US 8,284,970 B2Granted

Switching structures for hearing aid

AssigneeStarkey Laboratories, Inc.

InventorMichael Karl Sacha

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An apparatus is provided that includes an input system, an output system, and a sensor for sensing magnetic fields. In one example, a signal processing circuit electrically connects the input system to the output system, and a magnetic sensor adapted to inhibit the acoustic input and function as a magnetic input in the presence of a magnetic field. In one example, the magnetic sensor includes a giant magneto resistive (GMR) sensor. In another example, the magnetic sensor includes an anisotropic magneto resistive (AMR) sensor. The magnetic field can be generated by, among other things, a magnet in a telephone handset. The hearing aid further is programmed based on time-varying characteristics of the magnetic field. Wireless activation or deactivation of the hearing aid is also described. Other examples and options are provided herein.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A hearing aid adapted to be worn by a wearer, comprising:

an input system including:
an acoustic input, such as a microphone;
and
a solid state magnetic transducer adapted to detect a magnetic field strength and information modulated on a time varying magnetic field emanating from a source external to the hearing aid;
an acoustic output system;
a signal processing circuit connected to the input system and the output system, the signal processing circuit adapted to process signals from the input system and to present processed signals to the output system;
and
a switch circuit adapted to switch the input system from the acoustic input to the solid state magnetic transducer when the magnetic field strength detected is above a threshold, the switch circuit comprising filters to remove a high frequency component from a signal from the solid state magnetic transducer to prevent false triggering of the switch circuit, and adapted to provide a signal including the information modulated on the time varying magnetic field to the signal processing circuit, and
wherein the solid state magnetic transducer provides a compact input system for the hearing aid.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/037,549Filed 16 Jan 2005 · continuation in part
Priority: 16 Sep 2002
Published: US 2006/0013420 A119 Jan 2006
Granted: 9 Oct 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H04R 25/50
Electric hearing aids: customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
H04R 25/43
Electric hearing aids: electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and…
H04R 25/305
Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power: self-monitoring or self-testing
H04R 25/554
Using an external connection, either wireless or wired: using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Family

Application10/244,295Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 16 Sep 2002
US 2006/0013420 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Jan 2006
US 7,369,671 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2004/0052392 A1Published application
US 8,284,970 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.