Hearing instrument configured for wireless communication in bursts and a method of supplying power to such

• US 8,718,304 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Resound A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Resound A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Pedersen, Brian Dam
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ojo, Oyesola C
• Application Number:
  US13/083,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20110255722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,123 Days
• Field of Search: 381312-331, 381337-433, 330/251, 439/884
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing instrument configured to receive power from an energy source, the energy having an output voltage, the hearing instrument includes an analog-to-digital converter for conversion of an input audio signal to a digital input signal, a digital signal processor for processing the digital input signal into a processed signal, an audio amplifier for amplifying the processed signal, a communication unit for wireless data communication between the hearing instrument and another device, and a stabilizing circuit having an energy storing element and a rectifying element, wherein the energy storing element is configured to supply power to one or more of the analog-to-digital converter, the digital signal processor, and the audio amplifier, and the rectifying element is configured to prevent the energy storing element from supplying power to the communication unit.

Claims

1. A hearing instrument configured to receive power from an energy source, the energy having an output voltage, the hearing instrument comprising:

an analog-to-digital converter for conversion of an input audio signal to a digital input signal;

a digital signal processor for processing the digital input signal into a processed signal;

an audio amplifier for amplifying the processed signal;

a communication unit for wireless data communication between the hearing instrument and another device; and

a first stabilizing circuit configured to provide a stabilized supply voltage to a sub-circuit at least during a transient drop in an output voltage of the energy source, wherein the sub-circuit comprises one or more of the analog-to-digital converter, the digital signal processor, and the audio amplifier;

wherein the first stabilizing circuit comprises an energy storing element and a rectifying element, wherein the energy storing element is configured to supply power to the first sub-circuit, and the rectifying element is configured to prevent the energy storing element from supplying power to the communication unit.

2. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is configured to perform at least part of the wireless data communication in bursts.

3. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the transient drop in the output voltage of the energy source is a value between 10 μ

s and 10 ms.

4. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the transient drop in the output voltage of the energy source is a value between 100 μ

s and 1 ms.

5. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the transient drop in the output voltage of the energy source is a value between 400 μ

s and 800 μ

s.

6. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein power consumption of the communication unit during wireless data communication results in a current draw in a range of 10-50 mA from the energy source.

7. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first stabilizing circuit comprises a current limiter for limitation of a current supplied to at least the audio amplifier in response to a measured supply voltage at the current limiter.

8. The hearing instrument according to claim 7, wherein the energy storing element is coupled in parallel with a series coupling of the current limiter and the audio amplifier.

9. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the energy storing element has a capacity of at least 1 μ

F.

10. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the energy storing element has a capacity of at least 47 μ

F.

11. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the energy storing element has a capacity of at least 470 μ

F.

12. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first stabilizing circuit comprises a feedback controlled voltage regulator for regulating the supply voltage of at least the audio amplifier at a steady level.

13. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first stabilizing circuit is configured to provide the stabilized supply voltage for at least two of the analog-to-digital converter, the digital signal processor, and the audio amplifier.

14. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a second stabilizing circuit, the second stabilizing circuit configured to stabilize the supply voltage of one or more of the audio amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, and the digital signal processor.

15. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first rectifying element comprises an ideal diode circuit.

16. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage amplifier for providing the communication unit with a higher voltage than the output voltage of the energy source.

17. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the hearing instrument is a hearing aid.

18. A hearing instrument configured to receive power from an energy source, the energy having an output voltage, the hearing instrument comprising:

an analog-to-digital converter for conversion of an input audio signal to a digital input signal;

a digital signal processor for processing the digital input signal into a processed signal;

an audio amplifier for amplifying the processed signal;

a communication unit for wireless data communication between the hearing instrument and another device; and

a stabilizing circuit having an energy storing element and a rectifying element, wherein the energy storing element is configured to supply power to one or more of the analog-to-digital converter, the digital signal processor, and the audio amplifier, and the rectifying element is configured to prevent the energy storing element from supplying power to the communication unit.

19. The hearing instrument according to claim 18, wherein the stabilizing circuit comprises a current limiter for limitation of a current supplied to at least the audio amplifier in response to a measured supply voltage at the current limiter.

20. The hearing instrument according to claim 19, wherein the energy storing element is coupled in parallel with a series coupling of the current limiter and the audio amplifier.

21. The hearing instrument according to claim 18, wherein the stabilizing circuit comprises a feedback controlled voltage regulator for regulating the supply voltage of at least the audio amplifier at a steady level.

22. The hearing instrument according to claim 18, wherein the stabilizing circuit is configured to provide the stabilized supply voltage for at least two of the analog-to-digital converter, the digital signal processor, and the audio amplifier.

23. The hearing instrument according to claim 18, wherein the rectifying element comprises an ideal diode circuit.

24. The hearing instrument according to claim 18, further comprising a voltage amplifier for providing the communication unit with a higher voltage than the output voltage of the energy source.

25. The hearing instrument according to claim 18, wherein the hearing instrument is a hearing aid.

26. A method of supplying power to a hearing instrument, comprising:

using an energy storing element to supply power, at least transitory, to a sub-circuit of the hearing instrument, the sub-circuit comprising one or more of an analog-to-digital converter, a digital signal processor, and an audio amplifier; and

using a rectifying element to prevent the energy storing element from supplying power to a communication unit of the hearing instrument during a transient drop in an output voltage of an energy source, wherein the enemy storing element and the rectifying element are parts of a stabilizing circuit for the hearing instrument, and wherein the communication unit is configured for wireless data communication between the hearing instrument and another device.