ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH PROTECTIVE CAPACITY

• US 20140086440A1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Holmberg, Paul Francis
• Granted Patent: US 11,128,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/39 Aspects relating to automatic logging of sound environment parameters and the performance of the hearing aid during use, e.g. histogram logging, or of user selected programs or settings in the hearing aid, e.g. usage logging
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window

Abstract

Electronic devices are designed having a housing and are configured to provide an improved degree of protection to electrical and/or mechanical components disposed therein that may be susceptible to damage from environmental elements external from the housing. The electrical device can be one carried or worn by a user, e.g., on the user'"'"'s head, which can include an external component of a hearing prosthesis. The electrical device can be configured to provide an output signal in the event that a predetermined condition within the housing is detected to alert the user and/or place the electrical device in an alternative state of operation.

Claims

1. A hearing prosthesis comprising:

a housing that is adapted for placement adjacent a user'"'"'s ear, the housing including a moisture-sensitive component disposed therein; and

a sensor disposed within the housing that is configured to detect moisture within the housing.

2. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for providing an indication to the user when moisture is detected.

3. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for altering a function of the hearing prosthesis when moisture is detected.

4. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor is positioned within the housing adjacent an opening in the housing.

5. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 4 wherein the sensor is interposed within the housing between the opening and the moisture-sensitive component.

6. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 1 wherein the moisture-sensitive component is an electrical component.

7. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 1 wherein the hearing prosthesis provides an output in response to the sensor detecting moisture, wherein the output is selected from the group consisting of a visual alarm, an audible alarm, data information, changing the state of operation of one or more components disposed within the housing from a normal state to an alternative state, and combinations thereof.

8. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 6 wherein the output is transmitted to a separate device.

9. The hearing prosthesis as recited in claim 6 where the output is transmitted wirelessly.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a component of a hearing prosthesis, the component having a housing that that includes an electrical component disposed therein; and

a sensor disposed within the housing for detecting moisture;

wherein the apparatus is configured to provide an output when moisture is detected by the sensor.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the output is used to produce one or both of a visual indication and an audible indication.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the output is used to place the hearing prosthesis in an alternate state of operation that is other than a normal state of operation.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein the alternate state of operation is a turned-off state.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the output is used to provide information data.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein the information data is stored.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the output is used to shut off one or more of the electrical components.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the housing is worn on a user'"'"'s head.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein the housing is worn adjacent a user'"'"'s ear.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the moisture sensor is positioned within the housing adjacent an opening through the housing.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the output is provided to a device that is remote from the component.

21. A device comprising:

a housing adapted to being held, worn, or carried by a user and as a result subjected to a high-moisture environment; and

a sensor that is disposed within the housing and is configured to detect the presence of moisture;

wherein the device performs a function to alert the user and/or to alter the state of device operation upon the detection of moisture.

22. The device as recited in claim 21 wherein the housing comprises a moisture-sensitive component disposed therein.

23. The device as recited in claim 21 wherein the moisture-sensitive component is an electrical component.

24. The device as recited in claim 21 that is a battery-powered electrical device that comprises one or more electrical components disposed therein.

25. The device as recited in claim 21 wherein the device is configured to perform one or more functions selected from the group consisting of providing a visual alarm, providing an audible alarm, providing data information, change the state of operation of one or more of the components disposed within the housing from a normal state to an alternative state, and combinations thereof.

26. The device as recited in claim 21 wherein the housing is adapted to be worn on the user'"'"'s head.

27. The device as recited in claim 26 wherein the device is worn adjacent a user'"'"'s ear.

28. The device as recited in claim 26 wherein the device comprises an external component of a hearing prosthesis.

29. The device as recited in claim 28 wherein the external component is worn behind a user'"'"'s ear.

30. The device as recited in claim 21 wherein the device comprises a receiver component that receives a signal from an electrical device.

31. The device as recited in claim 30 wherein the electrical device is a cellular phone, and the receiver component comprises a remote receiver.

32. The device as recited in claim 30 wherein the housing includes the receiver component and a transmitter component.

33. The device as recited in claim 21 wherein the sensor is positioned within the housing at a location adjacent an opening through the housing.

34. The device as recited in claim 33 wherein the sensor is interposed between the opening and a moisture-sensitive component disposed within the housing.

35. The device as recited in claim 21 wherein the sensor additionally detects temperature.

36. A method for detecting the presence of moisture within a device worn on a user'"'"'s head, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a sensor within a housing of the device, wherein the housing comprises a moisture-sensitive component disposed therein, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect the presence of moisture; and

providing an indication when the sensor detects moisture, wherein the indication is used to alert the user and/or alter the operation of the device.

37. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein during the step of providing, the indication to alert the user is in the form of a visual alert and/or an audible alert.

38. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein during the step of providing, the indication is used to shut the device off.

39. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein the during the step of providing, data information is provided.

40. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein during the step of placing, the sensor is positioned adjacent an opening through the housing.

41. The method as recited in claim 40 wherein during the step of placing, the sensor is positioned within the housing at a location interposed between the opening and the moisture-sensitive component.

42. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein before the step of placing, the device that is selected is an external component of a hearing prosthesis.

43. The method as recited in claim 36 where before the step of placing, the sensor that is selected is one that also detects temperature.

44. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein during the step of providing, an output is provided to an electrical component disposed within the housing.

45. The method as recited in claim 36 wherein during the step of providing, an output is provided to a component remote from the device.