Hearing aid programming interface

A programmable hearing aid having a battery compartment which holds a battery under normal operating conditions is also adapted to hold a coupler member for connecting an external programming device to the hearing aid. To connect an external programming device to the hearing aid, lead wires in contact with the programming device are contacted with battery and programming terminals in the battery compartment by means of a coupling member. The coupling member is shaped to fit in the battery compartment and has electrodes in contact with the lead wires from the programming device arranged for contacting the battery and programming terminals in the battery compartment.

The present invention relates generally to hearing aid devices, and more 
particularly to an arrangement for facilitating the direct connection of 
an external programming system to the circuitry inside a hearing aid. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Programmable hearing aids, such as the hearing aid disclosed in U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,425,481 (Mangold et al., 1984) can store a number of distinct 
programs, or sets of parameter values, each designed for use in different 
audio environments. For instance, a hearing aid with eight distinct 
programs could have programs for a variety of correspondingly distinct 
situations, such as conversing with one person in a quiet room, conversing 
with several persons in an otherwise fairly quiet environment, conversing 
with one or more persons in settings with increasing levels of background 
noise, walking or commuting environments with large noise variations, 
listening to music in a quiet room, and listening to music in a noisy 
environment. 
In addition, the various programs in a programmable hearing aid must be 
customized to compensate for an individual's particular hearing 
deficiencies. However, some aspects of hearing aid programming are 
inherently subjective on the part of the user--and therefore hearing aids 
often must be reprogrammed several times before an optimal set of programs 
is found. In addition, a person's hearing characteristics may change over 
time, requiring adjustment of the programs stored in a programmable 
hearing aid. As a result, programmable hearing aids should be easily 
reprogrammed. 
One problem associated with the design of programmable hearing aids is 
balancing the competing objectives of miniaturization and providing a 
convenient interface for connecting the device to an external programming 
system for reprogramming the device. In particular, a major objective in 
the design of hearing aids is designing very small devices, and the size 
of new hearing aid models is decreasing with the development of 
miniaturized circuitry. 
In order to make a device small, it is necessary to eliminate as many 
components of the device as possible. In the context of the present 
invention, it would be desirable to eliminate the need for an external 
input/output port for connecting an external programming system to the 
hearing aid. That is, due to the limited size and surface area of 
miniaturized hearing aids, it is undesirable to use a portion of the 
device's interior volume and exterior surface area as a programming port. 
In some systems proposed by hearing aid developers, a programmable hearing 
aid device could be programmed by remote control. In other words, a 
hearing aid could be programmed by wireless transmission of hearing aid 
parameters using either ultrasonic or radio frequency transmission 
techniques. However, ultrasonic and radio frequency transmission methods 
suffer from at least one major problem: the need for added circuitry to 
detect and decode the programming signals. While this problem is not 
insurmountable, it does increase the amount of circuitry needed in the 
hearing aid, and generally increases the cost of the hearing aid and the 
associated programming circuitry. 
The present invention has the advantage of providing a direct electrical 
connection for programming a hearing aid, and yet it avoids the need for 
an external port devoted solely to the programming function. In addition, 
no added circuitry is needed to detect and decode programming signals. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In summary, the present invention is a programmable hearing aid having a 
battery compartment which normally holds a battery cell. A pair of battery 
terminals in the battery compartment electrically couples a battery 
positioned in the compartment to the hearing aid's functional circuitry. A 
programming terminal located in the battery compartment is situated so 
that it contacts a battery or other object situated in the battery 
compartment. The programming terminal is also electrically coupled to the 
hearing aid's internal programming circuitry. To connect an external 
programming device to the hearing aid, a set of three electrical wires 
connected to the programming device are brought into contact with the 
battery and programming terminals in the battery compartment via a 
coupling member shaped to fit in the battery compartment and having 
electrodes arranged for contacting the battery and programming terminals 
in the battery compartment when the coupling member is retained within the 
battery compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1 the present invention concerns a system for coupling a 
hearing aid 20 to an external hearing aid programming system 22. Since the 
hearing aid 20 is normally battery powered, hearing aid device 20 has a 
battery compartment 24 for holding a standard hearing aid battery. As is 
standard, two battery terminals 26 and 28 are located in the battery 
compartment 24 for contacting the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals 
of a battery. 
Unlike standard hearing aid devices, in the present invention there is also 
a programming terminal 30 in battery compartment 24 that is coupled to 
programming circuitry 32 inside the hearing aid. During normal operation 
of the hearing aid, a battery is placed inside the battery compartment, 
supplying power to the hearing aid's internal circuitry 34. Programming 
terminal 30 is preferably located so that during normal hearing aid 
operation when a battery is in place in the battery compartment, the 
programming terminal contacts the positive voltage battery terminal. This 
arrangement obviates the need for connecting the programming terminal to 
the positive voltage battery terminal through a resistor, and thus avoids 
dissipation of power during normal operation. 
For programming the hearing aid with information from external hearing aid 
programming system 22, the standard battery is removed from battery 
compartment 24 and is replaced by a coupling member 40 which is 
electrically coupled to programming system 22. According to preferred 
embodiments, a coaxial connector 42 carrying three leads 44, 46, and 48 
(also denoted +, - and P, respectively) connects the external programming 
system 22 to hearing aid 20 via coupling member 40. Two of the leads 44 
and 46 provide a voltage potential for providing power to hearing aid 20, 
equivalent to the voltage potential normally provided by a battery. The 
third lead 48 carries programming signals and reply signals which convey 
information from the external programming system 22 to the hearing aid 20 
and also from the hearing aid 20 to the programming system 22. 
FIG. 2 illustrates a programmable hearing aid according to the present 
invention, the main body of which is designed to fit behind a person's 
ear. Hearing aid housing 60 encloses the internal and programming 
circuitry for the hearing aid and is connected via tubing 62 to an 
earpiece (not shown) which is inserted in the wearer's ear. Appropriate 
external control means generally designated 61 and 63, and adjustable 
external control means 65 are provided in contact with internal hearing 
aid circuitry for adjustment of various hearing aid parameters, as is 
known in the art. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, battery compartment 24 is preferably located 
between two side walls of housing 60 at the end of the housing opposite 
the attachment of tubing 62. Battery compartment door 64 is hinged along 
pivot axis 66 for adjustment between a closed position within the battery 
compartment, as shown in FIG. 2, and an open, access position as shown in 
FIG. 3. Battery compartment 24 and battery compartment door 64 are 
preferably generally cylindrical. The battery compartment door preferably 
comprises arcuate outer wall 68 and arcuate inner wall 69 which form, in 
combination, a generally cylindrical battery recess. Outer wall 68 of the 
battery compartment door preferably includes shoulder 73 projecting 
interiorly therefrom which serves as a stop to retain the battery or 
programming coupler in the battery compartment door. Ribs 59, or the like, 
may be provided on an inner surface of the battery compartment door for 
securely retaining the battery or the coupling member. Access to battery 
compartment 24 may be obtained by exerting pressure at raised surface 67 
to rotate battery compartment door 64 about its pivot axis 66. 
Battery terminals 26 and 28 are preferably located generally opposite one 
another and adjacent interior surfaces of housing 60 in battery 
compartment 24. The battery terminals are positioned to contact the 
corresponding battery electrodes when a battery is loaded into the battery 
compartment and the battery compartment door is closed. Suitable types of 
battery terminals are well known in the art. 
FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of programming terminal 30 
projecting into the battery compartment. Programming terminal 30 is 
electrically connected to the programming circuitry in hearing aid 20, and 
it is positioned in the battery compartment to contact the programming 
electrode on programming coupling member 40 when the coupling member is 
inserted in the battery compartment and the battery compartment door is 
closed. As shown in FIG. 3, slot 71 is provided in inner wall 69 of the 
battery compartment door for passage of the programming electrode when the 
battery compartment door is in the closed position. As the battery 
compartment door is closed by rotation about pivot axis 66, programming 
terminal 30 projects through slot 71 and is positioned to contact the 
battery or the coupling member. 
FIGS. 4-6 illustrate preferred embodiments of a generally disc-shaped 
coupling member 40 operatively engaged with coaxial connector 42. Coupling 
member 40 is sized to correspond generally to the configuration and 
dimensions of battery compartment 24. Electrodes 50 and 52 are provided on 
an outer surface of coupling member 40 for contacting battery terminals 26 
and 28 provided in the battery compartment. Likewise, programming 
electrode 54 is provided on an outer surface of coupling member 40 for 
contacting programming terminal 30 in the battery compartment. 
According to the embodiment of coupling member 40 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, 
positive electrode 50 preferably comprises an outer portion 72 including 
generally flat contact surface 74, and a mounting pin 76 projecting 
generally centrally from the outer portion. Programming electrode 54 has a 
generally annular structure, including an outer contact surface 80. 
Positive electrode 50 and programming electrode 54 are electrically 
insulated from one another by means of non-conductive insulating element 
56 interposed between the positive and programming electrodes. Negative 
electrode 52 includes a generally flat contact surface 84, and it is 
electrically insulated from programming electrode 54 by means of annular, 
non-conductive insulating element 58. The electrodes and insulating 
elements are preferably bonded to one another by suitable adhesives, and 
internal cavity 78 is preferably filled with an inert, non-conductive 
material such as a silicone adhesive. 
Positive electrode 50, negative electrode 52, and programming electrode 54 
are in electrical contact with the corresponding leads 44, 46 and 48, 
respectively, from coaxial cable 42. As shown in FIG. 7, leads 44, 46 and 
48 emerge from shielded coaxial cable 42 and are embedded in a 
substantially flat, non-conductive strip 70. Non-conductive strip 70 
preferably comprises a thin, flexible, non-conductive film layer or the 
like. Suitable flexible, non-conductive materials are well known in the 
art. A non-conductive casing 82 may additionally be provided between cable 
42 and strip 70 to insulate the electrical leads. Leads 44, 46 and 48 
emerge from the non-conductive strip at the end opposite cable 42 for 
connection to the appropriate electrodes on coupling member 40. 
Non-conductive strip 70 carrying leads 44, 46 and 48 is mounted between 
insulating element 58 and negative electrode 52 in the embodiment of 
coupling member 40 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. As shown in FIG. 5, 
electrical leads 44, 46 and 48 project from the non-conductive strip 70 
inside coupling member 40, and are electrically contacted to the 
corresponding electrodes in coupling member 40, as shown. Positive lead 44 
is electrically connected to positive electrode 50; negative lead 46 is 
electrically connected to negative electrode 52; and programming lead 48 
is electrically connected to programming electrode 54. Non-conductive 
strip 70 facilitates electrical connection of lead wires from the coaxial 
cable to the appropriate electrodes in the coupling member. 
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of coupling member 40 wherein 
the battery and programming electrodes are provided on the surface of an 
insulating member 90, and FIG. 8 illustrates a contact arrangement for use 
with insulating member 90. Insulating member 90 preferably comprises a 
single piece of non-conductive insulating material having dimensions 
corresponding generally to the dimensions of battery compartment 24. 
Contact arrangement 88 is an extension of non-conductive strip 70 having 
the battery and programming lead wires embedded therein. As shown in FIG. 
8, lead wires 44, 46 and 48 are carried in a flexible, non-conductive 
layer, and each lead wire terminates in an electrode. Positive lead wire 
44 is embedded in the flexible, non-conductive layer, and it terminates in 
a generally flat, circular positive electrode 50 which is carried on the 
surface of the non-conductive layer. Negative lead wire 46 likewise 
terminates in a generally flat, circular negative electrode 52 carried on 
the surface of the non-conductive layer. Programming lead wire 48 
preferably terminates in programming electrode strip 54 carried on the 
surface of the non-conductive layer. 
Contact arrangement 88 is affixed to the exterior surface of insulating 
member 90, with a suitable adhesive, to position the positive, negative 
and programming electrodes at locations to contact the corresponding 
battery and programming terminals in the battery compartment. Thus, as 
shown in FIG. 6, positive electrode 50 is affixed to a positive contact 
surface, while programming electrode 54 is affixed to the circumferential 
surface of insulating member 90. Negative electrode 52 is preferably 
affixed to the generally flat lower surface of insulating member 90. The 
embodiment of coupling member 40 illustrated in FIG. 6 thus has a 
simplified construction wherein the lead wires are in direct electrical 
contact with the corresponding electrodes, and the flexible film carrying 
the lead wires and the electrodes is bonded to the outer surface of the 
insulating member. 
Although the programmable hearing aid device of the present invention is 
illustrated as a "behind-the-ear" type of hearing aid device, the present 
invention is equally applicable to "in-the-ear" hearing aid devices, in 
which the hearing aid components and housing are retained in the wearer's 
ear. Similarly, although the present invention has been described with 
reference to a single programming terminal and a single programming 
electrode, multiple programming terminals and corresponding programming 
electrodes may be provided in accordance with the present invention. 
Moreover, programming terminals having a variety of configurations may be 
used according to the present invention. 
While the present invention has been described with reference to a few 
specific embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and 
is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications 
may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true 
spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.