Hearing Aid

• US 20100160714A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd (WS Audiology A/S)
• Inventors: Latzel, Matthias, Tham, Yen Ling Elaine, Junius, Dirk, Klemenz, Harald, Chua, Tze Peng, Lim, Eng Cheong, Ma, Nisha Shakila, Husung, Kunibert
• Application Number:
  US12/643,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20100160714A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A hearing aid has a hearing aid component, a brain wave signal receiver configured to receive brain wave signals, and a hearing aid controller configured to control the hearing aid component dependent on the detected brain wave signals. Therefore the hearing aid can be controlled by the detected brain wave signals.

Claims

1. A hearing aid, comprising:

a hearing aid component;

a brain wave signal receiver configured for receiving brain wave signals; and

a hearing aid controller controlling said hearing aid component dependent on received brain wave signals.

2. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said hearing aid controller is configured to control at least one of a volume of said hearing aid component, a sound of said hearing aid component and a timbre of said hearing aid component.

3. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said hearing aid controller is configured to switch on or switch off said hearing aid component.

4. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said hearing aid controller is configured such that said hearing aid controller can select from a plurality of stored hearing aid component operation programs.

5. The hearing aid according to claim 4, wherein the hearing aid component operation programs are programs selected from a group of programs consisting of:

hearing aid component operation program for quiet environment;

hearing aid component operation program for noisy environment;

hearing aid component operation program for background noise reduction;

hearing aid component operation program for music listening;

hearing aid component operation program for providing directionality; and

hearing aid component operation program for telephone use.

6. The hearing aid according to claim 4, further comprising a memory configured to store the hearing aid component operation programs.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising a programming connector configured to receive a hearing aid component operation program.

8. The hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising a signal conversion circuit configured for converting detected brain wave signals to control signals which are forwarded to said hearing aid controller.

9. The hearing aid according to claim 8, wherein said signal conversion circuit is configured to convert the received brain wave signal to the control signals based on at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the received brain wave signals.

10. The hearing aid according to claim 8, wherein said signal conversion circuit is configured to convert the received brain wave signals to the control signals based on a plurality of pre-determined control signal categories.

11. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the received brain wave signals are signals selected from the group of signals consisting of:

electroencephalogram signals;

magnetoencephalography signals;

electromyography signals;

magnetic resonance imaging signals; and

nuclear magnetic resonance imaging signals.

12. The hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising a brain wave signal detector interface coupled to said brain wave signal receiver, said brain wave signal detector interface is configured to be coupled to a brain wave signal detector configured to detect brain wave signals.

13. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said hearing aid component includes a signal processing circuit configured to process sound wave signals.

14. The hearing aid according to claim 13, wherein said hearing aid component includes a microphone coupled with said signal processing circuit.

15. The hearing aid according to claim 13, wherein said signal processing circuit is coupled with said hearing aid controller.

16. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said hearing aid component includes a loudspeaker coupled with said hearing aid controller.

17. The hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising a hearing aid housing, said hearing aid component and said hearing aid controller are integrated within one said hearing aid housing.

18. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said hearing aid component is a binaural hearing aid component.

19. The hearing aid according to claim 18, wherein said binaural hearing aid component includes a left hearing aid unit and a right hearing aid unit.

20. The hearing aid according claim 19, wherein said left hearing aid unit and said right hearing aid unit are configured to communicate the received brain wave signals between each other.

21. A hearing aid configuration, comprising:

a hearing aid, comprising;

a hearing aid component;

a brain wave signal receiver configured to receive brain wave signals;

a hearing aid controller configured to control said hearing aid component dependent on received brain wave signals; and

a brain wave signal detector coupled to said hearing aid.

22. The hearing aid configuration according to claim 21, wherein:

said brain wave signal detector contains a plurality of sensors selected from a group of sensors consisting of electroencephalogram sensors, magnetoencephalography sensors, electromyography sensors, magnetic resonance imaging sensors, and nuclear magnetic resonance sensors; and

said the brain wave signal detector further having a processor selected from a group of processors consisting of an electroencephalogram signal processor, a magnetoencephalography signal processor, an electromyography signal processor, a magnetic resonance imaging signal processor, and a nuclear magnetic resonance signal processor.