Hearing aid and hearing aid dual use dongle

• US 9,071,917 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC
• Original Assignee: Audiotoniq, Inc
• Inventors: Neumeyer, Frederick Charles, Apfel, Russell J, Knox, John Michael Page
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US13/708,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20140003641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 381/60, 381/312, 381314-315, 381322-324
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• 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 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/07 Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• 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 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/602 : of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 : Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

A power dongle for a hearing aid includes conductive wires, each wire having a computing device end and a hearing aid end. A first connector is connected to the computing device end of each of the plurality of conductive wires to releasably couple to an input/output port of the computing device and a second connector is connected to the hearing aid end of each of the plurality of conductive wires to releasably couple to an interface of the hearing aid, the second connector configured to deliver at least one of a first power supply and an audio signal from the computing device to the interface of the hearing aid.

Claims

1. A dongle for a hearing aid comprising:

a first connector releasably couple to an input/output port of the computing device for receiving an audio signal and a first power supply signal from the computing device to delivery to the hearing aid;

an on board power supply for generating a second power signal;

a power regulator configured to receive the first power supply signal and the second power supply signal and to generate a regulated power supply for recharging the hearing aid; and

a second connector to releasably couple to an interface of the hearing aid, for providing to the hearing aid the audio signal and at least one of the first power signal or the second power signal.

2. The dongle of claim 1, wherein the on board power supply is removable.

3. The dongle of claim 1, wherein:

the audio signal includes a right audio signal and a left audio signal; and

the second connector provides one of the right audio signal or the left audio signal to the hearing aid.

4. The dongle of claim 1, wherein the first connector comprises a tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) connector.

5. The dongle of claim 4, wherein the TRS connector includes at least two additional contacts for receiving the first power supply signal from the computing device.

6. The dongle of claim 1, wherein the power regulator is further configured to receive to receive the first power supply signal from the computing device and to generate the regulated power supply for recharging the on board power supply.

7. The dongle of claim 1, further comprising a third connector-to releasably couple to an interface of a second hearing aid.

8. The dongle of claim 1, wherein the on board power supply comprises at least one of a triple-A (AAA) battery, a double-A (AA) battery, a C battery, a D battery, or a 4.5 volt battery.

9. The dongle of claim 1, further comprising a securing mechanism to secure the dongle to an object.

10. A dongle assembly for a hearing aid comprising:

a first connector configured to releasably couple to an input/output port of a computing device for receiving a first power signal and an audio signal from the computing device;

an on board power supply for generating a second power signal; and

a second connector configured to releasably couple to an interface of the hearing aid for providing to the hearing aid the audio signal and at least one of the first power signal or the second power signal.

11. The dongle assembly of claim 10, wherein the first power signal and the second power signal are provided to the hearing aid to recharge a battery associated with the hearing aid.

12. The dongle assembly of claim 11, wherein the second power supply signal recharges the on board power supply.

13. The dongle assembly of claim 12, wherein the on board power supply is removable.