Switching structures for hearing aid

• US 8,971,559 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Sacha, Michael Karl, Bren, Mark A., Peterson, Timothy S., Roberts, Randall W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US13/873,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20130315423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/326, 381/327, 381/328, 381/331, 181/135
• US Class Current: 381/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for 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 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• 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 25/50 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

A hearing aid is provided with a switch that automatically, non-manually switches at least one of inputs, filters, or programmable parameters in the presence of a magnetic field.

Claims

1. A hearing aid, comprising:

an input system;

an output system;

a solid state tunneling magnetic sensor generating a magnetic field signal;

a processor configured to be programmed to process signals from the input system and provide the processed signals to the output system,

wherein the processor is configured to receive the magnetic field signal from the sensor, and is programmable to select parameters for signal processing using a first digital filter or a second digital filter, the selection of either the first digital filter or the second digital filter based at least in part on the magnetic field signal.

2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the solid state tunneling magnetic sensor includes a spin dependent tunneling (SDT) device.

3. The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the SDT device is fabricated using photolithography.

4. The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the SDT device includes a saturation field range from 0.1 to 10 kA/m.

5. The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the SDT device is configured to be used as a hearing aid switch.

6. The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the SDT device is configured to provide hearing aid programming signals.

7. The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the SDT device includes a giant magnetoresistivity (GMR) material layer, and wherein the SDT device includes a conduction path perpendicular to a plane of the GMR material layer.

8. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the input system includes a microphone.

9. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the input system is configured to switch from an acoustic input to a magnetic input based on the magnetic field signal.

10. The hearing aid of claim 9, wherein the magnetic input includes a telecoil.

11. A hearing aid, comprising:

a power source;

a hearing aid circuit;

a solid state tunneling magnetic sensor configured to connect the power source to the hearing aid circuit, wherein the sensor is configured to disconnect the power source from the hearing aid circuit when in the presence of a sufficiently strong magnetic field; and

wherein the solid state tunneling magnetic sensor includes a spin dependent tunneling (SDT) device.

12. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the SDT device is fabricated using photolithography.

13. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the SDT device includes a saturation field range from 0.1 to 10 kA/m.

14. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the SDT device includes a giant magnetoresistivity (GMR) material layer, and wherein the SDT device includes a conduction path perpendicular to a plane of the GMR material layer.

15. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the power source is a battery.

16. The hearing aid of claim 15, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

17. The hearing aid of claim 11, further comprising a filter connected to the hearing aid circuit, wherein the solid state tunneling magnetic sensor is configured to electrically disconnect the filter from the hearing aid circuit when in the presence of a sufficiently strong magnetic field.

18. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the solid state tunneling magnetic sensor is further configured to operate as a programming circuit to program the hearing aid.

19. The hearing aid of claim 11, further comprising at least one acoustic input connected to the hearing aid circuit, wherein the solid state tunneling magnetic sensor is configured to inhibit the acoustic input in the presence of a magnetic field.