EP2056626B1 - Wireless transmission principle - Google Patents
Wireless transmission principle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2056626B1 EP2056626B1 EP20070119861 EP07119861A EP2056626B1 EP 2056626 B1 EP2056626 B1 EP 2056626B1 EP 20070119861 EP20070119861 EP 20070119861 EP 07119861 A EP07119861 A EP 07119861A EP 2056626 B1 EP2056626 B1 EP 2056626B1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- hearing aid
- unit
- frequency
- inductor
- antenna
- 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.)
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- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 title claims description 26
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 42
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000005294 ferromagnetic effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims 1
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- 230000005291 magnetic effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 229910000859 α-Fe Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
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- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000003213 activating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012937 correction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
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- 239000003302 ferromagnetic material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005669 field effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000977 initiatory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001360 synchronised effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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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
- H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
- H04R25/554—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
- H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
- H04R2225/51—Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
-
- 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
- H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
- H04R25/558—Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
Definitions
- This invention generally relates to a hearing aid, such as a behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), or completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid. More particularly, the invention relates to a hearing aid comprising a wireless communication unit for communicating RF signals, said wireless communication unit comprising an active unit comprising at least one inductor and an oscillator circuit.
- BTE behind-the-ear
- ITE in-the-ear
- RITE receiver-in-the-ear
- CIC completely-in-canal
- Wireless devices for hearing aids are becoming increasingly popular.
- An example of a wireless device for a hearing aid is a first hearing aid (e.g. positioned in a left ear) enabled to transmit to a second hearing aid (e.g. positioned in a right ear) such that a programming of said first hearing aid may be transmitted simultaneously to the second hearing aid and thus both hearing aids may be programmed simultaneously to e.g. change setting.
- Another example of a wireless device for a hearing aid is a FM listening system with a wireless receiver integrated in a hearing aid.
- Yet another example of a wireless device for a hearing aid is a separate wireless microphone which can be given to a partner to wear e.g. in a restaurant to transmit voice wirelessly to the hearing aid thereby reducing the effects of distance between the partner and the hearing aid and/or background noise.
- Wireless devices for hearing aids are exposed to the noise in the hearing aids digital units. Especially, if the digital clock of the hearing aid and the wireless transmission frequency are related to the same master clock generator, then the noise will add and thereby undermine the sensitivity of the wireless receiver in the hearing aid.
- the emission limits of a wireless device depend on the frequency used and therefore, the difficulty in obtaining a certification depends mainly on the frequency chosen for the wireless system. This problem will strongly influence the construction of the hearing aids when the clock frequency must fit a set of frequencies given in the certification standards of the hearing aid.
- US 2004/0131213 discloses a wireless system for hearing instruments operating in the long wave frequency range.
- the wireless transmission is frequency modulated.
- US 6,088,339 discloses a method and circuit for communication between a programming apparatus and a user apparatus to be programmed, such as a hearing aid.
- Data as well as clock pulses are transmitted by the programming apparatus to the user apparatus for individual adjustment of the user apparatus.
- the data and clock pulses are transmitted in half duplex operation using a single line.
- US 2004/0175009 discloses an inductor in an oscillator simultaneously used as an antenna for example in a hearing aid.
- US 2005/0105752 discloses a miniaturization and cost-effective making of a magnetic field sensor in a hearing aid by use of a ferrite component as the magnetic field sensor.
- US 2004/0156520 discloses a miniature transducer assembly having a plurality of external terminals on an assembly housing wherein at least one of the plurality of external terminals is adapted to receive and/or transmit at least two electrical signals so as to reduce the number of external terminals on the housing.
- US 2004/0109577 discloses a jitter unit in connection with a clock generator in a hearing aid device in order to prevent disruption in transmission between a hearing aid device and a second device.
- the jitter unit provides frequency oscillations in the clock signal from the clock generator thereby enabling interference-free transmission between a transmitting and/or receiving unit connected with a hearing aid device and a second device.
- DE 103 04 479 discloses reduction of the size of a device used to transmit and receive data for remote controlling of hearing devices by winding a transmitter coil of a transmitter and a receiver coil of a receiver around a common shared core. Additionally, a protective capacitor used to protect the receiver is at the same time used as a correction capacitor to correct the resonant frequency of a reception oscillator circuit.
- a hearing aid may comprise a wireless communication unit for communicating signals, said wireless communication unit comprising an active unit comprising at least one inductor, an oscillator circuit, wherein the wireless communication unit is adapted to operate at an operating frequency controlled by an operating frequency of said oscillator circuit.
- a hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 has a communication unit for inductively transmitting and receiving signals, and said communication unit comprising: an active unit adapted to drive an inductive antenna in a transmission state by means of a first inductor coupled to said antenna; a frequency determining unit coupled to said antenna by means of a second inductor and adapted to control transmission frequency in said transmission state and to provide received signals to a receiver front end in a reception state; and characterized in that the active unit comprises a third inductor coupled to said antenna and adapted to provide feedback to the active unit from the frequency determining unit.
- the operating frequency of the wireless communication unit is determined by an operating frequency of the oscillator circuit because the hearing aid is thereby enabled to perform wireless communication with a wireless device at a frequency independent of a clock signal in said hearing aid.
- disturbance from the digital operation of the hearing aid may be avoided in the wireless communication between the hearing aid and a wireless device.
- the hearing aid may operate at any arbitrarily chosen frequency, for example determined by the components of the oscillator circuit, and thereby the hearing aid may be made to comply with any certification standard.
- the oscillator circuit of the hearing aid may automatically operate at an optimum frequency in its free running mode and is self-biasing. Therefore, the power consumption of the hearing aid is low.
- said oscillator circuit may comprise an inductor and a capacitance.
- the oscillator circuit may be a resonant type oscillator.
- At least one inductor of the active unit and an inductor of the oscillator unit may be coupled via a ferromagnetic element.
- a signal from the active unit may be transmitted to the oscillator circuit and vice versa via voltages inducted in the inductor of the oscillator circuit/active unit, respectively.
- the oscillator circuit may be powered by a bit stream from said active unit.
- the oscillator circuit (and thus the wireless communication unit) substantially consumes energy when it receives a high bit from a data stream i.e. the wireless communication unit is powered by the data stream.
- a hearing aid which may comprise a receiver input being grounded during transmission.
- the receiver input may be protected against high voltage built up across the LC tank during transmission.
- data transmission between said wireless communication unit and a wireless device may be pulse modulated.
- said pulse modulation may correspond to the data stream powering said oscillator circuit.
- the hearing aid wherein the hearing aid may comprise a transmitter and receiver antenna.
- the hearing aid may communicate with a wireless device in half duplex.
- the hearing aid wherein the inductor of the oscillator circuit may be inductively connected to two windings of the active unit providing feedback to the active unit.
- the oscillator circuit may be able to determine the frequency of the wireless communication unit.
- FIG. 1 shows a hearing aid system designated in entirety by reference numeral 100.
- the hearing aid system 100 comprises a hearing aid 110 in wireless communication with a wireless device 115.
- the hearing aid comprises a microphone 130, a signal processing circuit 131, a loudspeaker 133 and a wireless communication unit 120, for receiving and/or transmitting one or more wireless signals from/to the wireless device.
- the wireless communication unit may be implemented as an add-on module to the hearing aid 110 or be an integral part of a hearing aid 110.
- the hearing aid 110 may be any type of hearing aid device such as for example a behind-the-ear (BTE), a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), an in-the-ear (ITE), or a completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid.
- BTE behind-the-ear
- RITE receiver-in-the-ear
- ITE in-the-ear
- CIC completely-in-canal
- the wireless device 115 may comprise microphone, an FM receiver, Bluetooth device, IR device, a remote control for hearing aids and any combination thereof.
- the wireless communication unit 120 is shown in further detail in figure 2 .
- the wireless communication unit 120 comprises a data stream input unit 205, an active unit 210, a frequency determining unit 215, an inductive antenna 220 and a receiver front end 225.
- the data stream input unit 205 communicates digital data information to the active unit 210, which data information drives the active unit 210 to induce a magnetic signal in the inductive antenna 220, thereby transmitting the data information from the hearing aid 110.
- the frequency determining unit 215 is exited by the active unit 210 communicating a data stream from the data stream input 205. Any data rate of the data stream may be transmitted by the wireless communication unit 120 by selecting an appropriate oscillation frequency determined by frequency determining unit 215. Hence the frequency determining unit 215 is not synchronized with the data except for powering of the transmission/reception of the wireless communication unit 120.
- the active unit 210 comprises a capacitor, 250, two resistors 251 and 252, a transistor 253 and two inductors 254 and 255.
- the capacitor 250 may, for example, be a substantially 1 nF capacitor.
- the resistor 251 may, for example, be a substantially 1 k ⁇ resistor.
- the resistor 252 may, for example, be a substantially 1M ⁇ resistor.
- the transistor 253 may be any type of transistor such as for example a bipolar junction transistor or a junction gate field effect transistor.
- the inductors 254 and 255 may be any type of inductors such as for example an inductor comprising a copper wire coiled around a ferromagnetic material.
- the frequency determining unit 215 may comprise an inductor 256 on the same ferromagnetic core as the inductors 254 and 255, two capacitances 257 and 258, and a resistor 259.
- the capacitor 257 may, for example, be a substantially 47pF capacitor.
- the capacitor 258 may, for example, be a substantially 10pF capacitor.
- the capacitor 258 may have any (electrical) capacitance.
- the capacitor 258 may couple a signal received by the frequency determining unit 215 to the receiver front end 225.
- the resistor 259 may, for example, be a substantially 500 ⁇ resistor.
- the resistor 259 is connected in series with resistor 260, which may be substantially 1M ⁇ . This resistor 260 may be bypassed by activating switch 262. This may be implemented in order to achieve a fast initiation and termination of oscillations.
- a high bit (“1") of a data stream arriving at the data stream input unit 205 may be transmitted to the active unit 210.
- the high bit may excite the inductor 255, which in turn may generate a voltage and/or current in the inductor 256.
- the frequency determining components 256 and 257 may start to oscillate at a frequency determined by the capacitor 257 and the inductor 256.
- a high bit thus may generate a current through the inductor 255 which in turn generates a voltage and/or current signal in the inductor 256.
- a signal is induced in the inductor 254.
- the inductor 254 controls the transistor and thus the current/voltage through the coil 255.
- the operating frequency of the wireless communication unit 210 is substantially determined by frequency determining unit 215 through the inductors 254, 255 and 256 and therefore, the wireless communication unit 120 may be un-synchronized with the data signal.
- the inductor 254 may excite the inductors 255 and 256 through the common ferrite core and may in addition provide feedback to the active unit 210.
- the oscillating signal in the frequency determining unit 215 may generate a voltage and/or current signal in the inductor 254. This signal may control the transistor 253 such that the signal of the active unit 210 oscillates at the frequency determined by the frequency determining unit 215.
- a low bit (“0") of a data stream arriving at the data stream input unit 205 may be transmitted to the active unit 210.
- a low bit will not supply power to the active unit 210 and therefore no signal is induced in the inductor 256 of the frequency determining unit 215, which therefore stops when a low bit is transmitted e.g. to a wireless device 115.
- the frequency determining unit 215 is driven in a self-biasing manner at a frequency substantially equal to its own resonance frequency and thus, the frequency determining unit 215 is substantially automatically running at optimum frequency.
- the frequency of the signal output at the oscillator circuit 215 e.g. at the transmitter and receiver antenna 220 will be determined by the oscillator circuit 215 and thus, the wireless communication unit 200 may communicate with a wireless device 115 at a frequency independent of a clock signal in the hearing aid.
- the operating frequency of the communication unit 200 may substantially be determined by the oscillator circuit 215.
- the frequency used to transmit data to/from the wireless communication unit 120 may be chosen to any frequency without influencing other systems and/or devices and/or components in the hearing aid 110 and vice versa.
- the operating frequency of the wireless communication unit 120 used to transmit data between the hearing aid 110 and the wireless device 115 may be controlled e.g. by changing the value of the inductance L of the inductor 256 and/or the capacitance C of the capacitor 257 of the oscillator circuit 215.
- the frequency used to transmit data to the wireless device 115 from the wireless communication unit 120 of the hearing aid 110 and vice versa may be independent of a computation clock frequency used in the hearing aid 110. Therefore, the frequency used for the wireless transmission between the hearing aid 110 and the wireless device 115 may be chosen such as to generate minimum interference with the computing noise of the hearing aid.
- the frequency used for the wireless transmission between the hearing aid 110 and the wireless device 115 may be chosen to any frequency that conforms to the requirements for certification without influencing other systems/devices in the hearing aid.
- the inductor 256 may, for example, comprise a solenoid on a ferrite rod of small dimensions, e.g. approximately 3mm x 1 mm x 1 mm.
- the frequency determining unit 215 may automatically run at its optimum frequency and to be self-biased, the unit 215 is able to provide a well defined amplitude with a high efficiency. Further, the power consumption of the wireless communication unit 120 is low as the unit 215 runs at its optimum frequency and bias condition.
- the active unit 210 and the frequency determining unit 215 are powered by the input bit stream i.e. when the communication unit 200 receives a high bit ("1") from the data stream input 205, it is “active” and when the active unit receives a low bit (“0") from the data stream input 205, it is "passive".
- the receiver front end 225 is grounded in order to protect the front end against the high voltage that built up across the frequency determining unit 215.
- the frequency determining unit 215 frequency may therefore vary slightly from a transmitting mode to a receiving mode so the receiver bandwidth is fit for that.
- the wireless communication unit 120 When the wireless communication unit 120 receives data e.g. from a wireless device 115, the active unit 210 and the frequency determining unit 215 are not powered by a data stream from the data stream input unit 205 and thereby the frequency determining unit 215 in connection with the transmitter and receiver antenna, 220, may receive data from the wireless device 115.
- the frequency determining unit 215 in connection with the antenna, 220 generates a high voltage output due to the large inductance of the inductor 256.
- the active unit 210 does not load the frequency determining unit 215 as the voltage levels that are induced from the inductor 256 to inductors 254 and 255 are small and the transistor 253 has no supply voltages in the active unit 210.
- the data signal received by the antenna 220 is transmitted to the frequency determining unit 215 and further to the receiver front end 225 via a small capacitor 258.
- transfer of data from the hearing aid to the wireless device and/or vice versa may be pulse modulated corresponding to the bit stream powering the active unit 210 and the frequency determining unit 215.
- the frequency determining unit 215 may operate at any frequency determined by the inductance of the inductor 256 and the capacitance of the capacitor 257.
- the frequency determining unit 215 may operate at frequencies between 2 and 6 MHz and transmission/reception of data with a rate of 120kBit/s.
- any transmission and/or reception frequency may be utilized and/or any data rate may be utilized.
- the data received by the hearing aid from the wireless device and/or vice versa may be detected via AM detection.
- the active unit 210 may excite the frequency determining unit 215 at a low voltage while the unit 215 may resonate at a high voltage due to the inductance of the inductor 256.
- the transmission of data between the hearing aid 110 and the wireless device 115 may be half duplex i.e. communication in both directions (from hearing aid to wireless device and vice versa), but only one direction at a time.
- the wireless communication unit 120 for a hearing aid includes an active unit 210 for exciting an inductive antenna 220 (a ferrite core) at a transmission frequency determined by a frequency determining unit 215 couple to the active unit 210 through the antenna 220 in accordance with a data stream, which may be a pulse modulated signal.
- a data stream which may be a pulse modulated signal.
- the high bits ("1") of the data stream excites the active unit 210, in particular the transistor 253, which enables current to induce a magnetic signal coupled to the frequency determining unit 215 controlling the resonance frequency in the transmission mode of the wireless communication unit 120.
- the data stream is disabled thus providing the transistor 253 in a non-conductive state and ensuring that the received signal is picked up by the inductor 256 and converted into an electrical signal to be communicated to the receiver front end 225.
- the switch 262 switches in a closed state when the wireless communication unit 120 is transmitting and in an open state when the wireless communication unit 120 is receiving.
- the difference in the number of windings of the inductor 256 and the inductors 254 and 255 ensures that the received signal does not drive the active unit 210, in particular the transistor 253 in to a conductive state, and thus the active unit 210 does not substantially affect the reception of signals.
- the system may replace other half duplex wireless systems for short and/or medium and/or long range operation as the oscillator starts when data is high and stops when data is low.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Neurosurgery (AREA)
- Otolaryngology (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Near-Field Transmission Systems (AREA)
Description
- This invention generally relates to a hearing aid, such as a behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), or completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid. More particularly, the invention relates to a hearing aid comprising a wireless communication unit for communicating RF signals, said wireless communication unit comprising an active unit comprising at least one inductor and an oscillator circuit.
- Wireless devices for hearing aids are becoming increasingly popular. An example of a wireless device for a hearing aid is a first hearing aid (e.g. positioned in a left ear) enabled to transmit to a second hearing aid (e.g. positioned in a right ear) such that a programming of said first hearing aid may be transmitted simultaneously to the second hearing aid and thus both hearing aids may be programmed simultaneously to e.g. change setting. Another example of a wireless device for a hearing aid is a FM listening system with a wireless receiver integrated in a hearing aid. Yet another example of a wireless device for a hearing aid is a separate wireless microphone which can be given to a partner to wear e.g. in a restaurant to transmit voice wirelessly to the hearing aid thereby reducing the effects of distance between the partner and the hearing aid and/or background noise.
- Wireless devices for hearing aids are exposed to the noise in the hearing aids digital units. Especially, if the digital clock of the hearing aid and the wireless transmission frequency are related to the same master clock generator, then the noise will add and thereby undermine the sensitivity of the wireless receiver in the hearing aid.
- In certification of a wireless system the emission limits of a wireless device depend on the frequency used and therefore, the difficulty in obtaining a certification depends mainly on the frequency chosen for the wireless system. This problem will strongly influence the construction of the hearing aids when the clock frequency must fit a set of frequencies given in the certification standards of the hearing aid.
-
US 2004/0131213 discloses a wireless system for hearing instruments operating in the long wave frequency range. The wireless transmission is frequency modulated. -
US 6,088,339 discloses a method and circuit for communication between a programming apparatus and a user apparatus to be programmed, such as a hearing aid. Data as well as clock pulses are transmitted by the programming apparatus to the user apparatus for individual adjustment of the user apparatus. The data and clock pulses are transmitted in half duplex operation using a single line. -
US 2004/0175009 discloses an inductor in an oscillator simultaneously used as an antenna for example in a hearing aid. -
US 2005/0105752 discloses a miniaturization and cost-effective making of a magnetic field sensor in a hearing aid by use of a ferrite component as the magnetic field sensor. -
US 2004/0156520 discloses a miniature transducer assembly having a plurality of external terminals on an assembly housing wherein at least one of the plurality of external terminals is adapted to receive and/or transmit at least two electrical signals so as to reduce the number of external terminals on the housing. -
US 2004/0109577 discloses a jitter unit in connection with a clock generator in a hearing aid device in order to prevent disruption in transmission between a hearing aid device and a second device. The jitter unit provides frequency oscillations in the clock signal from the clock generator thereby enabling interference-free transmission between a transmitting and/or receiving unit connected with a hearing aid device and a second device. -
DE 103 04 479 discloses reduction of the size of a device used to transmit and receive data for remote controlling of hearing devices by winding a transmitter coil of a transmitter and a receiver coil of a receiver around a common shared core. Additionally, a protective capacitor used to protect the receiver is at the same time used as a correction capacitor to correct the resonant frequency of a reception oscillator circuit. - However, it remains a problem to reduce/limit/remove noise induced in a wireless receiver of a hearing aid device by a wireless device. More specifically, it remains a problem to reduce/limit/remove noise induced in a wireless receiver of a hearing aid device by a wireless device, wherein the transmission frequency of the wireless device and the clock frequency of the hearing aid device are related to a common clock generator.
- It further remains a problem to certify wireless devices for hearing aids due to the difficulty in choosing a suitable frequency complying with one or more certification standards of hearing aids.
- A hearing aid is disclosed, which may comprise a wireless communication unit for communicating signals, said wireless communication unit comprising an active unit comprising at least one inductor, an oscillator circuit, wherein the wireless communication unit is adapted to operate at an operating frequency controlled by an operating frequency of said oscillator circuit.
- A hearing aid as claimed in
claim 1 has a communication unit for inductively transmitting and receiving signals, and said communication unit comprising: an active unit adapted to drive an inductive antenna in a transmission state by means of a first inductor coupled to said antenna; a frequency determining unit coupled to said antenna by means of a second inductor and adapted to control transmission frequency in said transmission state and to provide received signals to a receiver front end in a reception state; and characterized in that the active unit comprises a third inductor coupled to said antenna and adapted to provide feedback to the active unit from the frequency determining unit. - Consequently, it is an advantage that the operating frequency of the wireless communication unit is determined by an operating frequency of the oscillator circuit because the hearing aid is thereby enabled to perform wireless communication with a wireless device at a frequency independent of a clock signal in said hearing aid. Thus, disturbance from the digital operation of the hearing aid may be avoided in the wireless communication between the hearing aid and a wireless device.
- Further, the hearing aid may operate at any arbitrarily chosen frequency, for example determined by the components of the oscillator circuit, and thereby the hearing aid may be made to comply with any certification standard.
- Still further, the oscillator circuit of the hearing aid may automatically operate at an optimum frequency in its free running mode and is self-biasing. Therefore, the power consumption of the hearing aid is low.
- Further disclosed is the hearing aid wherein said oscillator circuit may comprise an inductor and a capacitance.
- Thereby, the oscillator circuit may be a resonant type oscillator.
- Further disclosed is the hearing aid wherein at least one inductor of the active unit and an inductor of the oscillator unit may be coupled via a ferromagnetic element.
- Thereby it is achieved that a signal from the active unit may be transmitted to the oscillator circuit and vice versa via voltages inducted in the inductor of the oscillator circuit/active unit, respectively.
- Further disclosed is the hearing aid wherein the oscillator circuit may be powered by a bit stream from said active unit.
- Thereby, it may be achieved that the oscillator circuit (and thus the wireless communication unit) substantially consumes energy when it receives a high bit from a data stream i.e. the wireless communication unit is powered by the data stream.
- Further disclosed is a hearing aid, which may comprise a receiver input being grounded during transmission.
- Thereby the receiver input may be protected against high voltage built up across the LC tank during transmission.
- Further disclosed is the hearing aid wherein data transmission between said wireless communication unit and a wireless device may be pulse modulated.
- Further disclosed is the hearing aid wherein said pulse modulation may correspond to the data stream powering said oscillator circuit.
- Further disclosed is the hearing aid wherein the hearing aid may comprise a transmitter and receiver antenna.
- Thereby it is achieved that the hearing aid may communicate with a wireless device in half duplex.
- Further disclosed is the hearing aid wherein the inductor of the oscillator circuit may be inductively connected to two windings of the active unit providing feedback to the active unit.
- Thereby the oscillator circuit may be able to determine the frequency of the wireless communication unit.
- The above and/or additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be further elucidated by the following illustrative and nonlimiting detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:
-
Figure 1 shows a hearing aid in wireless communication with a wireless device. -
Figure 2 shows a wireless communication unit of the invention. - In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying figures, which show by way of illustration how the invention may be practiced.
-
Figure 1 shows a hearing aid system designated in entirety byreference numeral 100. Thehearing aid system 100 comprises ahearing aid 110 in wireless communication with awireless device 115. The hearing aid comprises amicrophone 130, asignal processing circuit 131, aloudspeaker 133 and awireless communication unit 120, for receiving and/or transmitting one or more wireless signals from/to the wireless device. - The wireless communication unit may be implemented as an add-on module to the
hearing aid 110 or be an integral part of ahearing aid 110. - The
hearing aid 110 may be any type of hearing aid device such as for example a behind-the-ear (BTE), a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), an in-the-ear (ITE), or a completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid. - The
wireless device 115 may comprise microphone, an FM receiver, Bluetooth device, IR device, a remote control for hearing aids and any combination thereof. - The
wireless communication unit 120 is shown in further detail infigure 2 . Thewireless communication unit 120 comprises a datastream input unit 205, anactive unit 210, afrequency determining unit 215, aninductive antenna 220 and areceiver front end 225. - The data
stream input unit 205 communicates digital data information to theactive unit 210, which data information drives theactive unit 210 to induce a magnetic signal in theinductive antenna 220, thereby transmitting the data information from thehearing aid 110. - The
frequency determining unit 215 is exited by theactive unit 210 communicating a data stream from thedata stream input 205. Any data rate of the data stream may be transmitted by thewireless communication unit 120 by selecting an appropriate oscillation frequency determined byfrequency determining unit 215. Hence thefrequency determining unit 215 is not synchronized with the data except for powering of the transmission/reception of thewireless communication unit 120. - The
active unit 210 comprises a capacitor, 250, tworesistors transistor 253 and twoinductors - The
capacitor 250 may, for example, be a substantially 1 nF capacitor. - The
resistor 251 may, for example, be a substantially 1 kΩ resistor. - The
resistor 252 may, for example, be a substantially 1MΩ resistor. - The
transistor 253 may be any type of transistor such as for example a bipolar junction transistor or a junction gate field effect transistor. - The
inductors - The
frequency determining unit 215 may comprise aninductor 256 on the same ferromagnetic core as theinductors capacitances resistor 259. - The
capacitor 257 may, for example, be a substantially 47pF capacitor. - The
capacitor 258 may, for example, be a substantially 10pF capacitor. - Alternatively, the
capacitor 258 may have any (electrical) capacitance. Thecapacitor 258 may couple a signal received by thefrequency determining unit 215 to the receiverfront end 225. - The
resistor 259 may, for example, be a substantially 500Ω resistor. Theresistor 259 is connected in series withresistor 260, which may be substantially 1MΩ. Thisresistor 260 may be bypassed by activatingswitch 262. This may be implemented in order to achieve a fast initiation and termination of oscillations. - A high bit ("1") of a data stream arriving at the data
stream input unit 205 may be transmitted to theactive unit 210. The high bit may excite theinductor 255, which in turn may generate a voltage and/or current in theinductor 256. Thereby, thefrequency determining components capacitor 257 and theinductor 256. A high bit thus may generate a current through theinductor 255 which in turn generates a voltage and/or current signal in theinductor 256. Thereby, a signal is induced in theinductor 254. Theinductor 254 controls the transistor and thus the current/voltage through thecoil 255. Thereby, the operating frequency of thewireless communication unit 210 is substantially determined byfrequency determining unit 215 through theinductors wireless communication unit 120 may be un-synchronized with the data signal. - The
inductor 254 may excite theinductors active unit 210. - The oscillating signal in the
frequency determining unit 215 may generate a voltage and/or current signal in theinductor 254. This signal may control thetransistor 253 such that the signal of theactive unit 210 oscillates at the frequency determined by thefrequency determining unit 215. - A low bit ("0") of a data stream arriving at the data
stream input unit 205 may be transmitted to theactive unit 210. A low bit will not supply power to theactive unit 210 and therefore no signal is induced in theinductor 256 of thefrequency determining unit 215, which therefore stops when a low bit is transmitted e.g. to awireless device 115. - Thereby, the
frequency determining unit 215 is driven in a self-biasing manner at a frequency substantially equal to its own resonance frequency and thus, thefrequency determining unit 215 is substantially automatically running at optimum frequency. - Further, the frequency of the signal output at the
oscillator circuit 215 e.g. at the transmitter andreceiver antenna 220 will be determined by theoscillator circuit 215 and thus, the wireless communication unit 200 may communicate with awireless device 115 at a frequency independent of a clock signal in the hearing aid. - Thereby, the operating frequency of the communication unit 200 may substantially be determined by the
oscillator circuit 215. Thus, the frequency used to transmit data to/from thewireless communication unit 120 may be chosen to any frequency without influencing other systems and/or devices and/or components in thehearing aid 110 and vice versa. - The operating frequency of the
wireless communication unit 120 used to transmit data between thehearing aid 110 and thewireless device 115 may be controlled e.g. by changing the value of the inductance L of theinductor 256 and/or the capacitance C of thecapacitor 257 of theoscillator circuit 215. - Thus, the frequency used to transmit data to the
wireless device 115 from thewireless communication unit 120 of thehearing aid 110 and vice versa may be independent of a computation clock frequency used in thehearing aid 110. Therefore, the frequency used for the wireless transmission between thehearing aid 110 and thewireless device 115 may be chosen such as to generate minimum interference with the computing noise of the hearing aid. - Further, the frequency used for the wireless transmission between the
hearing aid 110 and thewireless device 115 may be chosen to any frequency that conforms to the requirements for certification without influencing other systems/devices in the hearing aid. - The
inductor 256 may, for example, comprise a solenoid on a ferrite rod of small dimensions, e.g. approximately 3mm x 1 mm x 1 mm. - Because the
frequency determining unit 215 may automatically run at its optimum frequency and to be self-biased, theunit 215 is able to provide a well defined amplitude with a high efficiency. Further, the power consumption of thewireless communication unit 120 is low as theunit 215 runs at its optimum frequency and bias condition. - The
active unit 210 and thefrequency determining unit 215 are powered by the input bit stream i.e. when the communication unit 200 receives a high bit ("1") from thedata stream input 205, it is "active" and when the active unit receives a low bit ("0") from thedata stream input 205, it is "passive". - Further, during transmission the receiver
front end 225 is grounded in order to protect the front end against the high voltage that built up across thefrequency determining unit 215. Thefrequency determining unit 215 frequency may therefore vary slightly from a transmitting mode to a receiving mode so the receiver bandwidth is fit for that. - When the
wireless communication unit 120 receives data e.g. from awireless device 115, theactive unit 210 and thefrequency determining unit 215 are not powered by a data stream from the datastream input unit 205 and thereby thefrequency determining unit 215 in connection with the transmitter and receiver antenna, 220, may receive data from thewireless device 115. - Further, during reception, the
frequency determining unit 215 in connection with the antenna, 220, generates a high voltage output due to the large inductance of theinductor 256. During reception, theactive unit 210 does not load thefrequency determining unit 215 as the voltage levels that are induced from theinductor 256 toinductors transistor 253 has no supply voltages in theactive unit 210. - The data signal received by the
antenna 220 is transmitted to thefrequency determining unit 215 and further to the receiverfront end 225 via asmall capacitor 258. - Because the data stream powers the
active unit 210 and thefrequency determining unit 215, transfer of data from the hearing aid to the wireless device and/or vice versa may be pulse modulated corresponding to the bit stream powering theactive unit 210 and thefrequency determining unit 215. - Generally, the
frequency determining unit 215 may operate at any frequency determined by the inductance of theinductor 256 and the capacitance of thecapacitor 257. For example, thefrequency determining unit 215 may operate at frequencies between 2 and 6 MHz and transmission/reception of data with a rate of 120kBit/s. Alternatively, any transmission and/or reception frequency may be utilized and/or any data rate may be utilized. - The data received by the hearing aid from the wireless device and/or vice versa may be detected via AM detection.
- The
active unit 210 may excite thefrequency determining unit 215 at a low voltage while theunit 215 may resonate at a high voltage due to the inductance of theinductor 256. - The transmission of data between the
hearing aid 110 and thewireless device 115 may be half duplex i.e. communication in both directions (from hearing aid to wireless device and vice versa), but only one direction at a time. - Hence the
wireless communication unit 120 for a hearing aid includes anactive unit 210 for exciting an inductive antenna 220 (a ferrite core) at a transmission frequency determined by afrequency determining unit 215 couple to theactive unit 210 through theantenna 220 in accordance with a data stream, which may be a pulse modulated signal. The high bits ("1") of the data stream excites theactive unit 210, in particular thetransistor 253, which enables current to induce a magnetic signal coupled to thefrequency determining unit 215 controlling the resonance frequency in the transmission mode of thewireless communication unit 120. During reception mode the data stream is disabled thus providing thetransistor 253 in a non-conductive state and ensuring that the received signal is picked up by theinductor 256 and converted into an electrical signal to be communicated to the receiverfront end 225. It should be noted that theswitch 262, switches in a closed state when thewireless communication unit 120 is transmitting and in an open state when thewireless communication unit 120 is receiving. - During reception the difference in the number of windings of the
inductor 256 and theinductors active unit 210, in particular thetransistor 253 in to a conductive state, and thus theactive unit 210 does not substantially affect the reception of signals. - The system may replace other half duplex wireless systems for short and/or medium and/or long range operation as the oscillator starts when data is high and stops when data is low.
- Although some embodiments have been described and shown in detail, the invention is not restricted to them, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined in the following claims. In particular, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilised and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
- In device claims enumerating several means, several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims or described in different embodiments does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
- It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
Claims (6)
- A hearing aid system (100) having a communication unit (120) for inductively transmitting and receiving signals, and said communication unit (120) comprising:an active unit (210) adapted to drive an inductive antenna (220) in a transmission state by means of a first inductor (255) coupled to said antenna (220);a frequency determining unit (215) coupled to said antenna (220) by means of a second inductor (256) and adapted to control transmission frequency in said transmission state and to provide received signals to a receiver front end (225) in a reception state; and characterized in that the active unit (210) comprises a third inductor (254) coupled to said antenna (220) and adapted to provide feedback to the active unit (210) from the frequency determining unit (215)
- A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said frequency determining unit (215) comprises said second inductor (256) and a capacitance (257).
- A hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said antenna (220) comprises a ferromagnetic element for coupling said first and second inductor (255, 256).
- A hearing aid according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the active unit is adapted to drive said inductive antenna (220) in transmission state by means of a data stream signal and to disable said data stream signal in reception state.
- A hearing aid according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein transmission between said wireless communication unit (120) and a wireless device (115) is pulse modulated.
- A hearing aid according to claim 5, wherein said pulse modulation corresponds to the data stream exciting said active unit (210).
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP20070119861 EP2056626B1 (en) | 2007-11-02 | 2007-11-02 | Wireless transmission principle |
DK07119861T DK2056626T3 (en) | 2007-11-02 | 2007-11-02 | WIRELESS TRANSMISSION PRINCIPLE |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP20070119861 EP2056626B1 (en) | 2007-11-02 | 2007-11-02 | Wireless transmission principle |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP2056626A1 EP2056626A1 (en) | 2009-05-06 |
EP2056626B1 true EP2056626B1 (en) | 2012-07-25 |
Family
ID=39046714
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP20070119861 Active EP2056626B1 (en) | 2007-11-02 | 2007-11-02 | Wireless transmission principle |
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Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP2056626B1 (en) |
DK (1) | DK2056626T3 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP2640094B1 (en) * | 2012-03-13 | 2015-12-09 | Bernafon AG | Hearing aid and detection device |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US4654880A (en) * | 1983-12-09 | 1987-03-31 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Signal transmission system |
DE10304479B3 (en) * | 2003-02-04 | 2004-07-22 | Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh | Data transmission and reception device for remote control of hearing aid with transmission and reception coils wound around common core |
DE10323219B3 (en) * | 2003-05-22 | 2004-12-09 | Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh | Coil system and remote control for a hearing aid |
-
2007
- 2007-11-02 EP EP20070119861 patent/EP2056626B1/en active Active
- 2007-11-02 DK DK07119861T patent/DK2056626T3/en active
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EP2056626A1 (en) | 2009-05-06 |
DK2056626T3 (en) | 2012-10-22 |
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