Patent Application
20070274549
The present invention is now described in more detail below with reference to the appended drawing, which shows a schematic diagram of a hearing aid device according to the invention.
The exemplary embodiments described in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention.
The circuit diagram presented in the FIG shows inter alia the basic components of a hearing aid device. According to this, a microphone M records the sound and forwards a corresponding input signal to a preamplifier VV. This preamplifier VV contains an A/D converter and a voltage regulator. A telephone coil TS, which records inductive signals from the telephones, is used as a further input source.
The output signal of the preamplifier is forwarded to a digital signal processor SV with a clocked final stage. Together with the preamplifier this is supplied with energy from a battery B. Furthermore, the signal processor SV receives an actuating signal from an actuator VC for volume adjustment purposes. Furthermore, the digital signal processor SV can also be controlled by a situation key ST. It is herewith possible to switch to a corresponding hearing device program according to the hearing situation. Furthermore, the digital signal processor SV can be supplied with programming data by way of a programming socket PB. The output signal of the digital signal processor is finally fed to an earpiece H.
Furthermore, the hearing aid device illustrated by way of example in the FIG is equipped with a transceiver coil TC, by means of which communication with another hearing device is possible for instance. The transceiver coil TC is evaluated and/or controlled by way of a wireless signal processor WS, which is linked to the central signal processor SV. The radio transmission is carried out at a specific frequency.
In accordance with the invention, an oscillator and/or resonance circuit RK comprising an inductor L and a capacitor C, matched to the working frequency of the transmission system, is moved with the transceiver coil TC into direct proximity to the transmitter, i.e. the transceiver coil TC. Energy is herewith drawn from the transmitter. This physical effect is now used to switch the hearing aid device off in a defined manner.
The transceiver coil TC thus receives the additional functionality of a transmitter for an IF switch. To simplify matters, the detector required to detect the current and/or the current intensity through the transceiver coil TC is integrated here into the wireless signal processor WS. The detector can thus be used together with the transceiver coil TC and the resonance circuit RK as an HF switch.
The resonance circuit RK is favorably integrated into the storage box of the hearing aid device. If a switched-on hearing aid device is then placed in the box, it is switched off utilizing the above-described effect. If the device is taken back out of the box, no more energy is drawn from the transceiver coil, so the hearing aid device is automatically switched on again. In the switched-off state, the monitoring circuit only requires a minimal standby current.
In the case of the wireless communication between two hearing devices (e2e Wireless), an evaluation circuit for detecting the transmission current flowing through the transceiver coil TC is usually already integrated in the wireless signal processor WS. Calibration of the current through the coil is herewith possible. This current detection unit can now also be used for current detection when switching with the external resonance circuit RK, so that no additional coil and hardly any additional evaluation circuit elements are needed for this wireless switching according to the invention. The additional elements needed for switching can be integrated in the existing TC of the hearing aid apparatus.
Since the circuit breaker, as an actuation element, only requires one resonance circuit, no individual current supply is needed for the actuation element. In addition the resonance circuit only results in minimal costs.
If the inventive HF switch is used to switch the hearing aid device on and off, a magnetic switch for switching to a telephone program can also be used for instance, since the two switches do not mutually influence one another. Interference immunity in respect of other electronic components can also be ensured by correspondingly high frequency selectivity, namely by selecting the quality of the resonance circuit to be suitably high.
The HF switch enables a mechanical switch to be dispensed with, as a result of which the frequency of repairs generally also drops. This saving further results in smaller devices, with the result that the HF switch is particularly advantageous in the case of in-the-ear hearing devices having e2e technology.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2006 024 713.2 | May 2006 | DE | national |
