Programmable module

Details Programmable module Programmable module

2001-03-13

2004-01-13

Kuntz, Curtis (Department: 2643)

Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices

Hearing aids, electrical

Specified casing or housing

C381S314000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06678386

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to programmable hearing aids. More specifically, the present invention relates to a programmable module for use in a programmable hearing aid.
Over the past decade, hearing aids have evolved to include complete insertion into a patient's ear canal so that a face of the hearing aid is flush with or below an entrance to the patient's ear canal. Such hearing aids are referred to as “Completely-In-the-Canal” or “CIC” hearing aids in the industry. Additionally, the face of the CIC hearing aid may include a variety of operational components, such as a microphone, a tuner, an amplifier, a retrieval line, a receiver, or the like, to enhance performance of the hearing aid for a patient.
Accordingly, such operational components have become progressively more sophisticated, and modification of a hearing aid to include, for example, adjustment of a level of background noise detected, speech intelligibility, attenuation of sounds or even programming a level of sound coming from an environment is now common in the CIC hearing aid. Such hearing aids, termed “programmable hearing aids”, permit adjustment of operational components to maximize performance of the CIC hearing aid.
Typically, such programmable hearing aids are programmed while they are in the patient's ear canal. Currently, programming of a hearing aid is accomplished via insertion of a programmable cable into a programmable module located on the face of the hearing aid.
Nevertheless, programming remains challenging for a number of reasons. For example, proper location and orientation of the programmable module on the face of the hearing aid is difficult since hearing aids also position operational components that limit space available on the face for the programming module. Similarly, if the programmable module is not properly oriented with respect to the face, cable insertion becomes challenging, and may even result in damage to the cable, or even the entire hearing aid during programming.
Additionally, programmable hearing aids are custom-fitted to the patient's ear. With many variations in size and shape being possible for a programmable hearing aid, the inclusion of a programmable module may require extensive experimentation, and therefore, the use of highly skilled workers to manufacture the hearing aid. Such use of skilled workers typically increases the costs of programmable hearing aids.
Current programmable hearing aids position the programmable module in integral communication with a battery module which permits a battery door of the battery module to facilitate an operable connection between the programmable cable and the programmable module via opening and shutting of the battery door. Nevertheless, such positioning typically limits the option of placing the programmable module at any surface of the face to support proper positioning of other operational components during custom-fitting of the hearing aid for the patient.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a self-contained, discrete programmable module for a programmable hearing aid, in which the self-contained discrete programmable module includes a plastic housing having a first wall and a second wall, in which the first and second walls define a slot, and the first and second walls having at least one shoulder that is effective in slanting the slot. The present invention further includes a plurality of electrical leads disposed within the plastic housing, such that the electrical leads are integrally formed within the second wall and a third wall of the plastic housing, in which each electrical lead extends into the slot, and each electrical lead is effective in providing a force that retains a programmable cable inserted therein for programming the programmable module.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4961230 (1990-10-01), Rising
patent: 5799095 (1998-08-01), Hanright
patent: 5915031 (1999-06-01), Hanright
patent: 6088465 (2000-07-01), Hanright et al.
patent: 44 44 586 (1996-03-01), None

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