Aided Ear Bud

• US 20100009715A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• 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 8,009,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• 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

A hearing aid device is configured to operate as an ear bud device for a wireless phone. The hearing aid device functions in a manner similar to a conventional hearing aid device in a first operational state. The operational state of the hearing aid device is changed to a second operational state, in some embodiments, by a verified input from a wireless phone. Upon the change in operational state, the microphone input from the aided ear bud is 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 hearing aid device can be modified to receive analog or digital inputs from other outside sources. Exemplary methods for operating a hearing aid device is disclosed. An exemplary mobile communications device for interfacing with the hearing aid device also is disclosed.

Claims

1. A hearing aid device for interfacing with a mobile communications device, the hearing aid device comprising a wireless transceiver and a speaker and being configured to:

receive a switching command at the wireless transceiver; and

in response to receiving the switching command;

receive an audio signal, the audio signal being transmitted by a mobile communications device and corresponding to audible content of a call;

modify the audio signal based on a frequency map to create a modified signal; and

output audio corresponding to the modified signal on the speaker.

2. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the switching command received by the hearing aid device is transmitted by the mobile communications device upon the mobile communications device being activated to answer an incoming call.

3. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the switching command received by the hearing aid device is transmitted by the mobile communications device upon the mobile communications device receiving an incoming audio signal from an active call.

4. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the switching command received by the hearing aid device is transmitted by the mobile communications device upon the mobile communications device initiating an outgoing call.

5. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the frequency map indicates characteristics of a user of the hearing aid device.

6. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein:

the switching command is transmitted by the mobile telephone; and

the switching command is verified at the hearing aid device prior to switching to a second operating mode.

7. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving the switching command, the hearing aid device is further configured to:

transmit a microphone signal from the hearing aid device to the mobile communications device, the microphone signal corresponding to an audible sound received by the microphone of the hearing aid device; and

mix the audio signal with the microphone signal to create a mixed signal.

8. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid device is further configured to modify the audio signal based upon an ambient noise level surrounding the hearing aid device.

9. A method for operating a hearing aid device comprising a wireless transceiver and a speaker, the method comprising:

receiving a switching command at the wireless transceiver, the switching command being received from a mobile communications device; and

in response to receiving the switching command;

receiving a call audio signal at the hearing aid device, the call audio signal being transmitted by the mobile communications device and representing audible content of a call;

modifying the audio signal based on a frequency map to create a modified signal; and

outputting audio corresponding to the modified signal to the speaker.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting a microphone signal from the hearing aid device to the mobile communications device, the microphone signal corresponding to sound received by a microphone of the hearing aid device; and

mixing, at the hearing aid, the call audio signal with the microphone signal to create a mixed signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the audio signal further comprises modifying the audio signal based upon values of an amplification chart.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the audio signal further comprises modifying the audio signal based upon characteristics of the speaker of the hearing aid device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein modifying the audio signal further comprises modifying the audio signal based upon an ambient noise level at the hearing aid device.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising modifying the modified signal to compensate for frequency dependent hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid device.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising outputting the mixed signal on the speaker of the hearing aid device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein modifying the audio signal further comprises modifying the audio signal based upon an ambient noise level at the hearing aid device.

17. A mobile communications device for electronically interfacing with a hearing aid device, the mobile communications device being configured to:

transmit a switching command to a wireless transceiver of the hearing aid device, the hearing aid device being operable to switch to a second operating mode from a first operating mode in response to receiving the switching command at the wireless transceiver;

transmit an audio signal representing audible content of a call to the hearing aid device for modification and output on a speaker of the hearing aid device; and

receive a microphone signal from the hearing aid device, the microphone signal corresponding to an audible sound received by a microphone of the hearing aid device.

18. The mobile communications device of claim 17, wherein:

the mobile communications device comprises a transceiver device; and

the mobile communications device transmits the audio signal to the wireless transceiver of the hearing aid device using the transceiver device.

19. The mobile communications device of claim 17, wherein the microphone signal received at the mobile communications device is transmitted by the wireless transceiver of the hearing aid device.

20. The mobile communications device of claim 17, wherein transmitting the audio signal comprises transmitting the audio signal to the hearing aid device, wherein the hearing aid device is configured for:

modifying the audio signal based on a frequency map to create a modified signal; and

outputting audio corresponding to the modified signal on a speaker of the hearing aid device.