METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING DEVICE, HEARING DEVICE AND SYSTEM INCLUDING A HEARING DEVICE AND A CHARGING DEVICE

Abstract

A method for operating a hearing device having a charging terminal with two electrical contacts includes detecting a decrease in the voltage applied to one of the two contacts. An operating mode of the hearing device is set based on the time profile of the decrease. A hearing device and a system including a hearing device and a charging device, are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hearing device, the method comprising: providing a hearing device including a charging terminal with two electrical contacts; detecting a decrease in a voltage applied to one of said two electrical contacts; and setting an operating mode of the hearing device based on a time profile of the decrease.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises determining the time profile by detecting the voltage only at two different times.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises producing a temporal derivation of the voltage to determine the time profile.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises selecting a standby operating mode when the voltage decreases more slowly than a first limit value.

5. The method according to claim 4, which further comprises selecting a working mode when the voltage decreases more rapidly than a second limit value.

6. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises detecting a decrease when the voltage applied to the two contacts falls below a third limit value.

7. A hearing device, comprising: a charging terminal having two electrical contacts; and electronics operating the hearing device in accordance with the method of claim 1.

8. The hearing device according to claim 7, which further comprises an A/D converter for ascertaining the time profile of the decrease.

9. A system, comprising: a charging device having two electrical mating contacts; a capacitance electrically interconnecting said two electrical mating contacts; and a hearing device according to claim 7.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0045] FIG. 1 is a simplified, diagrammatic, longitudinal-sectional view of a system having a hearing device and a charging device;

[0046] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for operating the hearing device; and

[0047] FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing different time profiles of a voltage applied to two electrical contacts of the hearing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, in which parts that correspond to one another are denoted by the same reference signs throughout, and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a system 2 having a hearing device 4 in the form of a hearing aid that is provided and set up to be worn behind an ear of a user (that is, a person wearing a hearing device, or a wearer). In other words, the hearing device is a “behind-the-ear” hearing device. The hearing device 4 includes a hearing device housing 6 made from a plastic in an injection-molding process. A microphone 8 is disposed inside the hearing device housing 6. The microphone 8 is coupled to electronics 10 in terms of signal technology, the electronics including a signal processing unit (not shown in any more detail) having an amplifier circuit and a signal processor. The electronics 10 are formed by circuit elements, such as electrical and/or electronic components, for example. The signal processor is a digital signal processor (DSP) and is connected in terms of signal technology to the microphone 8 through an A/D converter (not illustrated in any more detail).

[0049] A receiver 12 is coupled to the electronics 10 in terms of signal technology. During operation, an (electrical) signal provided by the electronics 10 is converted by the receiver 12 to an output sound, that is to say to sound waves. Those sound waves are introduced into a sound tube (not illustrated in any more detail), the one end of which is secured to the hearing device housing 6. The other end of the sound tube is surrounded by a dome that is disposed in an auditory canal of the user in the intended state. The electronics 10, the microphone 8 and the receiver 12 are energized by an energy store in the form of a battery 14 disposed in the hearing device housing 6.

[0050] The hearing device 4 also includes a charging circuit 16 that is electrically connected to the battery 14 and that is used to charge the battery 14. For this purpose, the charging circuit 16 includes a regulation unit (not illustrated in any more detail), through the use of which the voltage applied to the battery 14 is set. In addition, the charging circuit 16 includes a charging terminal 18 having two contacts 20. The contacts 20 are connected to the battery 14 through the regulation unit (not illustrated in any more detail). The voltage applied to the contacts 20 is detected by an A/D converter 21 and the regulation unit is operated in a manner depending thereon. The two contacts are electrically connected to one another by a capacitor 22 and fed to a rectifier 24, specifically a diode rectifier. The rectifier 24 is connected to an electrical coil 26, which is also referred to purely as a coil, and is fed by the same.

[0051] The system 2 further includes a charging device 28 having two mating contacts 28′. The mating contacts 28′ are connected to another rectifier 30 and fed thereby. The further rectifier 30 in turn is fed by a plug 32 that is used to electrically contact-connect the charging device 28 to a supply network, through the use of which a DC voltage, for example at 230 V or 110 V, is fed. The two mating contacts 28′ are fed to an inverter 34, through the use of which a coil 36 of the charging device 28 is fed. In addition, the two mating contacts 28′ are electrically connected to one another by a capacitance 38. The capacitance 38 is in this case a capacitor.

[0052] In order to charge the hearing device 4, specifically the battery 14, the plug 32 is electrically contact-connected to the supply network and consequently the capacitance 36 is charged by the further rectifier 30. The inverter is operated by the capacitance 38 and consequently an AC voltage is applied to the coil 36 of the charging device 28. The coil 36 is placed in direct proximity to the charging terminal 18, specifically the coil 26, in such a way that an AC voltage is induced therein. This AC voltage is rectified by the rectifier 24 and smoothed by the capacitor 22, in such a way that a substantially constant (DC) voltage is applied to the contacts 20. This DC voltage is detected by using the A/D converter 21 and the regulation unit is set in a manner depending thereon, in such a way that the battery 14 is charged.

[0053] The hearing device 4 is also operated in accordance with a method 40 illustrated in FIG. 2, that method being executed at least in part by the electronics 10. In a first working step 42, a decrease in a voltage 44 applied to the two contacts 20 is detected, the time profile thereof being shown by way of example in FIG. 3. In this case, the voltage 44 being applied is detected by the A/D converter 21 and the produced (digital) signals are supplied to the electronics 10, through the use of which the signals are evaluated. When the voltage 44 falls below a third limit value 46, which corresponds to 80% of the voltage 44 required or usually applied during charging of the battery 14, the decrease is detected in this case. In other words, the applied voltage 44 is monitored even during charging by the A/D converter 21 and the electronics 10.

[0054] In an adjoining second working step 48, a time profile 50 of the decrease in the voltage 44 is ascertained. In one embodiment, a temporal derivation 52 of the voltage 44 is produced for this purpose. In an alternative, to determine the time profile 50, after the decrease has been detected, the voltage 44 is detected at two different times 54, wherein the first of the times 54 coincides with the time at which the voltage 44 differs from the third limit value 46. The second of the times 54 is located in a fixed time period 56 after the first of the two times 54.

[0055] In an adjoining third working step 58, an operating mode 60 of the hearing device 4 is set based on the time profile 50 of the decrease. When the voltage 44 decreases in this case more rapidly than a second limit value 62, a working mode is used as the operating mode 60. The second limit value 62 is undershot in this case when the user manually moves the hearing device 4 away from the charging device 28. In this case, the user usually wishes to subsequently use the hearing device 4. When setting the working mode, the electronics 10, specifically the signal processing unit, the amplifier circuit and the signal processor, are set to an operating mode in which there is an increased energy demand. Any settings stored in software or a memory are also loaded so that the hearing device 4 is ready for use when the user applies the device to the body.

[0056] When the hearing device 4 is removed from the charging device 28, first the coil 36 of the charging device 28 also continues to be supplied with the AC voltage in an unaltered manner by using the inverter 34, in such a way that the AC voltage produces the electrical field. However, less voltage is induced in the coil 26 of the hearing device 4 due to the increasing distance. As a result, the voltage 44 applied to the contacts 20 decreases to 0 V. Since the hearing device 4 is removed relatively abruptly from the charging device 28, the interaction between the devices is also ended relatively abruptly. In other words, the energy transmission between the charging device 28 and the hearing device 4 is ended abruptly.

[0057] In one variant, a particular value for the derivation 52 is used as the second limit value 62, that value being exceeded by the derivation 52 in the example shown in FIG. 3. In other words, the second limit value 62 is exceeded when the derivation 52 is greater than the second limit value 62 and thus the voltage 44 decreases relatively quickly to 0 V. If the time profile 50 is ascertained based on the voltage 44 detected at the two times 54, the second limit value 62 is exceeded when the difference between the two detected voltages 44 is greater than a determined value corresponding thereto.

[0058] In contrast, if the plug 32 is removed from the supply network and the position of the two coils 26, 36 with respect to one another is not changed, the capacitance 38 is no longer fed by the further rectifier 30. However, the inverter 34 will continue to be operated for a longer time due to the voltage applied to the capacitance 38 and the electrical energy stored thereby. As a result, energy also continues to be transmitted from the charging device 28 to the hearing device 4, wherein, however, the voltage induced in the coil 26 decreases slowly, in such a way that the voltage 44 applied to the contacts 20 also decreases relatively slowly.

[0059] As a result, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the derivation 52 is below the second limit value 62, which is selected to be equal to a first limit value 64. In other words, the two limit values 62, 64 are equal. The difference in the voltage 44 detected at the times is also greater than the corresponding determined value. In this case, a standby operating mode is selected as the operating mode 60. In summary, the standby operating mode is selected when the voltage 44 decreases more slowly than the first limit value 64. In standby operating mode, the electronics 10 are operated in an operating mode in which an energy demand is reduced, provided this is not already the case. For this purpose, for example, the amplifier circuit, the signal processing circuit and/or the signal processor are completely switched off. The regulation unit is also switched off. As a result, an energy demand of the hearing device 4 is reduced and the device can be stored over a relatively long period of time. When the user would like to use the hearing device 4, it is necessary to set it to working mode, which is done by using a corresponding input, in particular the actuation of a switch.

[0060] The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, other variants of the invention may also be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the subject matter of the invention. In particular, it is also the case that all individual features described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiment may also be combined with one another in some other way without departing from the subject matter of the invention.

[0061] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention.

LISTED OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0062] 2 System

[0063] 4 Hearing device

[0064] 6 Hearing device housing

[0065] 8 Microphone

[0066] 10 Electronics

[0067] 12 Receiver

[0068] 14 Battery

[0069] 16 Charging circuit

[0070] 18 Charging terminal

[0071] 20 Contact

[0072] 21 A/D converter

[0073] 22 Capacitor

[0074] 24 Rectifier

[0075] 26 Coil

[0076] 28 Charging device

[0077] 28′ Mating contact

[0078] 30 Further rectifier

[0079] 32 Plug

[0080] 34 Inverter

[0081] 36 Coil of the charging device

[0082] 38 Capacitance

[0083] 40 Method

[0084] 42 First working step

[0085] 44 Voltage

[0086] 46 Third limit value

[0087] 48 Second working step

[0088] 50 Time profile

[0089] 52 Derivation

[0090] 54 Time

[0091] 56 Time period

[0092] 58 Third working step

[0093] 60 Operating mode

[0094] 62 Second limit value

[0095] 64 First limit value