HEARING APPARATUS INCLUDING COIL OPERABLE IN DIFFERENT OPERATION MODES

• US 20140307902A1
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ku, Yun Seo, Kim, Jong Jin, Uhm, Jun Whon, Yoon, Chang Wook, Kim, Dong Wook, Sohn, Jun Il, Choi, Jong Min, Han, Jong Hee
• Granted Patent: US 9,277,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• 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 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• 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 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing apparatus includes a coil and a coil operation mode selector configured to select either a first coil operation mode for communicating with a wireless communication terminal, or a second coil operation mode for wirelessly charging a battery of the hearing apparatus.

Claims

1. A hearing apparatus comprising:

a coil; and

a coil operation mode selector configured to select either a first coil operation mode for communicating with a wireless communication terminal, or a second coil operation mode for wirelessly charging a battery of the hearing apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communication path selector configured to select either a first communication path configured to transmit a phone sound of the wireless communication terminal using current induction, or a second communication path configured to transmit the phone sound of the wireless communication terminal using acoustic communication.

3. The hearing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a battery operation mode selector configured to select either a first battery operation mode for charging the battery, or a second battery operation mode for discharging the battery.

4. The hearing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coil is configured to generate a current using a current induction method or a resonance method in response to power wirelessly transmitted by a power supply device.

5. The hearing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the coil is configured to generate the current using the resonance method;

and

the hearing apparatus further comprises a charger configured to perform impedance matching to enable resonance to occur between the coil of the hearing apparatus and a coil of the power supply device.

6. The hearing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to generate a control signal to control the coil operation mode selector.

7. The hearing apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a sensor configured to sense recognition information indicating whether wireless charging of the hearing apparatus is to be performed;

wherein the processor is further configured to generate the control signal based on the sensed recognition information.

8. The hearing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the recognition information indicates whether a charging control of the hearing apparatus has been manually actuated.

9. The hearing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the recognition information indicates whether a power supply device configured to wirelessly supply power to the hearing apparatus is operating.

10. The hearing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the recognition information indicates whether the hearing apparatus has remained motionless for a predetermined time.

11. The hearing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a monitor configured to generate a control signal to control the coil operation mode selector based on a current signal generated by the coil.

12. The hearing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the monitor is further configured to generate the control signal based on a reference value for distinguishing whether the current signal is a current signal for transmitting a phone sound, or a current signal for charging the battery.

13. A hearing apparatus comprising:

a coil;

a coil operation mode selector configured to select either a first coil operation mode for communicating with a wireless communication terminal, or a second coil operation mode for wirelessly charging a battery of the hearing apparatus;

a communication path selector configured to select either a first communication path configured to transmit a phone sound of the wireless communication terminal using current induction, or a second communication path configured to transmit the phone sound of the wireless communication terminal using acoustic communication; and

a battery operation mode selector configured to select either a first battery operation mode for charging the battery, or a second battery operation mode for discharging the battery.

14. The hearing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coil is configured to generate a current using a current induction method or a resonance method in response to power wirelessly transmitted by a power supply device.

15. The hearing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coil is configured to generate the current using the resonance method;

and

the hearing apparatus further comprises a charger configured to perform impedance matching to enable resonance to occur between the coil of the hearing apparatus and a coil of the power supply device.

16. The hearing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a processor configured to generate a control signal to control the coil operation mode selector.

17. The hearing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a sensor configured to sense recognition information indicating whether wireless charging of the hearing apparatus is to be performed;

wherein the processor is further configured to generate the control signal based on the sensed recognition information.

18. The hearing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the recognition information indicates whether a charging control of the hearing apparatus has been manually actuated, or whether a power supply device configured to wirelessly supply power to the hearing apparatus is operating, or whether the hearing apparatus has remained motionless for a predetermined time.

19. The hearing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a monitor configured to generate a control signal to control the coil operation mode selector based on a current signal generated by the coil.

20. The hearing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the monitor is further configured to generate the control signal based on a reference value for distinguishing whether the current signal is a current signal for transmitting a phone sound, or a current signal for charging the battery.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a coil; and

a mode selector configured to select either a communicating mode for communicating using the coil, or a charging mode for charging using the coil.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the coil is configured to generate a current signal in response to a current generated in a speaker of a communication terminal using a current induction method;

and

the apparatus further comprises;

a microphone configured to generate a current signal in response to an acoustic sound received from the speaker of the communication terminal; and

a path selector configured to select either the current signal generated by the coil, or the current signal generated by the microphone.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the coil is configured to receive power wirelessly transmitted from a power supply device using a current induction method or a resonance method;

and

the apparatus further comprises;

a battery; and

a charger configured to receive charge the battery with the power received by the coil.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a supplier configured to receive power from the battery and supply the received power to the apparatus; and

a mode selector configured to select either a charging mode in which the charger is connected to the battery to charge the battery, or a discharging mode in which the supplier is connected to the battery to discharge the battery by supplying the received power to the apparatus.