Automatic magnetic detection in hearing aids
First Claim
1. A hearing aid system comprising:
- a) an acoustic sensor for sensing an acoustic signal and providing an input acoustic signal, the input acoustic signal having acoustic information;
b) a magnetic sensor for sensing a magnetic field signal and providing an input magnetic signal, the input magnetic signal having magnetic information;
c) a magnetic signal detector connected to the magnetic sensor and the acoustic sensor for selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal, wherein the magnetic signal detector selects the input magnetic signal as the information signal after a magnetic signal detection process has at least partially analyzed the input magnetic signal in order to determine if the input magnetic signal may include audio information; and
, d) a hearing aid module connected to the magnetic signal detector for processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hearing aid system and method for processing one of an input magnetic signal, having magnetic information, and at least one acoustic input signal having acoustic information. The system comprises an acoustic sensor for providing the input acoustic signal, a magnetic sensor for providing the input magnetic signal, and a magnetic signal detector for selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal. The magnetic signal detector selects the input magnetic signal as the information signal when an magnetic signal detection process has at least partially analyzed the input magnetic signal to determine if audio information may be present. The hearing aid system further comprises a hearing aid module for processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A hearing aid system comprising:
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a) an acoustic sensor for sensing an acoustic signal and providing an input acoustic signal, the input acoustic signal having acoustic information;
b) a magnetic sensor for sensing a magnetic field signal and providing an input magnetic signal, the input magnetic signal having magnetic information;
c) a magnetic signal detector connected to the magnetic sensor and the acoustic sensor for selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal, wherein the magnetic signal detector selects the input magnetic signal as the information signal after a magnetic signal detection process has at least partially analyzed the input magnetic signal in order to determine if the input magnetic signal may include audio information; and
,d) a hearing aid module connected to the magnetic signal detector for processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a hearing aid system comprising:
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a) sensing an acoustic signal and providing an input acoustic signal, the input acoustic signal having acoustic information;
b) sensing a magnetic field signal and providing an input magnetic signal, the input magnetic signal having magnetic information;
c) selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal, wherein the input magnetic signal is selected as the information signal after a magnetic signal detection process has at least partially analyzed the input magnetic signal in order to determine if audio information may be present in the input magnetic signal; and
,d) processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A tele-coil circuit for a hearing aid system comprising:
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a) a tele-coil for sensing a magnetic field signal and providing an input magnetic signal to the hearing aid system, the input magnetic signal having magnetic information; and
,b) a magnetic signal pre-detector connected to the tele-coil for processing at least partially analyzing some portions of the input magnetic signal in order to determine whether audio information may be present and providing a status signal to the hearing aid system, the status signal indicating that portions of the magnetic information may include audio information. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A hearing aid system comprising:
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a) an acoustic sensor for sensing an acoustic signal and providing an input acoustic signal, the input acoustic signal having acoustic information;
b) a magnetic sensor for sensing a magnetic field signal and providing an input magnetic signal, the input magnetic signal having magnetic information;
c) a magnetic signal detector connected to the magnetic sensor and the acoustic sensor for selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal, wherein the magnetic signal detector process employs a two-stage magnetic detection process, wherein a first stage of the two-stage magnetic detection process at least partially analyzes the input magnetic signal in order to determine whether audio information may be present in a portion of the input magnetic signal, and wherein a second stage of the two-stage magnetic detection analyzes the portion of the input magnetic signal to determine if the portion of the magnetic information includes audio information, the second stage being performed when the first stage indicates that audio information may be present in the input magnetic signal; and
,d) a hearing aid module connected to the magnetic signal detector for processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system.
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29. A hearing aid system comprising:
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a) an acoustic sensor for sensing an acoustic signal and providing an input acoustic signal, the input acoustic signal having acoustic information;
b) a magnetic sensor for sensing a magnetic field signal and providing an input magnetic signal, the input magnetic signal having magnetic information;
c) a magnetic signal detector connected to the magnetic sensor and the acoustic sensor for selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal, wherein the magnetic signal detector selects the input magnetic signal as the information signal after a magnetic signal detection process has at least partially analyzed an alternating portion of the input magnetic signal in order to determine if the input magnetic signal may contain audio information; and
,d) a hearing aid module connected to the magnetic signal detector for processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system.
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30. A method of operating a hearing aid system comprising:
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a) sensing an acoustic signal and providing an input acoustic signal, the input acoustic signal having acoustic information;
b) sensing a magnetic field signal and providing an input magnetic signal, the input magnetic signal having magnetic information;
c) selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal, wherein the input magnetic signal is selected as the information signal after a magnetic signal detection process has at least partially analyzed an alternating portion of the input magnetic signal in order to determine if the input magnetic signal may contain audio information; and
,d) processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system.
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Specification