Charging contact arrangement, hearing device and hearing device system

Abstract

Charging contact arrangement (1) for a hearing aid system (2), comprising - a first charging contact (20) which is accessible on an outer side (28) for contacting a first mating contact (32) of a mating contact arrangement (18), - a second charging contact (22) which is accessible on the outside (28) for contacting a second mating contact (34) of the mating contact arrangement (18), - a control contact (30) which is galvanically isolated on the outside (28) from the first and second charging contacts (20, 22), and - a charging controller (16) which is configured to deactivate a hearing device (4) associated with the first and second charging contacts (20, 22) when the control contact (30) is bridged to the first charging contact (20).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a charging contact arrangement for a hearing aid system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a hearing aid and a hearing aid system.

[0002] Hearing aids are typically used to output an audio signal to the hearing of the wearer. The output is provided by an output transducer, usually acoustically via airborne sound using a loudspeaker (also referred to as a "receiver" or "earpiece"). Such hearing aids are often used as so-called hearing aids (also referred to as hearing aids for short). For this purpose, the hearing aids normally comprise an acoustic input transducer (in particular a microphone) and a signal processor configured to process the input signal (also known as a microphone signal) generated by the input transducer from the ambient sound using at least one signal processing algorithm, usually stored for the specific user, in such a way that any hearing loss of the hearing aid wearer is at least partially compensated.Particularly in the case of a hearing aid, the output transducer can be a loudspeaker, a bone conduction hearing aid, or a cochlear implant, which are designed to mechanically or electrically couple the audio signal into the wearer's ear. The term "hearing aid" also includes devices such as tinnitus maskers, headsets, headphones, and the like.

[0003] Typical designs of hearing aids, particularly hearing aids, are behind-the-ear (BTE) and in-the-ear (lDO or ITE) hearing aids. These terms refer to the intended wearing position. Behind-the-ear hearing aids have a (main) housing that is worn behind the auricle. A distinction can be made between models with a speaker located within this housing. Sound is usually delivered to the ear via a sound tube worn in the ear canal, and models with an external speaker placed in the ear canal. In-the-ear hearing aids, on the other hand, have a housing that is worn in the auricle or even completely within the ear canal.

[0004] Modern hearing aids often have integrated, permanently installed secondary cells, or "accumulators," as their energy source. In addition to USB cables, charging cradles or charging boxes with galvanic charging contact systems are also used for recharging. Galvanic contacting usually has the advantage of being comparatively simple to implement compared to contactless charging systems, but also often requires fewer or smaller components.

[0005] Hearing aids are usually designed to be deactivated (switched off) during charging, i.e., when the hearing aid is placed in the charging cradle or case and contacted with the corresponding contacts. With hearing aids, this is useful, among other things, to avoid feedback noise, for example, in a closed charging case, which occurs when the hearing aid detects its own acoustic output signal. This is usually done by evaluating a charging current or voltage. When the hearing aid is removed from the charging cradle or case, the hearing aid reactivates.

[0006] DE 10 2012 214 469 A1 discloses a hearing instrument system comprising a hearing instrument with an energy transfer interface and a communication interface, a battery system, the battery system comprising a battery, an energy transfer interface, a communication interface, and a battery control device, and a charging system with an energy transfer interface, a communication interface, and a charging control device. The battery-side energy transfer interface and communication interface can each establish an energy transfer connection and a communication connection with the charger-side and the hearing instrument-side, respectively. The battery system makes energy stored in the battery available to the hearing instrument via the corresponding energy transfer connection and transmits charge level information generated by the battery control device to the hearing instrument via the respective communication connection.By transmitting the charge level information, reliable charge level detection is possible, for example with regard to EOL detection by the hearing instrument, even for batteries whose charge level cannot be determined by their voltage, such as Li-Ion systems with regulated voltage.

[0007] DE 10 2014 218 053 ​​A1 describes a hearing instrument with a power supply unit, comprising a hearing aid body, at least one microphone, a receiver, a receiver connection means or a sound tube, an earpiece, a power supply unit, and a signal processing unit. The power supply unit comprises a repeatedly rechargeable energy supply means and a control and monitoring means, and the hearing instrument comprises a switching means configured to assume at least two switching states. The control and monitoring means is configured to control a switch-off state of the hearing instrument depending on the switching state of the switching means.

[0008] US 2019 / 0 110 141 A1 describes a hearing aid comprising an electronics frame for holding electronic components. The hearing aid further comprises a first spring contact and a second spring contact, wherein the two spring contacts are attached to the electronics frame, and wherein the two spring contacts are configured for reversible electrical contacting of at least one of the electronic components with contact surfaces of a bipolar battery. Furthermore, the hearing aid comprises a battery module comprising a rechargeable battery and converter electronics. The battery module is movably hinged to the electronics frame and comprises connecting contacts corresponding to the two spring contacts.

[0009] The invention is based on the object of enabling particularly reliable detection of contact between a hearing device and a charger.

[0010] This object is achieved according to the invention by a charging contact arrangement having the features of claim 1. Furthermore, this object is achieved according to the invention by a hearing device having the features of claim 9. This object is also achieved according to the invention by a hearing device system having the features of claim 10. Advantageous and partly inventive embodiments and further developments of the invention are set out in the subclaims and the following description.

[0011] The charging contact arrangement according to the invention is designed and intended for use in a hearing aid system. The charging contact arrangement has a first charging contact, which is accessible on an outer side (of the charging contact arrangement and thus of an element supporting it, e.g., a hearing aid) for contacting a first mating contact of a mating contact arrangement. Furthermore, the charging contact arrangement has a second charging contact, which is accessible on the outer side for contacting a second mating contact of the mating contact arrangement. The first and second charging contacts form, in particular, a contact pair required for galvanic contacting for a proper charging process ("positive" and "negative" contact, specifically two contacts assigned to different electrical potentials).Furthermore, the charging contact arrangement has a control contact that is galvanically isolated (arranged) on the outside from the first and second charging contacts. Furthermore, the charging contact arrangement also has a charging controller that is configured to deactivate the hearing device (of the hearing device system) that is associated with the first and second charging contacts—that is, encompasses them or is connected to them for charging—when the control contact is bridged to the first charging contact.

[0012] In the preferred case that the first and second charging contacts as well as the control contact - hence the charging contact arrangement - are part of the hearing device, the charging controller is thus configured to deactivate the hearing device, ie in particular to switch off at least one audio signal processing.

[0013] Based on the detected bridging, the charging controller advantageously concludes that the first and second charging contacts are making proper contact with the corresponding mating contact due to the hearing aid positioned in the charger (or connected to it). This detection is advantageously independent of the charger's power supply and thus particularly reliable. The invention thus advantageously also enables particularly reliable control of the hearing aid system or even just the hearing aid. For example, the charging process on the part of the charger (e.g., a charging cradle or charging box), which preferably forms part of the hearing aid system (at least for the intended charging process), can only be started once the intended contact has been detected.Likewise, the hearing aid can advantageously be reliably deactivated or reactivated if contact is lost.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the control contact is positioned such that, in the intended contacting state, it is contacted by the first mating contact. Thus, this first mating contact bridges the first charging contact to the control contact, thus interconnecting them. This eliminates the need to provide an additional mating contact corresponding to the control contact on the mating contact arrangement. This, in turn, eliminates the need to redesign any existing mating contact arrangements.

[0015] Further preferably, the control contact has a contact surface that is arranged at the same level as a contact surface of the first charging contact. In other words, the contact surfaces of the control contact and the first charging contact are in the same plane. This simplifies the joint contacting of these two contacts by the first mating contact.

[0016] In contrast, in a practical design, the contact surfaces of the first and second charging contacts are at different levels. This can prevent, for example, inadvertent contact between the first and second charging contacts by the same mating contact.

[0017] In another practical embodiment, the control contact is wired with high impedance. Optionally, a so-called “tri-state” is used for this, in particular a digital circuit element whose outputs can assume not only the two usual states (“0” and “1”), but also a third state, usually designated “Z” or “high impedance”. Alternatively, pull-down or pull-up resistors are also used. Optionally, the control contact is wired in such a way that in the unbridged (i.e. non-contacted) state it is connected to the charge controller with high impedance, whereas when bridging using the first mating contact, the control contact is pulled to a different potential. Particularly when no tri-state is used, the control contact is wired in such a way that in the unbridged state the latter has high impedance, e.g.with 100 kOhm, connected to "plus" (i.e., to the positive or higher potential, also known as "logic 1"), which is preferably the second charging contact. If the control contact is bridged to the first charging contact, the control contact is pulled to "logic zero."

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the charging controller is configured to detect the bridging of the control contact to the first charging contact and, thereby, the proper contacting, that the control contact—in particular as described above—is pulled to a different electrical potential, in particular the potential at which the first charging contact is also located. This potential depends, for example, on whether a charging voltage (with an assigned charging voltage value) is applied between the mating contacts or whether the first charging contact, for example, is at the potential of the secondary cell to be charged (e.g., the secondary cell of the hearing aid). Thus, the detection of whether contact is established with the first mating contact works regardless of whether the charger is in operation or inactive.In the event that the charging contact arrangement of the hearing aid and the mating contact arrangement are assigned to the charger, it may happen that the hearing aid is inserted into the charger and contacted with the mating contact arrangement without the charger being in operation (e.g., not connected to a power supply or the like). Since hearing aids are regularly deactivated during the charging process, if the deactivation is based solely on the detection of the charging voltage, it may happen that the hearing aid is activated, thus discharging the secondary cell—or, in the case of a hearing aid, even causing feedback whistling. Both of these can be avoided thanks to the contact detection described above.

[0019] In a practical embodiment, the first charging contact and the control contact are arranged on a circular line around the second charging contact. This allows for the use of a rotationally symmetrical mating contact arrangement, which enables easy contact between the charging contact arrangement and the mating contact arrangement.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the contact surfaces of the first charging contact and the control contact are each formed as a circular arc section. In particular, both contact surfaces, viewed together, resemble a circular ring divided along a diameter line.

[0021] The hearing device according to the invention has the charging contact arrangement described above.

[0022] Deactivation upon detection of a bridging also implements a restart function for the hearing aid. This is particularly useful for modern hearing aids that no longer have a mechanical "off" switch. In this case, a restart can be forced if the hearing aid no longer functions properly and there is no response to the usual inputs ("software reset").

[0023] The charging controller is preferably integrated into a controller of the hearing aid.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, the controller and / or the charging controller is formed, at least in its core, by a microcontroller with a processor and a data memory, in which the functionality for detecting the contact is implemented in the form of operating software (firmware). Alternatively, the controller or the charging controller is also formed by circuitry, optionally a non-programmable electronic component, e.g., an ASIC.

[0025] The hearing aid system according to the invention comprises the aforementioned hearing aid and a charging device (in particular the aforementioned). The hearing aid therefore (preferably) comprises the charging contact arrangement or, alternatively, the counter-contact arrangement, and the charging device, conversely, comprises the counter-contact arrangement or the charging contact arrangement.

[0026] Therefore, the hearing aid and the hearing aid system share the features and the resulting advantages with the charging contact arrangement.

[0027] The conjunction “and / or” is to be understood here and in the following in particular in such a way that the features linked by means of this conjunction can be formed both together and as alternatives to one another.

[0028] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a charging contact arrangement for a hearing aid system, Fig. 2 in a partial sectional view II-II according to Fig. 1 schematically shows the charging contact arrangement, Fig. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a counter contact arrangement, Fig. 4 in view according to Fig. 2 schematically shows the hearing aid system with the charging contact arrangement and the counter contact arrangement in a proper contacting state, and Fig. 5 shows a schematic representation of the hearing aid system.

[0029] Corresponding parts are always provided with the same reference symbols in all figures.

[0030] In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a charging contact arrangement 1 for a Fig. 5 shows a schematically illustrated hearing aid system 2. The hearing aid system 2 comprises at least one hearing aid in the form of a hearing aid (in short: hearing aid 4), here formed by a hearing aid worn behind the ear, and a charger 6. The hearing aid 4 has two microphones 8 for detecting sound, a signal processor ("controller 10"), and a loudspeaker 12 for outputting output signals detected by the microphones 8 and processed by the controller 10. The hearing aid 4 has a secondary cell 14 for power supply.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the charging contact arrangement 1 is part of the hearing aid 4 and serves to introduce charging energy provided by the charging device 6 into the secondary cell 14. A charging controller 16 is part of the controller 10 in the illustrated embodiment. The charging device 6 has a corresponding counter-contact arrangement 18 for galvanically contacting the charging contact arrangement 1 (see Fig. 3).

[0032] The charging contact arrangement 1 has a first charging contact 20 and a second charging contact 22, which serve for the conventional transmission of charging energy, specifically a charging current. The first charging contact 20 is modeled after a circular ring section. The second charging contact 22 forms a type of pin at the center of the circular ring section. A contact surface 24 of the first charging contact 20 is located at a different level, i.e., on a different plane, than a contact surface 26 of the second charging contact 22. Specifically, the contact surface 24 is offset from an outer side 28 of the charging contact arrangement 1 and thus also from the hearing aid 4.

[0033] The charging contact arrangement 1 also has a control contact 30. This is designed similarly to the first charging contact 20 and, together with it, forms a discontinuous circular ring. The control contact 30 is galvanically isolated, at least on the outside, from the first charging contact 20 and the second charging contact 22.

[0034] In Fig. Figure 3 shows the mating contact arrangement 18 in more detail. This comprises a first, circular-ring-shaped mating contact 32, which is provided for contacting the first charging contact 20, as well as a second mating contact 34. The latter serves to contact the second charging contact 22 and, in the present embodiment, is formed by a type of "pogo pin," i.e., a spring-loaded pin. In the unloaded state, this protrudes beyond a contact surface 36 of the first mating contact 34.

[0035] In Fig. Figure 4 illustrates in more detail the intended contacting of the charging contact assembly 1 by the mating contact assembly 18 and the functional principle of the control contact 30. The second charging contact 22 is contacted by the second mating contact 34. The mating contact assembly 18 has a holding magnet 38. This pulls the charging contact assembly 1 toward the mating contact assembly 18. As a result, the second mating contact 34 is pushed in against the spring action until the first mating contact 32 comes into contact with the first charging contact 20.

[0036] The control contact 30 has a contact surface 40 which is in the same plane, i.e. at the same level, as the contact surface 24 of the first charging contact 20. As a result, the first counter contact 32 not only contacts the first charging contact 20 but also the control contact 30 and thus bridges them.

[0037] The control contact 30 is either connected to the charging controller 16 by means of a tri-state (not shown) such that in the non-bridged state the control contact 30 has no logical signal, or alternatively it is connected with high resistance (to "plus"). Fig.In the bridged state shown in Figure 4, the control contact 30 is detected as being pulled to a different potential, in the present embodiment to "logical zero." The charging controller 16 is configured to detect from this potential change that the control contact 30 is bridged to the first charging contact 20 and to conclude from this that the charging contact arrangement 1 is galvanically contacted to the mating contact arrangement 18. If the charging controller 16 concludes that this contact is present, the charging controller 16 switches and maintains the hearing aid 4 in an inactive state in which no signal processing takes place. Preferably, in this state, only the charging controller 16 is active in order to charge the secondary cell 14.If the bridging between the control contact 30 and the first charging contact 22 is “lost”, the control contact 30, in the case of the tri-state, returns to its “third” or non-logical state (or alternatively to its high-resistance state connected to plus), whereupon the charging controller 16 reactivates the hearing aid 4.

[0038] The subject matter of the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, further embodiments of the invention can be derived by those skilled in the art from the above description. List of reference symbols 1 charging contact arrangement 2 Hearing aid system 4 Hearing aid 6 Charger 8 microphones 10 controllers 12 speakers 14 Secondary cell 16 charging controllers 18 Counter contact arrangement 20 Charging contact 22 Charging contact 24 contact surface 26 Contact surface 28 Outside 30 Control contact 32 Counter contact 34 Counter contact 36 contact surface 38 Holding magnet 40 contact area

Claims

[1] Charging contact arrangement (1) for a hearing aid system (2), comprising - a first charging contact (20) which is accessible on an outer side (28) for contacting a first counter-contact (32) of a counter-contact arrangement (18), - a second charging contact (22) which is accessible on the outside (28) for contacting a second counter-contact (34) of the counter-contact arrangement (18), - a control contact (30) which is galvanically isolated on the outside (28) from the first and second charging contacts (20, 22), and - a charging controller (16) which is configured to cause deactivation of a hearing device (4) associated with the first and second charging contacts (20, 22) when the control contact (30) is bridged to the first charging contact (20). [2] Charging contact arrangement (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control contact (30) is positioned such that it is contacted by the first counter contact (32) in the intended contacting state. [3] Charging contact arrangement (1) according to claim 2, wherein the control contact (30) has a contact surface (40) which is arranged at the same level as a contact surface (24) of the first charging contact (20). [4] Charging contact arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control contact (30) is connected with high resistance. [5] Charging contact arrangement (1) according to claim 2 and 4, wherein the charging controller (16) is configured to detect the bridging of the control contact (30) to the first charging contact (20) by the fact that the control contact (30) is pulled to a different electrical potential. [6] Charging contact arrangement (1) according to claim 5, wherein the charging controller (16) is configured to detect the bridging of the control contact (30) to the first charging contact (20) by the fact that the control contact (30) is pulled to the potential at which the first charging contact (20) is also located. [7] Charging contact arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first charging contact (20) and the control contact (30) are arranged on a circular line around the second charging contact (22). [8] Charging contact arrangement (1) according to claim 7, wherein the contact surfaces (24, 40) of the first charging contact (20) and the control contact (30) are each formed as a circular arc section. [9] Hearing device (4) with a charging contact arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8. [10] Hearing device system (2) comprising a hearing device (4) and a charging device (6), wherein the hearing device (4) comprises a charging contact arrangement (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8 or a corresponding counter-contact arrangement (18) and the charging device (6) correspondingly comprises the counter-contact arrangement (18) or the charging contact arrangement (1) respectively.

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