Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Peripheral configuration
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-14
2002-09-10
Lee, Thomas (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Peripheral configuration
C710S064000, C710S073000, C381S065000, C381S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06449662
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a programming system for programmable hearing aids; and, more particularly relates to a hearing aid programming system utilizing a host computer in conjunction with a hearing aid interface device and operates with a well-defined port to the host.
Hearing aids have been developed to ameliorate the effects of hearing losses in individuals. Hearing deficiencies can range from deafness to hearing losses where the individual has impairment of responding to different frequencies of sound or to being able to differentiate sounds occurring simultaneously. The hearing aid in its most elementary form usually provides for auditory correction through the amplification and filtering of sound provided in the environment with the intent that the individual can hear better than without the amplification.
Prior art hearing aids offering adjustable operational parameters to optimize hearing and comfort to the user have been developed. Parameters, such as volume or tone, may easily be adjusted, and many hearing aids allow for the individual user to adjust these parameters. It is usual that an individual's hearing loss is not uniform over the entire frequency spectrum of audible sound. An individual's hearing loss may be greater at higher frequency ranges than at lower frequencies. Recognizing these differentiations in hearing loss considerations between individuals, it has become common for a hearing health professional to make measurements that will indicate the type of correction or assistance that will be the most beneficial to improve that individual's hearing capability. A variety of measurements may be taken, which can include establishing speech recognition scores, or measurement of the individual's perceptive ability for differing sound frequencies and differing sound amplitudes. The resulting score data or amplitude/frequency response can be provided in tabular form or graphically represented, such that the individual's hearing loss may be compared to what would be considered a more normal hearing response. To assist in improving the hearing of individuals, it has been found desirable to provide adjustable hearing aids wherein filtering parameters may be adjusted, and automatic gain control (AGC) parameters are adjustable.
With the development of micro-electronics and microprocessors, programmable hearing aids have become well-known. It is known for programmable hearing aids to have a digital control section which stores auditory parameters and which controls aspects of signal processing characteristics. Such programmable hearing aids also have a signal processing section, which may be analog or digital, and which operates under control of the control section to perform the signal processing or amplification to meet the needs of the individual.
Hearing aid programming systems have characteristically fallen into two categories: (a) programming systems that are utilized at the manufacturer's plant or distribution center, or (b) programming systems that are utilized at the point of dispensing the hearing aid.
One type of programming system for programming hearing aids are the stand-alone programmers that are self-contained and are designed to provide the designed programming capabilities. Examples of the stand-alone programmers are the Sigma 4000, available commercially from Unitron of Kitchenor, Ontario, Canada, and the Solo II available commercially from dbc-mifco of Portsmouth, N.H. It is apparent that stand-alone programmers are custom designed to provide the programming functions known at the time. Stand-alone programmers tend to be inflexible and difficult to update and modify, thereby raising the cost to stay current. Further, such stand-alone programmers are normally designed for handling a limited number of hearing aid types and lack versatility. Should there be an error in the system that provides the programming, such stand-alone systems tend to be difficult to repair or upgrade.
Another type of programming system is one in which the programmer is connected to other computing equipment. An example of cable interconnection programming systems is the Hi Pro, available from Madsen of Copenhagen, Denmark. A system where multiple programming units are connected via telephone lines to a central computer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,086 to J. C. Platt. Another example of a programming system that allows interchangeable programming systems driven by a personal computer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,674 to W. Meyer et al. Other U.S. patents that suggest the use of some form of computing device coupled to an external hearing aid programming device are U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,481 to Mansgold et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,086 to Platt; U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,312 to Newton et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,432 to Tø pholm. Programming systems that are cable-coupled or otherwise coupled to supporting computing equipment tend to be relatively expensive in that such programming equipment must have its own power supply, power cord, housing, and circuitry, thereby making the hearing aid programmer large and not as readily transportable as is desirable.
Yet another type of hearing aid programmer available in the prior art is a programmer that is designed to install into and become part of a larger computing system. An example of such a plug-in system is available commercially and is known as the UX Solo available from DBC-MIFCO. Hearing aid programmers of the type that plug into larger computers are generally designed to be compatible with the expansion ports on a specific computer. Past systems have generally been designed to plug into the bus structure known as the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) which has primarily found application in computers available from IBM. The ISA expansion bus is not available on many present-day hand-held or lap top computers. Further, plugging cards into available ISA expansion ports requires opening the computer cabinet and appropriately installing the expansion card.
It can be seen then that the prior art systems do not readily provide for a hearing aid programming system that can be easily affixed to a personal computer such as a lap top computer or a hand-held computer for rendering the entire programming system easily operable and easily transportable. Further, the prior art systems tend to be relatively more expensive, and are not designed to allow modification or enhancement of the software while maintaining the simplicity of operation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the invention in providing a small, highly transportable, inexpensive, and versatile system for programming hearing aids is accomplished through the use of host computer means for providing at least one hearing aid program, where the host computer means includes at least one uniformly specified expansion port for providing power circuits, data circuits, and control circuits, and a pluggable card means coupled to the specified port for interacting with the host computer means for controlling programming of at least one hearing aid, the programming system including coupling means for coupling the card means to at least one hearing aid to be programmed.
Another primary objective of the invention is to utilize a standardized specification defining the port architecture for the host computer, wherein the hearing aid programming system can utilize any host computer that incorporates the standardized port architecture. In this regard, the personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) specification for the port technology allows the host computer to be selected from lap top computers, notebook computers, or hand-held computers where such PCMCIA ports are available and supported. With the present invention, it is no longer needed to provide general purpose computers, either at the location of the hearing health professional, or at the factory or distribution center of the manufacturer of the hearing
Cao Chun
Lee Thomas
Micro Ear Technology Inc.
Schwegman Lundberg Woessner & Kluth P.A.
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