Intergrated hearing aid for telecommunications devices

• US 6,684,063 B2
• Filed: 05/02/1997
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information & Communication Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Berger, H. Stephen, Gilmore, Dillard, Fazio, Joseph D., Chojar, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M.
• Application Number:
  US08/850,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,461 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/314, 381/323, 381/60, 381/68, 381/187, 381/385, 381/366, 381/322, 381/331, 455/41, 455/575, 455/90, 455/557, 455/283, 455/266, 455/275-276, 455/334, 455/346, 455/350, 455/296, 379/52
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6016 in the receiver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72478 for hearing-impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/041 Adaptation of stereophonic signal reproduction for the hearing impaired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing

Abstract

A system integrates a hearing aid with devices such as wireless telephones, advantageously avoiding radio frequency (RF) interference. In one embodiment, a processor transforms an electrical signal to compensate for a hearing impairment. The function used for signal transformation can be accessed via a processor memory enhancement such as a smart card. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts the transformed signal to an analog signal, which then goes to an amplifier and speaker. In other embodiments, an analog amplifier transforms the electrical signal.

Claims

1. A system for compensating for hearing impairment comprising:

an electronic device for producing sound in response to an electrical signal; and

a hearing aid device for compensating for a uses'"'"'s hearing impairment profile including a processor and a first and a second removable and replaceable storage means, said hearing aid device electrically connected to said electronic device and intercepting the electrical signal, said processor transforming the electrical signal according to the hearing impairment profile and passing the transformed electrical signal to the electronic device, said first removable and replaceable storage means storing a first function according to which said electrical signal is transformed and said second removable and replaceable storage means storing a second function according to which said electrical signal is transformed,

wherein one of said storage means is implemented in a first handset earpiece that physically replaces a second handset earpiece on a telephone handset, said first handset earpiece during use being held next to a caller'"'"'s face by said telephone handset.

3. A system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said electrical signal is transformed to compensate for a slope hearing impairment.

4. A system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said electrical signal is transformed to compensate for a reverse-slope hearing impairment.

5. A system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said electrical signal is transformed to compensate for the particular hearing impairment of an individual person.

6. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said hearing aid transforms said signal according to a transfer function.

7. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said hearing aid transforms said signal according to a nonlinear function.

8. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein the electronic signal is sent to an analog-to-digital converter, then to the processor, and then to a digital-to-analog converter.

9. The system of claim 1 or 2 in which the hearing aid device is powered by alternating current.

10. The system of claim 1 or 2 in which the hearing aid device is powered by a battery.

11. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said electronic device and said hearing aid are housed within a single housing.

12. A system as described in claim 1 wherein said storage means is incorporated in a removable, replaceable module.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said removable storage means is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.

14. The system of claim 1 in which an audio cable connects the hearing aid device with the electronic device for producing sound.

15. The system of claim 1 in which the electronic device is a computer system.

16. The removable and replaceable storage means of claims 1, wherein the storage means is also erasable and reprogrammable.

2. A wireless telephone system comprising:

a wireless telephone receiver that receives and transmits an electrical signal;

a hearing aid device including a processor, said hearing aid device electrically connected to said receiver and receiving said electrical signal from said receiver, said processor receiving and transforming said electrical signal according to a hearing impairment profile, the hearing impairment profile being pre-stored on a removable and replaceable memory coupled to the hearing aid device, whereby the memory is interchangeable by a user for selecting an alternative hearing impairment profile for use by a different user or for use in a different environment; and

a speaker located in a wireless telephone in said system, said speaker outputting said transformed signal as sound;

wherein said removable and replaceable memory is implemented within a first handset earpiece that physically replaces a second handset earpiece in said wireless telephone.

17. A system as described in claim 2 wherein said hearing aid device is implemented in a removable and replaceable earpiece.

18. The wireless telephone system of claim 2, wherein said first handset earpiece further comprises a ear shroud to attenuate background noise, and said second handset earpiece does not comprises a ear shroud.

19. The wireless telephone system of claim 18, wherein said first handset earpiece further comprises an external audio cable, configured for plugging into an audio cable jack on said wireless telephone, said hearing aid device being electrically connected to said receiver and receiving said electrical signal from said receiver via said external audio cable.

20. A method of compensating for hearing impairment comprising:

replacing a first handset earpiece of a telephone system with a second handset earpiece;

inputting an electrical signal into an electronic device that produces sound in response to an input electrical signal;

intercepting, by a hearing aid device electrically connected to said electronic device, said electrical signal;

transforming, by means of a function stored in a removable and replaceable memory means and implemented by a processor in said hearing aid device, said electrical signal according to a hearing impairment profile, said removable and replaceable memory means being within said second handset earpiece; and

outputting, from said hearing aid device, sound according to the transformed electrical signal.

21. The method of claim 20 in which said hearing aid device is included in the electronic device, is removable and replaceable, and incorporates the memory means.

22. The method of claim 20 in which said electronic device is a wireless telephone.

23. The method of claim 20 in which said electronic device is a computer.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step:

accessing, by said processor, a removable memory means for storing a function according to which said electrical signal is transformed.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein said transforming is implemented by software.

26. The removable and replaceable memory means of claim 20, wherein the memory means is also erasable and reprogrammable.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein said function is associated with a first human user, the method further comprising removing and replacing said removable and replaceable memory means by a second user with an alternative memory means having a function associated with said second user.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein said function is not optimal for a listening environment, the method further comprising removing and replacing said removable and replaceable memory means by a user with an alternative memory means having a function that is appropriate for said listening environment.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein said replacing said first handset earpiece of a telephone system with said second handset earpiece comprises plugging an audio cable into an audio cable jack on said telephone system.