HEARING AID SYSTEM USING WIRELESS OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20120263478A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Algor Korea Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Algor Korea Company Limited
• Inventors: JANG, Dong Soo
• Application Number:
  US13/443,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20120263478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/407 Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

Provided is a hearing aid system using a wireless optical communications method. The hearing aid system includes: a voice transmitter that converts addresser'"'"'s voice into an optical signal to then transmit the converted optical signal; and a hearing aid that restores the optical signal received from the voice transmitter into the addresser'"'"'s voice to then output the restored addresser'"'"'s voice. Accordingly, the addresser'"'"'s voice can directly be transmitted to the hard-of-hearing via wireless optical communications, to thereby prevent a voice discriminating power from lowering even in the case that ambient noise of an addresser as well as a listener is big.

Claims

1. A hearing aid system comprising:

a voice transmitter that converts addresser'"'"'s voice into an optical signal to then transmit the converted optical signal; and

a hearing aid that restores the optical signal received from the voice transmitter into the addresser'"'"'s voice to then output the restored addresser'"'"'s voice,

wherein the voice transmitter comprises;

a first microphone that converts the addresser'"'"'s voice into a first sound signal;

a second microphone converts the addresser'"'"'s voice into a second sound signal;

a voice transmitter signal processor that amplifies one of the first sound signal applied from the first microphone and the second sound signal applied from the second microphone;

a light emitter that converts the amplified sound signal applied from the voice transmitter signal processor into the optical signal to then transmit the converted optical signal; and

a voice transmitter switch that selects one of the first and second microphones, as a microphone that provides the sound signal to be amplified in the signal processor.

2. The hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein the first microphone is exposed to the outside of the voice transmitter, and the second microphone is not exposed to the outside of the voice transmitter.

3. The hearing aid system according to claim 2, wherein one of the first microphone and one end of the second microphone are connected to electric power terminals of the voice transmitter signal processor.

4. The hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein the voice transmitter is implemented into any one of types that the voice transmitter is inserted into the addresser'"'"'s ear, the voice transmitter is hung around the addresser'"'"'s ear, and the voice transmitter is portable by the addresser.

5. The hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein the hearing aid comprises:

a light receptor that converts the optical signal received from the voice transmitter into the sound signal to then output the converted sound signal;

a third microphone that converts the addresser'"'"'s voice into a third sound signal;

a hearing aid signal processor that amplifies one of the sound signal applied from the light receptor and the third sound signal applied from the third microphone;

a speaker that converts the amplified sound signal applied from the hearing aid signal processor into the voice to then output the converted voice; and

a hearing aid switch that selects one of the light receptor and the third microphone, as a microphone that provides the sound signal to be amplified in the hearing aid signal processor.

6. The hearing aid system according to claim 5, wherein the light receptor and the third microphone are exposed to the outside of the hearing aid, and the speaker is not exposed to the outside of the hearing aid.

7. The hearing aid system according to claim 5, wherein the hearing aid further comprises a controller that controls an amplification range of the sound signal in the hearing aid signal processor.

8. The hearing aid system according to claim 5, wherein the hearing aid is implemented into any one of types that the hearing aid is inserted into the hard-of-hearing'"'"'s ear, the hearing aid is hung around the hard-of-hearing'"'"'s ear, and the hearing aid is portable by the hard-of-hearing.

9. An addresser'"'"'s voice transmitter comprising:

a first microphone that converts the addresser'"'"'s voice into a first sound signal;

a second microphone converts the addresser'"'"'s voice into a second sound signal;

a voice transmitter signal processor that amplifies one of the first sound signal applied from the first microphone and the second sound signal applied from the second microphone;

a light emitter that converts the amplified sound signal applied from the voice transmitter signal processor into the optical signal to then transmit the converted optical signal; and

a voice transmitter switch that selects one of the first and second microphones, as a microphone that provides the sound signal to be amplified in the signal processor.

10. A hearing aid comprising:

a light receptor that converts a received optical signal into a first sound signal to then output the converted sound signal;

a hearing aid microphone that converts addresser'"'"'s voice into a second sound signal;

a hearing aid signal processor that amplifies one of the first sound signal applied from the light receptor and the second sound signal applied from the hearing aid microphone;

a speaker that converts the amplified sound signal applied from the hearing aid signal processor into the voice to then output the converted voice; and

a hearing aid switch that selects one of the light receptor and the hearing aid microphone, as a microphone that provides the sound signal to be amplified in the hearing aid signal processor.