Switching stuctures for hearing aid
View Patent ↗An apparatus is provided that includes an input system, an output system, and a sensor for sensing magnetic fields. In one example, a signal processing circuit electrically connects the input system to the output system, and a magnetic sensor adapted to inhibit the acoustic input and function as a magnetic input in the presence of a magnetic field. In one example, the magnetic sensor includes a giant magneto resistive (GMR) sensor. In another example, the magnetic sensor includes an anisotropic magneto resistive (AMR) sensor. The magnetic field can be generated by, among other things, a magnet in a telephone handset. The hearing aid further is programmed based on time-varying characteristics of the magnetic field. Wireless activation or deactivation of the hearing aid is also described. Other examples and options are provided herein.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
an acoustic sensor;
a dual-purpose magnetic sensor;
an acoustic output system;
a signal processing circuit configured to process signals from the acoustic sensor input or the dual-purpose magnetic sensor and to present processed signals to the output system; and
a switching circuit configured to, based on detection of a magnetic field of programmable strength, switch from using the acoustic sensor as input to using the dual-purpose magnetic sensor as input, the switching circuit using the dual-purpose magnetic sensor to detect the magnetic field.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor includes a giant magneto resistive (GMR) sensor.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor includes an anisotropic magneto resistive (AMR) sensor.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor comprises a spin dependent tunneling sensor.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field of programmable strength includes a magnetic field of a telephone handset magnet in proximity.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor is configured to sense alternating current fluctuations in the magnetic field.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor is configured to sense inductive signals in the magnetic field.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic sensor includes a microphone.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes a hearing aid.
11. A method, comprising:
detecting presence of a magnetic field of programmable strength using a dual-purpose magnetic sensor;
switching input of a hearing aid from using an acoustic sensor input to using the dual-purpose magnetic sensor;
using the dual-purpose magnetic sensor to convert a modulated magnetic signal produced from a source external to the hearing aid to an electrical signal;
processing the electrical signal to produce a processed electrical signal; and
producing an acoustic signal for output by a speaker of the hearing aid using the processed electrical signal.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting presence of a magnetic filed includes detecting a telephone handset magnet in proximity.
13. The method of claim 11 , comprising using a mixing approach to add signals from a time varying electromagnetic field received by the dual-purpose magnetic sensor.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein signal strength of the time varying electromagnetic field is used to adjust a level of mixing.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein detecting presence of a magnetic field includes detecting information modulated in a time varying magnetic field from a less time variant magnetic component indicating proximity of a generating device.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the acoustic sensor input includes a microphone.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor includes a giant magneto resistive (GMR) sensor.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor includes an anisotropic magneto resistive (AMR) sensor.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dual-purpose magnetic sensor comprises a spin dependent tunneling sensor.