Managing a hearing assistance device via low energy digital communications

• US 10,506,355 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2016
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Edgar, Daniel Mark, Klobe, Kirk, Helgeson, Michael, Solum, Jeffrey Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US15/339,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20170118568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 381312, 381314-316, 381320-321
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/023 Completely in the canal [CIC] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/51 Aspects of antennas or their circuitry in or for hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for programming and modifying hearing assistance devices via low energy digital communications. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a method of using a hearing assistance device. The method includes providing characteristics and descriptors of the hearing assistance device compatible with a low energy digital communication protocol, the characteristics and descriptors accessible to an external communication device. According to various embodiments, the method also includes accepting individual read/write cycles from an external communication device configured to use the low energy digital communication protocol to read and update the characteristics and descriptors using an abstraction layer. The hearing assistance device is configured to compensate for a wearer'"'"'s hearing loss based on the updated characteristics and descriptors, in various embodiments.

Claims

1. A hearing assistance device configured to communicate with an external communication device, the hearing assistance device comprising:

a microphone;

an antenna;

a speaker; and

a processer configured to make selected characteristics and descriptors for each communication channel of the hearing assistance device accessible to the external communication device, the selected characteristics and descriptors compatible with a low energy digital communication protocol, and further configured to accept individual read/write cycles from the external communication device configured to use the low energy digital communication protocol to read and update the characteristics and descriptors using an abstraction layer, wherein the processor is configured to express sensor output using the selected characteristics and descriptors, wherein the hearing assistance device is configured to compensate for a wearer'"'"'s hearing loss based on the updated characteristics and descriptors, and wherein using the abstraction layer includes using software resident on the hearing assistance device to permit updating of hearing assistance device parameters by the external communication device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store program instructions for the processor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to amplify, filter, limit, condition or a combination thereof, sounds received using the microphone.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured for Bluetooth Low Energy communications.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a cochlear implant.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the hearing aid includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the hearing aid includes a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid.

13. A method of programming a hearing assistance device, the method comprising:

reading selected characteristics and descriptors for each communication channel of the hearing assistance device using a low energy digital communication protocol; and

updating the selected characteristics and descriptors in an abstraction layer using the low energy digital communication protocol, thereby configuring the hearing assistance device to compensate for a wearer'"'"'s hearing loss based on the updated characteristics and descriptors, wherein the abstraction layer includes software resident on the hearing assistance device to permit updating hearing assistance device parameters by the external communication device, wherein the hearing assistance device is configured to express sensor output using the selected characteristics and descriptors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the selected characteristics and descriptors includes using a Bluetooth Low Energy host device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the selected characteristics and descriptors includes updating memory blocks and parameters of hearing assistance device firmware.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the selected characteristics and descriptors includes providing sound input level at a programmable frequency and a programmable interval.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the selected characteristics and descriptors includes providing a gain setting for the hearing assistance device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the selected characteristics and descriptors includes providing a gain threshold for the heating assistance device.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the selected characteristics and descriptors includes providing a compression setting for the hearing assistance device.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein updating the selected characteristics and descriptors includes providing a compression threshold for the hearing assistance device.