device comprises an inductor, the inductor comprising a shape adapted to overcome magnetic noise field characteristics of an associated electronic device.

9. The adaptor according to claim 8, wherein the inductor comprises a rod inductor.

10. The adaptor according to claim 9, wherein the rod inductor comprises an iron core and a winding about at least a central portion of the iron core.

11. The adaptor according to claim 10, wherein the iron core has a length of approximately 20 mm and a diameter of approximately 0.6 mm, and the winding has a diameter of approximately 1 mm and a length along the iron core of approximately 12 mm.

12. The adaptor according to claim 8, wherein the inductor produces strong magnetic field components along directions that in use are vertical and outwardly directed horizontal with respect to a head of a hearing aid user.

13. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the adaptor is arranged to operate with a low operating power until encountering an input having a sufficient strength to cause the adaptor to enter an active mode.

14. The adaptor according to claim 1, further comprising a low idle power and a power-up circuit activated upon sensing a signal.

15. The adaptor according to claim 1, further comprising frequency shaping capabilities, wherein the adaptor is arranged to produce a flat, band-limited response from a telecoil circuit in the hearing aid over a particular frequency range.

16. The adaptor according to claim 15, wherein the particular frequency range comprises approximately a frequency range of cellular telephone communication.

17. The adaptor according to claim 15, wherein the particular frequency range comprises from approximately 300 Hz to approximately 3 kHz.

18. A method of interfacing between an electronic device and a hearing aid, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the electronic device at an adaptor mountable to the electronic device, the adaptor having a housing;

driving a magnetic field-generating device in the adaptor with the received signal;

producing a magnetic field having a particular shape and direction by the adaptor;

coupling the hearing aid magnetically to the magnetic field produced by the adaptor; and

receiving the signal from the electronic device as an audible signal by a user of the hearing aid.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein receiving a signal from the electronic device at the adaptor is accomplished via a signal-receiving device comprising one of a microphone and an earphone jack.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein producing the magnetic field having the particular shape and direction by the adaptor comprises generating and positioning the magnetic field in a region comprising a weak magnetic noise field.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein producing the magnetic field having the particular shape and direction by the adaptor comprises generating and positioning the magnetic field in a region of reduced radio frequency energy.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein producing the magnetic field having the particular shape and direction by the adaptor comprises generating and positioning the magnetic field in a region at least a distance away from the electronic device.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein producing the magnetic field having the particular shape and direction by the adaptor comprises generating the magnetic field comprising strong components in directions adapted for coupling with at least one telecoil in a hearing aid.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein producing the magnetic field having the particular shape and direction by the adaptor comprises generating the magnetic field comprising strong components along directions that in use are vertical and outwardly directed horizontal with respect to a head of a hearing aid user.

25. The method according to claim 18, wherein producing the magnetic field having the particular shape and direction by the adaptor is accomplished by employing a magnetic field-generating device comprising an inductor, the inductor comprising a shape adapted to overcome magnetic noise field characteristics of an associated electronic device.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the inductor comprises a rod inductor.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the rod inductor comprises an iron core and a winding about a central portion of the iron core.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the iron core has a length of approximately 20 mm and a diameter of approximately 0.6 mm, and the winding has a diameter of approximately 1 mm and a length along the iron core of approximately 12 mm.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the inductor produces strong magnetic field components along directions that in use are vertical and outwardly directed horizontal with respect to a head of a hearing aid user.

30. The method according to claim 18, further comprising operating the adaptor with a low operating power until encountering an input having a sufficient strength to cause the adaptor to enter an active mode.

31. The method according to claim 18, further comprising operating the adaptor with a low idle power until powering-up based upon sensing a signal.

32. The method according to claim 18, further comprising shaping frequency characteristics to produce a flat, band-limited response over a particular frequency range.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the particular frequency range comprises approximately a frequency range of cellular telephone communication.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the particular frequency range comprises from approximately 300 Hz to approximately 3 kHz.