Hearing Aid With A Sensor For Changing Power State Of The Hearing Aid

• US 20130195295A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonion Nederland BV
• Original Assignee: Sonion Nederland BV
• Inventors: van Halteren, Aart Zeger, Stoffels, Nicolaas Maria Jozef
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/021 Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power

Abstract

A hearing aid comprising a first sensor for sensing a first parameter indicative of a use situation of the hearing aid, wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change into a high power mode or a low power mode in response to the a first control signal from the first sensor. A second sensor for sensing a second parameter indicative of a use situation of the hearing aid may also be used as well.

Claims

1. A hearing aid comprising a first sensor for sensing a first parameter indicative of a use situation of the hearing aid, wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change into a high power mode or a low power mode in response to a first control signal from the first sensor.

2. A hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising a second sensor for sensing a second parameter indicative of the use of the hearing aid, and wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change into the high power mode or into the low power mode in response to a second control signal from the second sensor and/or the first control signal from the first sensor.

3. A hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first parameter and second parameter comprises one or more of:

an orientation of the hearing aid relative to a predetermined axis, a movement of the hearing aid, an acceleration of the hearing aid, a humidity level, a sound level, and a temperature.

4. A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change between the high power mode and the low power mode in response to the first control signal and/or a second control signal.

5. A hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change between the high power mode and the low power mode in response to a predetermined combination of the first and the second control signals.

6. A hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein one of the first and the second parameters is an orientation of the hearing aid, and wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change into the high power mode in response to a change in the orientation of the hearing aid into a substantially vertical orientation.

7. A hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein one of the first and the second parameters is an orientation of the hearing aid, and wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change into the low power mode in response to a change in the orientation of the hearing aid into a substantially horizontal orientation.

8. A hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein one of the first and the second parameter is a sound level in the vicinity of the hearing aid, and wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change into the high power mode when the sound level increases with a predetermined percentage and/or to a level above a predetermined upper sound level.

9. A hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein one of the first and the second parameter is a sound level in the vicinity of the hearing aid, and wherein the hearing aid is adapted to change into a low power mode when the sound level decreases with a predetermined percentage and/or to a level below a predetermined lower sound level.

10. A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is adapted to determine when the hearing aid is not positioned in an auditory canal of a user and to change into the low power mode when the hearing aid is not positioned in the auditory canal.

11. A hearing aid according to claim 10, wherein the first sensor is one or more of the group selected from a temperature sensor and a 3-axis acceleration sensor, and the determination of the position in the auditory canal is based on the first control signal from one or more of the temperature sensor and the 3-axis acceleration sensor.

12. A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is adapted to determine when the hearing aid is positioned in an auditory canal of a user and to change into the high power mode when the hearing aid is positioned in the auditory canal.

13. A hearing aid according to claim 12, wherein the first sensor is one or more of the group selected from a temperature sensor and a 3-axis acceleration sensor, and the determination of the position in the auditory canal is based on the first control signal from one or more of the temperature sensor and the 3-axis acceleration sensor.

14. A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the first senor is a tilt sensor that is adapted to determine an orientation of the hearing aid relative to a predetermined axis.

15. A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the first senor is a movement sensor that is adapted to determine movement of the hearing aid in at least one direction.

16. A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the first senor is an acceleration sensor that is adapted to determine acceleration of the hearing aid in at least one direction.

17. A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the first senor is a humidity sensor that is adapted to determine the humidity in the vicinity of the hearing aid.

18. A hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising a microphone.

19. A method of controlling a hearing aid comprising a first sensor for sensing a first parameter indicative of a use situation of the hearing aid, the method comprising:

determining a first control signal of the first sensor, and

changing the hearing aid into a high power mode or a low power mode in response to the first control signal from the first sensor.

20. A method of controlling a hearing aid comprising a first sensor for sensing a first parameter indicative of a use situation of the hearing aid, the method comprising:

determining a first control signal of the first sensor,

determining a second control signal of the first sensor in response to the first control signal from the first sensor; and

changing the hearing aid into a high power mode or a low power mode in response to the second control signal from the first sensor.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the first control signal represents an orientation and the second control signal represents a total acceleration.