Abstract: A mechanism for detachably mounting an earpiece having a receiver and an acoustic tube to any one of a variety of hearing aids includes using an adhesive and a clip attached to the acoustic tube to adhere the clip and thus the earpiece to a surface of the hearing aid, so that an open end of the acoustic tube is near an acoustic aperture of the hearing aid and can thus provide an acoustic sound signal to a microphone within the hearing aid. Alternatively, the clip can be provided with a magnet and a ferric plate can be fixed to a surface of the hearing aid, so that magnetic forces between the magnet and the ferric plate will attach the earpiece and the hearing aid together. The magnet and the ferric plate can be chosen so that the earpiece will separate from the hearing aid when a relative force between the earpiece and the hearing aid exceeds a predetermined threshold, thus preventing injury to a user wearing the hearing aid and the earpiece.

Abstract: A tetherless handset telephone with an earpiece connection port is disclosed. The handset is small in size and has an internal antenna. Thus, the handset can easily be placed within the user's pocket. A belt carrier for use with the handset holds the handset upside-down with the connection port easily accessible. The handset is arranged so that it can be cradled within a base unit and recharged while the handset is face-up.

Abstract: An open ear canal hearing aid system comprises an ear canal tube sized for positioning in an ear canal of a user so that the ear canal is at least partially open for directly receiving ambient sounds. The open ear canal hearing aid system further comprises a sound processor for amplifying received ambient sounds included within a predetermined frequency to produce processed sounds and for supplying said processed sounds to said ear canal tube.

Abstract: A communications earpiece is disclosed which can be used by hearing impaired and non-hearing impaired users so as to be able to communicate with an external device such as personal communications nodes or cellular phones. A communications earpiece comprises a ear canal tube sized for positioning in an ear canal of a user so that the ear canal is at least partially open for directly receiving ambient sounds. A sound processor amplifies received ambient sounds to produced processed analog signals. A bidirectional wired connector is used for connecting the communications earpiece to external devices wherein the processed analog signals produced by the sound processor are sent to the external devices through the connector and signals from the external device are sent to the earpiece through the connector. The signals sent from the external device to the earpiece are then applied to the speaker in the earpiece.

Abstract: Real ear measurements for a digital hearing aid (DHA) fitting are effected using a probe microphone which senses sound from within the patient's ear. The sound, which is conveyed to the probe microphone using a probe tube, is converted to electrical signals which are input to a direct audio input of the DHA. The electrical signals are digitized by the DHA and relayed to a processing unit which effects the real ear measurements. Alternatively, the DHA itself performs all real ear measurements with only a wired, wireless or no external connection to a command unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provided for interfacing a hearing device and an auxiliary device to achieve a wireless communications link between the hearing device and a remote device. The hearing device has a case including an external connector defining signal lines including power, ground, clock, data, and a further signal line. Circuitry is provided within the auxiliary device for exchanging control data with the hearing device using the clock and data signal lines and for exchanging audio information with the hearing device using one of 1) the clock and data signal lines; and 2) the further input signal.

Abstract: In a hearing system, a transmitting coil is positioned on the promontory centered medial to the umbo of the tympanic membrane while securing the magnet to a surface of said tympanic membrane or to the manubrium of the malleus. The system does not require the permanent placement of components in the auditory canal which would otherwise interfere with normal hearing when the system is not in use.

Abstract: A communications earpiece is disclosed which can be used by hearing impaired and non-hearing impaired users so as to be able to communicate with an external device such as personal communications node or cellular phone via a wireless link. A communications earpiece comprises an ear canal tube sized for positioning in an ear canal of a user so that the ear canal is at least partially open for directly receiving ambient sounds. A sound processor amplifies the received ambient sounds to produce a processed analog signal. The processed analog signal is then converted into digital signals and transmitted to a remote unit via a wireless link. The earpiece also receives signals from the remote unit which are then processed and applied to a speaker in the earpiece.

Abstract: A sound delivery system such as a hearing aid, a telephone headset, a multimedia headset, or other communications device is capable of being used on either the left or right ear of the user. The sound delivery system includes an integral case and ear hook having a rotatable connection for receiving a sound delivery tube. The sound delivery tube is preformed in a generally L-shaped tube. The sound delivery tube has an eartip at one end configured to be received in the ear canal of the user to secure the end of the sound delivery tube in the ear canal. The tube can be rotated about an axis between a left-ear position and a right-ear position.

Abstract: An earpiece for a sound delivery system has a sound output port for delivering sound into the ear canal of the user. A cerumen block is provided to prevent cerumen or earwax from blocking the sound output port of the earpiece. The cerumen block is formed by a small flap of material which covers the sound output port and blocks cerumen from entering the sound output port in a closed position while allowing sound to pass around the flap and enter the ear canal in an open position. A resilient hinge returns the cerumen flap to the open position once the earpiece has been placed within the ear canal.

Abstract: An open ear canal hearing aid system is disclosed which comprises a plurality of ear canal tubes sized for positioning in an ear canal of a user so that the ear canal is at least partially open for directly receiving ambient sounds. The open ear canal hearing aid system further comprises a sound processor for amplifying ambient sounds received through one of the ear canal tubes within a predetermined frequency range and to produce processed sounds and for supplying the processed sounds to the second ear canal tube. According to other embodiments of the present invention, the speaker and/or microphone can be located in the ear canal at the end of the ear canal tubes. In these embodiments, the speaker and/or microphone are electrically connected to the sound processor by wires in the ear canal tubes.

Abstract: Bandwidth management techniques are provided for use in heterogenous wireless personal communications systems, designed minimize or eliminate interference between different personal communications units. Such units may be of various types including, for example, hearing health care units, telecommunications headsets and multimedia headsets. A bandwidth resource is shared among multiple autonomous communications systems in which a Remote Processing Unit and headset pair are coupled by a slotted wireless communications link. One of a pair of devices transmits real-time information to the other device of the pair. When difficulty is experienced receiving the real-time information because of interference from a different device pair, any of several different measures may be applied including physical adjustments such as (in an RF system) diversity and/or power control.

Abstract: A passive reflective antenna located near an active receiving antennas is used to change the energy at the receiving antenna. The change in energy may be such as to remove a null created by multipath or to provide directionality, or both. The receiving antennas is permanently connected to a single receiver. When the receiver's output signal degrades below an acceptable level of quality, the reflective phase of the passive antenna's load is changed to change the phase of the reflected energy and achieve a desired effect (remove a null, change directionality, etc.) at the receiving antenna. In the simplest embodiment, the termination of the passive antenna is switched from an open circuit to a short circuit, or vice versa, to invert the phase of the reflected energy. The use of reflective elements in antenna designs, usually to achieve directionality, is well known (see the common Yagi or corner reflector antenna designs, for example), but these use passive reflector elements.