Hearing aid with integrated flexible display and touch sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hearing aid, comprising:
- a hearing aid circuit including a microphone, a receiver, and a processing circuit coupled between the microphone and the receiver;
a hearing aid housing containing the hearing aid circuit, the hearing aid housing being an in-the-ear (ITE) housing configured for an ITE hearing aid, a behind-the-ear (BTE) housing configured for a BTE hearing aid, or a receiver-in-canal (RIC) housing configured for an RIC hearing aid; and
a user interface coupled to the processing circuit, incorporated onto the hearing aid housing, and including a bendable display including;
a display layer configured to dynamically display information indicative of operation of the hearing aid; and
a sensor layer on the display layer, the sensor layer including a capacitive sensor configured to sense touching.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A user interface incorporated onto a hearing aid includes flexible hybrid component integrating a touch sensor into a bendable display. The touch sensor, such as a capacitive sensor, includes one or more sensor elements allowing a user to control operation of the hearing aid by touching. The bendable display presents information related to the operation of the hearing aid to the user.
86 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A hearing aid, comprising:
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a hearing aid circuit including a microphone, a receiver, and a processing circuit coupled between the microphone and the receiver; a hearing aid housing containing the hearing aid circuit, the hearing aid housing being an in-the-ear (ITE) housing configured for an ITE hearing aid, a behind-the-ear (BTE) housing configured for a BTE hearing aid, or a receiver-in-canal (RIC) housing configured for an RIC hearing aid; and a user interface coupled to the processing circuit, incorporated onto the hearing aid housing, and including a bendable display including; a display layer configured to dynamically display information indicative of operation of the hearing aid; and a sensor layer on the display layer, the sensor layer including a capacitive sensor configured to sense touching. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A hearing aid for a user having an ear, comprising:
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a hearing aid circuit including a microphone, a receiver, and a processing circuit coupled between the microphone and the receiver; a hearing aid housing containing the hearing aid circuit, the hearing aid housing configured to be in or on the ear when the hearing aid is worn by the user; and a user interface including a flexible hybrid user interface component incorporated onto the hearing aid housing, the flexible hybrid user interface component including a bendable display and a capacitive sensor integrated into the display, the display configured to dynamically display information indicative of operation of the hearing aid circuit, the capacitive sensor configured to receive user commands in one or more forms of touching movements. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for providing interactions between a hearing aid and a user, comprising:
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providing the hearing aid with a flexible hybrid user interface component including a bendable display and a capacitive sensor integrated into the display, including incorporating the display into at least one surface of a housing of the hearing aid, the hearing aid configured to be worn in or on an ear of the user; dynamically displaying information indicative of operation of the hearing aid using the bendable display; and receiving user commands by sensing one or more forms of touching using the capacitive sensor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification