Hearing aid and hearing aid dual use dongle

• US 9,503,825 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC
• Original Assignee: III Holdings 4, LLC
• Inventors: Neumeyer, Frederick Charles, Apfel, Russell J., Knox, John Michael Page
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US14/719,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20150256946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 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, the dongle comprising:

a first hearing aid connection interface configured to releasably couple the dongle to a first hearing aid;

a second hearing aid connection interface configured to releasably couple the dongle to a second hearing aid;

a media connection interface configured to releasably couple the dongle to a computer device, wherein the media connection interface is configured to deliver an audio signal to the first hearing aid connection interface and to the second hearing aid connection interface, and further configured to receive a first power supply signal; and

an on board power supply configured to generate a second power supply signal for charging the first and second hearing aids.

2. The dongle of claim 1, further comprising:

a power regulator configured to—

receive the first power supply signal from the computing device; and

generate a regulated power supply configured to recharge at least one of the first and second hearing aids.

3. The dongle of claim 1, wherein:

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

the first hearing aid connection interface provides the left audio signal to the first hearing aid; and

the second hearing aid connection interface provides the right audio signal to the second hearing aid.

4. The dongle of claim 1, wherein:

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

the first hearing aid connection interface provides the right audio signal to the first hearing aid; and

the second hearing aid connection interface provides the left audio signal to the second hearing aid.

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

6. The dongle of claim 5 wherein the securing mechanism comprises a clip configured to be attachable to an article of clothing.

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

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 wherein the on board power supply is rechargeable.

10. The dongle of claim 1 wherein the media connection interface comprises a tip-ring-sleeve (IRS) connector.

11. The dongle of claim 1 wherein the media connection interface comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

12. A dongle for a hearing aid, the dongle comprising:

a housing;

a power source receptacle in the housing;

a cable releasably coupled to the housing;

a first hearing aid connection interface attached to the cable and configured to releasably couple the dongle to a first hearing aid;

a second hearing aid connection interface attached to the cable and configured to releasably couple the dongle to a second, different hearing aid; and

a media connection interface configured to releasably couple the housing to a media device, wherein the media connection interface is configured to provide an audio data signal to the first and second hearing aid connection interfaces via the cable.

13. The dangle of claim 12, further comprising a portable power supply disposed in the power source receptacle, wherein the portable power supply is configured to provide a power supply signal to at least one of the first and second hearing aid connection interfaces.

14. The dangle of claim 13 wherein the portable power supply comprises a rechargeable battery sealed within the housing.

15. The dangle of claim 13 wherein the portable power supply comprises at least one battery removably secured in the receptacle.

16. The dangle of claim 12, further comprising:

a power regulator electrically coupled to the media connection interface, wherein the power regulator is configured to receive a power supply signal from the media device, and wherein the power regulator is further configured to generate a regulated power supply to charge at least one of the first and second hearing aids.

17. The dongle of claim 12 wherein:

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

the first hearing aid connection interface is configured to provide the left audio signal to the first hearing aid; and

the second hearing aid connection interface is configured to provide the right audio signal to the second hearing aid.

18. A portable power supply device for a hearing aid, the portable power supply comprising:

a first hearing aid connection interface configured to releasably couple the portable power supply device to a first hearing aid;

a second hearing aid connection interface configured to releasably couple the portable power supply device to a second, different hearing aid;

a media connection interface configured to releasably couple the portable power supply device to a media device, wherein the media connection interface is configured to deliver an audio data signal to the first and second hearing aid connection interfaces, and wherein the media connection interface is further configured to receive a first power supply signal from the media device; and

a power supply configured to generate a second power supply signal to charge at least one of the first and second hearing aids.

19. The portable power supply device of claim 18, further comprising

a power regulator configured to receive the first power supply signal from the media device, wherein the power regulator is further configured to generate a regulated power supply to charge at least one of the first and second hearing aids.

20. The portable power supply device of claim 18, further comprising:

a cable configured to electrically couple the first and second hearing aid connection interfaces to the power supply and the media connection interface.