Audio peripheral for an electronic device

• US 20070064963A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mankaruse, George, Hawker, Larry, Dougall, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A peripheral for an electronic device having a speaker is provided. The peripheral includes an input device for placement proximal to the speaker for receiving audio information from the speaker. The peripheral includes an output device connected to the input device that is positioned distal from the input device and away from electromagnetic signals generated by the device. The output device presents the audio information to a hearing aid proximal to the output device. The output device is positioned at a distance such that the electromagnetic signals experienced by the input device is less than the signals experienced by the hearing aid. As a result, deleterious effects of signals otherwise experienced by the hearing aid are reduced.

Claims

1. A peripheral for use with a hearing aid and an electronic device having a speaker for generating audio signals;

said electronic device operable to emit electromagnetic signals;

said peripheral comprising;

an input device for receiving an output from said electronic device when said input device is proximal to said speaker;

an output device operably connected to said input device and for sending a representation of said output to said hearing aid when said hearing aid is proximal to said output device;

said output device positioned distally from said input device such that said electromagnetic signals experienced by said hearing aid are less than said electromagnetic signals experienced by said input device.

2. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein said input device is a T-Coil.

3. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein said hearing aid has a T-Coil and said output device is a T-Coil.

4. The peripheral of claim 1 further comprising a shaping circuit between said input device and said output device.

5. The peripheral of claim 4 wherein said shaping circuit is operable to perform at least one of noise filtering, amplification and frequency response shaping.

6. The peripheral of claim 1 wherein said device includes the functionality of a cellular telephone and said electromagnetic signals includes signals associated with communications between said device and a wireless base station.

7. The peripheral of claim 6 wherein said output device is positioned between about two and about six centimetres apart from said input device.

8. The peripheral of claim 6 wherein said output device is positioned between about 2.5 and about 5.5 centimetres apart from said input device.

9. The peripheral of claim 6 wherein said output device is positioned between about three and about five centimetres apart from said input device.

10. The peripheral of claim 1 further including a mechanical attachment for removably affixing said peripheral to said electronic device.

11. A method of presenting audio information from an electronic device to a hearing aid;

said electronic device having a speaker for generating audio signals;

said electronic device also producing electromagnetic signals;

said method comprising the steps of;

receiving output information from said electronic device at a location proximal to said speaker; and

transmitting said output information at a location proximal to said hearing aid that is a predefined distance from said electronic device such that a first level of said electromagnetic signals experienced at said hearing aid is less than a second level of said electromagnetic signals experienced at said speaker.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving step is performed by a T-Coil.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said hearing aid has a T-Coil and said transmitting step is performed by a T-Coil.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of shaping said output information intermediate said receiving step and said transmitting step.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said shaping step comprises at least one of noise filtering, amplification and frequency response shaping.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said device includes the functionality of a cellular telephone and said electromagnetic signals include signals associated with communications between said device and a wireless base station.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said predefined distance is between about two centimetres and about six centimetres.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said predefined distance is between about 2.5 centimetres and about 5.5 centimetres.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said predefined distance is between about three centimetres and about five centimetres.