High fidelity hearing aid amplifier

• US 5,131,046 A
• Filed: 11/03/1989
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Etymotic Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Cole, William A., Brown, Clyde M. Jr., Compton, James B., Killion, Mead C., Matzen, Norman P., Stewart, Jonathan K., Wilson, Donald L., Iseberg, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Jason
• Application Number:
  US07/431,531
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 381/68, 381/68.2, 381/102, 381/101, 381/68.4, 330/254, 330/279, 330/307, 330/294
• US Class Current: 381/321
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 9/18 for tone control and volume expansion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/356 Amplitude, e.g. amplitude shift or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/502 using analog signal processing

Abstract

A high fidelity hearing aid amplifier is operable at a very low battery voltage and includes a single integrated circuit chip which provides a variable gain amplifier and gain control circuitry operative at low signal levels to enhance gain at higher frequencies relative to gain at lower frequencies, such circuitry including a logarithmic rectifier arrangement and a peak detector in a compression ratio control circuit. Operation at a low battery voltage is enhanced through a compression ratio control circuit which provides a level shift between an AC output of the logarithmic rectifier arrangement and the peak detector. Current mirrors are provided to obtained balanced and stable operation, and an arrangement is provided for manual control by a user to obtain an optimum response characteristic.

Claims

1. A hearing aid including microphone means for developing an input electrical signal in response to an applied audio signal, receiver means for developing an audio output signal in response to an applied electrical signal, a battery, and amplifier means arranged for energization from said battery and for receiving said input electrical signal from said microphone means and applying a corresponding output signal to said receiver means, said amplifier means comprising:

an integrated circuit chip, a variable gain amplifier system including transistors on said integrated circuit chip and having an input responsive to said input electrical signal, a signal output and a gain control input, and a gain control circuitry including transistors on said integrated circuit chip, said gain control circuitry having logarithmic response characteristics and being arranged to apply a control signal to said gain control input of said variable gain amplifier system to control gain as a logarithmic function of signal level, said transistors of said gain control circuitry on said integrated circuit chip including an input transistor having a base electrode, feedback diode means for applying a feedback signal to said base electrode, and bias current reduction means on said integrated circuit chip and separate from said feedback diode means, said bias current reduction means including a transistor connected to said base electrode of said input transistor for applying to said base electrode a biasing current which corresponds closely to current flow into said base electrode of said input transistor in order to reduce biasing current required from said feedback diode means.

2. A hearing aid as defined in claim 1, wherein said gain control circuitry includes logarithmic rectifier means including transistors on said integrated circuit chip and having a logarithmic response characteristic such as to develop an output signal having a peak value varying as a logarithmic function of a signal at the output of said variable gain amplifier system, and a compression ratio control circuit also including transistors on said integrated circuit chip and arranged to respond to said peak value of said output signal of said logarithmic rectifier means and to apply a corresponding gain control signal to said gain control input of said variable gain amplifier system.

3. A hearing aid as defined in claim 2, wherein said logarithmic rectifier means includes said input transistor and additional transistors forming an amplifier having an input and an output, said feedback diode means on said integrated circuit chip being coupled between said input and said output of said amplifier of said logarithmic rectifier means, and said feedback diode means having a non-linear characteristic to obtain a feedback signal such as to obtain said logarithmic response characteristic.

4. A hearing aid as defined in claim 3, wherein said amplifier of said logarithmic amplifier means includes an output transistor, a current source for said output transistor, and offset diode means coupled to said feed back diode means and coupled between said current source and said output transistor.

5. A hearing aid as defined in claim 4, wherein said feedback diode means includes a diode coupled between said input of said amplifier and one end of said offset diode means and an oppositely poled diode coupled between said input of said amplifier and an opposite end of said offset diode means.

6. A hearing aid as defined in claim 1, said gain control circuitry providing a level dependent frequency response characteristic such as operate at low input signal levels to increase gain at higher signal frequencies relative to gain at lower signal frequencies, wherein said variable gain amplifier system includes a variable resistance having a resistance controlled by said control signal applied to said gain control input and a reactive impedance connected with said variable resistance to provide a gain control impedance which controls the gain of said variable gain amplifier system as a function of the value of said variable resistance and the frequency of a signal to be amplified.

7. A hearing aid as defined in claim 6, wherein said amplifier system includes an-an amplifier having an input and an output, and a feedback, circuit including said gain control impedance connected between said output and said input.

8. A hearing aid as defined in claim 7, wherein said feedback circuit includes a resistance connected in series with said gain control impedance to said output of said amplifier, and a feedback coupling between said input of said amplifier and a point between said resistance and said gain control impedance.

9. A hearing aid as defined in claim 8, wherein said reactive impedance includes a capacitor connected in series with said variable resistance.

10. A hearing aid as defined in claim 2, wherein said compression ratio control circuit includes a capacitor, means responsive to said output signal from said logarithmic rectifier circuit to charge said capacitor to a value corresponding to said peak value of said output signal, and DC amplifier means for responding to the voltage of said capacitor to develop a gain control signal for application to said gain control input of said variable gain amplifier system.

11. A hearing aid as defined in claim 10 wherein said DC amplifier means includes a transistor having a base electrode connected to said capacitor and wherein said compression ratio control circuit includes means for applying a current to said capacitor to charge said capacitor in one direction and to apply a biasing current to said base electrode of said transistor of said DC amplifier means, and detector diode means coupling said output signal from said logarithmic rectifier circuit to said capacitor to charge said capacitor in an opposite direction in response to said peak value of said output signal and to provide a level shift between said base electrode of said transistor of said DC amplifier means and said output of said logarithmic rectifier means.

12. A hearing aid as defined in claim 10, wherein said DC amplifier means includes an adjustable compression ratio control resistor connected to ground and operative to control the DC gain of said amplifier.

13. An amplifier comprising:

an integrated circuit chip, a variable gain amplifier system including transistors on said integrated circuit chip and having a signal input, a signal output and a gain control input, and a gain control circuitry including transistors on said integrated circuit chip, said gain control circuitry having logarithmic response characteristics and being arranged to apply a control signal to said gain control input of said variable gain amplifier system to control gain as a logarithmic function of signal level, said transistors of said gain control circuitry on said integrated circuit chip including an input transistor having a base electrode, feedback diode means for applying a feedback signal to said base electrode, and bias current reduction means on said integrated circuit chip and separate from said feedback diode means, said bias current reduction means including a transistor connected to said base electrode of said input transistor for applying to said base electrode a biasing current which corresponds closely to current flow into said base electrode of said input transistor in order to reduce biasing current required from said feedback diode means.

14. An amplifier as defined in claim 13, wherein said gain control circuitry includes logarithmic rectifier means including transistors on said integrated circuit chip and having a logarithmic response characteristic such as to develop an output signal having a peak value varying as a logarithmic function of a signal at the output of said variable gain amplifier system, and a compression ratio control circuit also including transistors on said integrated circuit chip and arranged to respond to said peak value of said output signal of said logarithmic rectifier means and to apply a corresponding gain control signal to said gain control input of said variable gain amplifier system.

15. An amplifier as defined in claim 14, wherein said logarithmic rectifier means includes said input transistor and additional transistors forming an amplifier having an input and an output, said feedback diode means on said integrated circuit chip being coupled between said input and said output of said amplifier of said logarithmic rectifier means, and said feedback diode means having a non-linear characteristic to obtain a feedback signal such as to obtain said logarithmic response characteristic.

16. An amplifier as defined in claim 15, wherein said amplifier of said logarithmic rectifier means includes an output transistor, and offset diode means coupled to said feed back diode means and coupled in series with said output transistor.

17. An amplifier as defined in claim 16, wherein said feedback diode means includes a diode coupled between said input of said amplifier and one end of said offset diode means and an oppositely poled diode coupled between said input of said amplifier and an opposite end of said offset diode means.

18. An amplifier as defined in claim 13, wherein said variable gain amplifier system includes a variable resistance having a resistance controlled by said control signal applied to said gain control input and a reactive impedance connected with said variable resistance to provide a gain control impedance which controls the gain of said variable gain amplifier system a function of the value of said variable resistance and the frequency of a signal to be amplified.

19. An amplifier as defined in claim 18, wherein amplifier system includes an amplifier having an input and an output, and a feedback circuit including said gain control impedance connected between said output and said input.

20. A hearing aid as defined in claim 18, wherein said feedback circuit includes a resistance connected in series with said gain control impedance to said output of said amplifier, and a feedback coupling between said input of said amplifier and a point between said resistance and said gain control impedance.

21. An amplifier as defined in claim 20, wherein said reactive impedance includes a capacitor connected in series with said variable resistance.

22. An amplifier as defined in claim 14, wherein said compression ratio control circuit includes a capacitor, means responsive to said output signal from said logarithmic rectifier circuit to charge said capacitor to a value corresponding to said peak value of said output signal, and DC amplifier means for responding to the voltage of said capacitor to develop a gain control signal for application to said gain control input of said variable gain amplifier system.

23. A hearing aid as defined in claim 22, wherein said DC amplifier means includes a transistor having a base electrode connected to said capacitor and wherein said compression ratio control circuit includes means for applying a current to said capacitor to charge said capacitor in one direction and to apply a biasing current to said base electrode of said transistor of said DC amplifier means, and detector diode means coupling said output signal from said logarithmic rectifier circuit to said capacitor to charge said capacitor in an opposite direction in response to said peak value of said output signal and to provide a level shift between said base electrode of said transistor of said DC amplifier means and said output of said logarithmic rectifier means.

24. An amplifier as defined in claim 22, wherein said DC amplifier means includes an adjustable compression ratio control resistor connected to ground and operative to control the DC gain of said amplifier.

25. A hearing aid including microphone means for developing an input electrical signal in response to an applied audio signal, receiver means for developing an audio output signal in response to an applied electrical signal, a battery, amplifier means arranged for energization from said battery and for receiving said input electrical signal from said microphone means and applying a corresponding output signal to said receiver means, a variable attenuator circuit associated with said amplifier means for attenuation of signals developed by said microphone means, a rectifier circuit for receiving signals from said amplifier means and developing a DC control signal proportional to signal amplitudes above a certain threshold level and for applying said control signal to said variable attenuator circuit, and an integrated circuit chip including transistors and other components associated with said amplifier means and variable attenuator and rectifier circuit, wherein said rectifier circuit is a variable threshold full-wave rectifier circuit which comprises reference potential means for developing two different reference potentials at first and second circuit points, a pair of semi-conductor junctions connected between said first and second circuit points and a third circuit point, means including a capacitor for coupling said third circuit point to said amplifier means, the charge of said capacitor being changed in one direction through current flow through one of said pair of semi-conductor junctions during half cycles of an applied signal of one polarity and being changed in an opposite direction through current flow through the other of said pair of semi-conductor junctions during half cycles of an applied signal of an opposite polarity, means for developing an output signal in response to current flow through one of said pair of semi-conductor junctions above a certain level, and means for controlling said reference potential means to control said reference potentials and control the signal level above which said output signal is developed.

26. A hearing aid as defined in claim 25, including a variable level-control resistor for controlling said threshold level and having one terminal connected to ground and a second terminal connected to said rectifier circuit.

27. A hearing aid as defined in claim 26 wherein said threshold level in decibels is a generally linear function of the resistance of said variable level-control resistor.