System and method for optimizing battery usage for a binaural hearing system

• US 10,531,205 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2018
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Oesch, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc D
• Application Number:
  US16/036,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20200021924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 381315, 381323
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• 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

Abstract

A fitting system is configured to determine a first power consumption metric for a first hearing device included in a binaural hearing system configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device during a communication session, determine a second power consumption metric for a second hearing device included in the binaural hearing system, determine that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, and assign, based on the determination that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, a first operating role to the first hearing device. The first operating role specifies that the first hearing device is to be wirelessly connected with the external device during the communication session.

Claims

1. A fitting system for fitting a binaural hearing system comprising:

a computing device configured to

determine a first power consumption metric for a first hearing device included in the binaural hearing system configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device during a communication session;

determine a second power consumption metric for a second hearing device included in the binaural hearing system;

determine that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric;

assign, by the fitting system based on the determination that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, a first operating role to the first hearing device, the first operating role specifying that the first hearing device is to be wirelessly connected with the external device during the communication session; and

present, within a graphical user interface, information indicating that the first operating role is assigned to the first hearing device.

2. The fitting system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to assign, based on the determination that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, a second operating role to the second hearing device, the second operating role specifying that the second hearing device is to remain unconnected with the external device during the communication session.

3. The fitting system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to determine the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device by

accessing data representative of an operation program that the first hearing device uses to deliver audio content to a user of the binaural hearing system;

and

generating, based on the data representative of the operation program, the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device.

4. The fitting system of claim 3, wherein the first hearing device is a hearing aid and the operation program specifies an audio amplification scheme used by the first hearing device.

5. The fitting system of claim 3, wherein the first hearing device is a sound processor included in a cochlear implant system and the operation program specifies a stimulation scheme used by the cochlear implant system.

6. The fitting system of claim 3, wherein the computing device is configured to access the data representative of the operation program by:

transmitting data representative of a request for the operation program to the first hearing device by way of a fitting communication link between the fitting system and the binaural hearing system; and

receiving, in response to the request and by way of the fitting communication link, data identifying the operation program.

7. The fitting system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to determine the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device by

accessing data representative of an audiogram associated with a first ear of a user of the binaural hearing system;

and

generating, based on the data representative of the audiogram, the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device.

8. The fitting system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to determine the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device by

accessing data representative of a battery characteristic of a battery used by the first hearing device;

and

generating, based on the data representative of the battery characteristic, the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device.

9. The fitting system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to provide, within the graphical user interface, an option for a user to override the assignment of the first operating role to the first hearing device and instead assign the first operating role to the second hearing device.

10. The fitting system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

detect a selection by the user of the option to override the assignment of the first operating role to the first hearing device; and

in response to the selection of the option

assign the first operating role to the second hearing device, the first operating role now specifying that the second hearing device is to be wirelessly connected with the external device during the communication session, and

assign a second operating role to the first hearing device, the second operating role specifying that the first hearing device is to remain wirelessly unconnected with the external device during the communication session.

11. The fitting system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to program the first hearing device to operate in accordance with the first operating role.

12. The fitting system of claim 11, wherein the computing device is configured to program the first hearing device to operate in accordance with the first operating role by writing data representative of the pairing mode to memory of the first hearing device.

13. A method comprising:

determining a first power consumption metric for a first hearing device included in a binaural hearing system configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device during a communication session;

determining a second power consumption metric for a second hearing device included in the binaural hearing system;

determining that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric;

assigning, based on the determining that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, a first operating role to the first hearing device, the first operating role specifying that the first hearing device is to be wirelessly connected with the external device during the communication session; and

presenting, within a graphical user interface, information indicating that the first operating role is assigned to the first hearing device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising assigning, based on the determining that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, a second operating role to the second hearing device, the second operating role specifying that the second hearing device is to remain wirelessly unconnected with the external device during the communication session.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining of the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device comprises:

accessing data representative of an operation program that the first hearing device uses to deliver audio content to a user of the binaural hearing system; and

generating, based on the data representative of the operation program, the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining of the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device comprises:

accessing data representative of an audiogram associated with a first ear of a user of the binaural hearing system; and

generating, based on the data representative of the audiogram, the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining of the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device comprises:

accessing data representative of a battery characteristic of a battery used by the first hearing device; and

generating, based on the data representative of the battery characteristic, the first power consumption metric for the first hearing device.

18. A fitting system for fitting a binaural hearing system comprising:

a computing device configured to

transmit data representative of a request for an operation program to a first hearing device included in the binaural hearing system by way of a fitting communication link, the operation program used by the first hearing device to deliver audio content to a user of the binaural hearing system;

receive, in response to the request and by way of the fitting communication link, data identifying the operation program;

generate, based on the data identifying of the operation program, a first power consumption metric for the first hearing device;

determine a second power consumption metric for a second hearing device included in the binaural hearing system;

determine that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric; and

assign, by the fitting system based on the determination that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, a first operating role to the first hearing device, the first operating role specifying that the first hearing device is to be wirelessly connected with an external device during a communication session.

19. The fitting system of claim 18, wherein the computing device is further configured to present, within a graphical user interface, information indicating that the first operating role is assigned to the first hearing device.