System and method for selectively coupling hearing aids to electromagnetic signals

• US 7,447,325 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brain Gaylord, Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Ear Technology Incorporated (Starkey Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Roberts, Randall W., Peterson, Timothy S., Bren, Mark A., Sacha, Mike K., Anderson, Blane
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US10/243,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20040052391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,245 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381314-315, 381/324, 381327-328, 381/331, 381/23.1
• US Class Current: 381/331
• 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 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods are provided for selectively coupling hearing aids to electromagnetic fields. One aspect relates to a hearing aid device. In various embodiments, the hearing aid device includes an induction signal receiver for receiving induction signals, a microphone system for receiving acoustic signals, a hearing aid receiver, and a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit includes a proximity sensor for detecting an induction source. The signal processing circuit presents a first signal to the hearing aid receiver that is representative of the acoustic signals. When the induction source is detected, the signal processing circuit presents a second signal to the hearing aid receiver that is representative of the induction signals and transmits a third signal representative of the induction signals from the hearing aid device to a second hearing aid device. Other aspects are provided herein.

Claims

1. A hearing device for automatically receiving induction signals from a voice coil of a telephone handset, comprising:

a hearing aid receiver;

a microphone system for receiving acoustic signals;

means for presenting a first signal representative of the acoustic signals to the hearing aid receiver;

means for detecting the voice coil of the telephone handset;

an induction signal receiver for receiving the induction signals from the voice coil of the telephone handset;

means for presenting a second signal representative of the induction signals to the hearing aid receiver when the voice coil is detected; and

means for communicating a third signal representative of the induction signals to a second hearing aid device when the voice coil is detected.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving a fourth signal communicated from the second hearing aid device, the fourth signal being representative of the induction signals from the voice coil of the telephone handset; and

means for presenting a fifth signal representative of the fourth signal to the hearing aid device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating a third signal includes means for wirelessly communicating the third signal.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the means for wirelessly communicating the third signal include RF communication means.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating a third signal representative of the induction signals to a second hearing aid device when the voice coil is detected includes means for transmitting the third signal through a conductor to the second hearing aid device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for presenting a first signal representative of the acoustic signals to the hearing aid receiver is inactive when the means for presenting a second signal representative of the induction signals to the hearing aid receiver is active.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the voice coil of the telephone handset includes a magnetic field sensor.

8. A hearing aid device for selectively coupling to induction signals produced by an induction source, comprising:

an induction signal receiver for receiving induction signals;

a microphone system for receiving acoustic signals;

a hearing aid receiver;

a signal processing circuit operably connected to the induction signal receiver, the microphone system, and the hearing aid receiver, the signal processing circuit including a proximity sensor for detecting the induction source, wherein the signal processing circuit is adapted to present a first signal that is representative of the acoustic signals to the hearing aid receiver, and a second signal to the hearing aid receiver that is representative of the induction signals when the induction source is detected, and

a wireless transmitter to wirelessly transmit a third signal representative of the induction signals for reception by a second hearing aid device when the induction source is detected.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a wireless receiver connected to the signal processing circuit to receive a fourth signal wirelessly transmitted by the second hearing aid device, the fourth signal being representative of the induction signals.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the proximity sensor includes a magnetic field sensor for sensing a magnetic field gradient from a telephone handset.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field sensor includes a reed switch.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field sensor includes a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field sensor includes a magnetic sensing transducer.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field sensor includes a solid state switch.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the solid state switch includes a MAGFET.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the solid state switch includes a giant magneto resistive switch.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the solid state switch includes an anisotropic resistive switch.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the solid state switch includes a spin dependent tunneling switch.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the solid state switch includes a Hall-effect switch.

20. The device of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field sensor is adapted to selectively provide power to the microphone system and the induction signal receiver.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the magnetic field sensor is adapted to selectively provide power to the wireless transmitter.

22. The device of claim 8, wherein the induction signal receiver includes an induction coil pickup for coupling with the induction fields produced by a telephone handset.

23. The device of claim 8, wherein the proximity sensor is adapted to deactivate the microphone system and activate the induction signal receiver when the induction source is detected.

24. The device of claim 8, wherein the microphone system includes a microphone system.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the microphone system includes an omnidirectional microphone system.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the microphone system includes a directional microphone system.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the microphone system is capable of operating in an omnidirectional mode of operation and a directional mode of operation.

28. A hearing aid device for selectively coupling to induction signals produced by an induction source, comprising:

an induction signal receiver for receiving the induction signals;

a microphone system for receiving acoustic signals;

a hearing aid receiver;

a signal processing circuit operably connected to the induction signal receiver, the microphone system, and the hearing aid receiver, wherein the signal processing circuit has an acoustic operational state to present a first signal to the hearing aid receiver that is representative of the acoustic signals, and an induction operational state to present a second signal to the hearing aid receiver that is representative of the induction signals; and

a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting a third signal representative of the induction signals for reception by a second hearing aid device.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the signal processing circuit includes a proximity sensor for detecting the induction source, the signal processing circuit is normally in the acoustic operational state, and the signal processing circuit enters the induction operational state when the induction source is detected.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the hearing aid device forms a first hearing aid device in a system that includes a second hearing aid device, wherein the second hearing aid device includes:

a microphone system for receiving acoustic signals;

a hearing aid receiver; and

a signal processing circuit operably connected to the microphone system and the hearing aid receiver, wherein the signal processing circuit has an acoustic operational state to present a fourth signal to the hearing aid receiver that is representative of the acoustic signals, and an induction operational state to receive the transmitted third signal from the first hearing aid device representative of the induction signals, and to present a fifth signal to the hearing aid receiver that is representative of the induction signals.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein the wireless transmitter includes an RF transmitter.

32. The device of claim 28, wherein the wireless transmitter includes a tuned circuit to transmit an inductively-transmitted signal.

33. The device of claim 28, further comprising a wireless receiver connected to the signal processing circuit to receive a fourth signal wirelessly transmitted by the second hearing aid device, the fourth signal being representative of the induction signals, wherein a fifth signal that is representative of the fourth signal is presented to the hearing aid receiver.

34. A hearing aid device system for selectively coupling to induction signals produced by an induction source, comprising:

a first hearing aid device, including;

a first induction signal receiver for receiving induction signals;

a first microphone system for receiving acoustic signals;

a first hearing aid receiver; and

a first signal processing circuit operably connected to the induction signal receiver, the first microphone system, and the first hearing aid receiver, the first signal processing circuit including a first proximity sensor for detecting the induction source, wherein the first signal processing circuit is adapted to transmit a transmitted signal representative of the induction signals from the first hearing aid device when the induction source is detected; and

a second hearing aid device, including;

a second microphone system for receiving acoustic signals;

a second hearing aid receiver; and

a second signal processing circuit operably connected to the second microphone system and the second hearing aid receiver, wherein the second signal processing circuit is adapted to receive the transmitted signal,

wherein the first hearing aid device and the second hearing aid device are adapted to selectively couple with the induction signals produced by the induction source and diotically present a hearing aid signal representative of the induction signals to the first hearing aid receiver and the second hearing aid receiver.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the first signal processing circuit is adapted to transmit the transmitted signal to the second signal processing circuit through a conductor.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the first hearing aid device includes a wireless transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the transmitted signal representative of the induction signals to the second hearing aid device, and the second hearing aid device includes a wireless receiver for receiving the transmitted signal.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the wireless transmitter includes an RF transmitter and the wireless receiver includes an RF receiver.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the wireless transmitter includes a tuned circuit to transmit an inductively transmitted signal, and the wireless receiver includes an amplitude modulated receiver to receive the inductively transmitted signal.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein:

the second hearing aid device includes a second induction signal receiver for receiving induction signals operably connected to the second signal processing circuit,

the second signal processing circuit includes a second proximity sensor for detecting the induction source and is adapted to transmit a transmitted signal representative of the induction signals from the second hearing aid device when the induction source is detected, and

both the first hearing aid device and the second hearing aid device include a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting and receiving the transmitted signal representative of the induction signals.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the wireless transceiver includes an RF transceiver.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the wireless transceiver includes a tuned circuit to transmit an inductively transmitted signal, and an amplitude modulated receiver to receive the inductively transmitted signal.

42. A method for receiving induction signals produced by an induction source in a first hearing aid device for use in assisting hearing in a first ear and in a second hearing aid device for use in assisting hearing in a second ear, comprising:

converting acoustic signals into a first signal representative of the acoustic signals, and presenting the first signal to a first hearing aid receiver in a first hearing aid device; and

upon detecting the induction field source, converting the induction signals from the induction source into a second signal representative of the induction signals, presenting the second signal to the first hearing aid receiver in the first hearing aid device, and transmitting a third signal representative of the induction signals to a second hearing aid device.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising receiving the third signal representative of the induction signals, and presenting the third signal to a hearing aid receiver in the second hearing aid device.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the second signal and the third signal are used to diotically present acoustic to a wearer.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein detecting an induction field source includes detecting a magnet in a telephone handset.

46. The method of claim 42, wherein transmitting a third signal representative of the induction signals to a second hearing aid device includes transmitting the third signal to the second hearing aid device through a conductor.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein transmitting a third signal representative of the induction signals to a second hearing aid device includes wirelessly transmitting the third signal to the second hearing aid device.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein wirelessly transmitting the third signal to the second hearing aid device includes transmitting an RF signal to the second hearing aid device.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein wirelessly transmitting the third signal to the second hearing aid device includes transmitting an inductive signal from a tuned circuit.

50. The method of claim 42, wherein presenting a second signal representative of induction signals from the induction field source to the first hearing aid receiver to assist hearing in the first ear, and transmitting a third signal representative of the induction signals to a second hearing aid device to assist hearing in a second ear includes disconnecting power from a microphone system and connecting power to an induction signal receiver and a transmitter.

51. The method of claim 42, wherein the induction signals include induction signals produced by a voice coil in a telephone handset.