Remote Programming System for Programmable Hearing Aids
First Claim
1. Arrangement for interactive real-time remote analysis and adjustment of a hearing aid for a hearing patient, in which a hearing aid clinician at a central clinic location is able to analyze and adjust performance and program settings of one or more programmable hearing aids of a hearing patient who is present at a patient location that is remote from said central clinic location, the arrangement comprisingat said central clinic location,a suitably programmed computer having a processor, an interface device for use by the clinician, a video monitor screen, and an Internet connection to connect the clinician computer with a global computer network;
- and software permitting analysis of program settings of a patient'"'"'s hearing aid in real time by the clinician and permitting the clinician to adjust the settings of the hearing aid; and
means software providing real time communication between the clinician and the patient;
at said remote patient location,a patient-operated computer including a processor, a video monitor screen, a patient-computer interface device, and an Internet connection to connect the patient computer with said global computer network;
software installed on said patient computer to permit the clinician to analyze program settings of the patient hearing aid and adjust the patient'"'"'s hearing aid by use of the interface device of the clinician computer; and
a wireless device connected with the patient computer and communicating wirelessly with the patient'"'"'s hearing aid at the patient location, the device being able to transmit data corresponding to program settings of the hearing aid between the hearing aid and the patient computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Bluetooth-enabled programmable digital hearing aids can be adjusted remotely and in real time. The hearing aid patient at home or a location convenient to the patient logs on to a hearing clinic web site to connect with a clinician, e.g. audiologist or hearing aid technician, at a central clinic location. The patient computer is provided with software for this and the patient is provided with a wireless hearing aid adjustment device. The clinician downloads the patient'"'"'s hearing aid program and other data, and then makes adjustments and reprograms the hearing aids in real time.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. Arrangement for interactive real-time remote analysis and adjustment of a hearing aid for a hearing patient, in which a hearing aid clinician at a central clinic location is able to analyze and adjust performance and program settings of one or more programmable hearing aids of a hearing patient who is present at a patient location that is remote from said central clinic location, the arrangement comprising
at said central clinic location, a suitably programmed computer having a processor, an interface device for use by the clinician, a video monitor screen, and an Internet connection to connect the clinician computer with a global computer network; - and software permitting analysis of program settings of a patient'"'"'s hearing aid in real time by the clinician and permitting the clinician to adjust the settings of the hearing aid; and
means software providing real time communication between the clinician and the patient;at said remote patient location, a patient-operated computer including a processor, a video monitor screen, a patient-computer interface device, and an Internet connection to connect the patient computer with said global computer network;
software installed on said patient computer to permit the clinician to analyze program settings of the patient hearing aid and adjust the patient'"'"'s hearing aid by use of the interface device of the clinician computer; anda wireless device connected with the patient computer and communicating wirelessly with the patient'"'"'s hearing aid at the patient location, the device being able to transmit data corresponding to program settings of the hearing aid between the hearing aid and the patient computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- and software permitting analysis of program settings of a patient'"'"'s hearing aid in real time by the clinician and permitting the clinician to adjust the settings of the hearing aid; and
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5. A method for interactive, real-time analysis and adjustment of a hearing aid of a patient, wherein a hearing aid clinician is located at a central clinic location and is able to analyze and adjust the performance and program settings of one or more programmable hearing aids of a hearing aid patient who is present at a patient location that is remote from said clinic location, the method comprising providing the clinician at the clinic location with a suitably programmed computer having an interface device for use by the clinician, a video monitor screen, an Internet connection to connect the clinician computer with a global computer network, and software permitting analysis of program settings of a patient'"'"'s hearing aid and permitting the clinician to adjust the program settings of the patient'"'"'s hearing aid, wherein the clinician computer is adapted to provide real-time communication between the clinician at the clinic location and the patient at the patient location;
- and providing the patient at the patient location a patient computer including a processor, a video monitor screen, a patient-computer interface device, and an Internet connection to connect the patient computer with said global computer network;
the method further comprisinginstalling on the patient computer software to permit the clinician to analyze and adjust the patient'"'"'s hearing aid through the clinician computer connected via said global computer network with the patient computer; providing the patient with a wireless hearing aid adjustment device; connecting the wireless hearing aid adjustment device with the patient computer; the wireless hearing aid adjustment device communicating wirelessly with the patient'"'"'s hearing aid while the aid is present in the ear of the patient; obtaining via the wireless hearing aid adjustment device program settings of the patient'"'"'s hearing aid and communicating the setting through the patient computer and the global computer network to the clinician computer, and displaying said setting on the monitor at said clinic location; the clinician entering adjustments to said program settings on the clinician computer; and the clinician computer communicating said adjustments through the global computer network to the patient computer at the patient location; the wireless hearing aid adjustment device uploading the adjusted program settings to the patient'"'"'s hearing aid. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- and providing the patient at the patient location a patient computer including a processor, a video monitor screen, a patient-computer interface device, and an Internet connection to connect the patient computer with said global computer network;
Specification