Hearing device and hearing system as well as method for operating a hearing device

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a rechargeable hearing device (1). The proposed hearing device (1) comprises a power supply system (6) with a control unit (10) adapted to control operation of a sound system (2) of the hearing device (1) dependent on a control input signal, wherein the control input signal depends on a type information provided by an external power source (11) indicative of the type of external power source (11) from which the hearing device (1) is receiving a power signal. Moreover, the present invention provides a hearing system (100) comprising such a hearing device (1) and an external power source (11) as well as a method for operating such a hearing device (1).

Claims

1. A hearing device comprising: an input transducer for providing an input audio signal; a signal processing unit adapted to process the input audio signal and to provide a processed audio signal; and an output transducer adapted to output the processed audio signal to a user of the hearing device, a power supply system comprising: a battery; a power module adapted to receive a power signal from an external power source; a power management unit adapted to receive power from either the power module or the battery, to provide power to an output transducer, and to charge the battery when a power signal is being received from an external power source; and a control unit adapted to control operation of the hearing device by means of a control output signal dependent on a control input signal, wherein the control input signal depends on a type information indicative of the type of the external power source from which the power module is receiving the power signal, wherein the power management unit is adapted to support the following modes of operation: provide power from the power module to the battery to charge the battery and simultaneously provide power to the sound system; provide power from the power module to the battery to charge the battery and disable the sound system; and provide power from the battery to power the sound system, wherein the mode of operation to be employed is selected dependent on the control output signal.

2. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the type information is derived from at least one of the following: the power signal; a user input provided by the user via a user interface; and a signal provided by a sensor comprised in the hearing device, the sensor being adapted to detect information from an identification module comprised in the external power source.

3. The hearing device of claim 2, wherein is the hearing device is further adapted to adjust the processing performed by the signal processing unit dependent on the control output signal.

4. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the power module is adapted to receive the power signal from the external power source via a charging cable, or wirelessly.

5. A hearing system, comprising: an external power source comprising an identification module; and a hearing device comprising: an input transducer; a signal processing unit; an output transducer; a battery; a power module adapted to receive a power signal from the external power source; a power management unit adapted to receive power from either the power module or the battery, adapted to charge the battery when a power signal is received from the external power source; a control unit adapted to control operation of the hearing device by means of a control output signal dependent on a control input signal, wherein the control input signal depends on a type information indicative of the type of external power source from which the power module is receiving the power signal, wherein the power management unit is adapted to perform the following operations: provide power from the power module to the battery to charge the battery while simultaneously powering the output transducer; provide power from the power module to the battery to charge the battery and disable the sound system; and provide power from the battery to power the sound system, wherein the mode of operation to be employed is selected dependent on the control output signal.

6. The hearing system of claim 5, wherein the identification module comprising at least one of the following: a magnetic field generator; an electric field generator; a light source; and an radio frequency identification (RFID) chip.

7. The hearing system of claim 5, wherein the external power source is a mobile, portable or wearable unit, and wherein the external power source is connectable to a power supply.

8. The hearing system of claim 7, wherein the power supply is one of the following: a battery pack, a USB port, or a solar module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is further explained below by means of non-limiting specific embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show:

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a hearing system according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 depicts a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a behind-the-ear hearing device according to the present invention as well as an embodiment of a stationary, desktop type of external power source according to the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 depicts a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a behind-the-ear hearing device according to the present invention as well as an embodiment of a portable/wearable type of external power source with a charging adapter according to the present invention.

(5) The same reference signs are employed in the figures when referring to identical or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates the basic building blocks of a hearing device 1 and external power source 11 of a hearing system 100 according to the present invention in a high level schematic block diagram. The hearing device 1 comprises a power supply system 6 which supplies power to a sound system 2. The sound system 2 includes an input transducer 3 such as a microphone which picks up ambient sound and provides an input audio signal, which is processed by a signal processing unit 4 (such as analogue signal processing circuitry or a digital signal processor (DSP)) and subsequently output to the user of the hearing device 1 by an output transducer 5 such as a miniature loudspeaker (also commonly referred to as a receiver). Alternatively, the output transducer 5 can be a cochlear implant (CI), a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) vibrational transducer or a direct acoustic cochlea stimulator (DACS). The input transducer 3 could alternatively be a telecoil (T-coil) or a wireless FM (frequency modulation) or Bluetooth receiver. Power is provided to the various electronic components of the sound system 2 by a power management unit 9. The power management unit 9 converts the battery voltage provided by a rechargeable battery 7 of the hearing device 1 to the voltages required by the various electronic components of the sound system 2, such as the input and output transducers 3, 5 and the signal processing unit 4. Furthermore, the power management unit 9 is capable of enabling and disabling the various electronic components of the sound system 2, such that these can put in a low-power, sleep/standby mode of operation in order to save power. Additionally, the power management unit 9 is adapted to control charging of the battery 7 by appropriately providing power from an external power source 11, e.g. the power management unit 9 is capable of controlling the voltage and current applied to the battery 7 during a charging cycle. Power (in the form of a power signal 12) can be provided from the external power source 11 for instance inductively as exemplified in FIG. 1 (or alternatively by means of capacitive coupling). Thereby, a receiver coil forms a power module 8 which receives the power signal 12 from the external power source 11, which includes a transmitter coil.

(7) At the core of the present invention is a control unit 10, which is adapted to control the operation of the sound system 2 by means of a control output signal, dependent on a control input signal. The control input signal can depend on a type information provided by the external power source 11, which is indicative of the type of external power source 11 from which the power module 8 is receiving the power signal 12. The battery 7 of the hearing device 1 may for instance be charged by a desktop charger (=type I) or by an auxiliary power pack (=type II). When the hearing device 1 is being charged using the desktop charger part or all of the electrical components of the sound system 2, e.g. certain amplifiers, filters, the signal processing unit 4 or the transducers 3, 5, may be switched off or put in sleep/standby mode. Alternatively, when the hearing device 1 is being charged using an auxiliary power pack the sound system 2 should operate, i.e. should also be provided with power. Instead of charging the battery 7 when an auxiliary power pack is attached to (or otherwise operationally connected with) the hearing device 1, in particular to the power module, which receives the power signal 12, the power from the auxiliary power pack may be exclusively used to power the sound system 2 and not at all to recharge the battery 7. Furthermore, the control input signal can additionally depend on a state of charge of the battery 7.

(8) A variety of options exist to determine which type of external power source 11, e.g. stationary (type I) or mobile/power pack (type II), is delivering the power signal 12. For instance the type information may be conveyed by the power signal 12 itself, e.g. it is provided as a modulation of the power signal 12. Alternatively, the type information may be provided by generating an electric or magnetic field or an optical signal. An appropriate sensor 13 in the hearing device 1 can then be employed to determine the type information. In the embodiment of the external power source 11 shown in FIG. 1 a permanent magnet is used to generate a static magnetic field, which can be detected by an appropriate magnetic sensor 13 in the hearing device 1, as soon as the hearing device 1 is in close proximity of the external power source 11. As another option the type information can be directly input by the user of the hearing device 1 via a user interface 15 at the hearing device 1 or at a separate hearing device accessory such as a remote control unit or smartphone.

(9) FIG. 2 shows another high level schematic block diagram of a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing device 1 and a desktop type (i.e. stationary) external power source or charging unit 11 according to the present invention. Once the hearing device 1 is placed into a receptacle in the charging unit 11 for receiving the hearing device 1 for charging, the sensor 13 in the hearing device 1 identifies the charging unit 11 as a desktop charger based on the sensed static magnet field generated by the permanent magnet 14 acting as an identification module for the external power source 11. Power is then transferred inductively from the charging unit 11 to the power module 8, which then charges the battery 7 while the sound system 2 is disabled (i.e. turned off) or at least put into a low power sleep/standby mode, since the hearing device 1 is not being used by the user during charging. During charging such a desktop charger 11 will itself be provided with power by connecting the charging unit 11 with the mains electric power via a cable and plug 18. In order to be able to distinguish between a multitude of different charger types for instance a modulated magnetic field generated by an electromagnet could be employed.

(10) FIG. 3 shows yet another high level schematic block diagram of a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing device 1 and a portable/wearable type (i.e. mobile) external power source or charging unit 11 according to the present invention. Here the charging unit 11 is formed as a charging adapter adapted to be attachably arranged at the BTE hearing device 1 whilst the hearing device 1 is being worn and used by the user. A large rechargeable battery, i.e. a battery pack 16, is connected with the charging adapter via a cable 17. Likewise to FIG. 2, in the present embodiment the power is transferred inductively from the charger adapter to the power module 8, and the portable charging unit 11 is again identified by a magnetic sensor 13 in the hearing device 1. When the hearing device 1 is connected to a portable charger 11, e.g. an auxiliary power pack, the sound system 2 remains enabled, i.e. power is provided from the external power source 11 to the sound system 2 such that it is operable to provide the processed audio signal to the user. Some of the signal processing functionality may for instance not be active in order to save power, e.g. because the hearing device 1 has determined via a part of the type information that the charge level of the external battery of the charging unit 11 is low.