Aided ear bud

• US 20040136555A1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KommanditSelskabet Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Patent Partnership
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enzmann, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,245,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/314
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• 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 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

An aided ear bud device is provided that operates as a hearing aid device as well as an ear bud device for a wireless phone. The aided ear bud normally operates as a hearing aid device. The aided ear bud state is changed by a verified input from a wireless phone. Upon the change in state, the microphone input from the aided ear bud is remotely output to the wireless phone while the incoming transmission from the wireless phone is combined with the microphone input and output to the user. The ear bud device can be modified to receive analog or digital inputs from other outside sources.

Claims

1. A method for adapting a hearing aid having multiple input sources for cellular telephone usage comprising the steps of:

determining an activation state of the hearing aid; and

switching the input source based on the determining step.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring an ambient noise level; and

adjusting the ambient noise level based on the determining step.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying the input source; and

switching the input source based on the verification step.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

monitoring an ambient noise;

level; and

adjusting the ambient noise level based on the determining step.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the activation states of the hearing aid comprises:

a hearing aid mode, wherein the ambient noise is fixed by a DSP processor and out put directly to a user; and

an ear bud mode, wherein the ambient noise is reduced in volume and mixed with a noise signal transmitted from the cellular phone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the noise signal transmitted from the cellular phone is fixed according to desired characteristics prior to mixing with the ambient noise.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the desired characteristics are determined by stored frequency maps, such that the frequency maps are created based on at least the user'"'"'s hearing characteristics, the cellular telephone'"'"'s operating characteristics and the ambient noise level.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the activation state of the hearing aid is based on an input signal from the cellular telephone.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the input signal from the cellular telephone is validated by the hearing aid to indicate that the correct cellular telephone is sending the input signal.

10. A hearing aid comprising:

a plurality of input signals;

an audio output speaker;

an audio processor coupled to each of the plurality of input signals and the output speaker; and

a source control module coupled to the audio processor, wherein the source control module switches the plurality of input signals responsive to an external event.

11. The hearing aid of claim 10 further comprising a transmit/receive (TX/RX) unit coupled to the source control module, wherein the TX/RX unit transfers at least one input signal from an outside source.

12. The hearing aid of claim 11, wherein the outside source is a cellular telephone.

13. A source control module comprising:

a digital switch;

an memory device; and

a digital logic unit, wherein digital logic contained within is arranged to produce a compensation characteristic.

14. The source control module of claim 13, wherein the compensation characteristic is applied to input signals from an outside source to fix the input signals to an optimal format.

15. The source control module of claim 14, wherein the digital logic unit contains an amplification chart, the amplification chart comprising frequency maps indicating at least:

a user'"'"'s current hearing characteristics;

a desired hearing characteristic;

a cellular telephone operating characteristic; and

a speaker characteristic indicative of the operation attributes of a speaker of a hearing aid.

16. The source control module of claim 14, wherein the compensation characteristic is made from a combination of the user'"'"'s current hearing characteristics, the desired hearing characteristic, the cellular telephone operating characteristic and the speaker characteristic.

17. The source control module of claim 13, wherein the digital switch is responsive to an input from an outside source.

18. The source control module of claim 17, wherein the outside source is a cellular telephone.