Hearing aid and circuit for detecting a connector

• US 8,582,791 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC
• Original Assignee: Audiotoniq, Inc
• Inventors: Neumeyer, Frederick Charles, Landry, David Matthew, Yancey, Gregory Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): FALEY, KATHERINE A
• Application Number:
  US13/081,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20110249838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/314, 381/319, 381/321, 381/323
• US Class Current: 381/314
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence

Abstract

A circuit for a hearing aid includes an interface including a contact element for receiving a connector. The interface is configured to provide produce an electrical signal when the connector contacts the contact element. The circuit further includes a logic circuit coupled to the interface for receiving the electrical signal and configured to detect the connector in response to receiving the electrical signal.

Claims

1. A circuit for a hearing aid, the circuit comprising:

an interface recessed into a housing of the hearing aid and including a plurality of contact elements for releasably coupling to a connector, at least one of the plurality of contact elements includes a first conductive lead spaced apart from a second conductive lead and is configured to produce an electrical signal when the connector contacts the at least one contact element and wherein the connector is configured to electrically couple the hearing aid with a remote electronic device when the connector is in contact with the interface to enable the hearing aid to receive at least one of a power supply or an audio signal;

a first power supply terminal;

a logic circuit coupled to the interface for receiving the electrical signal and configured to detect the connector in response to receiving the electrical signal via the interface; and

a switch including a first electrode connected to the first power supply terminal, a second electrode coupled to the first conductive lead, and a control terminal responsive to at least one of the logic circuit and a control circuit.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the interface further comprises a magnetic element configured to attract and secure the connector in contact with the contact element.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical signal comprises a voltage; and

the logic circuit determines a function associated with the connector based on a resistance of the connector inferred from the voltage and sets an operating mode of the hearing aid based on the resistance.

4. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a second power supply terminal coupled to the second conductive lead;

a resistor including a first terminal coupled to the logic circuit and including a second terminal, wherein the resistor is placed in a path between the second electrode of the switch and the first conductive lead such that the second electrode of the switch is coupled to the second terminal of the resistor and the first conductive lead is coupled to the first terminal of the resistor;

wherein the electrical signal comprises a voltage at the first terminal of the resistor; and

wherein the control terminal of the switch controls a state of the switch based on a control signal generated by at least one of the logic circuit and the control circuit.

5. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first conductive lead is spaced apart from the second conductive lead by a dielectric.

6. The circuit of claim 5, further comprising:

a second power supply terminal;

a resistor including a first terminal coupled to the second conductive lead and to the logic circuit and including a second terminal coupled to the second power supply terminal; and

wherein the electrical signal comprises a voltage at the first terminal of the resistor.

7. The circuit of claim 5, further comprising:

a second power supply terminal coupled to the second conductive lead;

wherein the logic circuit is placed in a path between the first electrode of the switch and the first conductive lead; and

wherein the electrical signal comprises a voltage at the first terminal.

8. A circuit for a hearing aid comprising:

a connection interface recessed into the housing of the hearing aid and comprising at least a first contact element and a second contact element, and wherein the first contact element includes a first conductive lead and the second contact element includes a second conductive lead;

a first power supply terminal;

a logic circuit coupled to the first conductive lead and configured to detect when a connector electrically engages the connection interface based on a change in an electrical parameter associated with the first conductive lead, the connector configured to provide the hearing aid at least one of a power supply or an audio signal when engaged to the connection interface; and

a switch including a first electrode connected to the first power supply terminal, a second electrode coupled to the first conductive lead, and a control terminal responsive to the logic circuit.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the connection interface further comprises a magnetic element configured to attract and secure the connector in contact with the first and second conductive leads.

10. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the logic circuit includes an output coupled to a processor of the hearing aid.

11. The circuit of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to change an operating parameter of the hearing aid in response to the logic circuit detecting the change.

12. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the first conductive lead is electrically coupled to the second conductive lead through the connector.

13. The circuit of claim 8, wherein:

the electrical parameter comprises a voltage; and

the logic circuit determines a function associated with the connector based on a resistance of the connector inferred from the voltage and sets an operating mode of the hearing aid based on the resistance.

14. The circuit of claim 8, wherein:

the electrical parameter comprises a voltage; and

the logic circuit determines a function associated with the connector based on a resistance of the connector inferred from the voltage and sends a signal to the connector based on the resistance.

15. The circuit of claim 8, further comprising:

a piezoelectric element coupled to the first conductive lead and positioned between the first and second conductive leads, the piezoelectric element configured to flex when the connector contacts the first and second conductive leads to produce an electrical signal; and

wherein the logic circuit detects the electrical signal as the change in the electrical parameter associated with the first conductive lead.

16. The circuit of claim 8, wherein:

the first and second conductive lead are spaced apart by a dielectric; and

the change comprises a change in capacitance caused by proximity of the connector to the first and second conductive leads.

17. The circuit of claim 8, wherein:

the electrical parameter comprises a current; and

the logic circuit detects the change based on a variation of an amplitude of the current.

18. A hearing aid comprising:

a microphone to convert sound into electrical signals;

a power supply terminal;

a processor coupled to the microphone and configured to process the electrical signals to produce a modulated output signal that compensates for a hearing impairment of a user;

a connection interface coupled to the processor and configured to releasably couple to an external connector, the external connector configured to provide the hearing aid at least one of a power supply or the electrical signal when coupled to the connection interface, the connection interface including at least a first and a second conductive lead;

a logic circuit coupled to the connection interface and to the processor, the logic circuit configured to detect a change in an electrical parameter when the external connector contacts the connection interface and to provide a signal to the processor in response to detecting the change; and

a switch including a first electrode connected to the power supply terminal, a second electrode coupled to the first conductive lead, and a control terminal responsive to a logic circuit.

19. The hearing aid of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to modify an operational parameter of the hearing aid in response to receiving the signal.

20. The hearing aid of claim 18, further comprising a magnetic element coupled to the connection interface to secure the connector to the connection interface.