Portable hearing-related analysis system

• US 6,366,863 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Ear Technology Incorporated (Starkey Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Preves, David A., Bye, Gordon J., Erdahl, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ASSOUAD, PATRICK J
• Application Number:
  US09/004,788
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 705/41, 381/58, 381/23.1, 381/312, 381/314, 381/323, 381/60
• US Class Current: 702/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/121 evaluating hearing capacity
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

An improved hearing-related analysis programming system with a host computer for providing at least one hearing aid program and having at least one personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) defined port in combination with a PCMCIA Card inserted in the port and arranged for interacting with the host computer for controlling hearing-related analysis or programming of a hearing aid. The host computer provides power and ground to the PCMCIA Card and provides for downloading the hearing aid programming software to the PCMCIA Card upon initialization. A microprocessor on the PCMCIA Card executes hearing-related analysis or the programming software. A hearing aid interface for adjusting voltage levels and impedance levels is adapted for coupling signals to the hearing aid being programmed. Systems for performing hearing-related analysis include a portable audiometer system on a PCMCIA Card and operable with a portable host computer to analyze hearing of a patient, and a real-ear system on a PCMCIA Card and operable with a portable host computer to analyze output from a hearing aid in a patient'"'"'s ear.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing hearing-related function in humans comprising:

a host processor having first and second personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) defined ports, said host processor including a memory system to store hearing aid programming instructions and hearing analysis instructions;

a first PCMCIA Card coupled to said first PCMCIA defined port, said first PCMCIA Card including first circuits interacting with said host processor to download said hearing aid programming instructions, and said first PCMCIA Card including a first processor system coupled to said first circuits to execute said hearing aid programming instructions;

a second PCMCIA Card coupled to said second PCMCIA defined port, said second PCMCIA Card being separate from said first PCMCIA card, said second PCMCIA Card including second circuits interactive with said host processor to download said hearing-related analyzing instructions, and said second PCMCIA Card including a second processor system coupled to said second circuits to execute said hearing-related analyzing instructions.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said first PCMCIA Card farther includes a first output circuit coupled to said first processor system to provide selected hearing aid program signals to one or more hearing aids to be programmed.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein said second PCMCIA Card further includes:

a plurality of selectable audio signal sources;

first control circuits coupled to said plurality of selectable audio signal sources and coupled to said second processor system to select one of said plurality of selectable audio signal sources in response to predetermined ones of said hearing-related analyzing instructions; and

a second output circuit coupled to said second processor system, to said first control circuits, and to said plurality of selectable audio signal sources to provide selected audio signals.

4. A system as in claim 3, and further including in combination:

an audio signal device coupled to said second output circuit to apply said selected audio signals to a person whose hearing is to be tested.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein said second PCMCIA Card further includes:

a feedback circuit having an input section to receive feedback signals and an output section; and

a feedback control circuit coupled to said output section and coupled to said second processor system to control transmission of said feedback signals to said host processor.

6. A system as in claim 5, and further including in combination:

a feedback device coupled to said input section, said feedback device including selection devices operable to feedback hearing analysis signals indicative of hearing responses resulting from the selected ones of said selected audio signals.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second processing system includes an audiometer providing selected output signals to a patient in response to said hearing-related analyzing instructions and providing feedback signals in response to patient feedback from said selected output signals.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the audiometer includes:

stimulus unit coupled to one of said host processor and said second processor system, said stimulus means providing selected hearing stimulus signals in response to control signals from said host processor or said second processor system;

an output unit providing said selected hearing stimulus signals to a patient; and

feedback unit for providing feedback signals indicative of hearing response of the patient to said selected hearing stimulus signals.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said stimulus unit includes:

audio signal means for providing selectable audio signals;

tone signal means for providing selectable tone signals;

audio control means for selecting the desired ones of said selectable audio signals;

tone control means for selecting the desired ones of said selectable tone signals; and

stimulus control means for shaping and attenuating the selected ones of said audio signals and said tone signals in response to said control signals and for selecting a type of output from the output unit.

11. The hearing analyzing system according to claim 10, wherein said output unit includes transducer means externally coupled to said stimulus control means for providing said selected hearing stimulus signals.

12. The hearing analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein said first PCMCIA Card includes card information structure providing predetermined card identification signals to said host processor.

13. The hearing analyzing system according to claim 1, wherein said second PCMCIA Card includes card information structure providing predetermined card identification signals to said host processor.

7. A system for analyzing hearing-related functions in humans comprising:

a host processor having at least one computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) defined port, said host processor including a memory system to store hearing analyzing programs and to store hearing parameters for a patient;

a PCMCIA Card coupled to said PCMCIA defined port, said PCMCIA Card including a PCMCIA interface circuit, a control processor coupled to said PCMCIA interface circuit, said control processor to provide selected control signals and to receive feedback signals to be provided to said host processor, and an external communication link; and

a hearing-related analyzer coupled to said external communication link, said hearing-related analyzer including first circuits to provide selected testing signals to a patient in response to said selected control signals, and said hearing-related analyzer including second circuits to receive feedback signals from the patient, said feedback signals to be transmitted over said external communication link to said control processor.

14. A system for analyzing hearing-related function in humans comprising:

a host processor having a memory system and first and second card ports;

a first computer card coupled to said first port, said first computer card including a first memory containing hearing aid programming instructions and first circuits interacting with said host processor, and said first computer card including a first processor system coupled to said first circuits to execute said hearing aid programming instructions;

a second computer card coupled to said second card port, said second computer card being separate from said first computer card, said second computer card including a second memory containing hearing-analyzing instructions and second circuits interactive with said host processor, and said second computer card including a second processor system coupled to said second circuits to execute said hearing-related analyzing instructions.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said hearing aid programming instructions of said first computer card program a first type of hearing aid, if a second type of hearing aid is present said first computer card is removed and a third computer card is coupled to said first port, said third computer card including a third memory containing second hearing aid programming instructions for a second type of hearing aid and third circuits interacting with said host processor, and further including a third processor system coupled to said third circuits to execute said second hearing aid programming instructions.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein at least one of said first and second computer cards are PCMCIA type cards.

17. The system according co claim 14, wherein said host processor system includes a housing and both said first and second ports open through said housing, said first and second computer cards being insertable and replaceable from outside said housing.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said host processor powers said first and second computer cards.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said second computer card includes an audiometer analyzer which is connected to an input device for selecting a test signal sent to a patient and an output device for transmitting the test signal to the patient.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said first computer card includes circuitry for communicating programming instructions to a hearing aid.