Multi-coil coupling system for hearing aid applications
AssigneeEtymotic Research, Inc.
InventorsStephen D. Julstrom, Viorel Drambarean, Willem Soede
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hearing improvement device using a multi-coil coupling system and methods for operating such a device are disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention may use an array microphone to provide highly directional reception. The received audio signal may be filtered, amplified, and converted into a magnetic field for coupling to the telecoil in a conventional hearing aid. Multiple transmit inductors may be used to effectively couple to both in-the-ear and behind-the-ear type hearing aids, and an additional embodiment is disclosed which may be used with an earphone, for users not requiring a hearing aid.
Claims46
A hearing improvement device comprising:
- at least one microphone for transducing sound into a first electrical signal;
- at least one filter for modifying the first electrical signal producing a second electrical signal;
- and
- at least one inductor for converting the second electrical signal into a magnetic field for coupling to a telecoil of a hearing aid.
A hearing improvement device comprising:
- at least one microphone for transducing sound into a first electrical signal;
- at least one filter for modifying the first electrical signal, producing a second electrical signal;
- and
- a connector for connecting the second electrical signal to a hearing aid of a user.
A method of operating a hearing improvement device, the method comprising:
- receiving a sound field;
- tranducing the sound field into a first electrical signal;
- filtering the first electrical signal producing a second electrical signal;
- converting the second electrical signal into a magnetic field;
- and
- coupling the magnetic field to the telecoil of a hearing aid.
A method of operating a hearing improvement device, the method comprising:
- receiving a sound field;
- tranducing the sound field into a first electrical signal;
- filtering the first electrical signal producing a second electrical signal;
- and
- coupling the second electrical signal to a hearing aid.
A hearing improvement device comprising:
- a first inductor for converting electrical signals representative of sound into a first magnetic field;
- a second inductor for converting electrical signals representative of sound into a second magnetic field;
- and
- a switch for selecting one of the first inductor and the second inductor for coupling a respective one of the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field to a telecoil of a hearing aid.
A hearing improvement device comprising a first inductor having a first winding and a second winding, the first and second windings being spaced apart by a distance and positioned on a first common core, the first inductor for converting electrical signals representative of sound into a magnetic field for coupling with a telecoil of a first type of hearing aid.
A hearing improvement device comprising:
- a housing;
- a first inductor located in the housing, for converting electrical signals representative of sound into a magnetic field for coupling with a telecoil of a first type of hearing aid;
- and
- a second inductor located in the housing, for converting electrical signals representative of sound i nto a magnetic field for coupling with a telecoil of a second type of hearing aid.
A hearing improvement device comprising:
- a housing;
- at least one microphone mounted with the housing for converting sound into electrical signals;
- and
- at least one inductor located in the housing, for converting the electrical signals into a magnetic field for coupling with a telecoil located in a hearing aid housing.
A hearing improvement system comprising:
- a first housing;
- a telecoil located in the first housing;
- a second housing;
- at least one microphone mounted with the second housing for converting sound into electrical signals;
- and
- at least one inductor located in the second housing, for converting the electrical signals into a magnetic field for coupling with the telecoil in the first housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.