Energy recovering hearing system

• US 5,276,910 A
• Filed: 09/13/1991
• Issued: 01/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EarLens Corporation
• Original Assignee: ReSound Corp. (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Buchele, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, CHI H
• Application Number:
  US07/759,164
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41, 455/42, 455/91, 455/106, 455/108, 455/127, 330/251, 381/79, 381/68.6
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window

Abstract

The present invention comprises a hearing system apparatus and method for electromagnetically communicating signals to a magnetic transducer. The apparatus includes a signalling circuit for producing a pulse-width modulated current signal. An antenna means is coupled to the signalling circuit for producing a variable electromagnetic field whose energy intensity is modulated by the output of the signalling circuit. In addition, an energy storage circuit is coupled to the antenna for storing a substantial portion of the energy stored in the magnetic field produced by the antenna when the magnetic field collapses between cycles of the current signal. Also, an energy recycling circuit is coupled to the storage circuit and the antenna for recovering the energy stored in the storage circuit for use in the next electromagnetic field cycle.

Claims

1. A hearing system apparatus for electromagnetically communicating signals to a magnetic transducer, said apparatus comprising:

signalling means for producing a pulse-width modulated current signal;

antenna means coupled to said signalling means for producing a variable electromagnetic field whose energy intensity is proportional to the output of said signalling means;

energy storage means coupled to said antenna means for storing a substantial portion of the energy stored in the magnetic field produced by said antenna means when the magnetic field collapses between cycles of said current signal; and

energy recycling means coupled to said storage means and said antenna means for recovering the energy stored in said storage means for use in the next electromagnetic field cycle;

wherein said energy recycling means comprises a Class-D amplifier electrically coupled to said energy storage means, the inputs of said amplifier being electrically coupled to said signalling means and the outputs of said amplifier being electrically coupled to said antenna means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising current source means coupled to said antenna means for providing current sufficient to replace that energy which is stored in the electromagnetic field of said antenna means and which is not recovered and stored in said storage means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said storage means comprises a capacitor and an inductor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said Class-D amplifier comprises an H-Bridge driver electrically coupled to said capacitor.

5. A hearing system comprising:

acoustic transducer means for converting acoustic energy into an input electrical signal;

signalling means for producing a pulse-width modulated current signal representative of said input electrical signal;

antenna means coupled to said signalling means for producing a variable electromagnetic field whose energy intensity is proportional to the output of said signalling means;

energy storage means coupled to said antenna means for recovering a substantial portion of the energy stored in the magnetic field produced by said antenna means when the magnetic field collapses between cycles of said current signal;

energy recycling means coupled to said storage means and said antenna means for recovering the energy stored in said storage means for use in the next electromagnetic field cycle;

current source means coupled to said antenna means for providing current sufficient to replace that energy which is stored in the electromagnetic field of said antenna means and which is not recovered and stored in said storage means; and

magnetic transducer means for responding to changes in the magnetic field produced by said antenna means by producing vibrations corresponding to said input electrical signal;

wherein said energy recycling means comprises a Class-D amplifier electrically coupled to said energy storage means, the inputs of said amplifier being electrically coupled to said signalling means and the outputs of said amplifier being electrically coupled to said antenna means.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said acoustic transducer means comprises a microphone.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said storage means comprises a capacitor and an inductor.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said Class-D amplifier comprises an H-Bridge driver electrically coupled to said capacitor.