Silicon-based transducer for use in hearing instruments and listening devices
View Patent ↗A silicon-based transducer assembly coupled to a movable structure in a hearing instrument. The transducer assembly includes at least one microphone chip and an ASIC having multiple integrated components such as any combination of a DSP, an A/D converter, an amplifier, a filter, or a wireless interface. The movable structure may be a battery access door, a volume dial, a switch, or a touch pad. A protection strip can be disposed across the battery access door to prevent debris from clogging the silicon-based transducer assembly. The transducer assembly may also include an array of microphone chips to achieve adaptive beam steering or directionality. When equipped with a wireless interface, the hearing instrument wirelessly communicates with another hearing instrument or with a network.
1. A transducer assembly, comprising:
a housing having an exposed portion to the environment, the exposed portion having an opening therethrough; and
a silicon-based transducer assembly that includes:
a silicon-based transducer chip,
an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip, and
an intermediate chip fixing said silicon-based transducer chip to said ASIC chip in a spaced relationship, said intermediate element including an electrical conductor coupling said integrated electronic circuit chip and said silicon-based transducer chip, said ASIC chip including an analog-to-digital converter for converting an analog electrical signal representing sound to a digital audio signal.
2. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein said ASIC chip is located on one side of said intermediate element and said silicon-based transducer chip is located on an opposing side of said intermediate element.
3. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein said intermediate chip and said ASIC chip are generally coplanar.
4. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein said ASIC chip is flip-chip mounted to said intermediate element.
5. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein said ASIC chip further includes a wireless interface that modulates said digital audio signal to produce a modulated audio signal that is transmitted from said transducer assembly via a wireless communication link.
6. The transducer assembly of claim 5 , wherein said wireless communication link is an RF link.
7. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a manually movable structure disposed in said opening, said manually movable structure having a custom shape formed by stereolithography to optimize placement of said silicon-based transducer for the wearer of said hearing instrument, said silicon-based transducer assembly being coupled to said manually movable structure.
8. The transducer assembly of claim 7 , wherein said manually movable structure is an access door, said silicon-based transducer assembly being secured to said access door, said access door having at least one aperture to permit access of sound to said silicon-based transducer assembly.
9. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein said silicon-based transducer chip is fabricated according to microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology.
10. The transducer assembly of claim 1 , wherein said ASIC includes CMOS structures.
11. A transducer assembly, comprising:
a housing having an exposed portion to the environment, the exposed portion having an opening therethrough for permitting communication of sound; and
a silicon-based transducer assembly that includes:
a silicon-based transducer chip for transducing between said sound and an analog electrical signal representing said sound,
an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip, and
an intermediate chip fixing said silicon-based transducer chip to said ASIC chip in a spaced relationship, said intermediate element including an electrical conductor coupling said integrated electronic circuit chip and said silicon-based transducer chip, said ASIC chip including an analog-to-digital converter for converting said analog electrical signal to a digital audio signal, said ASIC chip further including a wireless interface that modulates said digital audio signal to produce a modulated audio signal that is transmitted from said transducer assembly.
12. The transducer assembly of claim 11 further comprising a manually movable structure disposed in said opening, said manually movable structure having a custom shape formed by stereolithography to optimize placement of said silicon-based transducer for the wearer of said hearing instrument, said silicon-based transducer assembly being coupled to said manually movable structure.
13. The transducer assembly of claim 12 , wherein said manually movable structure is an access door, said silicon-based transducer assembly being secured to said access door, said access door having at least one aperture to permit access of sound to said silicon-based transducer assembly.
14. The transducer assembly of claim 11 , wherein said ASIC chip is located on one side of said intermediate element and said silicon-based transducer chip is located on an opposing side of said intermediate element.
15. The transducer assembly of claim 11 , wherein said intermediate chip and said ASIC chip are generally coplanar.
16. The transducer assembly of claim 11 , wherein said ASIC chip is flip-chip mounted to said intermediate element.
17. The transducer assembly of claim 11 , wherein said wireless communication link is an RF link.
18. The transducer assembly of claim 11 , wherein said wireless interface modulates said digital audio signal according to a Bluetooth specification.
19. The transducer assembly of claim 11 , wherein said silicon-based transducer chip is fabricated according to microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology.
20. The transducer assembly of claim 11 , wherein said ASIC includes CMOS structures.