Integrated automatic telephone switch

• US 7,248,713 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Ear Technology Incorporated (Starkey Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Roberts, Randall W., Peterson, Timothy S., Bren, Mark A., Hagen, Lawrence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US10/284,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20030059073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381328-331, 381320-321, 381317-318
• US Class Current: 381/331
• 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 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• 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

A hearing aid includes a microphone for providing an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal, a means for filtering the electrical signal and a means for automatic switching. Upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the means for automatic switching enables the means for filtering to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid to boost a low frequency gain and reduce a high frequency gain. Such filtering can be used with or without a telecoil. A hearing aid including a telecoil is configured with a preamplifier, a inductive element, and a switch control integrated onto a single common circuit board.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hearing aid comprising:

receiving an acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

providing an electrical signal representative of the acoustic signal, the electrical signal having a corresponding low frequency component and a high frequency component; and

switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid in response to a switch in the hearing aid detecting a presence of a magnetic field received from a communication device that generates the acoustic signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes modifying the high frequency component of the electrical signal by attenuating the high frequency component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes boosting a gain for the low frequency component substantially concurrent with modifying the high frequency component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a presence of a magnetic field includes detecting the presence of the magnetic field using a reed switch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid includes switching to the second set of second stored parameters to operate on the electrical signal as a low pass filter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid includes switching from the first set of stored parameters to the second set of stored parameters to modify a frequency response of a programmable analog hearing aid.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid includes digitally modifying a frequency response of the hearing aid.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid includes enabling the switching using transistor switches in conjunction with the switch responsive to the magnetic field.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid includes boosting gain on frequencies less than or equal to 1000 Hz.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid includes boosting gain on frequencies less than 3000 Hz.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein switching from a first set of stored parameters in the hearing aid to a second set of second stored parameters in the hearing aid to modify a frequency response of the hearing aid includes boosting gain on frequencies between 300 Hz and 1000 Hz.

12. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone to provide an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

a first memory adapted to provide standard parameters for operating the hearing aid;

a second memory adapted to provide parameters for operating the hearing aid with a communication device;

a signal processor coupled to the microphone, the signal processor response to parameters provided by the first and second memories; and

a switch responsive to a change in detection of a magnetic field, wherein the switch is configured to automatically switch, upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field from the communication device, to enable the second memory to provide parameters for generating a frequency response with increased low frequency gain and reduced high frequency gain relative to a frequency response generated using parameters from the first memory.

13. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the second memory provides parameters for substantially reducing the high frequency component of the electrical signal while boosting a gain for the low frequency component of the electrical signal.

14. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the first memory provides parameters for processing the electrical signal such that a frequency response conforms to a prescription target.

15. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the switch includes a reed switch.

16. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the switch includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

17. A hearing aid comprising:

a circuit board;

a microphone;

a switch responsive to a magnetic field;

an inductive element;

a preamplifier coupled to the inductive element; and

a switch control having a first transistor and a second transistor, the switch control adapted to energize, with the first transistor on, a circuit that includes the inductive element in response to the switch detecting a magnetic field, and to concurrently de-energize, with the second transistor oft a microphone circuit that includes the microphone, wherein the preamplifier, the inductive element, and the switch control are integrated onto the circuit board.

18. The hearing aid of claim 17, wherein the switch includes a reed switch.

19. The hearing aid of claim 17, wherein the switch includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

20. The hearing aid of claim 17, wherein the preamplifier is adapted to set a sensitivity of the inductor element to that of a hearing aid microphone.

21. The hearing aid of claim 17, wherein the switch control includes a transistor switch for the microphone and a transistor switch for the inductive element.