Magnetically controllable hearing aid

• US 5,659,621 A
• Filed: 04/27/1995
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Argosy Electronics
• Original Assignee: Argosy Electronics
• Inventors: Newton, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US08/429,800
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 381/68, 381/68.6, 381/68.2-68.4, 381/69, 381/69.2, 600/25, 607/56, 607/57, 128/746
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/004 Application hearing aid
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling an adjustable operational parameter of a hearing aid by the use of an external magnetic actuator held in proximity with the hearing aid. The hearing aid has a microphone for generating signals, hearing aid circuitry for processing the signals, an output transducer for transforming the processed signals to a user compatible form, and a single magnetic switch, such as a reed switch, connected to the hearing aid circuitry. The magnetic switch controls the hearing aid circuitry to adjust an adjustable operational parameter, such as volume. In one embodiment the adjustable operational parameter continues to adjust or cycle between a minimum and a maximum as long as the magnetic actuator is maintained in proximity with the magnetic switch. When the magnetic actuator is removed the adjustment ceases. The invention allows precise adjustment and control of an adjustable parameter with minimal effort and movement by the user. The hearing aid circuitry may include a memory to allow a desired setting of the adjustable operational parameter to be saved when the hearing aid is turned off.

Claims

1. A magnetically controlled hearing aid comprising:

a) a microphone for generating electrical signals from acoustical input;

b) a single magnetic switch actuatable by the presence of a magnetic field and deactuatable by the removal of the magnetic field;

c) an output transducer earphone for transforming processed electrical signals into a user compatible form; and

d) hearing aid circuitry connected to the microphone, the output transducer, and the magnetic switch, the hearing aid circuitry comprising signal processing circuitry and control processing circuitry for controlling the signal processing circuitry, the signal processing circuitry configured for processing said electrical signals generated by the microphone, the signal processing circuitry including an adjustable operational parameter, said adjustable operational parameter having a minimum setting, a plurality of mid-range settings and a maximum setting and wherein the control processing circuitry is configured to repeatedly cycle through said minimum setting, said plurality of mid-range settings and said maximum settings exclusively by actuation of said single magnetic switch whereby a desired setting may be selected, changed, and reselected solely by operation of said single magnetic switch.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the control processing circuitry is configured to continue to adjust the adjustable operational parameter while the actuation of the magnetic switch is sustained and to cease adjusting said operational parameter when the magnetic switch is deactuated.

3. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the adjustable operational parameter is volume.

4. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the adjustable operational parameter is volume and wherein the control processing circuitry is configured such that when actuation of the magnetic switch is sustained the volume is incrementally adjusted.

5. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the adjustable operational parameter is volume, wherein the hearing aid further comprises a power switch for switching the hearing aid on and off, and wherein the control processing circuitry is configured to adjust the volume to the minimum setting when the hearing aid is switched on.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the output transducer, the microphone, the magnetic switch, and the hearing aid circuitry are contained within a housing, and wherein the housing is configured to be inserted into the ear canal.

7. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the adjustable parameter has a minimum setting and a maximum setting and wherein the control processing circuitry is further configured such that when the magnetic switch actuation is sustained the setting of the adjustable operational parameter has a cycle in which said setting is initially ramped upwardly to the maximum setting and then the setting is ramped downwardly to the minimum setting.

8. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid has a power switch for switching the hearing aid on and off and the hearing aid circuitry is further comprised of a memory connected to the control processing circuitry, the control processing circuitry configured for storing in said memory the setting of the adjustable parameter when said hearing aid is switched off and further configured to adjust the operational parameter to the setting stored in said memory when the hearing aid is subsequently switched on.

9. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the control processing circuitry is further configured for switching the hearing aid on and off and wherein the plurality of settings has an initial setting, the adjustable setting adjusts to the initial setting when the hearing aid is switched on, the control processing circuitry further comprising an adjustable trimmer control whereby said initial setting may be adjusted.

10. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the control processing circuitry is further configured such that the adjustable setting is first moved towards the maximum setting upon actuation of the single magnetic switch and is then moved toward the minimum setting upon a subsequent actuation of the single magnetic switch.

11. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the adjustable operational parameter is volume and wherein the control processing circuitry is further configured such that the volume is first adjusted downwardly upon actuation and the sustaining of the actuation of the magnetic switch and is then adjusted upwardly upon a subsequent actuation and the sustaining of the actuation of the magnetic switch.

12. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the adjustable operational parameter is volume and wherein the control processing circuitry is further configured such that the volume is first adjusted upwardly upon actuation and the sustaining of the actuation of the magnetic switch and is then adjusted downwardly upon a subsequent actuation and the sustaining of the actuation of the magnetic switch.

13. The hearing aid system of claim 12, wherein the hearing aid is a completely in the canal type of hearing aid.

14. A magnetically controlled hearing aid comprising:

a) a microphone for generating electrical signals from acoustical input;

b) a single magnetic switch actuatable by the presence of a magnetic field and deactuatable by the removal of the magnetic field;

c) an output transducer earphone for transforming processed electrical signals into a user compatible form; and

d) hearing aid circuitry connected to the microphone, the output transducer, and the magnetic switch, the hearing aid circuitry comprising signal processing circuitry and control processing circuitry for controlling the signal processing circuitry, the signal processing circuitry configured for processing said electrical signals generated by the microphone, the signal processing circuitry including adjustable gain setting, said adjustable gain setting adjustable through a plurality of settings having a minimum setting and a maximum setting, the control processing circuitry configured to repeatedly cycle the gain setting through the plurality of settings exclusively by way of actuation of the single magnetic switch.