Integrated automatic telephone switch

• US 8,259,973 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Ear Technology Incorporated (Starkey Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bren, Mark A., Hagen, Lawrence T., Roberts, Randall W., Peterson, Timothy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US11/768,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20070248237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/313, 381/315, 381317-318, 381320-321, 381328-331
• US Class Current: 381/317
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• 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 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a hearing aid include a mechanism to detect the presence of a magnetic field using a magnetic sensing device disposed in a hearing aid, to digitally modify a frequency response of the hearing aid in response to the detection of the presence, and to modify the frequency response of the hearing aid in response to the magnetic sensing device determining removal of the magnetic field.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a presence of a magnetic field, the magnetic field produced by a communication device that produces an acoustic signal, using a magnetic sensing device disposed in a hearing aid;

digitally modifying, in response to the detection of the presence of the magnetic field, a frequency response of the hearing aid to limit the frequency response in a frequency range to reduce acoustic feedback oscillation of the hearing aid caused by proximity of the communication device; and

automatically modifying, in response to the magnetic sensing device determining removal of the magnetic field, the frequency response of the hearing aid different from the frequency response as modified in the presence of the magnetic field.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein digitally modifying a frequency response of the hearing aid includes configuring the hearing aid to attenuate a high frequency component of an electrical signal converted from the acoustic signal received at a microphone of the hearing aid.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein configuring the hearing aid to attenuate a high frequency component of an electrical signal includes attenuating the electrical signal starting at a frequency of 3000 Hz and above.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes attenuating a low frequency component of an electrical signal at frequencies below 200 Hz.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes boosting a gain for a low frequency component of the electrical signal while attenuating the high frequency component.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein boosting a gain for a low frequency component of the electrical signal includes boosting the gain at frequencies from 300 Hz to 1000 Hz.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein boosting a gain for a low frequency component of the electrical signal includes boosting the gain for the low frequency component without boosting the signal at frequencies below 300 Hz.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a presence of a magnetic field includes detecting the presence of the magnetic field using one or more of a reed switch, a hall effect semiconductor, or a saturable core device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a presence of a magnetic field includes detecting the presence of the magnetic field using a magneto-resistive sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein digitally modifying a frequency response of the hearing aid includes using a low pass filter.

11. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone to provide an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

means for digitally filtering the electrical signal to reduce acoustic feedback oscillation of the hearing aid caused by proximity of the communication device; and

means for automatic switching responsive to a change in detection of magnetic fields, wherein the means for automatic switching is configured to automatically switch to enable or disenable the means for digitally filtering the electrical signal such that the means for automatic switching is configured to automatically switch, upon determining a presence of a magnetic field produced by a communication device that produces the acoustic signal, to automatically enable the means for digitally filtering the electrical signal to modify the high frequency component of the electrical signal, and the means for automatic switching is configured to automatically switch, upon determining the removal of the magnetic field, to automatically disenable the means for digitally filtering the electrical signal.

12. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the means for digitally filtering the electrical signal attenuates the high frequency component of the electrical signal.

13. The hearing aid of claim 12, wherein the hearing aid further includes means for boosting a gain of the low frequency component of the electrical signal.

14. The hearing aid of claim 13, wherein the means for digitally filtering the electrical signal attenuates the high frequency component starting at a frequency of 3000 Hz and above.

15. The hearing aid of claim 13, wherein the means for boosting the gain of the low frequency component is configured to boost the gain for the low frequency component without boosting the signal at frequencies below 300 Hz.

16. The hearing aid of claim 13, wherein the means for boosting the gain of the low frequency component is configured to boost the gain of the low frequency component at frequencies between about 300 Hz and about 1000 Hz.

17. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the means for automatic switching includes a reed switch.

18. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the means for automatic switching includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

19. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the hearing aid further includes transistor switches to enable the means for digitally filtering the electrical signal.

20. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone to provide an electrical signal representative of a received acoustic signal having a low frequency component and a high frequency component;

a signal processor configured to digitally control transmitting an output signal representative of the acoustic signal to reduce acoustic feedback oscillation of the hearing aid caused by proximity of the communication device; and

a switch responsive to a change in detection of magnetic fields, wherein the switch is configured to switch automatically, upon detecting a presence of a magnetic field produced by a communication device that produces the acoustic signal, to enable the signal processor to digitally modify a frequency response of the hearing aid to reduce a high frequency gain, and, upon determining the removal of the detected magnetic field, the switch is configured to switch automatically to enable the signal processor to digitally modify the frequency response of the hearing aid different from the frequency response as modified in the presence of the magnetic field.

21. The hearing aid of claim 20, wherein the signal processor is configured to control boosting a gain for the low frequency component while substantially filtering out the high frequency component.

22. The hearing aid of claim 20, wherein the signal processor is configured to digitally control boosting a gain for the low frequency component at frequencies between 300 Hz and 1000 Hz.

23. The hearing aid of claim 20, wherein the signal processor is configured to digitally control attenuation of the high frequency component at frequencies starting at 3000 Hz and above.

24. The hearing aid of claim 20, wherein the signal processor is configured to digitally control attenuation of the electrical signal at frequencies below 200 Hz.

25. The hearing aid of claim 20, wherein the hearing aid includes an amplifier adapted to boost a gain of the low frequency component of the electrical signal over a predetermined frequency range of the low frequency component.

26. The hearing aid of claim 20, wherein the switch includes one or more of a reed switch, a hall effect semiconductor, or a saturable core device.

27. The hearing aid of claim 21, wherein the switch includes a magnetic solid state sensor.

28. The hearing aid of claim 21, wherein the signal processor includes a low pass filter.

29. The hearing aid of claim 21, the hearing aid is configured as a completely in the canal hearing aid.