System and method for enhancing the inductive coupling between a hearing aid operating in telecoil mode and a communication device

• US 7,783,067 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frerking, Melvin Duane, Hirvela, George O'Quinn
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni; Suhan
• Application Number:
  US11/201,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: 381312-313, 381/315, 381/326, 381/331, 379/443, 455/95, 455/100, 455/351
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72478 for hearing-impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/43 Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• 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 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

A method and system to optimize the relative position of an inductive field of a hearing aid compatible device and a telecoil of a hearing assistive device, are provided. A Steerable Hearing Aid Compatible Device (SHAD) has a steerable inductive field for locating an inductive field in accordance with the location of a telecoil in the hearing assistive device. A Telecoil Hearing Assistive Device (THAD) has a telecoil and telecoil orientation tag. The location of the telecoil of the THAD is determined with respect to a reference system and this telecoil location information is stored on the telecoil orientation tag as Telecoil Location Information (TLI) and provided to the SHAD. In an exemplary embodiment the telecoil orientation tag may be an RFID tag that is read by a tag reader of the SHAD. The SHAD receives the TLI and generates an inductive field in accordance with the TLI, such as a position that is parallel to the telecoil of the THAD.

Claims

1. A hearing assistive system, comprising:

a hearing assistive apparatus, comprising,

a telecoil having a location in a predetermined hearing assistive apparatus reference system, and

a telecoil orientation tag configured to provide telecoil location information of said telecoil; and

a communication apparatus including;

a reader configured to receive the telecoil location information from the telecoil orientation tag;

a steerable inductor configured to provide an inductive field at a desired location in response to said telecoil location information; and

a controller configured to;

receive a signal;

receive the telecoil location information from the reader;

direct the steerable inductor to provide an inductive field in accordance with said telecoil location information; and

deliver the signal.

2. The hearing assistive system of claim 1, wherein said steerable inductor is configured to generate said inductive field at a desired location in a predetermined communication apparatus reference system.

3. The hearing assistive system of claim 1, wherein said predetermined hearing assistive apparatus reference system and said predetermined communication apparatus reference system are associated.

4. The hearing assistive system of claim 1 wherein said telecoil orientation tag comprises an RFID tag and said reader comprises an RFID reader.

5. The hearing assistive system of claim 1, wherein said communication apparatus further comprises a signal source that provides a signal for delivery by said steerable inductor.

6. The hearing assistive system of claim 1, wherein said steerable inductor comprises a plurality of orthogonal telecoils and a plurality of phase control devices to manipulate input to said telecoils.

7. The hearing assistive system of claim 1, wherein said steerable inductor comprises a plurality of orthogonal telecoils and a plurality of amplifiers to manipulate input to said telecoils.

8. The hearing assistive device of claim 1, wherein said desired location is parallel to said telecoil.

9. A method, comprising:

obtaining first telecoil location information from a hearing assistive device;

positioning a first inductive field of a communication device in accordance with the first telecoil location information;

obtaining second telecoil location information for a second hearing assistive device; and

positioning a second inductive field in accordance with the second telecoil location information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the obtaining steps further comprise interrogating a telecoil orientation tag associated with said hearing assistive device and receiving a response signal from said tag comprising said first and second telecoil location information, respectively.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein each positioning further comprises generating the inductive field proximate to a respective telecoil associated with said hearing assistive device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein each positioning further comprises steering said inductive field from a respective default position to a respective position proximate to said telecoil.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein each positioning further comprises manipulating input of a respective plurality of inductors to generate a composite inductive field at respective desired locations.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each manipulating further comprises adjusting a respective amplitude of the plurality of inductors.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein each manipulating further comprises adjusting a respective phase of the plurality of inductors.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating each inductive field at respective default locations.