HK1253035B - Hearing aid bluetooth chip, bluetooth earphone and wireless hearing aid system - Google Patents

Description

A Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function, Bluetooth headphones and wireless hearing aid system

Technical Field

This invention pertains to electronic devices and electronic systems, specifically relating to a Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function, a Bluetooth headset containing the Bluetooth chip, and a wireless hearing aid system.

Background Technology

Bluetooth headsets are common electronic products in daily life. They can establish a Bluetooth wireless connection with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, making it convenient for people to make and receive calls or listen to music played from their phones. They can also connect to Bluetooth-enabled computers, televisions, and other devices to listen to music or video. A Bluetooth headset mainly consists of a Bluetooth chip, an RF antenna, a microphone, a receiver, function buttons, and a housing.

Hearing aids are electronic products commonly used by people with hearing loss. They can process sound signals specifically according to the user's hearing condition, allowing the user to hear sounds that they could not hear or could not hear clearly before. Modern hearing aids mainly consist of a hearing aid chip, a microphone, a receiver, function buttons, and a housing.

Bluetooth hearing aids combine the functions of Bluetooth headphones and hearing aids. Currently, there are two common types of Bluetooth hearing aids on the market with two modes.

Mode 1: This mode combines two functional chips. While using a Bluetooth chip (with call and/or music capabilities) as the main chip, a separate hearing aid chip is also required to provide hearing assistance. To enable the Bluetooth chip and the hearing aid chip to operate on the same circuit board, additional auxiliary circuitry is needed to accommodate the different voltage requirements of the two chips. Furthermore, a connection circuit between the Bluetooth chip and the hearing aid chip is required to transmit audio data and/or control data between them.

However, the above-mentioned mode one has the following problems:

The addition of a separate hearing aid chip, auxiliary circuitry, and connection circuitry has brought several problems to this solution: First, it requires more circuit components and a larger circuit board, increasing product cost; second, it increases power consumption, requiring a larger capacity battery to ensure longer usage time; and third, it increases the required size of the earphone housing.

Mode Two: A combination of a mobile phone and earphones. In this mode, the earphones do not contain a hearing aid module; the hearing aid module is located in the mobile phone. When using the hearing aid function, the audio signal needs to be sent from the earphones to the mobile phone via Bluetooth. The mobile phone performs hearing aid-related processing and then sends the processed signal back to the earphones via Bluetooth. A variation of this mode uses the mobile phone's microphone to collect sound instead of the earphones' microphone. However, the common feature of these modes is that the audio signal during hearing aid use needs to be transmitted between the earphones and the mobile phone via Bluetooth.

However, the above-mentioned Mode 2 has the following problems:

The hearing aid function requires a mobile phone to function; once the headphones are disconnected, the hearing aid function ceases. Therefore, strictly speaking, this type of headset is not a Bluetooth hearing aid headset. Furthermore, this solution suffers from severe latency issues, which vary greatly between different headphones and mobile phones, often reaching hundreds of milliseconds, rendering the hearing aid function unusable. Additionally, because different mobile phones employ different underlying audio processing methods, the audio signal processed for hearing aid purposes may be further processed by the phone's underlying audio unit, thus the actual hearing aid effect of this solution cannot be guaranteed.

Summary of the Invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of existing Bluetooth hearing aid headphones that require the Bluetooth chip and the hearing aid chip to work independently or that they need to work with the help of a mobile phone APP.

To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

A Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function includes a chip body, in which an audio interface module is integrated. The audio interface module includes an audio input unit and an audio output unit. The audio input unit is connected to a microphone, and the audio output unit is connected to a receiver. The chip body also integrates a hearing aid module connected to the audio interface module. The hearing aid module receives the audio signal input from the audio input unit, processes it for hearing aid purposes, and then returns it to the audio output unit.

Furthermore, the chip body also integrates a Bluetooth module, a call module, a music module, and a central control module, wherein,

The call module is connected to the Bluetooth module and the audio interface module respectively. The call module receives the digital audio signal sent by the audio input unit, processes it and then sends it to the Bluetooth module. The call module also processes the digital audio signal sent by the Bluetooth module and then sends it to the audio output unit.

The music module is connected to the Bluetooth module and the audio interface module respectively. The music module receives digital music signals sent from the Bluetooth module, processes them, and then sends them to the audio output unit.

The Bluetooth module is connected to both the call module and the music module. On one hand, the Bluetooth module receives digital audio signals sent from the call module and transmits them to an external terminal via the Bluetooth antenna. On the other hand, the Bluetooth module also receives digital music signals sent from the external terminal and transmits them to the music module via the Bluetooth antenna, thus enabling the call function.

The central control module is connected to the call module, music module and hearing aid module via control lines to select and control one of the three modules to work or to shut them all down and put them in an idle state.

Furthermore, the hearing aid module includes: a dynamic range adjustment unit, a spectrum compensation unit, a noise reduction unit, and a feedback suppression unit, wherein,

The dynamic range adjustment unit converts the dynamic range of sound that a normal person can hear to the dynamic range of sound that a hearing aid user can hear.

The spectrum compensation unit compensates for the degree of hearing loss of the hearing aid user at different frequencies.

The noise reduction unit suppresses noise in the audio signal;

The audio signal processed by the dynamic range adjustment unit, the spectrum compensation unit, and the noise reduction unit is sent to the audio output unit.

The feedback suppression unit performs howling suppression processing on the audio signal output after processing by the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, and noise reduction unit, and performs a subtraction operation with the audio signal input by the audio input unit before sending it to one of the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, and noise reduction unit for preliminary processing.

Furthermore, the Bluetooth module is connected to the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, noise reduction unit, and feedback suppression unit via control signal lines. The Bluetooth module receives operation commands from an external terminal to modify and adjust the internal parameters of the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, noise reduction unit, and feedback suppression unit. The Bluetooth module also sends the modified data of each unit in the hearing aid module back to the external terminal for review.

Furthermore, the call module is also equipped with a spectrum compensation unit, which is connected to the audio output unit and is used to perform frequency compensation on the audio signal during the user's call.

Furthermore, the music module is also equipped with a spectrum compensation unit, which is connected to the audio output unit and is used to perform frequency compensation on the audio signal during the user's music listening process.

Furthermore, the connection order among the dynamic range adjustment unit, the spectrum compensation unit, and the noise reduction unit is adjustable.

Furthermore, it also includes a storage module, which is connected to the hearing aid module, the call module, and the music module respectively, to store the historical data of the hearing aid module, the call module, and the music module, and to allow them to recall the data.

Based on a second aspect of the present invention, a Bluetooth headset is also provided, the Bluetooth headset having a housing, the housing having a built-in Bluetooth chip as described in any of the above embodiments.

Based on a third aspect of the present invention, a wireless hearing aid system is also provided, the hearing aid system comprising the Bluetooth headset described above, and a mobile terminal for data interaction with the Bluetooth headset, the mobile terminal interacting with the Bluetooth chip in the Bluetooth headset to realize functions such as calls, music, and hearing aids.

Compared with the prior art, the Bluetooth chip, Bluetooth headset, and wireless hearing aid system with hearing aid function disclosed in this invention achieve the following technical effects:

(1) This invention solves the problem of Bluetooth chips lacking hearing aid functionality by adding a hearing aid module to the Bluetooth chip. Furthermore, the specific processing units used in the hearing aid module, such as the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, noise reduction unit, and feedback suppression unit, provide users with professional hearing aid functions.

(2) By integrating the hearing aid function into the Bluetooth chip, this invention solves the various problems existing in the two-function chip combination scheme. It no longer requires a separate hearing aid chip, additional auxiliary circuits and connection circuits, or an increase in battery capacity. Therefore, it reduces the number of circuit components, lowers product costs, and allows the product to be made smaller.

(3) By introducing a frequency compensation unit into the call module, the problem that ordinary Bluetooth headsets cannot compensate according to the user's hearing loss is solved, so that the user can hear the other party's voice clearly and comfortably.

(4) By introducing a frequency compensation unit into the music module, the problem that ordinary Bluetooth headphones cannot compensate according to the user's hearing loss is solved, so that the user can experience music that is close to normal hearing.

Attached Figure Description

To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates the transmission of control data between the various units in the Bluetooth module and the hearing aid module in this embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the internal functional units of the hearing aid module and the audio interface module in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the internal circuit of the hearing aid module in an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Implementation

The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

Referring to Figure 1, the Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function disclosed in this embodiment of the invention has a chip body, on which multiple module circuits are integrated. In this embodiment, the chip body contains an audio interface module, a Bluetooth module, a call module, a music module, a storage module, and a central control module, and also includes a hearing aid module. The hearing aid module and the other modules mentioned above are integrated into the same Bluetooth chip.

From the perspective of providing Bluetooth hearing aid functionality, the biggest difference between this invention and the existing two-function chip combination scheme is that the earphone does not use a separate hearing aid chip, but only uses a single Bluetooth chip with an integrated hearing aid module. Instead of two separate chips, it is essentially a single Bluetooth chip that achieves both Bluetooth transmission and hearing aid functions. Furthermore, the difference between this invention and the traditional mobile phone and earphone combination scheme lies in the location of the hearing aid module. In this invention, the hearing aid module is located in the Bluetooth chip on the earphone, while in the mobile phone and earphone combination scheme, the hearing aid module is located in the mobile phone.

From the perspective of realizing Bluetooth hearing aid headphones, the biggest difference between this patent and the two-function chip combination solution is that the headphone does not use a separate hearing aid chip, but only a Bluetooth chip with an added hearing aid module; while the headphone in the mobile phone and headphone combination solution does not have a hearing aid module inside, and loses its hearing aid function after being removed from the mobile phone. Therefore, strictly speaking, the headphone in the mobile phone and headphone combination solution is not a Bluetooth hearing aid headphone.

The modules described above in the embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail.

The audio interface module is connected to the call module, music module, and hearing aid module. The audio interface module includes an audio input unit and an audio output unit. The audio input unit is connected to a microphone, which converts the sound signal emitted from the microphone into an analog electrical signal. This signal is then pre-processed (including noise reduction, filtering, and amplification) and converted from analog to digital audio signal via A/D conversion for processing by other modules (call module and hearing aid module). The audio output unit is connected to a receiver (earpiece). This audio output unit is responsible for post-processing the digital audio signal processed by other modules (call module, audio module, and hearing aid module) (including filtering and amplification) and converting it from digital to analog audio signal via D/A conversion. Finally, the receiver converts the analog audio signal back into a sound signal.

Referring to Figure 2, the hearing aid module is responsible for processing the audio signal from the audio input unit according to the specified hearing aid requirements, and then outputting the processed audio signal to the audio output unit to realize the hearing aid function. This module includes: a dynamic range adjustment unit, a spectrum compensation unit, a noise reduction unit, and a feedback suppression unit.

The system includes several key components: a dynamic range adjustment unit that adjusts the dynamic range of sound audible to the user's, allowing them to hear previously inaudible soft sounds without discomfort when listening to loud noises; a spectrum compensation unit that compensates for hearing loss at different frequencies, making it easier for the user to hear signals at those frequencies; a noise reduction unit that distinguishes between noise and speech signals, suppressing noise with minimal damage to speech, improving the signal-to-noise ratio in noisy environments, and helping users better perceive speech information; and a feedback suppression unit that suppresses feedback, a common phenomenon in hearing aids, increasing their usability. Because the hearing aid module amplifies sound, the sound is sometimes re-recorded by the microphone, creating a continuous loop that causes feedback. The feedback suppression unit generates a signal within the hearing aid module that is opposite to the external acoustic feedback signal, and uses a subtractor to cancel out the feedback signal from the microphone.

In this embodiment, the order of the dynamic range adjustment unit, the spectrum compensation unit, and the noise reduction unit can be arbitrarily changed, and is not limited to the connection relationship shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 3, different hearing aid users may require different hearing aid parameters. In this embodiment, to adjust different parameters, four control signal lines are set in the Bluetooth module, respectively connected to the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, noise reduction unit, and feedback suppression unit. The user adjusts the hearing aid effect of the headphones on a mobile app. The phone transmits the adjustment parameters to the Bluetooth headphones via Bluetooth. After receiving the adjustment command, the Bluetooth module in the headphones sends these parameters to the corresponding units in the hearing aid module, updating the parameters and thus changing the hearing aid effect of the headphones. Similarly, each unit in the aforementioned hearing aid module can also send its adjusted parameters to an external mobile phone via the Bluetooth module for review and verification.

Referring to Figure 4, which is a circuit diagram of the hearing aid module in a specific embodiment of this invention, the spectrum compensation unit can use an M62431FP-EQ chip to implement frequency compensation, the noise reduction unit can use an AS3422-S chip to implement noise reduction, the dynamic range adjustment unit can use a DCAP-TDA7315 chip to adjust the normal sound pressure range to the hearing range of the hearing aid user, and the feedback suppression unit can use an FM1188 chip to suppress howling. The DCAP-TDA7315 chip and the FM1188 chip have pins that connect to the audio output unit and the audio input unit, respectively. The circuit connections between the above chips can be seen from the figure, so they will not be described in detail here.

The Bluetooth module is connected to the hearing aid module, the call module, and the music module. The Bluetooth chip has a Bluetooth antenna connected to the Bluetooth module and is responsible for establishing Bluetooth connections between the Bluetooth module and external terminals, such as mobile phones and computers, for Bluetooth data communication. This enables the transmission of audio data and other control data between the Bluetooth chip and the devices with which Bluetooth connections have been established. The Bluetooth module sends the received audio data to the call module or the music module for call or music playback functions, or sends the received control data to the hearing aid module, the call module, or the music module to modify the internal parameters or other configurations of the three modules. Specifically, an APP can be installed on an external terminal, such as a mobile phone, and the operation commands can be transmitted through the Bluetooth module to modify the parameters of the internal modules of the Bluetooth chip.

The call module is connected to both the Bluetooth module and the audio interface module. The call module is responsible for processing the audio signal during calls. It includes two synchronously operating audio transmitting and receiving units. The audio transmitting unit processes the digital audio signal from the audio input unit (including call-specific audio encoding, noise reduction, and echo cancellation) and outputs it to the Bluetooth module, which then wirelessly transmits it to a connected device, such as a mobile phone. The audio receiving unit receives the digital audio signal from the mobile phone via the Bluetooth module, processes it (including call-specific audio decoding and filtering), and outputs it to the audio output unit. This enables real-time communication between the two mobile terminals.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the call module is further provided with a spectrum compensation unit, which is connected to the audio output unit and is used to perform frequency compensation on the digital audio signal received during the call, thereby compensating for the user's hearing and enabling the user to hear the other party's voice clearly and comfortably. This solves the problem that the user's hearing loss varies at different frequencies, allowing the user to hear the other party's voice clearly and comfortably.

The music module is connected to the audio interface module and the Bluetooth module respectively. The music module is mainly used for listening to music. It receives digital audio signals sent from the Bluetooth module and processes the digital audio signals accordingly, such as decoding them, and then sends them to the audio output unit in the audio interface module. The audio output unit then performs D/A conversion on the digital signals and sends them to the receiver, so that the human ear can hear the music.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a spectrum compensation unit is also built into the music module and connected to the audio output unit to indirectly compensate for the user's hearing, so that the user can experience music with near-normal hearing.

The spectrum compensation unit can be implemented using a frequency compensation circuit commonly used in the prior art. Therefore, the specific circuit structure of the spectrum compensation unit will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

In this embodiment, each frequency point or band in the spectrum compensation unit of the call module and Bluetooth module is controlled and adjusted by an external terminal. Specifically, by connecting to Bluetooth via a mobile APP, the Bluetooth module will execute the instructions on the mobile APP to modify the relevant parameters in the spectrum compensation unit. For users with different hearing losses, the frequency band or frequency point set for the spectrum compensation unit will be different.

The storage module is connected to the hearing aid module, call module, and music module respectively to store historical data of the hearing aid module, call module, and music module for them to recall. User-specified hearing aid data can be received via Bluetooth module, and then this data is saved to the storage module while updating the parameters of each processing unit in each functional module. This allows the user to directly read the previously saved parameters from the storage module the next time they use the headphones, without having to reset these parameters.

The central control module is connected to the call module, music module, and hearing aid module via control lines to select and control one of these modules to operate or to disable all of them, leaving them in an idle state. The central control module can activate the circuitry of a specific module via a button, enabling that module to function normally. Furthermore, the central control module can also control the Bluetooth module to be disabled in hearing aid mode. Specifically, the central control module can switch between four operating modes, ranked from highest to lowest priority: call, music, hearing aid, and idle. For example, when a call comes in, regardless of the headset's current mode, the control module will switch the headset to call mode; when the call ends, it will return the headset to the mode before the call. Similarly, if the headset is currently in hearing aid mode and the user plays music, the control module will switch the headset to music mode; when the music ends, it will return the headset to hearing aid mode. Additionally, the control module can control the on/off state of other modules; for example, in hearing aid mode, the control module can disable the Bluetooth module to reduce power consumption.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, a Bluetooth headset is also provided. The Bluetooth headset has a housing, and the housing has a built-in Bluetooth chip as described in the above embodiment. The Bluetooth headset also includes a microphone and a receiver connected to the audio interface module. The microphone converts sound into electrical signals and sends them to the audio input unit, and the receiver converts the audio signals output from the audio output unit into sound signals.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, a wireless hearing aid system is also provided. The hearing aid system includes a Bluetooth headset as described above, and a mobile terminal that interacts with the Bluetooth headset. The mobile terminal interacts with the Bluetooth chip in the Bluetooth headset to realize functions such as calls, music, and hearing aids, and adjusts the parameters of the above module through the Bluetooth module.

Compared to existing technologies, this invention solves the problem of Bluetooth chips lacking hearing aid functionality by incorporating a hearing aid module into the Bluetooth chip. The specific processing units employed in the hearing aid module, such as the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, noise reduction unit, and feedback suppression unit, provide users with professional hearing aid functions. By integrating hearing aid functionality into the Bluetooth chip, various problems associated with combining two different functional chips are resolved. There is no need to add a separate hearing aid chip, additional auxiliary circuitry and connection circuitry, or increase battery capacity, thus reducing the number of circuit components, lowering product costs, and allowing for a smaller product size. By introducing a frequency compensation unit into the call module, the problem of ordinary Bluetooth headsets not being able to compensate for the user's hearing loss is solved, allowing the user to hear the other party's voice clearly and comfortably. Similarly, by introducing a frequency compensation unit into the music module, the problem of ordinary Bluetooth headsets not being able to compensate for the user's hearing loss is solved, allowing the user to experience music with near-normal hearing.

Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims (9)

1. A Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function, comprising a chip body, wherein an audio interface module is integrated within the chip body, the audio interface module comprising an audio input unit and an audio output unit, the audio input unit being connected to a microphone and the audio output unit being connected to a receiver, characterized in that the chip body further comprises a hearing aid module connected to the audio interface module, the hearing aid module receiving an audio signal input from the audio input unit, performing hearing aid processing, and then returning it to the audio output unit; The hearing aid module includes: a dynamic range adjustment unit, a spectrum compensation unit, a noise reduction unit, and a feedback suppression unit, wherein... The dynamic range adjustment unit converts the dynamic range of sound that a normal person can hear to the dynamic range of sound that a hearing aid user can hear. The spectrum compensation unit compensates for the degree of hearing loss of the hearing aid user at different frequencies. The noise reduction unit suppresses noise in the audio signal; The audio signal processed by the dynamic range adjustment unit, the spectrum compensation unit, and the noise reduction unit is sent to the audio output unit. The feedback suppression unit performs howling suppression processing on the audio signal output after processing by the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, and noise reduction unit, and performs a subtraction operation with the audio signal input by the audio input unit before sending it to one of the dynamic range adjustment unit, spectrum compensation unit, and noise reduction unit for preliminary processing. 2. The Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function according to claim 1, characterized in that the chip body further integrates a Bluetooth module, a call module, a music module, and a central control module, wherein, The call module is connected to the Bluetooth module and the audio interface module respectively. The call module receives the digital audio signal sent by the audio input unit, processes it and then sends it to the Bluetooth module. The call module also processes the digital audio signal sent by the Bluetooth module and then sends it to the audio output unit. The music module is connected to the Bluetooth module and the audio interface module respectively. The music module receives digital music signals sent from the Bluetooth module, processes them, and then sends them to the audio output unit. The Bluetooth module is connected to both the call module and the music module. On one hand, the Bluetooth module receives digital audio signals sent from the call module and transmits them to an external terminal via the Bluetooth antenna. On the other hand, the Bluetooth module also receives digital music signals sent from the external terminal and transmits them to the music module. The central control module is connected to the call module, music module and hearing aid module respectively via control lines, so as to select and control one of the call module, music module and hearing aid module to work or all of them to be turned off and in an idle state. 3. The Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function according to claim 2, characterized in that the Bluetooth module is further connected to the dynamic range adjustment unit, the spectrum compensation unit, the noise reduction unit and the feedback suppression unit respectively through control signal lines; the Bluetooth module receives operation instructions from an external terminal to modify and adjust the internal parameters of the dynamic range adjustment unit, the spectrum compensation unit, the noise reduction unit and the feedback suppression unit; the Bluetooth module also transmits the modified data of each unit in the hearing aid module back to the external terminal for review. 4. The Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function according to claim 2, wherein the call module is further provided with a spectrum compensation unit connected to the audio output unit for frequency compensation of the audio signal during the user's call. 5. The Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function according to claim 2, wherein the music module is further provided with a spectrum compensation unit connected to the audio output unit, for frequency compensation of the audio signal during the user's music listening process. 6. The Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function according to claim 3, wherein the connection order among the dynamic range adjustment unit, the spectrum compensation unit and the noise reduction unit is adjustable. 7. The Bluetooth chip with hearing aid function according to claim 2, characterized in that it further includes a storage module, which is connected to the hearing aid module, the call module and the music module respectively, to store the historical data of the hearing aid module, the call module and the music module, and to allow them to recall the data. 8. A Bluetooth headset, characterized in that the Bluetooth headset has a housing, the housing having a built-in Bluetooth chip as described in any one of claims 1-7. 9. A wireless hearing aid system, characterized in that the wireless hearing aid system comprises the Bluetooth headset as described in claim 8, and a mobile terminal for data interaction with the Bluetooth headset.