Listening device cap

• US 8,170,253 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Lynch, Douglas P., Woods, Carla Mann
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US12/546,494
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/314, 381/315, 381/322, 381/323, 381/324, 381/326, 381/328, 381/330, 381/331, 381/381, 600/25, 600/559, 607/55, 607/56, 607/57
• US Class Current: 381/326
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622

Abstract

An assistive listening device cap attaches to a headpiece of a cochlear implant behind-the-ear (BTE) unit, an other BTE unit, an earhook, or an external component unit to supplement or replace components thereof. The cap may receive signals from sources outside the BTE unit(s), earhook, and/or external component unit. The cap communicates with the BTE unit(s), earhook, and/or external component unit using direct, wired, or wireless technology.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with an implanted hearing device, comprising:

a head-mounted external component that is not a behind-the-ear (BTE) unit, includes communication electronics configured to communicate with the implanted hearing device, and has a bottom surface that faces the head and a top surface opposite the bottom surface;

an assistive listening device cap that is not a BTE unit, includes internal data communication electronics configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component, and has a bottom surface; and

a connector that connects the assistive listening device cap to the head-mounted external component such that the bottom surface of the assistive listening device cap faces and is adjacent to the top surface of the head-mounted external component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component through direct electrical contacts.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with corresponding communication electronics of the head-mounted external component through electrically conductive wire.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component through wireless signals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component through infra-red signals.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component through radio-frequency signals.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component through optical data signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component through Bluetooth wireless signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with corresponding communication electronics of at least one of an earhook, a behind-the-ear cochlear implant speech processor unit, a Bluetooth enabled phone adapter, and an external component unit of a hearing aid system.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate with corresponding communications electronics of an implanted device within the head of a patient with impaired hearing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate through wireless signals.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate through infra-red signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate through radio-frequency signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate through optical data signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are configured to communicate through Bluetooth wireless signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are powered by a primary battery located within the assistive listening device cap.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are powered by a rechargeable battery located within the assistive listening device cap.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data communication electronics are powered by an external power source capable of transmitting energy to the electronics of the assistive listening device cap.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connector is selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fastener, adhesive, glue, a pocket, threads, snaps, and a magnet.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the implanted hearing device comprises an implanted cochlear implant;

and

the head-mount external component is configured to communicate with the implanted cochlear implant.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a magnet in the assistive listening device cap.

21. An apparatus for use with an implanted hearing device, comprising:

a head-mounted external component that is not a behind-the-ear (BTE) unit, includes communication electronics configured to communicate with the implanted hearing device through wireless signals, and has a bottom surface that faces the head, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface;

an assistive listening device cap that is not a BTE unit and has a bottom surface

data communication electronics inside the assisted listening device cap configured to communicate through wireless signals with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component, with corresponding communications electronics of an implanted device within the head of a patient with impaired hearing, and with corresponding communication electronics of at least one of an earhook, a behind-the-ear cochlear implant speech processor unit, a Bluetooth enabled phone adapter, and an external component unit of a hearing aid system; and

a connector that connects the assistive listening device cap to the head-mounted external component such that the bottom surface of the assistive listening device cap faces and is adjacent to the top surface of the head-mounted external component.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the data communication electronics are powered by a battery located within the assistive listening device cap.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the connector comprises a magnet in the assistive listening device cap.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the connector is selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fastener, adhesive, glue, a pocket, threads, snaps, and a magnet.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein

the implanted hearing device comprises an implanted cochlear implant;

and

the head-mount external component is configured to communicate with the implanted cochlear implant.

26. An apparatus for use with a behind-the-ear (BTE) sound processor unit, the apparatus comprising:

a head-mounted external component that is configured to be operably connected to the BTE sound processor unit, includes communication electronics configured to communicate with an implanted cochlear implant and has a bottom surface that faces the head and a top surface opposite the bottom surface;

an assistive listening device cap including internal data communication electronics configured to communicate with the communication electronics of the head-mounted external component; and

means for securing the assistive listening device cap onto the top surface of the head-mounted external component.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the assistive listening device cap internal data communication electronics are further configured to communicate with the cochlear implant.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the assistive listening device cap internal data communication electronics are further configured to communicate with at least one of an earhook, the BTE sound processor unit, and a Bluetooth enabled phone adapter.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for securing comprises means for non-permanently securing the assistive listening device cap onto the top surface of the head-mounted external component.