Hearing instrument having a wireless base unit
First Claim
1. A wireless hearing instrument system, comprising:
- a base unit including one or more microphones for generating an audio signal and including communications circuitry for wirelessly transmitting the audio signal;
a hearing instrument including communications circuitry for receiving the audio signal from the base unit, the hearing instrument being operable to process the audio signal to compensate for a hearing impairment of a hearing instrument user and to transmit the processed audio signal into an ear canal of the hearing instrument user; and
a clear channel selection program executed by a processor in the wireless hearing instrument system and operable to automatically select a communication channel from a range of available frequencies for transmitting the audio signal from the base unit to the hearing instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for a hearing instrument having a wireless base unit. The base unit may include one or more microphones for generating an audio signal and communications circuitry for wirelessly transmitting the audio signal to the hearing instrument. The hearing instrument may include communications circuitry for receiving the audio signal from the base unit, and may further include a processing device operable to process the audio signal to compensate for a hearing impairment of a hearing instrument user and a speaker for transmitting the processed audio signal into an ear canal of the hearing instrument user. The base unit may be positioned to receive audio signals at a distance from the hearing instrument user.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A wireless hearing instrument system, comprising:
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a base unit including one or more microphones for generating an audio signal and including communications circuitry for wirelessly transmitting the audio signal;
a hearing instrument including communications circuitry for receiving the audio signal from the base unit, the hearing instrument being operable to process the audio signal to compensate for a hearing impairment of a hearing instrument user and to transmit the processed audio signal into an ear canal of the hearing instrument user; and
a clear channel selection program executed by a processor in the wireless hearing instrument system and operable to automatically select a communication channel from a range of available frequencies for transmitting the audio signal from the base unit to the hearing instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A wireless hearing instrument system, comprising:
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a base unit including one or more audio inputs for receiving a stereo audio signal and including communications circuitry for wirelessly transmitting the stereo audio signal; and
a pair of hearing instruments that include communications circuitry for receiving the stereo audio signal from the base unit, at least one of the hearing instruments being operable to process the stereo audio signal to compensate for a hearing impairment of a hearing instrument user;
the base unit being operable to transmit the stereo audio signal over two frequency channels, wherein one frequency channel is used to transmit a first portion of the stereo audio signal to a first one of the hearing instruments and another frequency channel is used to transmit a second portion of the stereo audio signal to a second one of the hearing instruments. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. Communications circuitry for use in a wireless hearing instrument system, the wireless hearing instrument system including a base unit with a microphone for receiving an audio signal and operable to wirelessly transmit the audio signal to a hearing instrument, the hearing instrument being operable to process the received audio signal to compensate for a hearing impairment of a hearing instrument user, the communications circuitry comprising:
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a processor operable to format the audio signal for wireless transmission;
transmitter circuitry operable to modulate the audio signal to an RF carrier for transmission to the hearing instrument, the frequency of the RF carrier being programmable; and
a clear channel selection program executed by the processor and operable to automatically program the frequency of the RF carrier from a range of available frequencies for transmitting the audio signal from the base unit to the hearing instrument. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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Specification