EP1052880A2 - Digital hearing aid microphone - Google Patents

Digital hearing aid microphone Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1052880A2
EP1052880A2 EP99306409A EP99306409A EP1052880A2 EP 1052880 A2 EP1052880 A2 EP 1052880A2 EP 99306409 A EP99306409 A EP 99306409A EP 99306409 A EP99306409 A EP 99306409A EP 1052880 A2 EP1052880 A2 EP 1052880A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
microphone
hearing aid
housing
analog
digital
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Withdrawn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
EP99306409A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1052880A3 (en
Inventor
Peter V. Loeppert
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Knowles Electronics LLC
Original Assignee
Knowles Electronics LLC
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Knowles Electronics LLC filed Critical Knowles Electronics LLC
Publication of EP1052880A2 publication Critical patent/EP1052880A2/en
Publication of EP1052880A3 publication Critical patent/EP1052880A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • H04R25/50—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
    • H04R25/505—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics using digital signal processing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2410/00—Microphones

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a digital hearing aid microphone having an analog-to-digital converter within the integral housing of the microphone.
  • an analog signal from the microphone is converted into a digital signal prior to being amplified. Because a digital signal is less susceptible to noise than an analog signal, the digital signal is less likely to pick up noise through the hearing aid.
  • the analog signal from the microphone remains susceptible to noise between the microphone and the analog-to-digital converter.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 discloses a hearing aid with an additional housing surrounding both an operating microphone and an analog-to-digital converter.
  • the additional housing shields the hearing aid from high-frequency electromagnetic signals.
  • the hearing aid disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 thus requires a hearing aid housing, an operating microphone with an integral housing and an additional shielding housing surrounding both the operating microphone and the analog-to-digital converter.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 refers to the use of the semiconductor microphone disclosed in German Utility Model 8910743.8 in its digital hearing aid. A copy of German Utility Model 8910743.8 and its translation is enclosed herewith.
  • the microphone disclosed in German Utility Model 8910743.8 comprises a transducer motor acoustically coupled to an integral housing, as shown in Figure 2. Accordingly, U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 discloses an additional shielding housing surrounding an operative microphone having a sigma-delta modulator monolithically integrated on the semiconductor component part of the microphone, placed within a hearing aid housing.
  • the present invention relates to a microphone comprising an integral housing and an analog-to-digital converter within the integral housing.
  • an additional shielding housing as required by U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848, is not necessary to shield the output of the microphone from unwanted interference or noise.
  • Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the microphone assembly of the present invention.
  • a hearing aid used to correct a hearing impairment typically comprises a microphone, an amplifier and a receiver.
  • the microphone receives sound and converts the sound to an electrical signal, which is amplified by the amplifier and converted back to sound by the receiver.
  • a hearing aid microphone, generally designated 10, is illustrated in Figure 1.
  • the microphone 10 comprises a housing 12 having an inlet tube 14 extending outwardly from a wall 16 of the housing 12.
  • the inlet tube 14 receives sound and communicates the received sound into the microphone 10.
  • a diaphragm 18 in the microphone 10 defines a front volume 10a and a back volume lOb.
  • the diaphragm 10 vibrates in response to the sound, resulting in an electrical signal.
  • the electrical signal is converted to a digital signal by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 20 within the housing 12 of the microphone 10.
  • the digital signal is transmitted out of the microphone.
  • A/D analog-to-digital

Landscapes

  • 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)
  • Measurement Of Mechanical Vibrations Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Analogue/Digital Conversion (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an improved digital hearing aid microphone with an analog-to-digital converter placed within the integral housing of the microphone.

Description

    Technical Field
  • The present invention relates to a digital hearing aid microphone having an analog-to-digital converter within the integral housing of the microphone.
    • Background of the Invention
  • In a conventional digital hearing aid microphone, an analog signal from the microphone is converted into a digital signal prior to being amplified. Because a digital signal is less susceptible to noise than an analog signal, the digital signal is less likely to pick up noise through the hearing aid. The analog signal from the microphone, however, remains susceptible to noise between the microphone and the analog-to-digital converter.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 discloses a hearing aid with an additional housing surrounding both an operating microphone and an analog-to-digital converter. The additional housing shields the hearing aid from high-frequency electromagnetic signals. The hearing aid disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 thus requires a hearing aid housing, an operating microphone with an integral housing and an additional shielding housing surrounding both the operating microphone and the analog-to-digital converter. In particular, U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 refers to the use of the semiconductor microphone disclosed in German Utility Model 8910743.8 in its digital hearing aid. A copy of German Utility Model 8910743.8 and its translation is enclosed herewith. The microphone disclosed in German Utility Model 8910743.8 comprises a transducer motor acoustically coupled to an integral housing, as shown in Figure 2. Accordingly, U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848 discloses an additional shielding housing surrounding an operative microphone having a sigma-delta modulator monolithically integrated on the semiconductor component part of the microphone, placed within a hearing aid housing.
    • Summary of the Invention
  • The present invention relates to a microphone comprising an integral housing and an analog-to-digital converter within the integral housing. By placing the analog-to-digital converter within the integral housing, an additional shielding housing, as required by U.S. Patent No. 5,796,848, is not necessary to shield the output of the microphone from unwanted interference or noise.
    • Brief Description of the Drawings
  • Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the microphone assembly of the present invention.
    • Detailed Description
  • While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiment illustrated.
  • A hearing aid used to correct a hearing impairment typically comprises a microphone, an amplifier and a receiver. The microphone receives sound and converts the sound to an electrical signal, which is amplified by the amplifier and converted back to sound by the receiver. A hearing aid microphone, generally designated 10, is illustrated in Figure 1. The microphone 10 comprises a housing 12 having an inlet tube 14 extending outwardly from a wall 16 of the housing 12. The inlet tube 14 receives sound and communicates the received sound into the microphone 10. A diaphragm 18 in the microphone 10 defines a front volume 10a and a back volume lOb. The diaphragm 10 vibrates in response to the sound, resulting in an electrical signal. The electrical signal is converted to a digital signal by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 20 within the housing 12 of the microphone 10. The digital signal is transmitted out of the microphone.
  • While the specific embodiment has been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.

Claims (1)

  1. A hearing aid microphone comprising:
    an integral housing; and
    an analog-to-digital converter within said integral housing.
EP99306409A 1998-10-07 1999-08-13 Digital hearing aid microphone Withdrawn EP1052880A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10341598P 1998-10-07 1998-10-07
US103415P 1998-10-07
US35267799A 1999-07-14 1999-07-14
US352677 1999-07-14

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1052880A2 true EP1052880A2 (en) 2000-11-15
EP1052880A3 EP1052880A3 (en) 2001-10-24

Family

ID=26800437

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99306409A Withdrawn EP1052880A3 (en) 1998-10-07 1999-08-13 Digital hearing aid microphone

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1052880A3 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002062101A1 (en) * 2001-02-02 2002-08-08 Soniontech A/S Microphone unit with internal a/d converter
USRE40781E1 (en) 2001-05-31 2009-06-23 Pulse Mems Aps Method of providing a hydrophobic layer and condenser microphone having such a layer
US7630504B2 (en) 2003-11-24 2009-12-08 Epcos Ag Microphone comprising integral multi-level quantizer and single-bit conversion means

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6427396A (en) * 1988-07-08 1989-01-30 Sony Corp Microphone equipment
DE19545760C1 (en) * 1995-12-07 1997-02-20 Siemens Audiologische Technik Digital hearing aid
GB2319922A (en) * 1996-11-27 1998-06-03 Sony Uk Ltd Digital microphone

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6427396A (en) * 1988-07-08 1989-01-30 Sony Corp Microphone equipment
DE19545760C1 (en) * 1995-12-07 1997-02-20 Siemens Audiologische Technik Digital hearing aid
GB2319922A (en) * 1996-11-27 1998-06-03 Sony Uk Ltd Digital microphone

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 013, no. 216 (E-760), 19 May 1989 (1989-05-19) -& JP 01 027396 A (SONY CORP), 30 January 1989 (1989-01-30) *

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002062101A1 (en) * 2001-02-02 2002-08-08 Soniontech A/S Microphone unit with internal a/d converter
US8649528B2 (en) 2001-02-02 2014-02-11 Techtronic A/S Microphone unit with internal A/D converter
USRE40781E1 (en) 2001-05-31 2009-06-23 Pulse Mems Aps Method of providing a hydrophobic layer and condenser microphone having such a layer
US7630504B2 (en) 2003-11-24 2009-12-08 Epcos Ag Microphone comprising integral multi-level quantizer and single-bit conversion means

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1052880A3 (en) 2001-10-24

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