Dynamic Driver In Hearing Instrument

• US 20150049893A1
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knowles Electronics Llc (Knowles Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Knowles Electronics Llc (Knowles Corporation)
• Inventors: Heidenreich, Joseph, Llamas-Young, Evan
• Granted Patent: US 9,571,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/320
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/05 Electronic compensation of the occlusion effect
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics

Abstract

A hearing instrument includes a first speaker having a first frequency range. The hearing instrument also includes a second speaker that is disposed in the ear of a listener. The second speaker has a second frequency range that is wider than the first frequency range. A microphone unit is coupled to the first speaker and the second speaker. The first speaker creates replacement sounds within the first frequency range that replicate sounds that are lost to the listener as a result of an occlusion effect at the second speaker. The replacement sounds are presented to the listener.

Claims

1. A hearing instrument, the hearing instrument comprising:

a first speaker having a first frequency range;

a second speaker disposed in the ear of a listener, the second speaker having a second frequency range that is wider than the first frequency range;

a microphone unit coupled to the first speaker and the second speaker;

wherein the first speaker creates replacement sounds within the first frequency range that replicate sounds that are lost to the listener as a result of an occlusion effect at the second speaker, the replacement sounds from the first speaker being presented to the listener.

2. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the replacement sounds are of a frequency range of less than 1 kHz.

3. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the first speaker is positioned at an outer area of the ear.

4. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the microphone unit comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone.

5. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the microphone unit is a behind-the-ear (BTE) unit.

6. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the microphone unit is a in-the-ear (ITE) unit.

7. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the second speaker is disposed with an ear tip.

8. The hearing instrument of claim 7, wherein the ear tip comprises channels and the replacement sounds from the first speaker pass through channels of the ear tip to the listener.

9. The hearing instrument of claim 1, wherein the first speaker comprises a woofer.

10. A method of operating a hearing instrument, the method comprising:

coupling a first speaker and a second speaker to a microphone unit, the first speaker having a first frequency range and the second speaker having a second frequency range, the second frequency range being wider than the first frequency range;

at the second speaker, presenting a range of sounds to a listener at the second frequency range;

at the first speaker, creating replacement sounds within the first frequency range that replicate sounds that are lost at the second speaker due to occlusion, and presenting the replacement sounds to a listener.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the replacement sounds have a frequency range of less than 1 kHz.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first speaker is disposed at an outer area of the ear.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the microphone unit comprises a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) microphone.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the microphone unit is a behind-the-ear (BTE) unit.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the microphone unit is a in-the-ear (ITE) unit.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the second speaker is disposed with an ear tip.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein ear tip comprises channels, and the replacement sounds from the first speaker pass through channels of the ear tip to the listener.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first speaker comprises a woofer.