Low-Cost Hearing Aid Platforms and Methods of Use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019306638-A1
Application number	US-201916374171-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 3, 2019
Priority date	Apr 3, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Low-cost hearing aid platforms that are customizable for specific user needs are disclosed. An exemplary hearing aid platform includes an electret microphone, an amplifier, a capacitor, a printable circuit board (PCB), an audio output, and a housing for the components. The hearing aid platform may comprise customizable gain settings and safety features such as automatic gain control. In some embodiments, the hearing aid platform may connect to headphones. In some embodiments, the hearing aid platform may connect to a bone transducer. Devices described herein also may include housings that are customizable for a user's needs and/or personality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device consisting of:
an electret microphone; an amplifier; a capacitor; a printable circuit board (PCB), wherein the electret microphone, the amplifier, and the capacitor are disposed upon the PCB; an audio output in electrical communication with the amplifier; a power source in electrical communication with the PCB; and a housing containing one or more of the electret microphone, amplifier, capacitor, PCB, audio output, and power source.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the power source supplies a voltage of from between approximately 3.0V and approximately 4.5V.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the power source is one or more batteries.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the microphone has an attack/release ratio of from between 1:500 and 1:2000.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the audio output is an audio jack configured to output a signal to headphones.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the audio output is configured to output a signal to a bone transducer.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing forms a wearable device, and wherein the wearable is one of a necklace, a neck band, glasses, or a hat.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a total harmonic distortion of the device, when the microphone is subjected to a 70 dB sound input, is less than 1% at each of 500 Hz, 800 Hz, and 1500 Hz.

9 . A device comprising;
an electret microphone; an amplifier; a capacitor; a printable circuit board (PCB), wherein the electret microphone, the amplifier, and the capacitor are disposed upon the PCB; an audio output in electrical communication with the amplifier; and a power source in electrical communication with the PCB, wherein the device does not comprise a digital signal processor.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the power source supplies a voltage of from between approximately 3.0V and approximately 4.5V.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the power source is one of one or more double-A batteries, one or more triple-A batteries, or a lithium ion polymer battery.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the microphone has an attack/release ratio of from between 1:500 and 1:2000.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the audio output is a headphone jack, the device further comprising headphones in electrical connection with the headphone jack.

14 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the audio output is in electrical connection with a bone transducer.

15 . The device of claim 9 , wherein a total harmonic distortion of the device, when the microphone is subjected to a 70 dB sound input, is less than 1% at each of 500 Hz, 800 Hz, and 1500 Hz.

16 . A method of creating a hearing aid comprising:
providing a printable circuit board (PCB); providing an electret microphone comprising a voltage output; providing an amplifier comprising a voltage input and a voltage output; attaching the electret microphone and the amplifier to the PCB; connecting, via a capacitor, the voltage output of the electret microphone to the voltage input of the amplifier; connecting an audio output to the voltage output the amplifier; providing a power source configured to supply voltage to the electret microphone and the amplifier, the power source comprising at least one of a double-A battery, a triple-A battery, or a lithium ion polymer battery; and providing a housing comprising an internal cavity, wherein the PCB, the electret microphone, and the amplifier are disposed within the internal cavity of the housing.

17 . The method of claim 16 ,
wherein the audio output is an audio jack comprising a female-end receptacle, wherein the audio jack is disposed at least partially within the internal cavity of the housing, and wherein the female-end receptacle extends at least partially from the internal cavity and through the housing.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the housing and the audio jack are water resistant.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the housing comprises a three-dimensional printed polymer.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the microphone has an attack/release ratio of from between 1:500 and 1:2000.

Assignees

• Georgia Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Bhamla M Saad
• Sinha Soham

Classifications

• H04R2225/59

  Arrangements for selective connection between one or more amplifiers and one or more receivers within one hearing aid · CPC title

• H04R2225/021

  Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R25/602

  of batteries · CPC title

• H04R25/658 Primary

  Manufacture of housing parts · CPC title

• H04R2225/57

  Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts · CPC title