Hearing aid with audible alarm

Claim 2

A hearing aid comprising: a hearing aid circuit including an amplifier for amplifying audio signals; a battery connected to supply power to said hearing aid circuit; an alarm system for generating an audio signal in an audible frequency range in response to the voltage output of said battery falling below a predetermined threshold value, said audio signal being connected for amplification by said amplifier, said audio signal being an audible frequency tone having at least one of a frequency and a loudness that increases as the voltage of said battery decreases, said audio signal comprising a cyclically alternating uninterrupted audio signal.

Claim 3

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said audio signal generates a sound pressure level that approximately doubles for each 20 mV decrease in battery voltage below said predetermined threshold value.

Claim 4

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein both the frequency and amplitude of said audio signal increase as the voltage of said battery decreases.

Claim 5

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising means for disabling said alarm system to inhibit generation of said audio signal.

Claim 6

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising an on/off switch for controlling power supplied from said battery.

Claim 7

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for disabling comprises said on/off switch.

Claim 8

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for disabling is automatic.

Claim 9

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a timing circuit for enabling and disabling generation of said audio signal.

Claim 10

A hearing aid comprising: a microphone; an amplifier for amplifying input signals, said amplifier having a first input connected to receive signals from said microphone, a second input, and an output supplying amplified signals corresponding to signals received at said first and second inputs; an earphone connected to receive said signals from said output of said amplifier; a battery connected to supply power to said amplifier; an alarm system for generating an audio signal in an audible frequency range in response to the voltage output of said battery falling below a predetermined threshold value, said audio signal being connected for receipt by said second input of said amplifier, said audio signal being an audible frequency tone having at least one of a frequency and a loudness that increases as the voltage of said battery decreases, said audio signal comprising a cyclically alternating uninterrupted audio signal.

Claim 11

A hearing aid comprising: a microphone; an amplifier for amplifying input signals, said amplifier having a first input connected to receive signals from said microphone, a second input, and an output supplying amplified signals corresponding to signals received at said first and second inputs; an earphone connected to receive said signals from said output of said amplifier; a battery connected to supply power to said amplifier; an alarm system for generating an audio signal in an audible frequency range in response to the voltage output of said battery falling below a predetermined threshold value, said audio signal being connected for receipt by said second input of said amplifier, said audio signal being an audible frequency tone having at least one of a frequency and a loudness that increases as the voltage of said battery decreases, said audio signal comprising a cyclically alternating uninterrupted audio signal.

Claim 12

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 and further comprising means for disabling said alarm system to inhibit generation of said audio signal.

Claim 13

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 wherein both the frequency and amplitude of said audio signal increase as the voltage of said battery decreases.

Claim 14

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 10 and further comprising an on/off switch for controlling power supplied from said battery.

Claim 15

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 12 wherein said means for disabling is automatic.

Claim 16

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for disabling is automatic.

Claim 17

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 and further comprising a timing circuit for enabling and disabling generation of said audio signal.

Claim 18

A battery warning circuit comprising: a detector for generating an output signal in response to a fall in battery voltage below a predetermined threshold value, said output signal varying as a function of said battery voltage once said battery voltage falls below said predetermined threshold value; an oscillator for generating an audio signal in an audible frequency range in response to said output signal from said detector means, said audio signal being an audible frequency tone having at least one of a frequency and a loudness that increases as the voltage of said battery decreases, said audio signal comprising a cyclically alternating uninterrupted audio signal.

Claim 19

A battery warning circuit comprising: a detector for generating an output signal in response to a fall in battery voltage below a predetermined threshold value, said output signal varying as a function of said battery voltage once said battery voltage falls below said predetermined threshold value; an oscillator for generating an audio signal in an audible frequency range in response to said output signal from said detector means, said audio signal being an audible frequency tone having at least one of a frequency and a loudness that increases as the voltage of said battery decreases, said audio signal comprising a cyclically alternating uninterrupted audio signal.

Claim 20

A battery warning circuit as claimed in claim 16 and further comprising means for disabling said oscillator from generating said audio signal after said battery voltage falls below said predetermined threshold value.

Claim 21

A battery warning circuit as claimed in claim 17 wherein said means for disabling is automatic.

Claim 22

A battery warning circuit as claimed in claim 16 wherein both the frequency and amplitude of said audio signal increase as the voltage of said battery decreases.

Claim 23

A battery warning circuit as claimed in claim 16 and further comprising a timing circuit for enabling and disabling generation of said audio signal by said oscillator means.

Claim 24

A hearing aid comprising: a hearing aid circuit comprising a microphone for receiving audio and for generating therefrom audio signals and an amplifier for amplifying the audio signals generated by said microphone; a battery connected to supply power to said hearing aid circuit; an alarm system for generating an audio alarm signal representative of an audible alarm in response to the voltage output of said battery falling below a predetermined threshold value, said audio alarm signal being directly connected for amplification by said amplifier such that both said audible alarm and said audio received by said microphone can be heard simultaneously by a user, said audible alarm being transmitted into the car canal of the user such that the audible alarm is heard only by the user, said audio alarm signal having at least one signal component which increases audibility as the voltage of said battery decreases.

Claim 25

A hearing aid comprising: a hearing aid circuit comprising a microphone for receiving audio and for generating therefrom audio signals and an amplifier for amplifying the audio signals generated by said microphone; a battery connected to supply power to said hearing aid circuit; an alarm system for generating an audio alarm signal representative of an audible alarm in response to the voltage output of said battery falling below a predetermined threshold value, said audio alarm signal being directly connected for amplification by said amplifier such that both said audible alarm and said audio received by said microphone can be heard simultaneously by a user, said audible alarm being transmitted into the car canal of the user such that the audible alarm is heard only by the user, said audio alarm signal having at least one signal component which increases audibility as the voltage of said battery decreases.

Claim 26

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 21 wherein said signal component is selected from the group consisting of amplitude and frequency.

Claim 27

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 22 wherein both the frequency and amplitude of said audio signal increase as the voltage of said battery decreases.

Claim 28

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 21 and further comprising means for disabling said alarm system to inhibit generation of said audio alarm signal.

Claim 29

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 24 and further comprising an on/off switch for controlling power supplied from said battery.

Claim 30

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 25 said means for disabling comprises said on/off switch.

Claim 31

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 24 wherein said means for disabling is automatic.

Claim 32

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 21 and further comprising a timing circuit for enabling and disabling generation of said audio alarm signal.

Claim 33

A hearing aid comprising: a microphone for receiving audio and for generating therefrom audio signals; an amplifier for amplifying input signals, said amplifier having a first input connected to receive the audio signals generated by said microphone, a second input, and an output supplying amplified signals corresponding to signals received at said first and second inputs; an earphone connected to receive said signals from said output of said amplifier and for convening said signals into sound energy; a battery connected to supply power to said amplifier; an alarm system for generating an audio alarm signal representative of an audible alarm in response to the voltage output of said battery falling below a predetermined threshold value, said audio alarm signal being directly connected for receipt by said second input of said amplifier such that both said audible alarm and said audio received by said microphone can be heard simultaneously by a user, said audible alarm being transmitted into the ear canal of the user such that the audible alarm is heard only by the user, said audio alarm signal having at least one signal component which increases as the voltage of said battery decreases, said signal component selected from the group consisting of amplitude and frequency.

Claim 34

A hearing aid comprising: a microphone for receiving audio and for generating therefrom audio signals; an amplifier for amplifying input signals, said amplifier having a first input connected to receive the audio signals generated by said microphone, a second input, and an output supplying amplified signals corresponding to signals received at said first and second inputs; an earphone connected to receive said signals from said output of said amplifier and for convening said signals into sound energy; a battery connected to supply power to said amplifier; an alarm system for generating an audio alarm signal representative of an audible alarm in response to the voltage output of said battery falling below a predetermined threshold value, said audio alarm signal being directly connected for receipt by said second input of said amplifier such that both said audible alarm and said audio received by said microphone can be heard simultaneously by a user, said audible alarm being transmitted into the ear canal of the user such that the audible alarm is heard only by the user, said audio alarm signal having at least one signal component which increases as the voltage of said battery decreases, said signal component selected from the group consisting of amplitude and frequency.

Claim 35

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 29 and further comprising means for disabling said alarm system to inhibit generation of said audio alarm signal.

Claim 36

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 29 wherein both the frequency and amplitude of said audio alarm signal increase as the voltage of said battery decreases.

Claim 37

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 30 and further comprising an on/off switch for controlling power supplied from said battery.

Claim 38

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 32 wherein said means for disabling is automatic.

Claim 39

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 30 wherein said means for disabling is automatic.

Claim 40

A hearing aid as claimed in claim 29 and further comprising a timing circuit for periodically enabling and disabling generation of said audio alarm signal.