Multi-coil coupling system for hearing aid applications
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a hearing improvement device suitable for wearing proximate an ear of a user, the method comprising:
- selecting from a plurality of predefined magnetic field orientations, wherein the plurality of magnetic field orientations comprises a first magnetic field orientation arranged for coupling to a behind the ear type hearing aid and a second magnetic field orientation arranged for coupling to an in the ear type hearing aid; and
generating a magnetic field having the selected magnetic field orientation using an electrical signal representative of sound, the magnetic field for coupling to a telecoil of a hearing aid.
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Abstract
A hearing improvement device using a multi-coil coupling system and methods for operating such a device are disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may use an array microphone to provide highly directional reception. The received audio signal may be filtered, amplified, and converted into a magnetic field for coupling to the telecoil in a conventional hearing aid. Multiple transmit inductors may be used to effectively couple to both in-the-ear and behind-the-ear type hearing aids, and an additional embodiment is disclosed which may be used with an earphone, for users not requiring a hearing aid.
119 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of operating a hearing improvement device suitable for wearing proximate an ear of a user, the method comprising:
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selecting from a plurality of predefined magnetic field orientations, wherein the plurality of magnetic field orientations comprises a first magnetic field orientation arranged for coupling to a behind the ear type hearing aid and a second magnetic field orientation arranged for coupling to an in the ear type hearing aid; and generating a magnetic field having the selected magnetic field orientation using an electrical signal representative of sound, the magnetic field for coupling to a telecoil of a hearing aid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A hearing improvement system comprising:
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a hearing aid for directing sound into an ear canal of a user; and a housing arranged to fit substantially behind an ear of the user, the housing comprising; a microphone having a relatively greater sensitivity to sound in the direction faced by the user, the microphone for converting sound into an electrical signal; at least one inductor for producing, using the electrical signal, a magnetic field for coupling to a telecoil of the hearing aid, wherein the at least one inductor comprises at least two inductors each generating a magnetic field having a different field orientation; and a battery. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A hearing improvement device comprising:
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an amplifier for modifying an electrical signal representative of sound; at least one inductor for generating, from the modified electrical signal, a magnetic field suitable for coupling to the telecoil of a hearing aid; and a housing suitably arranged for wearing proximate an ear of a user, wherein the housing contains the at least one inductor, the amplifier, and a battery, wherein the housing is suitably arranged to fit behind an ear of a user, and wherein the housing is arranged to be collocated with a behind-the-ear (BTE) type hearing aid. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A hearing improvement device comprising:
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an amplifier for modifying an electrical signal representative of sound; at least one inductor for generating, from the modified electrical signal, a magnetic field suitable for coupling to the telecoil of a hearing aid, wherein the at least one inductor comprises at least two inductors each generating a magnetic field having a different field orientation; and a housing suitably arranged for wearing proximate an ear of a user, wherein the housing contains the at least one inductor, the amplifier, and a battery. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification