Data transmission device for hearing aids

• US 7,292,698 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Niederdrank, Torsten, Ruckerl, Gottfried, Pfannenmuller, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Swerdlow; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/777,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20040175009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 381/315, 331/117.FE
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

The communication device in a hearing aid needs to be optimized with respect to spatial requirements and power consumption. To this end, provision is made for an inductor in an oscillator circuit to be used simultaneously as an antenna. Besides reducing the number of components, this also reduces the power consumption. Further optimization in terms of energy can be achieved by virtue of a comparator being used to actuate a controllable current source such that energy is fed into the oscillator circuit only during a half-cycle.

Claims

1. A hearing aid including a data transmission device for hearing aids, comprising:

a modulatable oscillator circuit configured for generating an alterable transmission signal;

said oscillator circuit comprising a coil;

said coil is utilized as an antenna for radiating the transmission signal and for receiving a reception signal; and

an actuation circuit having a feed for delivering an adjustable amount of energy into the oscillator circuit exclusively during a negative or positive half-cycle of the oscillation in the oscillator circuit wherein the actuation circuit further comprises a current mirror that is actuated by a comparator circuit that monitors the polarity of the oscillation.

2. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oscillator circuit comprises an LC resonant circuit.

3. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating current mirror comprises a control to control the transmission power that is to be output and the oscillation amplitude.

4. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current mirror further comprises an actuation signal configured to help produce an amplitude modulation.

5. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a modulator circuit that is connected to the oscillator circuit and comprises a connectable capacitor element, configured for frequency modulating an oscillation in the oscillator circuit.

6. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a trimming device that is connected to the oscillator circuit, configured for trimming the resonant frequency of the oscillator circuit.

7. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a modulator circuit that is connected to the oscillator circuit and comprises a connectable capacitor element, configured for frequency modulating an oscillation in the oscillator circuit.

8. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a trimming device that is connected to the oscillator circuit, configured for trimming the resonant frequency of the oscillator circuit.

9. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 8, wherein the trimming device comprises one or more connectable capacitors.