JPH08191340A - Telephone set with auditory characteristic compensation means - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enable a user to easily measure his hearing ability by himself and to automatically compensate frequency characteristics of a receiving circuit based on the measurement result by providing a function which measures the hearing ability, user by user, so that speech reception characteristics having optimum hearing aid characteristics for a person who has difficulties in hearing. CONSTITUTION: This telephone set consists of a hybrid transformer 1, a switch 2 for a speech reception signal and a signal for hearing ability measurement, plural oscillators 3 which output a single audio frequency used as the signal for hearing ability measurement, a variable attenuator 4 which sets the minimum auditory level of a user, a filter 5 for compensation which compensates frequency characteristics corresponding to the minimum auditory level, an amplifier 6, a CPU 7, a storage device 8, a user interface part 10, etc. This constitution enables a hard-hearing person to measure the hearing ability in advance and his auditory characteristics based upon the measurement result can be registered in a storage circuit in advance. At the time of an incoming call, frequency characteristics and sound pressure level of the speech receiving circuit are so compensated as to match the auditory characteristics of the hard-hearing person with a hearing aid call button pressed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention comprises means for a hearing-impaired person to measure his or her own hearing ability, and the gain of the amplification section of the receiving circuit and its frequency characteristic are adjusted based on the measurement result.
The present invention relates to a telephone that can make a call smoothly.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a person with a hearing loss has a telephone conversation.
Although it is necessary to amplify the received sound, there were three major methods.

The first method is a method of picking up a magnetic field leaking from a telephone with an induction coil of a hearing aid, which had the advantage that it could be used with ordinary telephones everywhere, but the spread of electronic telephones. As a result, most telephones that do not generate inductive fields today are less advantageous.

The second method is to mount an acoustic coupler on the handset of the telephone and input the output electric signal from the external input terminal to the hearing aid. However, current hearing aids have drawbacks such as few equipped with an external input terminal and the troublesome attachment of a coupler.

In the third method, the main body of the telephone has a function of amplifying a received signal.

However, in any of the above three methods, in the conventional telephone set for the reception-amplification type hearing-impaired person, the user cannot adjust the frequency characteristic of the reception circuit, and the user cannot adjust his or her own hearing ability. Since the sound volume was only adjusted according to the volume of the other party's voice, it was not possible to sufficiently respond to the hearing characteristics (hearing level, hearing type, etc.) of each user.

On the other hand, the hearing characteristics of hearing-impaired persons vary greatly among individuals and have various frequency characteristics, and since a sufficient hearing-aid effect cannot be obtained by simply adjusting the volume, the hearing-aid that refrains from telephone communication. There were many people.

[0008]

However, in order to obtain the hearing aid characteristics suitable for each hearing-impaired person, it is necessary to grasp the hearing characteristics of each individual and to compensate the characteristics of the receiving circuit based on the hearing characteristics. In the case of general hearing aids, it is well established in society to perform these tasks before selling.

However, considering the use of a normal telephone,
There is a problem that a single phone is usually used by a family member or a plurality of people, and it is difficult to perform fitting work matching the hearing characteristics of each person at a store like a hearing aid.

Further, in fitting a hearing aid, an audiometer, which is a special device that oscillates different frequencies and measures the hearing ability of an individual such as the value of the minimum audible level, is used. There was a problem that it had to be operated.

The object of the present invention is to provide a function of measuring the hearing ability of each person so that the hearing characteristic having the optimum hearing aid characteristic for the hearing impaired person can be provided in addition to the function of a general telephone, and the user himself / herself can provide the function. It is an object of the present invention to provide a telephone capable of performing simple measurement and automatically compensating for the frequency characteristic of the receiving circuit based on the measurement result.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a telephone for a hearing-impaired person with a plurality of oscillators for outputting predetermined different audible frequency signals, and a telephone communication circuit connected to a telephone line. Switching means for switching the reception output of the hybrid transformer and the outputs of the plurality of oscillators, and a variable attenuator connected to the output of the switching means for adjusting the output signal level of the oscillator and setting the minimum audible level. And a compensating filter connected to the output of the variable attenuator for compensating the frequency characteristic of the receiving circuit corresponding to the attenuation amount for each frequency of the set minimum audible level, and an output signal of the compensating filter. An amplifier for amplifying
A central processing unit that outputs data that controls the switching unit, the variable attenuator, and the compensating filter; a storage unit that is connected to the central processing unit and that stores the data; and a central processing unit that is connected to the central processing unit. It is composed of an operation unit operated by a user to obtain control data and transmitting a control signal, and a user interface unit provided with display means for displaying data output from the central processing unit in response to the operation.

[0013]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, a hearing-impaired person can perform hearing measurement in advance, and the hearing characteristics of the person based on the measurement result can be registered in the memory circuit, so that an incoming call is received. In some cases, when the hearing aid call button is pressed, the frequency characteristic of the receiving circuit and the sound pressure level are compensated so as to match the hearing characteristic of the hearing-impaired person, so that the telephone conversation can be smoothly performed.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a telephone call circuit, 1 is a hybrid transformer, 2 is a switch for switching between a reception signal and an audiometry signal, and 3 is a plurality of oscillators for outputting a single audio frequency used as the audiometry signal. Reference numeral 4 is a variable attenuator for setting the minimum audible level of the user, 5 is a compensating filter for compensating the frequency characteristic corresponding to the minimum audible level, and 6 is an amplifier.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a central processing unit (hereinafter, referred to as a central processing unit) which outputs data for controlling the switching device, the variable attenuator, and the compensation filter.
CPU), 8 is a storage device for storing the data,
9 is a receiver, 10 is the switching device via the CPU,
The user interface unit includes an operation unit that outputs a signal for controlling the variable attenuator and a display unit that displays data output from the CPU in response to an operation of the operation unit.

[0016] Figure 2 is a detailed view of the user interface unit 10, the audiometric mode button 11, 12 the operation instruction display unit for instructing the audiometric procedures, volume 13 for outputting a signal for controlling the variable attenuator An adjustment dial, 14 is an LED indicating the volume level corresponding to the scale of the volume adjustment dial.
, 15 is a setting button for storing the minimum audible level in the storage device 8 via the CPU 7, and 16 is a setting for displaying the minimum audible level for each frequency stored in the storage device 8 by numbers. The already-listened audible level display section 17 is a push button and is used to collectively set the stored minimum audible level for each frequency and the user's number to a specific address.

Reference numeral 18 is a hearing aid call button for switching the frequency characteristic and volume level of the receiving circuit to a hearing aid characteristic at the time of an incoming call. After the button is operated, when the user of the push button 17 pushes a specific number set in advance, the receiving circuit is opened. The hearing aid characteristic corresponds to the hearing characteristic of the user.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the hearing characteristic measuring procedure of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

An operation procedure when the user measures his / her hearing characteristics and registers the measurement result will be described with reference to FIG.

Step 1 (hereinafter, the step is indicated by the symbol S). Pick up the handset 9 and press the hearing measurement mode button 1
Press 1.

S2. The switch 2 is switched via the CPU 7, and the first oscillator 3 (for example, 500 Hz) is connected to the variable attenuator 4.

S3. At the start of the hearing characteristic measurement, the attenuation amount of the variable attenuator 4 is adjusted so that the sound pressure level of 20 dB is obtained by operating the volume adjusting dial.

S4. The user adjusts the volume adjusting dial 13 to adjust the sound pressure level of the output frequency of the oscillator by one scale (+5
dB) Raise.

S5. Listen through the handset 9, and if not heard, operate S4 and repeat until heard.

S6. When it becomes audible, press the setting button 15.

S7. The minimum audible level is stored in the storage device 8 via the CPU 7.

S8. When the setting button 15 is pressed, the measurement frequency (in this embodiment, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz)
If the remaining three frequencies), the operation of S9 is performed.

S9. The switching device 2 operates and the next frequency (1
(kHz) oscillator, switch S3 to S8, and then 2
Repeat for kHz.

S10. After confirming that the measurement has been completed for three frequencies in S8, the user presses one specific number on the push button 17.

S11. To the specific address of the storage device 8 corresponding to the number of the push button pressed in S10,
The minimum audible level of frequency and the number are collectively set.

S12. The user hooks the handset and completes the registration.

S13. The switch 2 is switched to the receiving circuit.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a procedure for calling the hearing aid characteristic registered by the procedure of FIG.

A procedure of giving a hearing aid characteristic matching the hearing characteristic of the user to the telephone before answering when the user receives an incoming call will be described with reference to FIG.

S20. When an incoming call arrives, the user removes the handset from the hook and presses the hearing aid call button 18.

S21. Next, the user presses the push button 1
Press the button of the specific number decided by the user of 7.

S22. The hearing aid characteristic data stored at the registered address is called up corresponding to the number of the specific button pressed in S21.

S23. This called data is applied to the variable attenuator 4 and the compensation filter 5 to give the registered hearing aid characteristics to the receiving circuit.

S24. After the call ends, the handset 9 is hooked.

S25. The variable attenuator 4 and the compensation filter 5 are restored to the original uncompensated state.

The switch used in the present invention may be an analog switch or the like, the variable attenuator may be various known ones such as a voltage control type, and the compensation filter may be a digital filter or the like.

[0042]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the hearing ability can be measured only by the main body of the telephone, and the hearing aid according to the individual hearing characteristics of the telephone which has been impossible until now is realized. As a result, it is possible for a hearing-impaired person to comfortably talk and to store and recall a plurality of hearing characteristics, so that there is an effect that a plurality of users who need hearing aid can jointly use it. .

Further, according to the present invention, the present invention can be applied to other telephones for hearing-impaired persons such as bone conduction handsets, and it is also possible to know an appropriate volume or frequency characteristic according to the usage environment of the telephone. If a hearing-impaired person makes a measurement in a place where the indoor noise is large, an effect such that it is possible to realize an optimum listening state in the indoor noise environment can be expected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a detailed diagram of an embodiment of the user interface unit 10. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a hearing characteristic measuring procedure of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for calling a hearing aid characteristic registered by the procedure of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Hybrid Transformer 2 Switching Device 3 Oscillator 4 Variable Attenuator 5 Compensation Filter 6 Amplifier 7 Central Processing Unit 8 Storage Device 9 Handset 10 Communication Circuit 10 User Interface Section 11 Hearing Measurement Mode Button 12 Operation Instruction Display Section 13 Volume Adjustment Dial 14 Level Meter 15 Setting button 16 Set audible level indicator 17 Push button 18 Hearing aid call button

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A telephone for a hearing-impaired person who needs hearing compensation, a plurality of oscillators for outputting predetermined different audible frequency signals, and a reception output of a hybrid transformer of a telephone communication circuit connected to a telephone line, Switching means for switching the output of each of the plurality of oscillators, a variable attenuator connected to the output of the switching means for adjusting the output signal level of the oscillator and setting the minimum audible level, and the output of the variable attenuator A compensating filter for compensating the frequency characteristic of the receiving circuit corresponding to the attenuation amount for each frequency of the set minimum audible level, an amplifier for amplifying the output signal of the compensating filter, and Central processing unit for outputting data for controlling switching means, variable attenuator, and compensating filter, and storage device connected to the central processing unit for storing the data An operation unit connected to the central processing unit, operated by a user to acquire the control data, and transmitting a control signal, and display means for displaying data corresponding to the operation and output from the central processing unit A telephone with compensating means for hearing characteristics, which comprises a user interface section provided with. 2. The user interface unit is provided on the surface of a telephone body together with a push button, and drives the switching unit via the central processing unit to disconnect the reception output of the hybrid transformer to select among the plurality of oscillators. Connected to the output of one of the oscillators, the audiometry mode button for setting the audiometry, the operation instruction display section for instructing the operation procedure in the audiometry via the central processing unit, and the user for a predetermined frequency. Is a volume adjustment dial for adjusting the reception volume of the receiver by the variable attenuator to set the minimum audible level for each frequency, level display means for displaying the minimum audible level via the central processing unit, and the minimum The audible level data is stored in the storage device via the central processing unit, and the switching means is driven. Sequentially, switching to oscillator outputs of different frequencies, and pressing a setting button for storing a plurality of data of the minimum audible level for each of the different frequencies in the storage device, and a specific number of the push button as the user number. , A preset audible level display section for setting the number to a specific address of the storage device together with the plurality of data via the central processing unit, and displaying the data, and the use of the push button by the user The telephone with a hearing characteristic compensating means according to claim 1, further comprising: a hearing aid call button that is pressed before pressing the personal number to call the set data.