In-the-ear hearing aid with directional microphone system
AssigneeMicro Ear Technology, Inc.
InventorsDavid A. Preves, Timothy S. Peterson, Mark A. Bren
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for use as an in-the-ear hearing aid. The apparatus includes a housing having a shell and a face plate, wherein the shell is molded to custom fit a hearing aid user's ear. A first non-directional microphone system is included having a first output signal representative of the sound received. A second non-directional microphone system is included having a second output signal representative of the sound received. A switch mechanism is included having an operator extending through the housing for switching the in-the-ear hearing aid between a non-directional mode and a directional mode. In the directional mode, the microphone system is adjustable between a cardioid and super cardioid polar output pattern.
Claims21
An apparatus for use as an in-the-ear hearing aid, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a shell and a face plate, wherein the shell is molded to custom fit a hearing aid user's ear;
- a first non-directional microphone system having a first inlet opening in the face plate for receiving sound and having a first output signal representative of the sound received;
- a second non-directional microphone system having a second inlet opening in the face plate for receiving sound and having a second output signal representative of the sound received;
- and
- switch means having an operator extending through the housing for switching the in-the-ear hearing aid between a non-directional mode and a directional mode.
An apparatus for use as an in-the-ear hearing aid, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a shell and a face plate, wherein the shell is molded to custom fit a hearing aid user's ear;
- a first non-directional microphone system having a first inlet opening in the face Plate for receiving sound and having a first output signal representative of the sound received;
- a second non-directional microphone system having a second inlet opening in the face plate for receiving sound and having a second output signal representative of the sound received;
- switch means having an operator extending through the housing for switching the in-the-ear hearing aid between a non-directional mode and a directional mode, wherein the switch has an open position and a closed position, and wherein, when the switch is in the closed position, the in-the-ear hearing aid operates in a directional mode;
- and
- means for summing, selectively coupled to the first non-directional microphone system and the second non-directional microphone system, having a summed output signal representative of the sum of the first output signal and the second output signal;
- wherein, when the hearing aid is in the directional mode, the output signal has a polar directivity pattern representative of the summed output signal;
- and wherein the means for summing further comprises means for adjusting the polar directivity pattern of the summed output signal between a cardioid polar directivity pattern and a super cardioid polar directivity pattern.
A microphone system for use with an in-the-ear hearing aid, the system comprising:
- a first non-directional microphone system having a first inlet opening for receiving sound and having a first output signal representative of the sound received;
- a second non-directional microphone system having a second inlet opening for receiving sound and having a second output signal representative of the sound received;
- and
- means for electrically coupling the first non-directional microphone system to the second non-directional microphone system for electrically switching the in-the-ear hearing aid between a non-directional mode and a directional mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.