JP2004343446A - Hearing aid system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hearing aid system by which good wearing feeling is obtained. <P>SOLUTION: The hearing aid system comprises: a portable microphone-borne radio transmitter 40 transmitting a sound signal obtained by collecting a sound through a microphone 41 as a radio signal; and a portable head set 1. The head set 1 comprises: a radio receiver 10 reproducing the sound signal by receiving the radio signal transmitted from the microphone-borne radio transmitter 40; and a left bone conduction speaker 20a and a right bone conduction speaker 20b driven on the basis of the sound signal reproduced by the radio receiver 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hearing aid system that transmits sound collected by a microphone (hereinafter, abbreviated as “microphone”) to a user through a bone conduction speaker.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a hearing aid system for assisting hearing of a hearing-impaired person is known. As one of such hearing aid systems, wireless hearing aid systems are already commercially available (for example, wireless hearing systems WH-AX201, WH-AX1001, WH-TX100 manufactured by Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd.).
[0003]
This wireless hearing aid system includes a hearing aid receiver and a transmitter. The hearing aid receiver includes a built-in microphone housed in the main body and an earphone connected to the main body by a cord, so that when hearing nearby sounds, the hearing aid receiver can be used alone as a hearing aid. Further, the hearing aid receiver has a receiving function of receiving radio waves from a transmitter having a microphone.
[0004]
The transmitter includes a microphone, and transmits a sound signal obtained by collecting sound with the microphone to a hearing aid receiver by radio waves. Therefore, when listening to a distant sound, the sound collected by the microphone of the transmitter can be received by the hearing aid receiver and heard by the earphone.
[0005]
In the wireless hearing system configured as described above, since the earphone of the hearing aid receiver is connected to the main body by a cord, there is a problem that the user is troublesome when wearing the earphone, which hinders the spread of the hearing aid.
[0006]
Further, in this wireless hearing system, an earphone that transmits sound using sound waves is used to transmit information to a user. Therefore, it is pointed out that noise is picked up or howling occurs, so that the user is burdened and tired easily.
[0007]
In order to solve this problem, a bone conduction hearing aid using a bone conduction speaker has recently been put to practical use and provided on the market (trade name “Hyperlink” manufactured by Fujiko Limited). As disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, the bone conduction speaker transmits a vibration of a diaphragm vibrated by a voice coil to a bone tissue so that a sound can be heard. This hearing aid is configured to transmit a sound signal obtained by collecting sound with a microphone of the main body to a bone conduction speaker through a cable to transmit information.
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent No. 2967777
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in this bone conduction hearing aid, the problem that the user is troublesome when wearing the bone conduction hearing aid is solved because the bone conduction speaker is connected to the main body including the microphone by a cord, similarly to the wireless hearing system described above. Absent.
[0010]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hearing aid system capable of obtaining a good wearing feeling.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A hearing aid system according to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a portable wireless transmitter with a microphone that transmits a sound signal obtained by collecting sound with a microphone as a wireless signal, and a portable headset The headset includes a wireless receiver that receives a wireless signal from a wireless transmitter with a microphone and reproduces a sound signal, and a bone conduction speaker driven based on the sound signal reproduced by the wireless receiver. It is characterized by having.
[0012]
According to this hearing aid system, since a sound signal obtained by collecting sound with a microphone is wirelessly transmitted to a wireless receiver and transmitted to a user by a bone conduction speaker, the trouble associated with wearing the hearing aid system is reduced. And a good feeling of wearing is obtained. Further, since the sound collected by the microphone is transmitted to the user using the bone conduction speaker, soft information transmission, which is a feature thereof, becomes possible, and a user-friendly hearing aid system can be provided.
[0013]
Further, the hearing aid system according to the present invention may further include an information transmitter for transmitting a sound signal from an information source device as a wireless signal to the wireless receiver. According to this configuration, if the information transmitter is installed at a predetermined location and a microphone is connected as an information source device, for example, a conversation with a staff at a predetermined location can be performed without a wireless transmitter with a microphone. it can. In addition, if the information transmitter is installed at a predetermined place and a guide device is connected as the information source device, for example, the voice from the guide device can be heard without a wireless transmitter with a microphone.
[0014]
Further, the bone conduction speaker used in the hearing aid system according to the present invention can be configured to vibrate by a giant magnetostrictive element whose shape is displaced in accordance with a sound signal reproduced by the wireless receiver. According to this configuration, there is an advantage that the sound quality is better than that of a conventional bone conduction speaker using a voice coil, and the user can easily listen to the sound.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
(First Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a hearing aid system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This hearing aid system is roughly composed of a headset 1 and a wireless transmitter 40 with a microphone.
[0017]
The headset 1 includes a radio receiver 10 attached to a frame 2, a left bone conduction speaker 20a, a right bone conduction speaker 20b, and a battery 30. Although the detailed structure is not shown, the frame 2 is configured to be extendable and contractable so as to fit the shape of the user's head.
[0018]
The wireless receiver 10 receives and demodulates a radio wave transmitted from the wireless transmitter with microphone 40, reproduces a sound signal, and sends the reproduced sound signal to the left bone conduction speaker 20a and the right bone conduction speaker 20b. The electrical configuration of the wireless receiver 10 will be described later. The wireless receiver 10 is provided with a volume control knob 11 so that the outputs of the right bone conduction speaker 20a and the left bone conduction speaker 20b can be adjusted. The power of the wireless receiver 10 is supplied from a battery 30. In addition, the battery 30 may be built in the wireless receiver 10.
[0019]
The right bone conduction speaker 20a and the left bone conduction speaker 20b have the same structure. Therefore, hereinafter, it will be simply described as "bone conduction speaker 20". As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2, the bone conduction speaker 20 includes a stopper 22, a magnet 23, a giant magnetostrictive element 24, a coil 25, a transmission member 26, a spring 27, and a stopper 22 housed in a hollow portion of a cylindrical housing 21. The holding member 28 is configured.
[0020]
The housing 21 is formed of, for example, a cylindrical styrene pipe having an outer diameter of 10φ, an inner diameter of 7φ, and a length of about 39 mm. The stopper 22 is formed of a columnar ferrite material of about 7φ × 15 mm, and has a columnar projection 22 a having a height of about 2 mm at one end. The stopper 22 is fixed to one end of the housing 21.
[0021]
The giant magnetostrictive element 24 has a columnar shape of, for example, about 2φ × 8 mm, and a magnet 23 having a size of about 3φ × 2 mm is interposed on both cut surfaces thereof, so that the protrusion 22 a of the stopper 22 and the transmitting material 26 are formed. Held between. The giant magnetostrictive element 24 is a magnetic material in which the amount of displacement and the rate of change of the strain generated by applying a magnetic field are larger than those of the conventional magnetostrictive material, and the generated stress is large.
[0022]
Around the giant magnetostrictive element 24, a coil 25 formed in a cylindrical shape is provided. The coil 25 is used to generate a magnetic field and drive the giant magnetostrictive element 24. The transmission member 26 is made of, for example, brass having a cylindrical shape of about 3.8 φ × 10 mm, and has a flange 26 a of about 6 φ on one end surface.
[0023]
At the other end of the housing 21, a holding member 28 made of, for example, a cylindrical phenol material having an outer diameter of 7φ, an inner diameter of 4φ, and a length of about 6mm is fixed. Loosely inserted. A spring 27 made of, for example, phosphor bronze is disposed between the flange 26a of the transmission member 26 and the cut surface of the holding member 28, and the transmission member 26, the magnet 23, and the giant magnetostrictive element 24 are pressed in the direction of the stopper 22. ing. The other end surface of the transmission member 26 is exposed to the outside and is in contact with a part of the user's head via a pad or the like (not shown).
[0024]
In the bone conduction speaker 20 configured as described above, when the sound signal output from the wireless receiver 10 is supplied to the coil 25, a current flows through the coil 25 to generate a magnetic field, and the giant magnetostrictive element 24 It is displaced in the vertical direction in the figure according to the sound signal. The displacement of the giant magnetostrictive element 24 is transmitted to the user as vibration.
[0025]
The wireless transmitter with microphone 40 has a built-in microphone 41. The microphone-equipped wireless transmitter 40 converts a sound signal obtained by collecting sound with the microphone 41 into a radio wave and transmits the radio wave to the wireless receiver 10. The electrical configuration of the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 will be described later.
[0026]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the wireless receiver 10. The radio receiver 10 includes an antenna 12a, a high-frequency amplifier 12, a frequency mixer 13, a quartz crystal local oscillator 14, a multiplying amplifier 15, a first intermediate frequency amplifier 16, a narrow-band FM-IF circuit 17, a low-frequency amplifier 18, and a low-frequency amplifier 18. It comprises a power amplifier 19. A left bone conduction speaker 20a and a right bone conduction speaker 20b are connected to the output of the low frequency power amplifier 19.
[0027]
The radio wave received by the antenna 12a is converted into a high-frequency signal and sent to the high-frequency amplifier 12. The high-frequency amplifier 12 amplifies the high-frequency signal from the antenna 12a and sends it to the frequency mixer 13. On the other hand, the crystal local oscillator 14 generates a signal oscillating at a predetermined frequency and sends the signal to the multiplier 15. The frequency multiplier 15 multiplies and amplifies the signal from the crystal local oscillator 14 and sends the signal to the frequency mixer 13.
[0028]
The frequency mixer 13 mixes the high frequency signal from the high frequency amplifier 12 and the signal from the frequency multiplier 15, converts the mixed signal into an intermediate frequency signal having an intermediate frequency, and sends the intermediate frequency signal to the first intermediate frequency amplifier 16. The first intermediate frequency amplifier 16 amplifies the intermediate frequency signal from the frequency mixer 13 and sends it to the narrow band FM-IF circuit 17. The narrow-band FM-IF circuit 17 performs mixing, limiting amplification, and FM detection on the signal having the intermediate frequency from the first intermediate frequency amplifier 16 and demodulates the signal to extract a sound signal. send.
[0029]
The low-frequency amplifier 18 amplifies the sound signal from the narrow-band FM-IF circuit 17 and sends it to the low-frequency power amplifier 19. The low-frequency power amplifier 19 amplifies the sound signal from the low-frequency amplifier 18 at an amplification factor according to the setting of the volume adjustment knob 11, and sends the amplified signal to the left bone conduction speaker 20a and the right bone conduction speaker 20b. This allows the user to listen to the sound by bone conduction.
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the wireless transmitter with microphone 40. The wireless transmitter with microphone 40 includes a microphone 41, an audio amplifier 42, a howling prevention circuit 43, a frequency modulator 44, a crystal oscillator 45, a buffer amplifier 46, a multiplier amplifier 47, a multiplier amplifier 48, a power amplifier 49, and an antenna 49a. Have been. For example, a shortened antenna can be used as the antenna 49a.
[0031]
The microphone 41 sends a sound signal obtained by sound collection to the sound amplifier 42. The audio amplifier 42 amplifies the sound signal from the microphone 41 and sends it to the howling prevention circuit 43. The howling prevention circuit 43 detects a sound signal from the audio amplifier 42 and controls the amplification factor of the audio amplifier 42 to prevent howling. The signal output from the howling prevention circuit 43 is sent to the frequency modulator 44.
[0032]
The frequency modulator 44 frequency-modulates the signal from the howling prevention circuit 43 and sends the signal to the crystal oscillator 45. The crystal oscillator 45 generates a signal oscillating at a frequency corresponding to the frequency-modulated signal from the frequency modulator 44 and sends the signal to the buffer amplifier 46. The buffer amplifier 46 is provided to reduce the coupling between the crystal oscillator 45 and the load as much as possible to eliminate the influence of the load fluctuation and to stabilize the oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator 45. The output of the buffer amplifier 46 is sent to the multiplier amplifier 47.
[0033]
The multiplication amplifier 47 multiplies the signal from the buffer amplifier 46 and sends it to the multiplication amplifier 48. The multiplier amplifier 48 further multiplies the signal from the multiplier amplifier 47 and sends the signal to the power amplifier 49. The power amplifier 49 power-amplifies the signal from the multiplier amplifier 48 and sends the signal to the antenna 49a. Thereby, the sound signal input by the microphone 41 is transmitted as a radio wave from the antenna 49a.
[0034]
Next, an example in which a hearing-impaired person uses the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. Each of the headset 1 and the wireless receiver with microphone 40 is configured to be portable by a hearing-impaired person. Usually, as shown in FIG. 5, the headset 1 is used by being worn on the head of the hearing-impaired person. You. At this time, the bone conduction speaker 20 can be worn in a state in which it contacts the front side of the ear of the hearing-impaired person or in a state in which it contacts the rear side of the ear. The microphone-equipped wireless transmitter 40 is used, for example, by attaching it to a belt of a hearing-impaired person. Note that the wireless receiver with microphone 40 can be configured to be used around the neck, for example, like a pendant.
[0035]
According to this normal use mode, since the bone conduction speaker 20 of the headset 1 does not block the ear hole of the hearing-impaired person, there is an advantage that fatigue is reduced. Further, according to the conventional hearing aid inserted into the ear hole, it is obvious that the person is a hearing-impaired person, so there is a problem that stress is accumulated. However, when the headset 1 is used, it is the same as the style of listening to music. There is no sense of incongruity, and such problems are unlikely to occur.
[0036]
In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 can be used by being placed at the center of a circle of a plurality of people such as a family. According to this usage mode, the hearing-impaired person can listen to the conversation of the whole family at the same volume, so that the family can enjoy the family together.
[0037]
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 can be used, for example, placed near a television receiver (hereinafter abbreviated as “television”). According to this mode of use, the hearing-impaired person can watch television anywhere, and can watch television while talking with his family.
[0038]
Next, a procedure for using the above-described hearing aid system will be described. The hearing-impaired person first prepares the wireless receiver 10. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, first, the power switch of the wireless receiver 10 is turned on (step S10).
[0039]
Next, the headset 1 is mounted on the head (step S11). Thereby, the wireless receiver 10 is in a state where it can listen to the sound transmitted from the microphone-equipped wireless transmitter 40 (step S12). Next, the volume is adjusted by operating the volume adjustment knob 11 (step S13). When the above preparation is completed, conversation and various sounds can be enjoyed thereafter.
[0040]
Next, the hearing impaired person prepares the wireless transmitter with microphone 40. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, first, the antenna 49a is attached (step S20). Next, the power switch of the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 is turned on (step S21). Thereby, transmission from the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 is started.
[0041]
Next, if it is a conversation with a small number of people (YES in step S22), the microphone-equipped wireless receiver 40 is worn on a belt or the like so as to be used in a normal use mode (step S23). Thereafter, the hearing impaired can enjoy conversation with a small number of people and various sounds.
[0042]
On the other hand, if the conversation is not a conversation with a small number of people (NO in step S22) but is a conversation surrounding the table (YES in step S24), the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 is placed at the center of the conversation (step S25). Thereafter, the hearing-impaired person can enjoy conversation with various people such as family members and various sounds.
[0043]
If it is not a conversation surrounding the table or the like (NO in step S24), for example, when watching a television at home (step S26), the microphone-equipped wireless transmitter 40 is placed near the television (step S27). Thereafter, the hearing-impaired person can watch television.
[0044]
As described above, according to the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, since the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 and the headset 1 are wirelessly connected to each other, the hearing aid system can be easily mounted. A good feeling of wearing can be obtained without accompanying troublesomeness. In addition, the introduction of wireless communication enables a variety of information to be handled, and the user can easily listen to accurate information in many environments and scenes.
[0045]
Further, since the sound collected by the microphone 41 of the wireless transmitter with microphone 40 is transmitted to the user using the bone conduction speaker 20, soft information transmission becomes possible, and a user-friendly hearing aid system is provided. it can. Further, since the output of the bone conduction speaker 20 can be adjusted by the volume adjustment knob 11 provided on the wireless receiver 10, it is possible to quickly adapt to the environment and minimize the stress on the user.
[0046]
(Second embodiment)
The hearing aid system according to the second aspect of the present invention is obtained by adding an information transmitter with an interface to the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment. This information transmitter with interface corresponds to the information transmitter of the present invention.
[0047]
10A and 10B are views showing the appearance of the information transmitter with interface 50. FIG. 10A is a perspective view seen from the front, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view seen from the back. The information transmitter with interface 50 includes an information source selection switch 51 and a volume control knob 52 provided on a front panel, a source input terminal 53 and a microphone input terminal 54 provided on a rear panel, and an antenna provided on a top surface of the housing. 55 are provided. The information transmitter with interface 50 includes a built-in condenser microphone (not shown). When no microphone is connected to the microphone input terminal 54, the built-in condenser microphone is used.
[0048]
The information source selection switch 51 is used to select one from a plurality of information sources. As the information source, any one of “dynamic microphone”, “condenser microphone”, “TV, MD, personal computer” and “PA” can be selected. The volume adjustment knob 52 is used to adjust the size of a sound signal output from the information transmitter with interface 50.
[0049]
The source input terminal 53 is used to input a sound signal output from a television (TV), MD, personal computer (PC), or PA system. The microphone input terminal 54 is used to input a sound signal from a dynamic microphone or a condenser microphone.
[0050]
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the information transmitter with interface 50. As shown in FIG. The information transmitter with interface 50 includes a microphone 60, an information source device 61, an information source selection switch (SW) 51, an audio amplifier 62, a frequency modulator 63, a crystal oscillator 64, a buffer amplifier 65, a multiplier amplifier 66, and a multiplier amplifier 67. , A power amplifier 68, a volume control knob 52, an antenna 55, and a battery 69. As the antenna 55, for example, a shortened antenna can be used.
[0051]
The microphone 60 is composed of, for example, a dynamic microphone or a condenser microphone, and is connected to the microphone input terminal 54. A sound signal obtained by collecting sound with the microphone 60 is sent to the information source selection switch 51. The information source device 61 includes, for example, a television, a personal computer, an MD, and a PA. In addition, as the information source device 61, other devices such as a broadcasting device, a loudspeaker, a premises guidance device, various telephones, and an emergency broadcasting device can be used. The information source device 61 is connected to the source input terminal 53. The sound signal output from the information source device 61 is sent to the information source selection switch 51.
[0052]
The information source selection switch 51 includes an output of a dynamic microphone input from a microphone input terminal 54, an output of a condenser microphone, an output of a television (TV) input from the source input terminal 53, an output of an MD, and a personal computer (PC). Either the output or the output of the PA system is selected and sent to the audio amplifier 62. The audio amplifier 42 amplifies the sound signal from the information source selection switch 51 and sends it to the frequency modulator 63.
[0053]
The frequency modulator 63 frequency-modulates the signal from the audio amplifier 62 and sends the signal to the crystal oscillator 64. The crystal oscillator 64 generates a signal oscillating at a frequency corresponding to the frequency-modulated signal from the frequency modulator 63 and sends the signal to the buffer amplifier 65. The buffer amplifier 65 is provided to make the coupling between the crystal oscillator 45 and the load as small as possible to eliminate the influence of the load fluctuation and to stabilize the oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator 64. The output of the buffer amplifier 65 is sent to a multiplier amplifier 66.
[0054]
The multiplier amplifier 66 multiplies the signal from the buffer amplifier 65 and sends the signal to the multiplier amplifier 67. The multiplier amplifier 67 further multiplies the signal from the multiplier amplifier 66 and sends the signal to the power amplifier 68. The power amplifier 68 power-amplifies the signal from the multiplier amplifier 67 at an amplification factor according to the setting of the volume control knob 52 and sends the signal to the antenna 55. Thereby, the sound signal input from the microphone 60 or the information source device 61 is transmitted as a radio wave from the antenna 55.
[0055]
Next, an example in which a hearing-impaired person uses the hearing aid system according to the second embodiment configured as described above will be described. The hearing impaired person wears only the headset 1, and the interface-equipped information transmitter 50 to which the microphone 60 is connected is installed at an administrative agency such as a government office or a window of a hospital. The conversation between the contact person and the hearing-impaired person is performed using a sound signal transmitted from the microphone 60 to the wireless receiver 10 of the headset 1 via the interface-equipped information transmitter 50. In addition, a guide device such as a museum is connected to the information transmitter with interface 50, and guidance is performed using a sound signal transmitted from the guide device to the wireless receiver 10 of the headset 1 via the information transmitter with interface 50. Is performed.
[0056]
Next, a procedure for using the above-described hearing aid system will be described. The procedure for preparing the wireless receiver 10 (see the flowchart in FIG. 8) and preparing the information transmitter with microphone 40 (see the flowchart in FIG. 9) is the same as that in the first embodiment. However, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12 (the same parts as those in FIG. 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals), instead of conversation surrounding the table (NO in step S24), for example, transmission of information with interface If the information of the device 50 is to be heard (step S28), the power of the information transmitter with microphone 40 is turned off (step S29). Thereafter, the hearing-impaired person can hear various kinds of guidance and information of the information transmitter with interface 50.
[0057]
The preparation of the information transmitter with interface 50 is performed as follows. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13, first, if the information source is a microphone (YES in step S30) and if the information source is a built-in condenser microphone (YES in step S31), the procedure proceeds to step S38.
[0058]
On the other hand, if the information source is a microphone (YES in step S30) and is not a built-in condenser microphone (NO in step S31), the type of the microphone is checked (step S32). If the microphone is a condenser microphone (step S33) or a dynamic microphone (step S34), the microphone is connected to the microphone input terminal 54 of the information transmitter with interface 50 (step S35). Thereafter, the procedure proceeds to step S38.
[0059]
If the information source is not a microphone, that is, if the information source device 61 (NO in step S30), one end of the connection cord is connected to the information transmitter with interface 50 (step S36), and the other end is connected to the information source. The device is connected to the device 61 (step S37). Thereafter, the procedure proceeds to step S38.
[0060]
In step S38, the information source selection switch 51 is operated to set a desired information source. Then, an antenna suitable for the venue is prepared (step S39). Here, if the place where the information transmitter with interface 50 is installed is not a large venue (NO in step S40), the normal antenna 55 is connected to the information transmitter with interface 50 (step S41). On the other hand, if the venue is a large venue, an antenna suitable for the venue is selected from a plurality of wide area antennas (step S42), and the selected antenna is connected to the information transmitter with interface 50 (step S43).
[0061]
When the above operation is completed, the power switch is turned on (step S44). Thus, the transmission is started, and the volume is adjusted to an appropriate value by operating the volume adjustment knob 52 (step S45). As described above, preparation for information transmission is completed, and the hearing-impaired person wearing the headset 1 can receive information from the information transmitter with interface 50.
[0062]
As described above, according to the hearing aid system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the interface-equipped information transmitter 50 includes a broadcasting device, a loudspeaker, a television, a premises guidance device, various telephones, an emergency broadcasting device, and the like. By connecting the information source device, the hearing impaired person can hear the sound of the movie theater or theater, the explanation of the lecturer of the lecture, the explanation and the sound of the conference, the school or the driving school, etc. Can be heard regardless of the seating position. In particular, by using the information transmitter 50 with an interface in a theater, a lecture hall, a classroom, or the like, it is possible to construct an environment for transmitting sufficient information to a hearing-impaired person without placing any burden on a healthy person.
[0063]
In addition, it is possible to sufficiently transmit information to a large number of hearing-impaired persons, especially to a hearing-impaired person located at a distance of several tens of meters, which is impossible with current hearing aids and wired hearing aids. .
[0064]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a sound signal obtained by collecting sound with a microphone is wirelessly transmitted to a wireless receiver and transmitted to a user by a bone conduction speaker, so that a hearing aid system There is no hassle associated with mounting, and a good feeling of wearing is obtained. In addition, since the sound collected by the microphone is transmitted to the user using the bone conduction speaker, soft information transmission becomes possible, and a user-friendly hearing aid system can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a hearing aid system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a structure of a bone conduction speaker used in the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a wireless receiver used in the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the microphone-equipped wireless transmitter used in the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a normal use form of the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another usage of the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining still another use form of the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for preparing a wireless receiver of the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a procedure for preparing a wireless transmitter with a microphone of the hearing aid system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is an external view showing an information transmitter with an interface used in a hearing aid system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an information transmitter with an interface used in a hearing aid system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for preparing a wireless transmitter with a microphone for a hearing aid system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for preparing an information transmitter with an interface of the hearing aid system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Headset
2 frames
10 Wireless receiver
11 Volume control knob
20 bone conduction speaker
20a Left bone conduction speaker
20b right bone conduction speaker
30 batteries
40 Wireless transmitter with microphone
41 microphone

Claims (3)

A portable wireless transmitter with a microphone that transmits a sound signal obtained by collecting sound with a microphone as a wireless signal,
With a portable headset,
The headset is
A wireless receiver that receives a wireless signal from the microphone-equipped wireless transmitter and reproduces a sound signal,
A hearing aid system, comprising: a bone conduction speaker driven based on a sound signal reproduced by the wireless receiver. The hearing aid system according to claim 1, further comprising an information transmitter for transmitting a sound signal from an information source device as a wireless signal to the wireless receiver. The hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein the bone conduction speaker vibrates by a giant magnetostrictive element whose shape is changed according to a sound signal reproduced by the wireless receiver.

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