HEARING AID AND HEARING AID DUAL USE DONGLE

• US 20140003641A1
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC
• Original Assignee: Audiotoniq, Inc
• Inventors: Neumeyer, Frederick Charles, Apfel, Russell J., Knox, John Michael Page
• Granted Patent: US 9,071,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/39 Aspects relating to automatic logging of sound environment parameters and the performance of the hearing aid during use, e.g. histogram logging, or of user selected programs or settings in the hearing aid, e.g. usage logging
• 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 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/07 Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 : of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 : Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

A power dongle for a hearing aid includes conductive wires, each wire having a computing device end and a hearing aid end. A first connector is connected to the computing device end of each of the plurality of conductive wires to releasably couple to an input/output port of the computing device and a second connector is connected to the hearing aid end of each of the plurality of conductive wires to releasably couple to an interface of the hearing aid, the second connector configured to deliver at least one of a first power supply and an audio signal from the computing device to the interface of the hearing aid.

Claims

1. A dongle for a hearing aid comprising:

a plurality of conductive wires, each wire having a computing device end and a hearing aid end;

a first connector connected to the computing device end of each of the plurality of conductive wires to releasably couple to an input/output port of the computing device; and

a second connector connected to the hearing aid end of each of the plurality of conductive wires to releasably couple to an interface of the hearing aid, the second connector to deliver to the interface of the hearing aid at least one of;

a first power supply, or

an audio signal from the computing device.

2. The dongle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive wires is a first plurality of conductive wires, the dongle further comprising:

a second plurality of conductive wires, each of the second plurality of conductive wires including a first end connected to the first connector and including a second end; and

a third connector connected to the second end of each of the second plurality of conductive wires and configured to releasably couple to an interface of a second hearing aid.

3. The dongle of claim 1, wherein:

the first connector receives a left audio signal and a right audio signal for stereo audio output;

the second connector provides at least one of the first power supply and the left audio signal to the hearing aid; and

the third connector provides to the second hearing aid at least one of;

the first power supply, or

the right audio signal.

4. The dongle of claim 1, wherein the first connector comprises a tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) connector.

5. The dongle of claim 4, wherein the TRS connector includes at least two additional contacts for providing power supply from the computing device to the hearing aid.

6. The dongle of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source for providing a second power supply to the hearing aid and wherein the second connector provides at least one of;

the first power supply,

the second power supply, or

the audio signal to the hearing aid.

7. The dongle of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source coupled to the second connector for providing a second power supply to the hearing aid; and

wherein the second connector provides at least one of;

the first power supply,

the second power supply, or

the audio signal to the hearing aid.

8. The dongle of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing defining a cavity sized to receive a power source, the housing including a cover to releasably enclose the power source within the cavity; and

wherein the power source to provide a second power supply to the hearing aid and the second connector provides at least one of;

the first power supply,

the second power supply, or

the audio signal to the hearing aid.

9. The dongle of claim 8, wherein the power source comprising at least one of a triple-A (AAA) battery, a double-A (AA) battery, a C battery, a D battery, or a 4.5 volt battery.

10. The dongle of claim 1, further comprising a securing mechanism to secure the dongle to an object.

11. A hearing aid comprising:

an interface to releasably couple to a connector for receiving at least one of a power supply and an audio signal;

a circuit coupled to the interface to modulate the audio signal to compensate for a hearing impairment of a user; and

a rechargeable battery coupled to the interface to receive the power supply for recharging and coupled to the circuit for providing power to the hearing aid.

12. The hearing aid of claim 11, further comprising:

a switch coupled to the rechargeable battery to disconnect the rechargeable battery from the circuit when the interface receives a power supply from the connector; and

wherein the interface provides the power supply to the circuit to power the hearing aid.

13. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the interface contemporaneously provides the power supply to the rechargeable battery and the circuit.

14. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the interface selectively provides the power supply to at least one of the rechargeable battery and the circuit.

15. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the audio signal is a first audio signal, the hearing aid further comprising:

a microphone coupled to the circuit to convert electrical signals into a second audio signal; and

wherein the circuit includes a processor configured to;

selectively combine the first audio signal and the second audio signal to produce a combined audio signal, and

modulate the combined audio signal to produce the modulated output signal.

16. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the audio signal is a first audio signal, the hearing aid further comprising:

a microphone coupled to the circuit to convert electrical signals into a second audio signal; and

wherein the circuit includes a processor configured to;

selectively shape the first audio signal to generate a first shaped signal and the second audio signal to generate a second shaped signal, and

selectively combine the first and second shaped signals to generate the modulated output signal.

17. A dongle assembly for a hearing aid comprising:

a first component, the first component including;

a first plurality of conductive wires, each wire having a computing device end and a hearing aid end;

a first connector connected to the computing device end of each of the plurality of conductive wires and configured to releasably couple to an input/output port of a computing device; and

a second connector connected to the hearing aid end of each of the plurality of conductive wires and configured to releasably couple to an interface of the hearing aid, the second connector delivering to the interface of the hearing aid at least one of;

a first power supply;

or

an audio signal from the computing device.

18. The dongle assembly of claim 17, further comprising:

a second component, the second component having a casing that includes;

a third connector configured to releasably couple to an input/output port of the computing device; and

a fourth connector configured to releasably couple to the second connector, the fourth connector delivers to the second connector at least one of;

the first power supply, or

the audio signal from the computing device.

19. The dongle assembly of claim 18, wherein:

the first component further includes a rechargeable power source to provide a second power supply to the hearing aid; and

the fourth connector is to provide at least one of;

the first power supply,

the second power supply, or

the audio signal to the second connector.

20. The dongle assembly of claim 19, wherein:

the casing of the first component further includes a cavity for receiving a power source, the power source to provide a second power supply to the hearing aid; and

the fourth connector is to provide at least one of;

the first power supply,

the second power supply, or

the audio signal to the second connector.