Aided ear bud

• US 7,593,537 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KommanditSelskabet Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Patent Partnership
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enzmann, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni; Suhan
• Application Number:
  US11/759,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20070230728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 381312-316, 381/3, 381/320, 381/331, 379/55.1, 379/430
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• 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 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

An aided ear bud device is provided that operates as a hearing aid device as well as an ear bud device for a wireless phone. The aided ear bud normally operates as a hearing aid device. The aided ear bud state is changed by a verified input from a wireless phone. Upon the change in state, the microphone input from the aided ear bud is remotely output to the wireless phone while the incoming transmission from the wireless phone is combined with the microphone input and output to the user. The ear bud device can be modified to receive analog or digital inputs from other outside sources.

Claims

1. A method for operation of a hearing aid device adapted to interface with a mobile device comprising the steps of:

receiving a switching command at an input of a hearing aid device;

switching to a second operating mode from a first operating mode in response to said switching command;

wherein said second operating mode further comprises the steps of said hearing aid device;

receiving an audio signal at said hearing aid device, said audio signal being transmitted by a mobile device and representing audible content of a call;

outputting audio corresponding to said audio signal on a speaker of said hearing aid device; and

modifying said audio signal based on a frequency map stored at the hearing aid device-to create a modified signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying said audio signal to create the modified signal comprises modifying said audio signal based on a frequency map indicating characteristics of a user of said hearing aid device to create the modified signal.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein said switching command is received from a mobile telephone.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein said switching command is transmitted by said mobile telephone upon said mobile telephone being activated to answer an incoming call.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said switching command is transmitted by said mobile telephone being activated to initiate an outgoing call.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said switching command is transmitted by said mobile telephone upon said mobile telephone receiving an incoming audio signal from an active call.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said switching command is verified.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said audio signal is fixed according to desired characteristics prior to mixing with an ambient noise.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said second operating mode further comprises the steps of said hearing aid device:

transmitting a microphone signal from said hearing aid device to said mobile device, said microphone signal corresponding to an audible sound received by said microphone of said hearing aid device; and

mixing said audio signal with said microphone signal to create a mixed signal.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of outputting corresponding to said audio signal on said speaker of said hearing aid device comprises outputting said modified signal on said speaker of hearing aid device.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the modifying step further comprises modifying said mixed signal based on values of an amplification chart.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the modifying step is based on characteristics of said speaker of said hearing aid device.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the modifying step is further based on an ambient noise level surrounding said hearing aid device.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the modifying step further comprises modifying said modified signal to compensate for frequency dependent hearing loss of a user of said hearing aid device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying said audio signal to create the modified signal comprises modifying said call audio signal based on a frequency map indicating characteristics of said speaker of said hearing aid device to create a modified signal.

16. A method of claim 15, wherein said switching command is received from a mobile telephone.

17. A method of claims 16, wherein said switching command is transmitted by said mobile telephone being activated to answer an incoming call.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said switching command is transmitted by said mobile telephone upon said mobile telephone being activated to initiate an outgoing call.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said switching command is transmitted by said mobile telephone upon said mobile telephone receiving an incoming audio signal from an active call.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said switching command is verified.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said audio signal is fixed according to desired characteristics prior to mixing with an ambient noise.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said second operating mode further comprises the steps of said hearing aid device:

transmitting a microphone signal from said hearing aid device to said mobile device, said microphone signal corresponding to an audible sound received by said microphone of said hearing aid device; and

mixing said audio signal with said microphone signal to create a mixed signal.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of outputting audio corresponding to said audio signal on said speaker of said hearing aid device comprises outputting said modified signal on said speaker of said hearing aid device.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the modifying step further comprises modifying said mixed signal based on values of an amplification chart.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the modifying step is further based on an ambient noise level surrounding said hearing aid device.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the modifying step further comprises modifying said mixed signal to compensate for frequency dependent hearing loss of a user of said hearing aid device.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the modifying step further comprises modifying said mixed signal based on characteristics of a user of said hearing aid device.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

mixing the audio signal with a microphone signal to create a mixed signal, the microphone signal corresponding to an audible sound received by a microphone of the hearing aid, and wherein outputting audio further comprises outputting the mixed signal on a speaker of the hearing aid.

28. A method for operating a hearing aid device adapted to electronically interface with a mobile device comprising:

receiving an audio signal at the hearing aid, the audio signal being transmitted by the mobile device and representing audible content of a call;

outputting audio corresponding to the audio signal on a speaker of the hearing aid; and

transmitting a microphone signal from the hearing aid to the mobile device, the microphone signal corresponding to an audible sound received by a microphone of the hearing aid.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the audio signal is received at a wireless radio receiver of the hearing aid.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the microphone signal is transmitted at a wireless radio transmitter of the hearing aid.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

mixing the audio signal with the microphone signal to create a mixed signal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the mixing step comprises:

reducing the amplitude of the microphone signal; and

combining the reduced amplitude microphone signal with the audio signal.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of outputting audio corresponding to the audio signal on a speaker of the hearing aid comprises outputting the mixed signal on a speaker of the hearing aid.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the mixing step further comprises:

modifying the combined signal to compensate for frequency dependent hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid.

36. A source control module comprising:

a digital switch;

a memory device; and

a digital logic unit, wherein digital logic contained within is arranged to produce a

compensation characteristic.

37. The source control module of claim 36, wherein the compensation characteristic is applied to input signals from an outside source to fix the input signals to an optimal format.

38. The source module of claim 37, wherein the digital logic unit contains an amplification chart, the amplification chart comprising frequency maps indicating at a least:

a user'"'"'s current hearing characteristics;

a desired hearing characteristic

a cellular telephone operating characteristic; and

a speaker characteristic indicative of the operation attributes of a speaker of a hearing aid.

39. The source control module of claim 37;

wherein the compensation characteristic is made from a combination of the user'"'"'s current hearing characteristics, the desired hearing characteristic, the cellular telephone operating characteristic and the speaker characteristic.

40. The source control module of claim 36, wherein the digital switch is responsive to an input from an outside source.

41. The source control module of claim 40, wherein the outside source is a cellular telephone.