Speaker assembly for hearing aid

Abstract

There is provided a hearing aid with a Receiver In The Ear speaker assembly comprising a connecting member with electric conductors connecting a connector at one end, and a receiver housing with a receiver at the opposite end. A microphone housing with a microphone is attached to the connecting member. Placed along the connecting member, the microphone housing with the microphone is separated by a distance from the receiver in the receiver housing, thus reducing acoustic or mechanical feedback problems. Especially, the microphone and connector may share one common housing.

Claims

1. A speaker assembly configured to releasably connect to a housing of a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid, the speaker assembly comprising: a receiver for generating an audible acoustic output into the user's ear canal in response to an electric signal, wherein the receiver is arranged in a first housing which is configured to be positioned in the user's ear canal during normal use of the speaker assembly, at least one microphone for capturing sound and generating an electric output accordingly, a connector configured to establish an electrical connection between the receiver and the housing of the BTE hearing aid, and a connecting member comprising a flexible tube in which is disposed a plurality of separate electrical conductors for electrical connection to the connector at one end and for electrical connection to the receiver at the opposite end, wherein the at least one microphone is arranged inside the connecting member between the first housing and the connector so as to be located outside the user's ear canal during the normal use of the speaker assembly such that the distance between the at least one microphone and the first housing is less than the distance between the at least one microphone and the connector.

2. The speaker assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member comprises a second housing, and wherein the at least one microphone is arranged in a second housing which is separate from the first housing.

3. The speaker assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one microphone in the second housing includes three or more microphones.

4. The speaker assembly according to claim 2, wherein the at least one microphone in the second housing comprises a suspension member.

5. The speaker assembly according to claim 2, wherein the second housing is attached to the connecting member at a distance from the first housing being at least 1% of a length of the connecting member between the first housing and the connector.

6. The speaker assembly according to claim 5, wherein the second housing is attached to the connecting member at a distance from the first housing being 1% to 99% of a length of the connecting member between the first housing and the connector.

7. The speaker assembly according to claim 5, wherein the second housing is attached to the connecting member at a distance from the first housing being 10% to 90% of a length of the connecting member between the first housing and the connector.

8. The speaker assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a microphone in the first housing.

9. The speaker assembly according to claim 8, wherein the at least one microphone in the second housing includes first and second microphones, wherein the first microphone is disposed closer to the connector than the second microphone.

10. The speaker assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second microphone is attached to the connecting member.

11. The speaker assembly according to claim 1, wherein a first part of the connecting member has an enlarged cross-section in which the at least one microphone is positioned.

12. The speaker assembly according to claim 11, wherein the first part of the connecting member has a higher stiffness than the reminding part of the connecting member.

13. The speaker assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least part of an antenna.

14. A hearing aid having a speaker assembly configured for releasably connecting with a housing of the hearing aid, the housing configured to be positioned behind the ear of a user, the speaker assembly comprising: a receiver for generating an audible acoustic output into the user's ear canal in response to an electric signal, wherein the receiver is arranged in a first housing which is configured to be positioned in the user's ear canal during normal use of the speaker assembly, at least one microphone for capturing sound and generating an electric output accordingly, wherein the at least one microphone is arranged in a second housing which is separate from the first housing, a connector configured to establish electrical connection between the receiver and the housing of the hearing aid, and a connecting member comprising a flexible tube in which is disposed a plurality of separate electrical conductors for electrical connection to the connector at one end and for electrical connection to the receiver at the opposite end, wherein the second housing is disposed between the first housing and the connector so as to be located outside the user's ear canal during the normal use of the speaker assembly such that the distance between the second housing and the first housing is less than the distance between the second housing and the connector, the second housing forming a part or portion of the connecting member.

15. The hearing aid according to claim 14, wherein: the second housing is disposed on or inside the flexible tube.

16. The hearing aid according to claim 14 wherein: the housing of the hearing aid is configured to hold at least an electric energy source configured for electric connection to the speaker assembly via the connector.

17. The hearing aid according to claim 16, comprising an electronic circuit arranged in the housing of the hearing aid, wherein the electronic circuit comprises an amplifier circuit with an adjustable gain, so as to allow matching of a gain of the amplifier circuit with a configuration of the speaker assembly.

18. The hearing aid according to claim 17, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to discriminate between a plurality of possible speaker assembly types and to set the adjustable gain of the amplifier circuit accordingly.

19. The hearing aid according to claim 14, further comprising an additional microphone that is wherein disposed in the connecting member closer to the connector than the at least one microphone.

20. A speaker assembly configured to releasably connect to a housing of a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid, the speaker assembly comprising: a receiver for generating an audible acoustic output into the user's ear canal in response to an electric signal, wherein the receiver is arranged in a receiver housing which is configured to be positioned in the user's ear canal during normal use of the speaker assembly, first and second microphones for capturing sound and generating an electric output accordingly, the first and second microphones being disposed apart from the receiver housing, a connector configured to establish an electrical connection between the receiver and the housing of the BTE hearing aid, and a connecting member in which is disposed a plurality of separate electrical conductors for electrical connection to the connector at one end and for electrical connection to the receiver at the opposite end, wherein the connecting member is integrally formed of first and second parts, the first part being disposed closer to the connector than the second part, the first part having a larger diameter and higher rigidity than the second part, the second part being configured as a flexible tube connected to the receiver housing, and wherein the first and second microphones are disposed inside the first part of the connecting member so as to be located outside the user's ear canal during the normal use of the speaker assembly.

21. The speaker assembly according to claim 20, further comprising a third microphone disposed in the receiver housing.

22. The speaker assembly according to claim 20, wherein the first microphone is disposed closer to the connector than the second housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The aspects of the disclosure may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they just show details to improve the understanding of the claims, while other details are left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts. The individual features of each aspect may each be combined with any or all features of the other aspects. These and other aspects, features and/or technical effect will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the illustrations described hereinafter in which:

(2) FIGS. 1-3 show a block diagram of elements of a different speaker assemblies, and

(3) FIG. 4 shows a sketch of a speaker assembly embodiment, FIGS. 5 and 6 are further assembly and hearing aid with assembly.

(4) FIGS. 7 and 8 show two hearing aids, where all the electronic parts, such as processor, battery, speaker, etc. are positioned in an in-the-ear part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. Several aspects of the apparatus and methods are described by various blocks, functional units, modules, components, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as “elements”). Depending upon particular application, design constraints or other reasons, these elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer program, or any combination thereof.

(6) The processor, e.g. the main processor of the hearing aid, is understood to be implemented as a known microprocessor, microcontroller, or digital signal processors (DSPs) etc. Further, the hardware of the hearing aid may comprise such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described throughout this disclosure.

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates basic elements of a speaker assembly with a connector C and a connecting member AS comprising a plurality of electric terminals for establishing electrical connection to a hearing aid. A receiver is arranged in a receiver housing RH, and the receiver housing RH is configured for being positioned in the user's ear canal during normal use of the speaker assembly, and for generating an audible acoustic output A_O into a user's ear canal in response to an electric signal, i.e. a Receiver-In-The-Ear type receiver.

(8) A microphone housing MH with a microphone for capturing sound and generating an electric output accordingly, is arranged separate from the receiver housing RH. A connecting member AS comprises a plurality of separate electrical conductors for electrical connection to the connector at one end and for electrical connection to the receiver in the receiver housing RG at the opposite end. The microphone housing MH is attached to the connecting member AS between the receiver housing RH and the connector C. In the illustration, the microphone housing MH is attached to the connecting member AS at a location closer to the receiver housing RH than the connector C, e.g. 10%-30% of a length of the connecting member AS from the receiver housing RH.

(9) Such speaker assembly can e.g. be used with hearing aid, where a separate hearing aid housing (not shown) with at least an electric energy source (a battery) is configured for electric connection to the speaker assembly via its connector. Thus, the hearing aid housing has an electrical connector which matches the connector of the speaker assembly and which allows an electronic circuit inside the hearing aid housing to be connected to the receiver and the microphone of the speaker assembly. Especially, the hearing aid housing may house an electronic circuit comprising an amplifier with an adjustable gain, so as to allow matching of a gain of the amplifier circuit with the microphone configuration of the speaker assembly. Especially, the electronic circuit may be configured to discriminate between a plurality of possible speaker assembly types and to set the adjustable gain of the amplifier circuit accordingly, thus adopting e.g. the maximum possible gain according to the position of the microphone relative to the receiver. This allows adaptation to different types of speaker assemblies with different positions of the microphone relative to the receiver, thereby allowing a good compromise between obtainable sound quality and amplification.

(10) FIG. 2 shows another speaker assembly embodiment with the same elements as in FIG. 1, but with the microphone housing MH attached to the connecting member AS at a different position between the receiver housing RH and the connector C, namely closer to the connector C than to the receiver housing RH, such as 10%-30% of a length of the connecting member AS from the connector C.

(11) FIG. 3 shows yet another speaker assembly embodiment as in FIG. 1, but where the microphone housing MH houses the connector C, thus the microphone shares housing with the connector C. Hereby, the microphone is positioned far away from the receiver housing RH, thereby allowing a high amplification without feedback problems.

(12) It is to be understood that the length of the connecting member AS in the illustrated can be varied according to the preferred position of the hearing aid housing. In case of a Behind-The-Ear type hearing aid housing, the connecting member length may be such as 1-4 cm, but with other hearing aid housing types, the connecting member may be significantly longer. Preferably, the connecting member AS is made flexible, so that it is allows to be at least slightly bent during normal use, so as to accommodate various anatomical dimensions of different users with one length of the connecting member AS.

(13) FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a speaker assembly with connector C, a microphone housing MH attached to the connecting member AS at around midway between the connector C and the receiver housing RH.

(14) It is to be understood that the microphone housing MH may be attached to the connecting member AS in various ways. E.g. the microphone housing MH e.g. being arranged under one common shield or cover or surface layer with the connecting member AS.

(15) As illustrated in FIG. 5, a connecting member includes a first part, i.e. the part near the housing of the behind-the-ear part, which has a lager thickness, or width, than the other part of the connecting member. This first part includes a microphone module. The microphone module, which could be termed an input transducer in general, comprises here four smaller, individual microphones or microphone units. Here the input transducer comprises four microphone elements arranged in a first pattern, namely in a line.

(16) Positioning the microphone, i.e. the input transducer, away from the housing of behind-the-ear part and in the connecting member allow the microphone to be located free of contact with e.g. glasses that the user wears. This will lead to less noise from contact with the glasses, e.g. during periods where the user walk, chew or other kind of motion cases glasses to touch the behind-the-ear housing. Also, positioning the input transducer in the connecting member as opposed to in the in-the-ear part allow for better performance over time as the input transducer will be less exposed to sweat and/or cerumen.

(17) Here the microphones of the input transducer are MEMS microphones. More than one assembly may be arranged in a connecting member, e.g. in addition to the one illustrated in FIG. 5, a second assembly may be included in the connecting member, here illustrated as dotted circles. The additional, second, microphone unit may be positioned at a position closer to the connector or closer to the in-the-ear housing relative to the first microphone unit. This results in two microphone assemblies, each assembly having one or more microphones, where the two assemblies are positioned spaced apart along the connecting member. Such two microphone assemblies may be spaced with 1 to 50 mm, such as 5 to 20 mm, such as around 10 mm, such as around 5 mm.

(18) In a configuration where four microphones are arranged in a square, or like a rectangular, the assembly holding the four microphones have a volume of: L×D×H: 3.3×2.2×1.2=8.7 mm.sup.3.

(19) FIG. 6 schematically illustrate a hearing aid with a connecting member with a speaker in an in-the-ear housing. The connecting member comprises a first section or part having an enlarged thickness relative to the remainder of the connecting member. This provided a more rigid part with less mobility compared to the thinner, second part. In the first part, FP, two microphone units, MU1 and MU2, are located or positioned. One microphone, or input, MU1 is located closer to the connector C that the other microphone MU2. The connector C connects the connecting member to a behind-the-ear housing. The first part allow for an overall smaller, or slimmer, design of the housing of the behind-the-ear part as the housing does not need to accommodate microphones. Further, the microphones are located at a position where they do not interfere with glasses, and, the microphones are positioned at a place where they are free of the pinna so that sound from the front of the wearer may better enter the microphone. A (still) further or additional microphone may be positioned in the in-the-ear part. As indicated by the line, the connecting member is divided in a first part, FP, and a second part SP. The first part has an enlarged diameter compared to the second part SP. This makes the first part FP more rigid compared to the second part. Here two microphones, i.e. two input transducers, are positioned in the first part FP.

(20) The receiver housing, RH, is here illustrated with a dome attached. The dome may include a soft, pliable interface for interfacing with the ear canal, and a more rigid center part for attachment to the housing surrounding the receiver. In FIG. 6, the behind-the-ear housing is illustrated as an oblong, cylindrical structure. Other shapes of the housing is possible.

(21) In FIGS. 7 and 8, two hearing aids are illustrated, where all the electronic parts, such as processor, battery, speaker, etc. are positioned in an in-the-ear part. Both hearing aids have a string, similar to that of the connecting member discussed above, where the string is attached at one end to the in-the-ear hearing aid housing, and the other end of the string is free to be positioned either at or along the antihelix, the root of helix and/or helix. In a further possible arrangement, the sting may follow a route similar to that of the connecting member. By positioning a microphone at the helix is contemplated to provide additionally improved sound reception. A smaller part may extend from the microphone unit as illustrated. This may help position the input transducer in e.g. the helix or to hold the string in place. The smaller part is positioned at a proximal end of the string relative to the in-the-ear housing and, here also proximal to the microphone housing.

(22) Generally, the in-the-ear part may comprise additional units, such as further microphones, such as an ear-canal microphone, orientated towards the surrounding or towards the eardrum. Other units or components such as in-ear sensors may be included. Further, an antenna may be formed so as to allow the hearing instrument to wirelessly communicate with external devices, such as cell phone/smartphone, remote control, TV streaming device, sound streaming device, another hearing instrument, such as a contralateral hearing instrument. The antenna may advantageously be formed the connecting member/string as this will allow the antenna to be located where the performance is less affected by the pinna and/or head. Such antenna configuration is especially advantageous for high frequency antennas, such as antenna configured to operate around 2.4 GHz, or even higher frequencies. Additionally, a choke component may be included, e.g. at the microphone housing, so as to allow the antenna to have two different lengths, each for supporting an individual operational frequency, e.g. electrically seen, one part of the string/connection member is configured to support an operational frequency of 2.4 GHz, and electrically seen, another part is configured to support a second, higher, operational frequency, such as around 5 GHz. Having one physical antenna supporting two operational frequencies is contemplated to be beneficial in that is requires less space in a hearing aid.

(23) Further, an inductive communication unit may be included. Inductive communication has proven to provide a reliable, low-power consuming, wireless connection to a contra-lateral hearing aid or instrument.

(24) As used, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well (i.e. to have the meaning “at least one”), unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element but an intervening elements may also be present, unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein may include wirelessly connected or coupled. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The steps of any disclosed method is not limited to the exact order stated herein, unless expressly stated otherwise.

(25) It should be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an aspect” or features included as “may” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined as suitable in one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects.

(26) The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more.

(27) Accordingly, the scope should be judged in terms of the claims that follow.