Hearing aid with programmable remote and method of deriving settings for configuring the hearing aid

• US 5,303,306 A
• Filed: 11/25/1991
• Issued: 04/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micrel Incorporated (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Audioscience Incorporated
• Inventors: Brillhart, Bruce A., Adams, Theodore P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US07/796,659
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 381/68, 381/68.1, 381/68.2, 381/68.3, 381/68.4, 381/60, 128/746
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• 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 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/03 Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

A hearing aid is provided which is controlled by a remote control via infrared radiation. The remote control is provided with volume control keys, standardized sound environment keys and custom sound environment keys. When one of these keys is pressed, new circuit settings are transmitted to the hearing aid via infrared radiation. An audiologist tests a patient to obtain an audiogram, MCL and LDL measurements. A set of template overlays is used to determine curve shape and magnitude of loss. This data is stored in the remote control which uses it to derive the circuit settings. These settings which constitute a baseline set of settings are modified as a result of a key on the remote control being pressed.

Claims

1. In combination a hearing aid and apparatus for controlling the hearing aid, comprising:

the hearing aid comprising;

a microphone producing a first signal;

a speaker;

first circuit means connected between the microphone and the speaker for processing the first signal;

radiation sensing means for sensing circuit setting data transmitted as radiation from a remote control, the radiation sensing means producing a second signal which corresponds to the circuit setting data transmitted;

second circuit means for processing the second signal and configuring the first circuit means in accordance with the circuit setting data transmitted by the remote control;

the remote control comprising;

a processor;

memory means holding a computer program;

memory means for holding baseline reference data, the baseline reference data comprised of a single set of baseline parameters, the baseline parameters providing data to configure the hearing aid for a particular sound environment;

a keypad containing a plurality of keys corresponding to a plurality of sound environments;

means for generating circuit setting data, corresponding to a modified set of baseline parameters computed for particular sound environment selected, at the time the sound environment is selected, the circuit setting data computed using the computer program which processes the baseline reference data, and modifies it to configure the hearing air for the sound environment corresponding to the key pressed, based on a key pressed on the keypad, the circuit setting data including all the information required to configure a circuit to a predetermined response;

a radiation transmitter for transmitting the processed circuit setting data as radiation to the hearing aid;

whereby when a key on the keypad is pressed the computer program processes the baseline reference data to produce the circuit setting data for a particular sound environment, the remote control transmits the circuit setting data to the hearing aid, which configure the first circuit means in accordance with the circuit setting data.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the remote control transmits the circuit setting data using infrared radiation and where the infrared radiation is transmitted substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the keypad.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the hearing aid is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery and where the lithium battery is inductively recharged by a recharger.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein the hearing aid is powered by a rechargeable nickle-cadmium battery and where the nickel-cadmium battery is inductively recharged by a recharger.

5. The combination of claim 2 further including at least one custom environment sound key which corresponds to a non-standard sound environment.

6. The combination of claim 2 further including a pair of volume control keys constructed and arranged to raise or lower the volume in predetermined increments.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the predetermined increment is between 2 and 5 db.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein pressing the volume control key which raises the volume transmits the maximum power output data which is used in a circuit inside the hearing aid so that the volume will not be raised past the point of maximum power output.

9. In combination a hearing aid and a remote control apparatus for controlling the hearing aid, comprising:

the remote control apparatus comprising;

a processor;

a keypad containing a plurality of keys, each key corresponding to a particular sound environment;

memory means associated with the processor for storing a computer program and for storing data corresponding to a patient, the data comprised of a single set of baseline parameters, the baseline parameters providing data to the computer program which computes a modified set of parameters to configure the hearing aid for a particular sound environment when a key is pressed, the computer program including a set of formulas which utilize the data of a particular patient to generate a set of circuit settings in a predetermined manner based on a particular key pressed on the keypad, the circuit setting corresponding to a modified set of baseline parameters computed for the particular sound environment selected, at the time the sound environment is selected;

a control signal transmitter for transmitting a control signal to the hearing aid, the control signal corresponding to the set of circuit settings as computed and modified by the computer program after a key is pressed;

the hearing aid comprising;

a microphone producing a first signal in response to sound;

a speaker for producing sound in response to a processed signal;

analog circuit means including a plurality of adjustable signal processing circuit element connected between the microphone and the speaker for processing the first signal in a predetermined manner;

control signal sensing means for sensing the control signal transmitted from the remote control;

digital control circuit means connected to the control signal sensing means for adjusting the signal processing circuit elements in accordance with the set of circuit settings transmitted by the remote control;

whereby pressing a key on the remote control causes the control signal, which corresponds to the baseline data as modified by the program, to be transmitted to the hearing aid which adjusts the signal processing circuit elements in accordance with the new circuit settings.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the remote control transmits the circuit setting data using infrared radiation and wherein the infrared radiation is transmitted substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the keypad.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the hearing aid is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery and where the lithium battery is inductively recharged by a recharger.

12. The combination of claim 10 wherein the hearing aid is powered by a rechargeable nickle-cadmium battery and where the nickle-cadmium battery is inductively recharged by a recharger.

13. The combination of claim 10 further including at least one custom environment sound key which corresponds to a non-standard sound environment.

14. The combination of claim 10 further including a pair of volume control keys constructed and arranged to raise or lower the volume in predetermined increments.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the predetermined increment is between 2 and 5 db.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein pressing the volume control key which raises the volume transmits the maximum power output data which is used in a circuit inside the hearing aid so that the volume will not be raised past the point of maximum power output.

17. A method of deriving settings for a hearing aid comprising the steps of:

preparing an audiogram of a patient based on standard testing techniques;

determining the most comfortable level of a patient based on standard testing techniques;

determining the loudness discomfort level of a patient based on standard testing techniques;

classifying the patient'"'"'s hearing loss into a general category by matching the patient'"'"'s audiogram to a template overlay, where the template comprises a predetermined number of graph shapes;

determining the magnitude of loss by matching the audiogram to a predetermined number of subgraphs contained on a template overly, where the subgraphs vary the magnitude of loss of a particular graph shape;

determining which prescription formula to utilize in calculating the circuit settings for a hearing aid;

determining the dynamic range compression setting, and

storing these settings in a remote control

whereby these settings are used by the prescription formula to calculate the circuit settings for configuring a hearing aid.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the graph shape template and the magnitude of loss template are combined into one template.

19. A remotely controlled hearing aid, comprising:

a hearing aid which includes a memory for storing a set of parameters which configure the hearing aid for a particular sound environment;

a remote control which includes;

a first memory fir storing a single set of baseline parameters;

a keyboard including a plurality of keys, each corresponding to a different sound environment;

a second memory for storing a program, and

a processor which runs he program to compute a modified set of parameters from he baseline parameters stored in the first memory to provide a set of parameters to configure the hearing aid for the particular sound environment corresponding to the key pressed by a user and wherein the new computed modified set of parameters are computed when the user presses a particular key;

and transmission means for transmitting the newly computed set of parameters to the hearing aid for storage in the memory, whereby the hearing aid is reconfigured in accordance with the new settings for the particular sound environment.