ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM
The present invention relates to an assistive listening device adapted to monitor and alert the user to sound alarms generated by other devices.
Assistive listening devices are known. One example is the iCom™ produced by the Phonak group. This device is configured to connect directly with a host of communication and entertainment devices, such as television, GPS systems and stereo equipment and to relay audio in a suitably amplified form to a user's hearing aid.
The iCom™ requires the user to connect the device with a specific audio producing device in order to listen to that device. The iCom™ is not suitable for detecting un expected sound from sources to which it has not been intentionally connected.
People with hearing difficulties may be disadvantaged in that they cannot hear audio alarms, for example (but without limitation), telephones ringing, door bells, fire or intruder alarms or alarm clocks. The present invention seeks to provide an assistive listening system which monitors and detects unscheduled audio alarms and relays these to a hearing aid so that a hearing impaired user may be alerted to the alarm.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided an assistive listening system comprising;
at least one microphone configured for monitoring audio alarm events, the microphone in communication with a control hub and configured to transmit a signal to the hub indicative of an occurring audio alarm event, the control hub configured for recognising the specific source of a detected audio alarm and for transmitting an alert receivable by a hearing aid.
Desirably the microphone is a wireless microphone. A single microphone with suitable sensitivity may serve to monitor a plurality of audio alarm generating devices. Alternatively, multiple, lower sensitivity microphones may be selectively configured and place for monitoring individual or smaller groups of audio alarm devices.
The microphone may be configured to transmit a data stream or an audio stream indicative of a specific audio alarm event detected by the microphone.
The hub comprises a receiver for receiving audio or data streams from the microphone. Desirably transmission to the receiver is wireless.
The hub may incorporate a processor to process incoming data streams and identify the original source of the audio alarm event. The hub incorporates a transmitter for transmitting a signal indicative of the audio alarm event to a user's hearing aid. This transmission may be wireless or via wire connected via an analogue Jack socket to the user's hearing aid.
The signal transmitted to the hearing aid may be a simple audio reproduction of the alarm event or may be an alternative signal produced by the processor specifying that an alarm event has occurred and the source of the alarm event.
In one convenient embodiment, the hub is worn around the neck of a user adjacent the hearing aid. Alternatively the hub may be in a fixed location within the user's home and configured wirelessly to transmit appropriate signals to the hearing aid. In the latter case, the hub may be wired to the one or more microphones, though in the former case it is clearly desirably connection between the hub and microphone is wireless to allow unhindered movement of the user.
The microphone input level is adjustable. Conveniently the input level is reduced to a sensitivity responsive only at the volume of the monitored audio alarm events which by their nature will be louder than the background environment. This enables the microphones to filter out background noise. By way of example, one embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figure 1.
Figure 1 shows schematically an embodiment of the invention in practical use.
As can be seem from Figure 1 a wireless monitoring microphone 1 is positioned within a user's environment to monitor one or more alarm signals 2. As illustrated, the alarm has been triggered and is emitting an audio alarm signal. The microphone 1 picks up this signal and transmits a notification of the signal to a hub 3. The signal is transmitted wirelessly and may be in the form of an audio or data stream. A receiver in the hub (not shown) receives the signal and processes it for onward transmission to the user.
The hub 3 is includes various transmission means for transmitting an appropriate alarm signal to the hearing aid of the user. Audio may be transmitted by wire through an analogue Jack socket, wirelessly in the form of an audio signal receivable by the hearing aid or by an inductive loop transmission to the hearing aid. This enables the system to be used with a range of hearing aids and by users with a range hearing impairments.
In a more compact option, then microphone and control hub may be contained in a single device.