Wireless system for hearing communication devices providing wireless stereo reception modes

• US 10,511,918 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Solum, Jeffrey Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan D
• Application Number:
  US15/851,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20180206048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/007 in which the audio signals are in digital form data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02

Abstract

The present subject matter relates to the wireless stereo reception of first and second audio information by wireless hearing communication devices. One type of device which may employ the present subject matter is a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Various forms and protocols of signal transmission are employed in varying embodiments. The present subject matter includes various communication modes such as eavesdropping modes and relaying modes.

Claims

1. A system for a wearer having a first ear and a second ear, comprising:

a remote source adapted to provide Bluetooth wireless communications;

a first hearing communication device to receive the Bluetooth wireless communications including first and second audio information from the remote source, the first hearing communication device configured to forward the second audio information using near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) and adapted to provide the first audio information to the first ear; and

a second hearing communication device to receive NFMI wireless communications, the second hearing communication device adapted to provide the second audio information to the second ear,

wherein the second hearing communication device is adapted to receive the (NFMI) wireless communications from the first hearing communication device without an electrical connection to the first hearing communication device and wherein the second hearing communication device is further configured to eavesdrop on the Bluetooth wireless communications received by the first hearing communication device, wherein the system is adapted to support a stereo mode of reception by the first hearing communication device and the second hearing communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first heating communication device includes a wireless earpiece.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first hearing communication device includes a hearing assistance device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second hearing communication device includes a wireless earpiece.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second hearing communication device includes a hearing assistance device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second hearing communication device does not control handshaking with the remote source.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first hearing communication device is configured to demodulate and decode stereo information and encode and relay communications to the second hearing communication device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote source includes a cellular telephone.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote source includes a personal computer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote source includes a streaming audio device.

11. A method, comprising:

transmitting a Bluetooth wireless signal including first stereo channel audio information and second stereo channel audio information;

wirelessly receiving the first and second stereo channel audio information with a first hearing communication device;

transmitting the second stereo channel audio information from the first hearing communication device to a second hearing communication device using near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) communications, wherein the second hearing communication device is further configured to eavesdrop on communications received by the first hearing communication device;

playing the first stereo channel audio information to a first ear of a wearer using the first hearing communication device in or on the first ear; and

playing the second stereo channel audio information to a second ear of the wearer using the second hearing communication device in or on the second ear.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first hearing communication device is configured to demodulate and decode stereo information and encode and relay communications to the second hearing communication device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first hearing communication device and the second hearing communication device is a hearing aid.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid is a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid is an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid is a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.