Hearing aid with magnetostrictive electroactive sensor
AssigneeStarkey Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsJames R. Newton, Michael Karl Sacha, Wei Li Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hearing aid includes a magnetostrictive electroactive (ME) sensor that generates an electrical signal in response to a magnetic field or a mechanical pressure. In various embodiments, the ME sensor is used for cordless charging of a rechargeable battery in the hearing aid by generating an electrical signal in response to a magnetic field generated for power transfer, magnetic sound signal reception, and/or detection of user commands by sensing a magnetic field or a pressure applied to the hearing aid.
Claims20
A hearing aid, comprising:
- a hearing aid circuit including a microphone, a receiver, and an audio processor coupled between the microphone and the receiver;
- a rechargeable battery coupled to the hearing aid circuit to power the hearing aid circuit;
- a magnetostrictive electroactive (ME) sensor configured to generate an power signal in response to a first magnetic field and generate a driving signal in response to a second magnetic field or a pressure;
- and
- a sensor processing circuit coupled to the ME sensor, the sensor processing circuit including:
- a battery charging circuit coupled to the rechargeable battery and configured to charge the rechargeable battery using the power signal;
- and
- a switch coupled to the hearing aid circuit and configured to control the hearing aid circuit using the driving signal.
A method for operating a hearing aid powered by a rechargeable battery, the method comprising:
- generating a power signal in response to a first magnetic field applied to the hearing aid using a magnetostrictive electroactive (ME) sensor in the hearing aid;
- converting the power signal into a DC electrical signal;
- charging the rechargeable battery using the DC electrical signal;
- detecting a user command as a second magnetic field or a pressure applied to the hearing aid using the ME sensor;
- and
- adjusting an operation of the hearing aid in response to the user command.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.