EP2053876B1 - Hearing device with single connection for shielding and identification of an earpiece - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus e.g. behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing device, has a receiver device (13) removably electrically coupled to a receiver housing (10), where the device includes an electronic identification element i.e. ohmic resistor. A receiver (12) is connected to a pair of electrical cables (132, 133) with a sheath cable (131). The cable (131) and the element are conducted in the housing via a common single-pole connection. The receiver device includes a three-pole plug (14) with two poles for controlling the receiver and another pole for the sheath cable and the identification element.

Description

The present invention relates to a hearing device comprising a housing and a receiver device which is electrically coupled to the housing having an electronic identification element and which has a receiver connected to an electrical cable with a shielding line. The term "hearing device" is understood here to mean any sound-emitting device which can be worn in or on the ear, in particular a hearing device, a headset, headphones and the like.

Hearing aids are portable hearing aids that are used to care for the hearing impaired. In order to meet the numerous individual needs, different types of hearing aids such as behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE), hearing aid with external receiver (RIC: receiver in the canal) and in-the-ear hearing aids (IDO), e.g. Concha hearing aids or canal hearing aids (ITE, CIC). The hearing aids listed by way of example are worn on the outer ear or in the ear canal. In addition, bone conduction hearing aids, implantable or vibrotactile hearing aids are also available on the market. The stimulation of the damaged hearing takes place either mechanically or electrically.

Hearing aids have in principle as essential components an input transducer, an amplifier and an output transducer. The input transducer is usually a sound receiver, z. As a microphone, and / or an electromagnetic receiver, for. B. an induction coil. The output transducer is usually used as an electroacoustic transducer, z. As miniature speaker, or as an electromechanical transducer, z. B. bone conduction, realized. The amplifier is usually integrated in a signal processing unit. This basic structure is in FIG. 1 using the example of a behind-the-ear hearing aid shown. In a hearing aid housing 1 for carrying behind the ear, one or more microphones 2 for receiving the sound from the environment are installed. A signal processing unit 3, which is also integrated in the hearing aid housing 1, processes the microphone signals and amplifies them. The output signal of the signal processing unit 3 is transmitted to a loudspeaker or earpiece 4, which outputs an acoustic signal. The sound is optionally transmitted via a sound tube, which is fixed with an earmold in the ear canal, to the eardrum of the device carrier. The power supply of the hearing device and in particular of the signal processing unit 3 is carried out by a likewise integrated into the hearing aid housing 1 battery. 5

In the case of BTE RIC hearing aids, the loudspeaker is outsourced, as mentioned above, from the housing carried behind the ear and is located directly in the ear canal when worn. The loudspeaker, also referred to as a receiver, is connected by electrical lines to the housing or the hearing device. It is possible to connect different high-performance loudspeakers to the hearing aid in order to be able to compensate different hearing losses.

From the publication US 2002/0172371 A1 It is known that different types of speakers can be connected to a PC (personal computer), namely active or non-active PC speakers. The different speaker types must be controlled by the PC with different signal types. The PC should now be able to determine the speaker type, for example by measuring a characteristic identification resistor in the connector of the PC speakers. Based on this, the PC should then be able to automatically select the correct signal type.

In a comparable manner, signals are generally transmitted to the loudspeaker via two electrical lines in the case of hearing aids. By means of a third line, a resistance in the hearing aid can be measured. The resistance value indicates the speaker type and provides a corresponding identification information. For the adaptation of the hearing aid, it is necessary to know the type of speaker used and therefore retrieve the corresponding identification information on the third line. Overall, therefore, a three-wire connection to the speaker is needed: two lines for the signal and a line for detecting the speaker type.

As is known, the signal lines to the loudspeaker and the loudspeaker itself radiate electrical and magnetic energy. This energy or the corresponding fields disturb the operation of the hearing device. In particular, there are impairments of wireless radio links when electromagnetic transmission paths are used in the corresponding hearing aids. The reception range for signals and data to be received externally decreases considerably during these disturbances. This affects in particular remote control commands, wireless transmission of audio signals and wireless programming. However, the emissions from the signal lines or from the speaker itself also increase the risk of feedback especially in telecoil operation.

A simple solution to this radiation problem would be to shield the interfering fields by means of a shielding line. Such is for example from the publication WO 2005/020549 A1 a BTE RIC hearing aid known in which the radiation problem with respect to the speaker to be solved by a surrounding this screen housing. The shielding housing is connected to a zero potential or ground of the hearing aid by means of a shielding line. But then another, fourth line between hearing aid housing and speakers is necessary. This not only leads to a thicker speaker cable, but also to the need for a larger cable connector or a larger speaker jack on the hearing aid. For reasons of space, however, the jack for the speaker cable on the hearing aid should be as small as possible.

The object of the present invention is therefore to reduce the size of a hearing device with replaceable handset and shielded cables.

According to the invention this object is achieved by a hearing device with a housing and a receiver device which is electrically coupled to the housing, which has an electronic identification element, and which has a connected to an electrical cable with Schirmungsleitung handset, wherein the Schirmungsleitung and the electronic identification element is guided via a common, single-pole connection in the housing.

Advantageously, it is possible according to the present invention to use a pole of the connection of the listener to the housing of the hearing device both for the Schirmungsleitung as well as for the tapping of the identification element. This multiple use saves a pole, so that a socket or a plug can be made smaller on the housing for attaching the receiver device.

The receiver device preferably has a three-pole plug with two poles for controlling the receiver and a pole for the shielding line and the identification element together. This can be used in the hearing aid housing for the usual control of the handset, a very small three-pin plug or a three-pin socket.

The identification element may be an ohmic resistor. This represents a very cost-effective, easily integrable into a plug component for identification.

According to a likewise preferred embodiment, the unipolar connection for the shielding line and the identification element is grounded in the interior of the housing via a capacitor. This high-frequency interference components can flow to ground and the identification element can be evaluated on a DC basis.

Furthermore, the single-pole connection can be guided in the interior of the housing to an electrical resistance, so that with the identification element results in a voltage divider, which is evaluated for identification of the receiver device. Such a voltage divider is a safe and robust means of identification.

According to a further embodiment, the single-pole connection can be placed inside the housing to a multiplexer for receiving further input signals. For example, the multiplexer can also serve as an input for a volume control. With this design of the input, signal processing components can be used for several different input channels.

In a particular embodiment, the Schirmungsleitung comprises a Schirmungsgewebe. This can be an effective electrical shielding achieve.

FIG 1

den prinzipiellen Aufbau eines Hörgeräts gemäß dem Stand der Technik;

FIG 2

eine Hörvorrichtung in schematischer Darstellung ge- mäß einer ersten Ausführungsform und

FIG 3

eine Hörvorrichtung gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungs- form ebenfalls in schematischer Darstellung.

The present invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1

the basic structure of a hearing aid according to the prior art;

FIG. 2

a hearing device in a schematic representation according to a first embodiment and

FIG. 3

A hearing device according to a second embodiment also in a schematic representation.

The embodiments described in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention.

This in FIG. 2 BTE RIC device (Behind The Ear - Receiver In The Canal) exemplified has a hearing aid housing 10 for carrying behind the ear. In the housing 10, a socket 11 is integrated to connect an external handset 12 can. The handset 12 is part of a receiver device 13, which is designed here in the form of a loudspeaker or receiver module, which can be inserted into the socket 11. For this purpose, the receiver device 13 has a plug 14 with three pins 141, 142 and 143, each corresponding to a pole. The socket 11 has corresponding terminals 111, 112 and 113 for the pins 141, 142 and 143.

The handset 12 is controlled via two lines 132 and 133. These lead into the pins 142 and 143 of the plug 14. The over the two lines 132 and 133 from the hearing aid to the handset 12 to be transmitted loudspeaker signals are generated within the hearing aid housing 10 by an output stage 15. In the present case, the output stage has two Amplifier 152 and 153. They provide in normal operation, the output signals via the terminals 112, 113, the pins 142, 143 and the lines 132, 133 to the handset 12. These control signals are in FIG. 2 labeled rec1 and rec2.

Since a plurality of different receiver devices 13 can be plugged into the hearing device or the hearing device housing 10, each having a specific speaker type, a resistor R2 is integrated in the plug 14. Electrically it is connected to the pins 141 and 142. For identification of the receiver device 13, a corresponding input circuit 16 is therefore provided in the interior of the hearing aid housing 10. The input circuit 16 here has a multiplexer 161, to whose one input the terminal 111 of the socket 11 is connected. At the multiplexer 161 but also other encoders can be connected, an unillustrated volume control, a program button and the like. The output of the multiplexer 161 is fed to an AD converter, not shown. Furthermore, the output of the multiplexer 161 is connected to a voltage source 163 via a resistor R1 and a switch 162.

The output stage 15 has a switch 151 with which the one output line 154, which in the operating case the loudspeaker signal rec1 leads, can be disconnected from the amplifier 152 and grounded, so that it leads the potential grd.

This switching state is used for the identification procedure. For this purpose, the switch 162 is also brought in the input circuit 16 in the ON position. The multiplexer 161 will automatically scan the identification terminal 111 cyclically. In this state, the resistors R1 and R2 constitute a voltage divider whose output voltage includes identification information relating to the receiver device 13. After identification, the switch 151 is folded over again and the switch 162 is opened.

To shield the loudspeaker lines 132 and 133, a shielding line 131 is wound around them. It is connected at one end to the housing of the handset 12 and at the other end to the pin 141 of the handset identification pole. If appropriate, the shielding line 131 can also be realized as screen fabric around a two-core cable. So that high-frequency interference can be derived via the shielding line 131, the pin 141 and the identification terminal 111, the latter is connected to ground via a capacitor C. Since this is not DC but AC effective, it plays no role in the identification.

According to the main idea of the invention, the identification or detection line is thus simultaneously used to determine the type of earphone as the shielding line. In this way, interfering electromagnetic alternating fields are shielded via the detection pole of the socket 11 or of the plug 14. For this, however, it is necessary that the shield line is connected to the voltage divider potential and not to ground. For this purpose, the detection line, as mentioned, connected via the capacitor C with a suitable reference potential (preferably ground). This can be done within the hearing aid housing with a small capacitor component. For example, with a capacitance value of 10 nF, the same shielding effects are achieved as with a fourth, separate and grounded short shield line.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Most components correspond to those of the first embodiment, with regard to the structure and effect of which reference is therefore made to the above description. The integrated into the plug identification element is not an ohmic resistor but a capacitor C1. Therefore, the detection or identification of the receiver type is not done via a DC measurement, but via an AC measurement. Consequently, the identification terminal 111 is connected to an AC measuring circuit 17. The high-frequency disturbances which are conducted via the shielding line 131 into the hearing aid, are also derived here via a capacitor, which is designated here by C2. In this embodiment, also dispensed with an input multiplexer and the output stage 15 is designed simpler without a switch. This exemplary embodiment is intended to indicate that the receiver device 13 can also be identified via alternating current components such as capacitors or coils.

Claims (7)

1. Hearing apparatus comprising

   - a housing (10) and

   - a receiver device (13) that is removably electrically coupled to the housing (10), said receiver device (13) having an electronic identification element (R2, C1) and having a receiver (12) that is connected to an electrical cable with a sheath cable (131),

   characterised in that

   - the sheath cable (131) and the electronic identification element (R2, C1) are conducted into the housing (10) via a common, single-pole connection.
2. Hearing apparatus according to claim 1, with the receiver device (13) having a three-pole plug (14) with two poles for controlling the receiver (12) and one pole for the sheath cable (131) and the identification element (R2, C1).
3. Hearing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, with the identification element (R2, C1) being an ohmic resistor.
4. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, with the single-pole connection for the sheath cable (131) and for the identification element (R2, C1) being grounded in the interior of the housing (10) via a capacitor (C, C2).
5. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, with the single-pole connection in the interior of the housing (10) being conducted to an electrical resistor (R1), which in combination with the identification element (R2, C1) results in a potentiometer that is evaluated in order to identify the receiver device (13).
6. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, with the single-pole connection in the interior of the housing (10) being applied to a multiplexer (161) for the receipt of further input signals.
7. Hearing apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, with the sheath cable (131) comprising a shielding material.

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