EP3972290A1 - Batteriekontaktsystem in einem hörgerät - Google Patents

Batteriekontaktsystem in einem hörgerät Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3972290A1
EP3972290A1 EP21166130.1A EP21166130A EP3972290A1 EP 3972290 A1 EP3972290 A1 EP 3972290A1 EP 21166130 A EP21166130 A EP 21166130A EP 3972290 A1 EP3972290 A1 EP 3972290A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
battery
flexible compression
contact
hearing aid
compression element
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP21166130.1A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Troels Holm Pedersen
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Oticon AS
Original Assignee
Oticon AS
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Filing date
Publication date
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Priority to EP21166130.1A priority Critical patent/EP3972290A1/de
Publication of EP3972290A1 publication Critical patent/EP3972290A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
    • H04R25/602—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of batteries

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to a hearing device, such as a hearing aid, comprising flexible compression elements. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a hearing device, which is configured to reduce noise arising in internal elements of a hearing device.
  • a hearing device :
  • a hearing device comprising a housing, a battery compartment for retaining a battery for powering said hearing device, and at least a first contact element and a second contact element configured to contact said battery when said battery is received in said battery compartment, said first and second contact elements engaging the battery on a plus and a minus pole thereof to transmit power to the electronic of the hearing device, is provided.
  • the hearing device comprising at least a first flexible compression element and a second flexible compression element provided in connection with said battery compartment, which flexible compression elements pushes said battery when retained in said battery compartment towards said at least one first and second contact element and thereby provides an electrical contact between said first contact element and said negative pole of the battery and an electrical contact between said second contact element and said plus pole of the battery.
  • the flexible compression element as described herein is substantially made from a non-conductive material and is not configured to transmit power from the battery to the electronic components of the hearing device. Rather the flexible compression element is configured to provide a "push" towards the battery on a surface thereof, wherein the surface of the battery to which the flexible compression element pushes is substantially opposite to a second surface of the battery to which a contact element (i.e., a battery spring) contacts the battery.
  • a contact element i.e., a battery spring
  • the flexible compression element is as such not a battery springs, which transfers electric energy.
  • said at least one first flexible compression element is arranged on a first side of the battery compartment and said at least one second flexible compression element is arranged on a second side of the battery compartment, wherein said first side is perpendicular to said second side.
  • said first contact element is arranged in said battery compartment in a first side positioned opposite said at least one first flexible compression element, said first contact element acting on said battery with a first force.
  • the at least one first flexible compression element is configured to counteract said first force.
  • the second contact element is arranged in said battery compartment in a second side positioned opposite said at least one second flexible compression element, said second contact element acting on said battery with a second force, wherein said at least one second flexible compression element is configured to counteract said second force.
  • said first contact element creates a first force vector in a direction from an end point of said first contact element towards a first center line of said battery compartment and said at least one first flexible compression element creates a third force vector in a direction from a connection point of said at least one first flexible compression element towards the first center line of said compartment.
  • the first and third force vectors of said first contact element and said at least one first flexible compression element, respectively, are configured to cancel out each other.
  • said second contact element creates a second force vector in a direction from an end point of said second contact element towards a second center line of said battery compartment
  • said at least one second flexible compression element creates a fourth force vector in a direction from a connection point of said at least one second flexible compression element towards the second center line of said compartment, wherein the second and fourth force vectors of said second contact element and said at least one second flexible compression element, respectively, are configured to cancel out each other.
  • said at least one first flexible compression element creates a third force vector in a direction from a connection point of first flexible compression element towards the first center line of said compartment, wherein said at least one second flexible compression element creates a fourth force vector in a direction from a connection point of said at least one second flexible compression element towards the second center line of said compartment, wherein the third and fourth force vectors are configured to join in a result force vector.
  • the at least one first and second flexible compression elements are made of a material providing a size of said third and fourth force vectors sufficient to cancel out said first and second force vectors arising from said at least one first and second contact elements.
  • the hearing device being constituted by or comprising a hearing aid, an air-conduction type hearing aid, a bone-conduction type hearing aid, a cochlear implant type hearing aid, or a combination thereof.
  • the hearing device may be adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain and/or a level dependent compression and/or a transposition (with or without frequency compression) of one or more frequency ranges to one or more other frequency ranges, e.g., to compensate for a hearing impairment of a user.
  • the hearing aid may comprise a signal processor for enhancing the input signals and providing a processed output signal.
  • the hearing aid may comprise an output unit for providing a stimulus perceived by the user as an acoustic signal based on a processed electric signal.
  • the output unit may comprise a number of electrodes of a cochlear implant (for a CI type hearing aid) or a vibrator of a bone conducting hearing aid.
  • the output unit may comprise an output transducer.
  • the output transducer may comprise a receiver (loudspeaker) for providing the stimulus as an acoustic signal to the user (e.g., in an acoustic (air conduction based) hearing aid).
  • the output transducer may comprise a vibrator for providing the stimulus as mechanical vibration of a skull bone to the user (e.g., in a bone-attached or bone-anchored hearing aid).
  • the hearing aid may comprise an input unit for providing an electric input signal representing sound.
  • the input unit may comprise an input transducer, e.g., a microphone, for converting an input sound to an electric input signal.
  • the input unit may comprise a wireless receiver for receiving a wireless signal comprising or representing sound and for providing an electric input signal representing said sound.
  • the wireless receiver may e.g., be configured to receive an electromagnetic signal in the radio frequency range (3 kHz to 300 GHz).
  • the wireless receiver may e.g., be configured to receive an electromagnetic signal in a frequency range of light (e.g., infrared light 300 GHz to 430 THz, or visible light, e.g., 430 THz to 770 THz).
  • the hearing aid may comprise a directional microphone system adapted to spatially filter sounds from the environment, and thereby enhance a target acoustic source among a multitude of acoustic sources in the local environment of the user wearing the hearing aid.
  • the directional system is adapted to detect (such as adaptively detect) from which direction a particular part of the microphone signal originates. This can be achieved in various ways as e.g., described in the prior art.
  • a microphone array beamformer is often used for spatially attenuating background noise sources. Many beamformer variants can be found in literature.
  • the minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformer is widely used in microphone array signal processing.
  • the MVDR beamformer keeps the signals from the target direction (also referred to as the look direction) unchanged, while attenuating sound signals from other directions maximally.
  • the generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) structure is an equivalent representation of the MVDR beamformer offering computational and numerical advantages over a direct implementation in its original form.
  • the hearing aid may comprise antenna and transceiver circuitry (e.g., a wireless receiver) for wirelessly receiving a direct electric input signal from another device, e.g., from an entertainment device (e.g., a TV-set), a communication device, a wireless microphone, or another hearing aid.
  • the direct electric input signal may represent or comprise an audio signal and/or a control signal and/or an information signal.
  • the hearing aid may comprise demodulation circuitry for demodulating the received direct electric input to provide the direct electric input signal representing an audio signal and/or a control signal e.g., for setting an operational parameter (e.g., volume) and/or a processing parameter of the hearing aid.
  • a wireless link established by antenna and transceiver circuitry of the hearing aid can be of any type.
  • the wireless link is established between two devices, e.g., between an entertainment device (e.g., a TV) and the hearing aid, or between two hearing aids, e.g., via a third, intermediate device (e.g., a processing device, such as a remote-control device, a smartphone, etc.).
  • the wireless link is used under power constraints, e.g., in that the hearing aid may be constituted by or comprise a portable (typically battery driven) device.
  • the wireless link is a link based on near-field communication, e.g., an inductive link based on an inductive coupling between antenna coils of transmitter and receiver parts.
  • the wireless link may be based on far-field, electromagnetic radiation.
  • the communication via the wireless link is arranged according to a specific modulation scheme, e.g., an analogue modulation scheme, such as FM (frequency modulation) or AM (amplitude modulation) or PM (phase modulation), or a digital modulation scheme, such as ASK (amplitude shift keying), e.g., On-Off keying, FSK (frequency shift keying), PSK (phase shift keying), e.g., MSK (minimum shift keying), or QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation), etc.
  • a specific modulation scheme e.g., an analogue modulation scheme, such as FM (frequency modulation) or AM (amplitude modulation) or PM (phase modulation), or a digital modulation scheme, such as ASK (amplitude shift keying), e.g., On-Off keying, FSK (frequency shift keying), PSK (phase shift keying), e.g., MSK (minimum
  • the communication between the hearing aid and the other device may be in the base band (audio frequency range, e.g., between 0 and 20 kHz).
  • communication between the hearing aid and the other device is based on some sort of modulation at frequencies above 100 kHz.
  • the wireless link may be based on a standardized or proprietary technology.
  • the wireless link may be based on Bluetooth technology (e.g., Bluetooth Low-Energy technology).
  • the hearing aid and/or the communication device may comprise an electrically small antenna.
  • An 'electrically small antenna' is in the present context taken to mean that the spatial extension of the antenna (e.g., the maximum physical dimension in any direction) is much smaller than the wavelength ⁇ Tx of the transmitted electric signal.
  • the spatial extension of the antenna is a factor of 10, or 50 or 100 or more, or a factor of 1 000 or more, smaller than the carrier wavelength ⁇ Tx of the transmitted signal.
  • the hearing aid is a relatively small device.
  • the term 'a relatively small device' is in the present context taken to mean a device whose maximum physical dimension (and thus of an antenna for providing a wireless interface to the device) is smaller than 10 cm, such as smaller than 5 cm.
  • 'a relatively small device' may be a device whose maximum physical dimension is much smaller (e.g., more than 3 times, such as more than 10 times smaller, such as more than 20 times small) than the operating wavelength of a wireless interface to which the antenna is intended ( ideally an antenna for radiation of electromagnetic waves at a given frequency should be larger than or equal to half the wavelength of the radiated waves at that frequency).
  • the wavelength in vacuum is around 35 cm.
  • the wavelength in vacuum is around 12 cm.
  • the hearing aid may have a maximum outer dimension of the order of 0.15 m (e.g., a handheld mobile telephone).
  • the hearing aid may have a maximum outer dimension of the order of 0.08 m (e.g., a headset).
  • the hearing aid may have a maximum outer dimension of the order of 0.04 m (e.g., a hearing instrument).
  • the hearing aid may be or form part of a portable (i.e., configured to be wearable) device, e.g., a device comprising a local energy source, e.g., a battery, e.g., a rechargeable battery.
  • the hearing aid may e.g., be a low weight, easily wearable, device, e.g., having a total weight less than 100 g.
  • the hearing aid may comprise a forward or signal path between an input unit (e.g., an input transducer, such as a microphone or a microphone system and/or direct electric input (e.g., a wireless receiver)) and an output unit, e.g., an output transducer.
  • the signal processor may be located in the forward path.
  • the signal processor may be adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain according to a user's particular needs.
  • the hearing aid may comprise an analysis path comprising functional components for analyzing the input signal (e.g., determining a level, a modulation, a type of signal, an acoustic feedback estimate, etc.). Some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the signal path may be conducted in the frequency domain. Some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the signal path may be conducted in the time domain.
  • An analogue electric signal representing an acoustic signal may be converted to a digital audio signal in an analogue-to-digital (AD) conversion process, where the analogue signal is sampled with a predefined sampling frequency or rate f s , f s being e.g.,, in the range from 8 kHz to 48 kHz (adapted to the particular needs of the application) to provide digital samples x n (or x[n]) at discrete points in time t n (or n), each audio sample representing the value of the acoustic signal at t n by a predefined number Nb of bits, Nb being e.g.,, in the range from 1 to 48 bits, e.g.,, 24 bits.
  • a number of audio samples may be arranged in a time frame.
  • a time frame may comprise 64 or 128 audio data samples. Other frame lengths may be used depending on the practical application.
  • the hearing aid may comprise an analogue-to-digital (AD) converter to digitize an analogue input (e.g., from an input transducer, such as a microphone) with a predefined sampling rate, e.g., 20 kHz.
  • the hearing aids may comprise a digital-to-analogue (DA) converter to convert a digital signal to an analogue output signal, e.g., for being presented to a user via an output transducer.
  • AD analogue-to-digital
  • DA digital-to-analogue
  • the hearing aid e.g., the input unit, and or the antenna and transceiver circuitry comprise(s) a TF-conversion unit for providing a time-frequency representation of an input signal.
  • the time-frequency representation may comprise an array or map of corresponding complex or real values of the signal in question in a particular time and frequency range.
  • the TF conversion unit may comprise a filter bank for filtering a (time varying) input signal and providing a number of (time varying) output signals each comprising a distinct frequency range of the input signal.
  • the TF conversion unit may comprise a Fourier transformation unit for converting a time variant input signal to a (time variant) signal in the (time-)frequency domain.
  • the frequency range considered by the hearing aid from a minimum frequency f min to a maximum frequency f max may comprise a part of the typical human audible frequency range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, e.g., a part of the range from 20 Hz to 12 kHz.
  • a sample rate f s is larger than or equal to twice the maximum frequency f max , f s ⁇ 2f max .
  • a signal of the forward and/or analysis path of the hearing aid may be split into a number NI of frequency bands (e.g., of uniform width), where NI is e.g., larger than 5, such as larger than 10, such as larger than 50, such as larger than 100, such as larger than 500, at least some of which are processed individually.
  • the hearing aid may be adapted to process a signal of the forward and/or analysis path in a number NP of different frequency channels (NP ⁇ NI ) .
  • the frequency channels may be uniform or non-uniform in width (e.g., increasing in width with frequency), overlapping or non-overlapping.
  • the hearing aid may be configured to operate in different modes, e.g., a normal mode and one or more specific modes, e.g., selectable by a user, or automatically selectable.
  • a mode of operation may be optimized to a specific acoustic situation or environment.
  • a mode of operation may include a low-power mode, where functionality of the hearing aid is reduced (e.g., to save power), e.g., to disable wireless communication, and/or to disable specific features of the hearing aid.
  • the hearing aid may comprise a number of detectors configured to provide status signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing aid (e.g., the current acoustic environment), and/or to a current state of the user wearing the hearing aid, and/or to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing aid.
  • one or more detectors may form part of an external device in communication (e.g., wirelessly) with the hearing aid.
  • An external device may e.g., comprise another hearing aid, a remote control, and audio delivery device, a telephone (e.g., a smartphone), an external sensor, etc.
  • One or more of the number of detectors may operate on the full band signal (time domain).
  • One or more of the number of detectors may operate on band split signals ((time-) frequency domain), e.g., in a limited number of frequency bands.
  • the number of detectors may comprise a level detector for estimating a current level of a signal of the forward path.
  • the detector may be configured to decide whether the current level of a signal of the forward path is above or below a given (L-)threshold value.
  • the level detector operates on the full band signal (time domain).
  • the level detector operates on band split signals ((time-) frequency domain).
  • the hearing aid may comprise a voice activity detector (VAD) for estimating whether or not (or with what probability) an input signal comprises a voice signal (at a given point in time).
  • a voice signal is in the present context taken to include a speech signal from a human being. It may also include other forms of utterances generated by the human speech system (e.g., singing).
  • the voice activity detector unit is adapted to classify a current acoustic environment of the user as a VOICE or NO-VOICE environment. This has the advantage that time segments of the electric microphone signal comprising human utterances (e.g., speech) in the user's environment can be identified, and thus separated from time segments only (or mainly) comprising other sound sources (e.g., artificially generated noise).
  • the voice activity detector may be adapted to detect as a VOICE also the user's own voice. Alternatively, the voice activity detector may be adapted to exclude a user's own voice from the detection of a VOICE.
  • the hearing aid may comprise an own voice detector for estimating whether or not (or with what probability) a given input sound (e.g., a voice, e.g., speech) originates from the voice of the user of the system.
  • a microphone system of the hearing aid may be adapted to be able to differentiate between a user's own voice and another person's voice and possibly from NON-voice sounds.
  • the number of detectors may comprise a movement detector, e.g., an acceleration sensor.
  • the movement detector is configured to detect movement of the user's facial muscles and/or bones, e.g., due to speech or chewing (e.g., jaw movement) and to provide a detector signal indicative thereof.
  • the hearing aid may comprise a classification unit configured to classify the current situation based on input signals from (at least some of) the detectors, and possibly other inputs as well.
  • a current situation' is taken to be defined by one or more of
  • the classification unit may be based on or comprise a neural network, e.g., a rained neural network.
  • the hearing aid may comprise an acoustic (and/or mechanical) feedback control (e.g., suppression) or echo-cancelling system.
  • Acoustic feedback occurs because the output loudspeaker signal from an audio system providing amplification of a signal picked up by a microphone is partly returned to the microphone via an acoustic coupling through the air or other media. The part of the loudspeaker signal returned to the microphone is then re-amplified by the system before it is re-presented at the loudspeaker, and again returned to the microphone. As this cycle continues, the effect of acoustic feedback becomes audible as artifacts or even worse, howling, when the system becomes unstable.
  • Adaptive feedback cancellation has the ability to track feedback path changes over time. It is based on a linear time invariant filter to estimate the feedback path, but its filter weights are updated over time.
  • the filter update may be calculated using stochastic gradient algorithms, including some form of the Least Mean Square (LMS) or the Normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithms. They both have the property to minimize the error signal in the mean square sense with the NLMS additionally normalizing the filter update with respect to the squared Euclidean norm of some reference signal.
  • LMS Least Mean Square
  • NLMS Normalized LMS
  • the feedback control system may comprise a feedback estimation unit for providing a feedback signal representative of an estimate of the acoustic feedback path, and a combination unit, e.g., a subtraction unit, for subtracting the feedback signal from a signal of the forward path (e.g., as picked up by an input transducer of the hearing aid).
  • the feedback estimation unit may comprise an update part comprising an adaptive algorithm and a variable filter part for filtering an input signal according to variable filter coefficients determined by said adaptive algorithm, wherein the update part is configured to update said filter coefficients of the variable filter part with a configurable update frequency f upd .
  • the hearing aid is configured to provide that the configurable update frequency f upd has a maximum value f upd,max .
  • the update part of the adaptive filter may comprise an adaptive algorithm for calculating updated filter coefficients for being transferred to the variable filter part of the adaptive filter.
  • the timing of calculation and/or transfer of updated filter coefficients from the update part to the variable filter part may be controlled by the activation control unit.
  • the timing of the update (e.g., its specific point in time, and/or its update frequency) may preferably be influenced by various properties of the signal of the forward path.
  • the update control scheme is preferably supported by one or more detectors of the hearing aid, preferably included in a predefined criterion comprising the detector signals.
  • the hearing aid may further comprise other relevant functionality for the application in question, e.g., compression, noise reduction, etc.
  • the hearing aid may comprise a hearing instrument, e.g., a hearing instrument adapted for being located at the ear or fully or partially in the ear canal of a user, e.g., a headset, an earphone, an ear protection device, or a combination thereof.
  • the hearing assistance system may comprise a speakerphone (comprising a number of input transducers and a number of output transducers, e.g., for use in an audio conference situation), e.g., comprising a beamformer filtering unit, e.g., providing multiple beamforming capabilities.
  • Use may be provided in a system comprising audio distribution, e.g., a system comprising a microphone and a loudspeaker in sufficiently close proximity of each other to cause feedback from the loudspeaker to the microphone during operation by a user.
  • Use may be provided in a system comprising one or more hearing aids (e.g., hearing instruments), headsets, earphones, active ear protection systems, etc., e.g., in handsfree telephone systems, teleconferencing systems (e.g., including a speakerphone), public address systems, karaoke systems, classroom amplification systems, etc.
  • a hearing system :
  • a hearing system comprising a hearing aid as described above and in the 'detailed description of embodiments', AND an auxiliary device is moreover provided.
  • the hearing system is adapted to establish a communication link between the hearing aid and the auxiliary device to provide that information (e.g., control and status signals, possibly audio signals) can be exchanged or forwarded from one to the other.
  • information e.g., control and status signals, possibly audio signals
  • the auxiliary device may comprise a remote control, a smartphone, or other portable or wearable electronic device, such as a smartwatch or the like.
  • the auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise a remote control for controlling functionality and operation of the hearing aid(s).
  • the function of a remote control is implemented in a smartphone, the smartphone possibly running an APP allowing to control the functionality of the audio processing device via the smartphone (the hearing aid(s) comprising an appropriate wireless interface to the smartphone, e.g., based on Bluetooth or some other standardized or proprietary scheme).
  • the auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise an audio gateway device adapted for receiving a multitude of audio signals (e.g., from an entertainment device, e.g., a TV or a music player, a telephone apparatus, e.g., a mobile telephone or a computer, e.g., a PC) and adapted for selecting and/or combining an appropriate one of the received audio signals (or combination of signals) for transmission to the hearing aid.
  • an entertainment device e.g., a TV or a music player
  • a telephone apparatus e.g., a mobile telephone or a computer, e.g., a PC
  • the auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise another hearing aid.
  • the hearing system may comprise two hearing aids adapted to implement a binaural hearing system, e.g., a binaural hearing aid system.
  • a hearing aid e.g., a hearing instrument
  • a hearing aid refers to a device, which is adapted to improve, augment and/or protect the hearing capability of a user by receiving acoustic signals from the user's surroundings, generating corresponding audio signals, possibly modifying the audio signals, and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears.
  • Such audible signals may e.g., be provided in the form of acoustic signals radiated into the user's outer ears, acoustic signals transferred as mechanical vibrations to the user's inner ears through the bone structure of the user's head and/or through parts of the middle ear as well as electric signals transferred directly or indirectly to the cochlear nerve of the user.
  • the hearing aid may be configured to be worn in any known way, e.g.,, as a unit arranged behind the ear with a tube leading radiated acoustic signals into the ear canal or with an output transducer, e.g., a loudspeaker, arranged close to or in the ear canal, as a unit entirely or partly arranged in the pinna and/or in the ear canal, as a unit, e.g.,, a vibrator, attached to a fixture implanted into the skull bone, as an attachable, or entirely or partly implanted, unit, etc.
  • the hearing aid may comprise a single unit or several units communicating (e.g., acoustically, electrically, or optically) with each other.
  • the loudspeaker may be arranged in a housing together with other components of the hearing aid or may be an external unit in itself (possibly in combination with a flexible guiding element, e.g., a dome-like element).
  • a hearing aid comprises an input transducer for receiving an acoustic signal from a user's surroundings and providing a corresponding input audio signal and/or a receiver for electronically (i.e. wired or wirelessly) receiving an input audio signal, a (typically configurable) signal processing circuit (e.g., a signal processor, e.g., comprising a configurable (programmable) processor, e.g., a digital signal processor) for processing the input audio signal and an output unit for providing an audible signal to the user in dependence on the processed audio signal.
  • the signal processor may be adapted to process the input signal in the time domain or in a number of frequency bands.
  • an amplifier and/or compressor may constitute the signal processing circuit.
  • the signal processing circuit typically comprises one or more (integrated or separate) memory elements for executing programs and/or for storing parameters used (or potentially used) in the processing and/or for storing information relevant for the function of the hearing aid and/or for storing information (e.g., processed information, e.g., provided by the signal processing circuit), e.g., for use in connection with an interface to a user and/or an interface to a programming device.
  • the output unit may comprise an output transducer, such as e.g., a loudspeaker for providing an air-borne acoustic signal or a vibrator for providing a structure-borne or liquid-borne acoustic signal.
  • the output unit may comprise one or more output electrodes for providing electric signals (e.g., to a multi-electrode array) for electrically stimulating the cochlear nerve (cochlear implant type hearing aid).
  • the vibrator may be adapted to provide a structure-borne acoustic signal transcutaneously or percutaneously to the skull bone.
  • the vibrator may be implanted in the middle ear and/or in the inner ear.
  • the vibrator may be adapted to provide a structure-borne acoustic signal to a middle-ear bone and/or to the cochlea.
  • the vibrator may be adapted to provide a liquid-borne acoustic signal to the cochlear liquid, e.g., through the oval window.
  • the output electrodes may be implanted in the cochlea or on the inside of the skull bone and may be adapted to provide the electric signals to the hair cells of the cochlea, to one or more hearing nerves, to the auditory brainstem, to the auditory midbrain, to the auditory cortex and/or to other parts of the cerebral cortex.
  • a hearing aid may be adapted to a particular user's needs, e.g., a hearing impairment.
  • a configurable signal processing circuit of the hearing aid may be adapted to apply a frequency and level dependent compressive amplification of an input signal.
  • a customized frequency and level dependent gain (amplification or compression) may be determined in a fitting process by a fitting system based on a user's hearing data, e.g., an audiogram, using a fitting rationale (e.g., adapted to speech).
  • the frequency and level dependent gain may e.g., be embodied in processing parameters, e.g., uploaded to the hearing aid via an interface to a programming device (fitting system), and used by a processing algorithm executed by the configurable signal processing circuit of the hearing aid.
  • a 'hearing system' refers to a system comprising one or two hearing aids
  • a 'binaural hearing system' refers to a system comprising two hearing aids and being adapted to cooperatively provide audible signals to both of the user's ears.
  • Hearing systems or binaural hearing systems may further comprise one or more 'auxiliary devices', which communicate with the hearing aid(s) and affect and/or benefit from the function of the hearing aid(s).
  • Such auxiliary devices may include at least one of a remote control, a remote microphone, an audio gateway device, an entertainment device, e.g., a music player, a wireless communication device, e.g., a mobile phone (such as a smartphone) or a tablet or another device, e.g., comprising a graphical interface.
  • Hearing aids, hearing systems or binaural hearing systems may e.g., be used for compensating for a hearing-impaired person's loss of hearing capability, augmenting, or protecting a normal-hearing person's hearing capability and/or conveying electronic audio signals to a person.
  • Hearing aids or hearing systems may e.g., form part of or interact with public-address systems, active ear protection systems, handsfree telephone systems, car audio systems, entertainment (e.g., TV, music playing or karaoke) systems, teleconferencing systems, classroom amplification systems, etc.
  • the electronic hardware may include micro-electronic-mechanical systems (MEMS), integrated circuits (e.g., application specific), microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, printed circuit boards (PCB) (e.g., flexible PCBs), and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described throughout this disclosure, e.g., sensors, e.g., for sensing and/or registering physical properties of the environment, the device, the user, etc.
  • MEMS micro-electronic-mechanical systems
  • integrated circuits e.g., application specific
  • DSPs digital signal processors
  • FPGAs field programmable gate arrays
  • PLDs programmable logic devices
  • gated logic discrete hardware circuits
  • PCB printed circuit boards
  • PCB printed circuit boards
  • Computer program shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise.
  • a hearing device such as a hearing aid is generally known to be powered by a battery, where the battery is substantially housed in a battery compartment of the hearing device.
  • the battery is connected to one or more battery springs, which provides electrical connections between the battery and the electrical components of the hearing device.
  • the connection with the one or more battery springs creates a current in the electrical components of the hearing device, which current may cause a series of unwanted noise components influencing the acoustics of the hearing device.
  • Such noise components should preferably be accounted for, when designing a hearing device in order to improve the quality and functionality of the hearing aid.
  • the current created from the battery connection with the battery springs may create an unwanted signal in e.g., a telecoil of a hearing aid.
  • constructional limitations to the battery spring design in view of different battery sizes exist. That is, batteries are not made to precision tolerances in view of especially size, and furthermore batteries may expand and contract during charge and discharge. Accordingly, upon designing the hearing device, it should be made sure that such precision tolerances are taken into account in order to assure a sufficient and reliable contact with the batter springs, no matter the tolerance differences of the batteries used.
  • a hearing device such as a hearing aid 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 is adapted to improve or augment the hearing capability of a user by receiving an acoustic signal from a user's surroundings, generating a corresponding audio signal, possibly modifying the audio signal, and providing the possibly modified audio signal as an audible signal to at least one of the user's ears through an earpiece 7 of the hearing aid.
  • the "hearing device”, preferably a hearing aid may further refer to a device such as an earphone or a headset adapted to receive an audio signal electronically, possibly modifying the audio signal and providing the possibly modified audio signals as an audible signal to at least one of the user's ears.
  • Such audible signals may be provided in the form of an acoustic signal radiated into the user's outer ear, or an acoustic signal transferred as mechanical vibrations to the user's inner ears through bone structure of the user's head and/or through parts of middle ear of the user or electric signals transferred directly or indirectly to cochlear nerve and/or to auditory cortex of the user.
  • the hearing device is adapted to be worn in any known way. This may include i) arranging a unit of the hearing device behind the ear (e.g., the housing 2, illustrated in Fig. 1 ) with a tube (e.g., tube 3 illustrated in Fig.
  • a hearing device in general, includes i) an input unit such as a microphone for receiving an acoustic signal from a user's surroundings and providing a corresponding input audio signal, and/or ii) a receiving unit for electronically receiving an input audio signal.
  • the hearing device further includes a signal processing unit for processing the input audio signal and an output unit for providing an audible signal to the user in dependence on the processed audio signal.
  • the input unit may include multiple input microphones, e.g., for providing direction-dependent audio signal processing.
  • Such directional microphone system is adapted to enhance a target acoustic source among a multitude of acoustic sources in the user's environment.
  • the directional system is adapted to detect (such as adaptively detect) from which direction a particular part of the microphone signal originates. This may be achieved by using conventionally known methods.
  • the signal processing unit may include amplifier that is adapted to apply a frequency dependent gain to the input audio signal.
  • the signal processing unit may further be adapted to provide other relevant functionality such as compression, noise reduction, etc.
  • the output unit may include an output transducer such as a loudspeaker/ receiver for providing an air-borne acoustic signal transcutaneously or percutaneously to the skull bone or a vibrator for providing a structure-borne or liquid-borne acoustic signal.
  • an output transducer such as a loudspeaker/ receiver for providing an air-borne acoustic signal transcutaneously or percutaneously to the skull bone or a vibrator for providing a structure-borne or liquid-borne acoustic signal.
  • the hearing aid 1 comprises a housing 2, which encloses electronics of the hearing aid 1.
  • the electronics may include all electronics of a hearing aid, such as microphones, printed circuit boards having electronic components mounted thereon, telecoils and other elements.
  • the receiver may be arranged in the earpiece 7 or in the housing 2.
  • the hearing aid 1 further comprises a battery 5 for powering the internal electronics of the hearing aid 1.
  • the battery 5 is arranged in a compartment (not shown), also denoted a battery compartment, substantially forming part of a battery drawer.
  • the hearing aid 1 is provided with a tube 3, which is configured to guide sound and/or electrical connections to an earpiece 7 configured to be inserted into an ear canal of a hearing aid user.
  • the tube 3 is configured to guide electrical connections to the receiver and in an alternative embodiment, where the receiver is arranged in the housing 2, the tube 3 is configured to guide sound from the receiver to the earpiece 7.
  • the battery 5 of the hearing aid 1 is situated in the housing 2, usually by the configuration of a compartment in a battery drawer, which is pivotably connected to at least a part of the housing 2 structure.
  • the battery 5, when arranged in the housing 2 connects with a contact element (more particularly a battery spring) for generating an electrical power to the internal electronics of the hearing aid.
  • This electrical connection may introduce unwanted currents (i.e., noise components) travelling onto other electrical components of the hearing aids, which as previously described may be considered as unwanted noise components disturbing e.g., the signals of a telecoil, receiver, microphones, or other electronic components of the hearing aid.
  • the amount of the electrical current introduced by the contact between the contact element and the battery depends partly on the contact element design and size, since a large surface area of the contact element creates a large surface area on which an electrical current may flow and consequently cause a larger noise component in the hearing aid. Accordingly, to reduce the noise component introduced, the size of the contact element should be considered. However, such change in the construction of the contact element may be due to minimum and maximum battery tolerances influence (i.e., previously mentioned precision tolerances) the point of contact between the battery and the contact element, which is needed to provide sufficient power to a hearing aid.
  • Batteries are produced in different sizes having a minimum and a maximum precision tolerance, which preferably should fit into any battery compartment, no matter the degree of tolerance of the battery. Accordingly, if considering a re-design of e.g., the contact element of the hearing aid in order to limit the noise introduced into the hearing aid electronics, a risk of creating a free space, which is too big for the battery to keep contact with the contact element arises. These considerations have been taken into account in the embodiments of the disclosure in order to solve the need for a hearing aid construction that allows for a reduction of the noise components introduced by the current from the battery without compromising the tolerances of the batteries used. Accordingly, a hearing aid, which limits the noise introduced by the battery while being able to adapt to different battery sizes is provided for.
  • the battery contact springs 10a, 10b in a hearing aid are relatively long and generate a disturbing magnetic field, that can e.g., disturb a telecoil 6, as shown in Fig 1, 2 and 3A-3B .
  • the telecoil will catch some of the magnetic field generated from the battery contact spring 10a, 10b.
  • the battery contact springs 10a, 10b are generating a magnetic field since the battery contact spring 10a, 10b forms a somewhat circular current together with the battery 5 and the PCB.
  • the highest currents in the hearing aid are through the battery contact springs 10a, 10b and thereby they are generating a somewhat strong magnetic field.
  • the telecoil 6 has the best conditions for catching the battery contact spring 10a, 10b generated magnetic field, as shown in Fig 2 . This will give noise in the telecoil signal.
  • the battery contact springs 10a, 10b must have a certain length to be able to take up the tolerances on the battery 5 and in the instrument 1 itself, besides that they shall be able to foster a contact force on the battery 5.
  • the contact force is needed to give a sufficiently low contact resistance.
  • a battery contact spring 10a, 10b Today the force generating springs and the contacting points is in the same part, a battery contact spring 10a, 10b, as shown in Fig 3A-B .
  • FIG. 3A-B shows that the shorter the electrical circuit is the weaker the disturbing magnetic field is.
  • FIG. 3A shows that long contact springs 10a, 10b gives longer electrical circuit which result in a stronger telecoil disturbing magnetic field and the more metal is in the instrument to disturb radiofrequency communication.
  • FIG. 3B shows that short contact springs 10a, 10b gives shorter electrical circuit which result in weaker telecoil disturbing magnetic field and the less metal is in the instrument to disturb radiofrequency communication.
  • a hearing device 1 comprising a housing 2, a battery compartment 20 for retaining a battery 5 for powering said hearing device, and at least a first contact element 11a and a second contact element 11b configured to contact said battery 5 when said battery is received in said battery compartment, said first and second contact elements engaging the battery on a plus and a minus pole thereof so as to transmit power to the electronic of the hearing device, is provided.
  • the hearing device comprising at least a first flexible compression element 12a and a second flexible compression element 12b provided in connection with said battery compartment 20, which flexible compression elements 12a, 12b pushes said battery 5 when retained in said battery compartment 20 towards said at least one first and second contact element 11a, 11b and thereby provides an electrical contact between said first contact element 11a and said negative pole of the battery 5 and an electrical contact between said second contact element 12b and said plus pole of the battery 5.
  • the flexible compression element as described herein is substantially made from a non-conductive material and is not configured to transmit power from the battery to the electronic components of the hearing device. Rather the flexible compression element is configured to provide a "push" towards the battery on a surface thereof, wherein the surface of the battery to which the flexible compression element pushes is substantially opposite to a second surface of the battery to which a contact element (i.e., a battery spring) contacts the battery.
  • a contact element i.e., a battery spring
  • the flexible compression element is as such not a battery springs, which transfers electric energy.
  • the first flexible compression element 12a is arranged on a first side of the battery compartment 20 and the second flexible compression element 12b is arranged on a second side of the battery compartment 20, wherein the first side is perpendicular to the second side.
  • FIG. 4 shows a battery compartment 20 where the spring function and the contact function is split into two different parts, a battery contact element part 11a, 11b and a flexible compression element part 12a, 12b. This result in that the electrical circuit can be far shorter, which again minimizes the magnetic field generated by the contacting system including the battery contact elements 11a, 11b and flexible compression elements 12a, 12b.
  • the battery contact elements 11a, 11b can furthermore be made in better, thinner, and cheaper contact materials since the material they are made of does not have to have any spring properties.
  • the contacting system furthermore allows the hearing devices 1 to become smaller since the flexible compression elements 12a, 12b can be integrated more freely in the hearing device design or they can be integrated in as features in other parts.
  • said at least one first flexible compression element 12a is arranged on a first side of the battery compartment and said at least one second flexible compression element 12b is arranged on a second side of the battery compartment, wherein said first side is perpendicular to said second side.
  • said first contact element 11a is arranged in said battery compartment 20 in a first side positioned opposite said at least one first flexible compression element 12a, said first contact element 11a acting on said battery 5 with a first force F1.
  • the at least one first flexible compression element 12a is configured to counteract said first force F1.
  • the second contact element 11b is arranged in said battery compartment 20 in a second side positioned opposite said at least one second flexible compression element 12b, said second contact element 11b acting on said battery 5 with a second force F2, wherein said at least one second flexible compression element 12b is configured to counteract said second force F2.
  • said first contact element 11a creates a first force vector F1 in a direction from an end point of said first contact element 11a towards a first center line CL1 of said battery compartment 20 and said at least one first flexible compression element 12a creates a third force vector F3 in a direction from a connection point of said at least one first flexible compression element 12a towards the first center line CL1 of said compartment 20.
  • the first and third force vectors F1, F3 of said first contact element 11a and said at least one first flexible compression element 12a, respectively, are configured to cancel out each other.
  • said second contact element 11b creates a second force vector F2 in a direction from an end point of said second contact element 11b towards a second center line CL2 of said battery compartment 20, and said at least one second flexible compression element 12b creates a fourth force vector F4 in a direction from a connection point of said at least one second flexible compression element towards the second center line of said compartment 20, wherein the second and fourth force vectors F2, F4 of said second contact element 11b and said at least one second flexible compression element 12b, respectively, are configured to cancel out each other.
  • said at least one first flexible compression element 12a creates a third force vector F3 in a direction from a connection point of first flexible compression element 12a towards the first center line CL1 of said compartment 20, wherein said at least one second flexible compression element 12b creates a fourth force vector F4 in a direction from a connection point of said at least one second flexible compression element 12b towards the second center line of said compartment 20, wherein the third and fourth force vectors F3, F4 are configured to join in a result force vector F34.
  • the at least one first and second flexible compression elements 12a, 12b are made of a material providing a size of said third and fourth force vectors F3, F4 sufficient to cancel out said first and second force vectors F1, F2 arising from said at least one first and second contact elements 11a, 11b.
  • the flexible compression elements 12a, 12b can be made in:
  • the hearing device being constituted by or comprising a hearing aid, an air-conduction type hearing aid, a bone-conduction type hearing aid, a cochlear implant type hearing aid, or a combination thereof.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
EP21166130.1A 2021-03-31 2021-03-31 Batteriekontaktsystem in einem hörgerät Withdrawn EP3972290A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21166130.1A EP3972290A1 (de) 2021-03-31 2021-03-31 Batteriekontaktsystem in einem hörgerät

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21166130.1A EP3972290A1 (de) 2021-03-31 2021-03-31 Batteriekontaktsystem in einem hörgerät

Publications (1)

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EP3972290A1 true EP3972290A1 (de) 2022-03-23

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090041276A1 (en) * 2007-08-09 2009-02-12 Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. Battery compartment comprising several gripping arms and hearing equipped device therewith
EP3361751B1 (de) * 2017-02-09 2020-04-15 Oticon A/s Hörgerät mit flexiblem kompressionselement

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090041276A1 (en) * 2007-08-09 2009-02-12 Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. Battery compartment comprising several gripping arms and hearing equipped device therewith
EP3361751B1 (de) * 2017-02-09 2020-04-15 Oticon A/s Hörgerät mit flexiblem kompressionselement

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