Remote control for a hearing aid, and applicable hearing aid

• US 6,816,600 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2000
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Marquis, François, Jakob, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Application Number:
  US09/482,366
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 340/826.69, 340/826.72, 340/825.72, 368/10, 455/66, 455/92, 455/344, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 381/312, 381/315
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A remote control of a hearing aid is integrated into a case (1) of a wrist watch with wristband (3). A coil antenna (5) of the remote control is designed to generate a field similar to that of a dipole (P) which substantially runs in the direction of the wristband (3). The wrist watch remote control for the hearing aid provides a reliable communication link that is assured for the in-situ hearing aid.

Claims

1. A remote control comprising a transmission unit operationally connected at its output to an inductive transmitter antenna, a control unit, the output thereof being operationally connected to an input of said transmission unit, and a a power supply powering said transmission unit and said control unit, wherein said transmitter antenna comprises a coil arrangement;

said coil arrangement, said control unit said transmission unit and said power supply are integrated into a case of a wristwatch;

and said coil arrangement generates a magnetic field in response to said control unit at least approximately equal to a magnetic dipole with a dipole direction parallel to the case and in a direction of a wristband of said wristwatch as considered in a top view upon said case.

2. The remote control as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the components of the group of components consisting of the transmission unit, coil arrangement, control unit and powers supply are integrated into the wristwatch to operate independently of a chronometric function of said wristwatch.

3. The remote control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wristwatch comprises at least one manually operated input device to drive the control unit.

4. The remote control as claimed in claim 1, wherein a visual display is provided by the wristwatch, said display being operationally connected with the control unit and/or the transmission unit.

5. The remote control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission unit transmits a modulated signal at a center frequency f, wherein:

6. The remote control as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coil arrangement is a linear coil.

7. The remote control as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power supply is a Li-ion battery.

8. An apparatus with a remote control and a receiver device, wherein the remote control is designed as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the receiver device is tuned to the transmission unit of the remote control.

9. The remote control as claimed in claim 5, wherein the center frequency f is:

10. The remote control as claimed in claim 5, wherein the center frequency f is:

11. The remote control as claimed in claim 6, wherein the linear coil is a coil wound on a ferrite core.

12. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the remote control is a hearing device remote control.

13. The remote control as in claim 1, wherein the remote control is a hearing aid remote control.

14. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the apparatus is a hearing device.

15. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the apparatus is a hearing aid device.

16. The remote control as claimed in claim 4, wherein said display is an LED display.

17. The remote control as claimed in claim 4, wherein said display indicates proper operation of said control unit.

18. The remote control as claimed in claim 4, wherein said display displays the status of said power supply.