HEARING DEVICE CONFIGURED TO BE PLACED IN THE EAR CANAL OF A USER

• US 20160309268A1
• Filed: 04/19/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: OLSEN, Thor Hjlund, JRGENSEN, Lars Lund, FRANTZEN, Jan, KOCH, Povl, STRANNE, Sren, PEDERSEN, Troels Holm, CHRISTENSEN, Kre Tais, RASMUSSEN, Karsten Bo, SEVERIN, Bent
• Granted Patent: US 10,264,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• 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 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/609 of circuitry of electronic switches or control elements H04R25/603
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/65 Housing parts, e.g. shells, tips or moulds, or their manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/658 Manufacture of housing parts

Abstract

The application relates to a hearing device configured to be placed in the ear canal of a user, the hearing device comprising a forward path adapted for processing an input sound and providing an output sound representative of the input sound, the hearing device comprising an assembly comprising first and second modules adapted for being in mechanical contact with each other when the hearing device is operationally assembled to form a functional unit. The object of the present application is to provide a user friendly hearing device adapted for being located in an ear canal of the user. The problem is solved in that the first module comprises a power supply unit, and the second module comprises an input unit, a signal processing unit and an output unit in operational connection, wherein the first and second modules are configured to provide that the first and second modules are reversibly attachable to and detachable from each other; and the first and second modules are electrically connected to provide that units of the second module are energized by the battery of the first module, when the first and second modules are operationally assembled. This has the advantage of providing relatively simple and easy to use hearing device. The invention may e.g. be used for hearing aids, in particular extended wear hearing aids adapted for being located deep in the ear canal of a user.

Claims

1. A hearing device configured to be placed in the ear canal of a user, the hearing device comprising a forward path adapted for processing an input sound and providing an output sound representative of the input sound, the hearing device comprising an assembly comprising first and second modules adapted for being in mechanical contact with each other when the hearing device is operationally assembled to form a functional unit, wherein

the first module comprises a power supply unit, and the second module comprises an input unit, a signal processing unit and an output unit in operational connection, wherein the first and second modules are configured to provide that

the first and second modules are reversibly attachable to and detachable from each other;

and

the first and second modules are electrically connected to provide that units of the second module are energized by the battery of the first module, when the first and second modules are operationally assembled.

2. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the first module comprises a first module container enclosing the power supply unit, and the second module comprises a second module container enclosing the input unit, the signal processing unit, and the output unit.

3. A hearing device according to claim 1 configured to provide that the first module carries the second module, when the first and second modules are operationally assembled.

4. A hearing device according to claim 1 configured to provide that the first module encloses the second module, when the first and second modules are operationally assembled.

5. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the input unit comprises an input transducer for converting an input sound to an electric input audio signal, and the output unit comprises an output transducer for converting a processed audio signal to an output sound.

6. A hearing device according to claim 1 configured to allow an input sound from the local environment of the input unit of the hearing device to reach the input unit and output sound from the output unit of the hearing device to reach the local environment of the output unit.

7. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the first module comprises a mechanically flexible outer part configured to provide a resilient interface towards walls of the ear canal of the user.

8. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the first module comprises an inner part that provides a mechanical interface towards the second module, wherein the inner part is less mechanically flexible than the outer part.

9. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the first module comprises one or more filters for mechanically protecting respective inlets or outlets of the second module during use of the hearing device.

10. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the forward path of the second module being energized from the power supply unit of the first module consists of a microphone for picking up an input sound from the environment and providing an electric input signal, a signal processing unit for processing the electric input signal and providing a processed electric signal, and a loudspeaker for converting the processed electric signal to an output sound.

11. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the first module is configured to be disposable.

12. A hearing device according to claim 1 configured to be powered on during wear.

13. A hearing device according to claim 1 configured to be automatically set in a reduced power mode when a predefined criterion is fulfilled.

14. A hearing device according to claim 1 comprising a first structural element for mounting and/or dismounting the hearing device in and from, respectively, the ear canal of the user.

15. A hearing system comprising a hearing device according to claim 1 and an auxiliary device adapted to establish a communication link between the hearing device and the auxiliary device to provide that information can be exchanged or forwarded from one to the other.

16. A hearing device according to claim 2 configured to provide that the first module carries the second module, when the first and second modules are operationally assembled.

17. A hearing device according to claim 2 configured to provide that the first module encloses the second module, when the first and second modules are operationally assembled.

18. A hearing device according to claim 3 configured to provide that the first module encloses the second module, when the first and second modules are operationally assembled.

19. A hearing device according to claim 2 wherein the input unit comprises an input transducer for converting an input sound to an electric input audio signal, and the output unit comprises an output transducer for converting a processed audio signal to an output sound.

20. A hearing device according to claim 3 wherein the input unit comprises an input transducer for converting an input sound to an electric input audio signal, and the output unit comprises an output transducer for converting a processed audio signal to an output sound.