Hearing aid set

• US 5,610,988 A
• Filed: 06/12/1996
• Issued: 03/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyahara, Katsunobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US08/662,287
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• Field of Search: 381/68, 381/68.1, 381/68.2, 381/68.4, 381/68.6, 381/68.7, 381/69, 381/77, 73/585, 128/746, D24/174
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/607 of earhooks

Abstract

A wireless hearing aid set consists of a hearing aid and a controller. The hearing aid comprises a microphone, a loudspeaker unit, a variable-gain circuit, a control circuit and a signal receiving unit. The microphone picks up ambient sound waves. The variable-gain circuits adjusts the frequency characteristics and the level of the output signals of the microphone. The loudspeaker unit receives the output signals of the variable-gain circuit and converts the output signals of the variable-gain circuit into corresponding sounds. The control circuit controls the variable-gain circuit on the basis of the output signals of the signal receiving unit. The controller comprises an operating unit and a transmission unit. The operating unit has a plurality of operating devices. The transmission unit transmits control signals corresponding input signals given thereto by operating the operating unit. The controller is provided with indicators for indicating set values, such as the gain of the variable-gain circuit and frequency characteristics of the output signals of the microphone.

Claims

1. A hearing aid set comprising:

a hearing aid comprising;

a microphone for receiving sound signals and providing electric output signals representative thereof,

variable-gain means for varying characteristics and level of the output signals from the microphone,

a speaker unit that receives an output signal from the variable-gain means,

receiving means for receiving control signals, and

gain control means for varying the gain of the variable-gain means;

said variable gain means including a level adjusting unit, including an attenuator, for adjusting the level of the output signals from the microphone to be applied to the speaker unit;

a frequency characteristic adjusting unit, including an equalizer, for adjusting the frequency characteristics of the output signals of the microphone to be applied to the speaker unit; and

a sound volume adjusting unit, including a limiter, for adjusting the volume of sounds to be generated by the speaker unit, and

a non-programmable controller for controlling the hearing aid, comprising;

operating means including at least one manually manipulable movable member for setting the gain of the variable gain means, wherein the operating means comprises a plurality of operating devices, and the indicating means comprise indicators that indicate that gain of the variable-gain means set by operating the operating devices of the operating means

output means which outputs the control signals to the receiving means with input signals from the operating means, and

analog type indicating means for visually indicating the gain of the variable-gain means specified by the input signals from the operating means, said indicating means comprising at least one fixed visible indicia which is associated with said at least one manually manipulable movable member and which visibly indicates a magnitude of at least one parameter which determines the gain of the variable gain means.

2. A hearing aid set according to claim 1, wherein the operating means comprises a plurality of operating devices, and the indicating means comprise a display that displays the gain of the variable-gain means set by operating the operating means.