Hearing system, hearing device and method of operating and method of maintaining a hearing device

• US 20070098194A1
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Hasler, Ivo, Schneider, Philip, Launer, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,032,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• 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

The hearing device is adapted to automatically requesting an establishment of a communication connection to at least one hearing device support provider. The hearing device support provider may comprise a person knowledgeable in hearing devices, at the hearing device seller and/or at the hearing device manufacturer, and it may comprise a computer with a suitable software. Said automatically requesting said establishment of said communication connection will usually happen, when at least one change in internal status of the hearing device occurs, like a failure or a memory overflow or the upcome of a repeatedly occuring event. The hearing device may by itself decide upon the type of change in internal status, which hearing device support provider to connect to. Typically, at least one long-range communication connection is involved.

Claims

1. Hearing device adapted to automatically requesting an establishment of a communication connection to at least one hearing device support provider.

2. The hearing device according to claim 1, which is adapted to automatically requesting said establishment of said communication connection to said hearing device support provider when at least one change in internal status of the hearing device of a predetermined group of changes in internal status of the hearing device occurs.

3. The hearing device according to claim 2, wherein said group of changes in internal status of the hearing device comprises at least one of

a failure of said hearing device or of a part thereof;

a drop of a charge of a battery of said hearing device below a certain level;

a drop of an amount of free data storage memory of said hearing device below a certain level;

a reaching of a certain amplification gain during a time span, during which said amplification gain is gradually increased by an acclimatization manager of said hearing device;

a reaching of a time limit.

4. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein said communication connection comprises at least one long-range communication connection.

5. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein said requesting of said establishment of said communication connection comprises sending a signal to a user of said hearing device.

6. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein said hearing device support provider comprises an individual.

7. The hearing device according to claim 6, wherein said individual is associated with a manufacturer of said hearing device.

8. The hearing device according to claim 6, wherein said individual is associated with a hearing device seller.

9. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein said hearing device support provider comprises a computer with a support or maintenance software.

10. The hearing device according to claim 2, which comprises a controller adapted to deciding, in dependence of said at least one change in internal status of the hearing device, which of a number of said at least one hearing device support providers to establish a communication connection to.

11. A hearing system comprising

a hearing device according to one of the preceding claims;

and

a communication device adapted to providing for long-range communication connections;

wherein said hearing device is adapted to be functionally connected to said communication device.

12. Method of operating a hearing device, comprising the step of establishing a communication connection to at least one hearing device support provider upon a request generated automatically by said hearing device.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising the step of establishing a communication connection to at least one hearing device support provider upon a request generated automatically by said hearing device when at least one change in internal status of the hearing device of a predetermined group of changes in internal status of the hearing device occurs.

14. The method according to claim 12 or claim 13, comprising the step of sending a signal to a user of said hearing device.

15. The method according to claim 12, furthermore comprising the step of deciding, in dependence of at least one change in internal status of the hearing device, which of a number of said at least one hearing device support providers to establish a communication connection to.

16. The method according to claim 12, comprising the step of generating said request automatically when a problem occurs in the hearing device.

17. Method for maintaining a hearing device, comprising the step of establishing-a communication connection to at least one hearing device support provider upon a request generated automatically by said hearing device.