PROGRAMMABLE REMOTE CONTROL

• US 20070071264A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Meier, Hilmar, Baechler, Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• 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 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A hearing system includes a hearing device with a signal processing unit. A control input of the signal processing unit is connected to a device communication port. A remote control device has a wireless communication port for single or bi-directional wireless communication with the device communication port. A computer is embedded in the remote control device. An output of the computer is connected to the wireless communication port and to a machine/man interface at the remote control device. An input of the computer is connected to a man/machine interface at the remote control device. A set of application programs is executable by the computer.

Claims

1. A hearing system with at least one hearing device having a signal processing unit with a control input operationally connected to a device communication port,

a remote control device with a wireless communication port for single- or bi-directional wireless communication with said device communication port, an embedded computer in said remote control device operated by an operating system, an output thereof being operationally connected to said communication port and to at least one machine/man interface at said remote control device, an input thereof being operationally connected to at least one man/machine interface at said remote control device, a set of application programs executable by said embedded computer.

2. The system of claim 1, at least a part of said application programs of said set being commonly installed and selectively activatable for execution via said at least one man/machine interface.

3. The system of claim 1, a multitude of application programs being executable by said remote control device with said embedded computer, a selection of said application programs executed being made in dependency of the needs of said individual.

4. The system of claim 1, a multitude of application programs being executable by said remote control device with said embedded computer, a selection of said application programs executed being made in dependency of the hearing device linked to said remote control device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said selection is made automatically upon identification of said hearing device by said remote control device.

6. The system of claim 2, said application programs being activatable and settable under menu control.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said machine/man interface comprises at least one of the following units:

a color display, a loudspeaker unit, an electrical to mechanical output converter of the hearing device, an output connection plug at the remote control device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said man/machine interface comprises at least one of the following units:

a touch screen, a microphone, a keypad, an acoustical-to-electrical input converter at the hearing device, an input connection plug at the remote control device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote control device comprises an input unit for loading application programs.

10. The system of claim 1, said remote control device being operatable as at least one of a PDA, a mobile phone, a radio broadcast receiver, a video player, an audio player, a TV receiver, a camera, a remote control for a device different from said hearing device, a fitting control device for said hearing device, a communication transit unit between said hearing device and a remote information system.

11. A method for establishing remote control of a hearing device by a remote control device, comprising the steps of pairing said hearing device and remote control device and automatically activating at least one of monodirectional and of bidirectional communication between said hearing device and said remote control device in dependency of the hearing device automatically identified by the remote control device and/or vice versa.