Hearing aid with visual indicator

• US 20060245611A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: Bürger, Christian C., Jørgensen, Ivan H.H., Flynn, Traci Schmidtke
• Application Number:
  US10/558,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20060245611A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/323
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40

Abstract

The invention comprises a hearing aid, which has a casing containing a signal receiving part for receiving an audio signal, an audio transducer for providing an audio signal to the user, a signal transmission path between the signal receiving part and the audio transducer, whereby a battery is provided for powering the signal receiving part, the signal path and the audio transducer, and where further means are provided for assessing the function of the hearing aid and for generating an electrical indication signal which indicates the function of the hearing aid and where further means are provided for intermittently generating a power signal in response to the electrical indication signal and where means are provided for converting the power signal into a light signal, such that the light signal is visible from outside the hearing aid.

Claims

1. Hearing aid, which has a casing containing a signal receiving part for receiving an audio signal, an audio transducer for providing an audio signal to the user, a signal transmission path between the signal receiving part and the audio transducer, whereby a battery is provided for powering the signal receiving part, the signal path and the audio transducer, and where further means are provided for assessing the function of the hearing aid and for generating an electrical indication signal which indicates the function of the hearing aid and where further means are provide for intermittently generating a power signal in response to the electrical indication signal and where means are provided for converting the power signal into a light signal, such that the light signal is visible from outside the hearing aid.

2. Hearing aid as claimed in claim 1, whereby the means for converting the electrical power signal into a light signal is a LED or light emitting diode.

3. Hearing aid as claimed in claim 2, whereby the LED power signal is generated inside the hearing aid and a LED element is mounted in the casing of the hearing aid and the LED power signal is presented to the LED element in order for the light to be visible from outside the casing.

4. Hearing aid as claimed in claim 2, whereby the electrical signal indicating the function of the hearing aid is transmitted to an external accessory which comprises a LED element and where further the LED power signal is intermittently generated in the external element.

5. Hearing aid as claimed in claim 2, whereby the indication signal is controlled by the signal leading to the audio transducer.

6. Hearing aid as claimed in claim 4, whereby the hearing aid is powered by a zink-air battery, and the LED is powered from the battery through a voltage doubler.

8. Hearing aid as claimed in claim 2, whereby the LED element is a multi colour LED.

7. Hearing aid as claimed in claim whereby the voltage doubler is placed in the accessory.

9. Hearing aid as claimed in claim 7, whereby the LED is caused to blink with varying frequency in dependency of a parameter of the hearing aid which relates to the function of the hearing aid.