INPUT STAGE HEADROOM EXPANSION FOR HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES

• US 20150110312A1
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Mesfin, Yezihalem, Sacha, Michael Karl
• Application Number:
  US14/060,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20150110312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/005 using semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/003 Mems transducers or their use of the electrostatic type H04R19/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] 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 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/356 Amplitude, e.g. amplitude shift or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for input stage headroom expansion for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a hearing assistance device. According to various embodiments, the hearing assistance device includes an input stage including a microphone configured with variable sensitivity, and hearing assistance electronics connected to the microphone. The hearing assistance electronics are configured to process a signal received by the microphone for hearing assistance for a wearer of the hearing assistance device, in an embodiment. A receiver is connected to the hearing assistance electronics and configured to output the processed signal to the user, in various embodiments. According to various embodiments, the hearing assistance electronics are configured to dynamically change the sensitivity of the microphone to change headroom of the input stage.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sensing input sound pressure level for a hearing assistance device;

dynamically changing sensitivity of a microphone of the hearing assistance device to change headroom of an input stage of the hearing assistance device based on the sensed input sound pressure level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically changing sensitivity of a microphone includes changing a bias voltage of the microphone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein changing sensitivity includes decreasing sensitivity to increase the headroom.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein changing sensitivity includes increasing sensitivity to decrease the headroom.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein changing sensitivity includes using a predetermined increment level hardcoded in the microphone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein changing sensitivity includes specifying an increment level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein changing sensitivity includes switching between a maximum and a minimum sensitivity value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein switching between a maximum and a minimum sensitivity value includes using a GPIO processor line.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing input sound pressure level includes taking an average over a predetermined time period.

10. A hearing assistance device, including:

an input stage including a microphone configured with variable sensitivity;

hearing assistance electronics connected to the microphone, the hearing assistance electronics configured to process a signal received by the microphone for hearing assistance for a wearer of the hearing assistance device; and

a receiver connected to the hearing assistance electronics and configured to output the processed signal to the user,

wherein the hearing assistance electronics are configured to dynamically change the sensitivity of the microphone to change headroom of the input stage.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the microphone includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the hearing assistance electronics include a digital signal processor (DSP).

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid includes a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid includes an invisible-in-canal (IIC) hearing aid.