SPECTACLE HEARING DEVICE SYSTEM

• US 20140185845A1
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Resound A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: UDESEN, Jesper
• Granted Patent: US 10,231,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/313
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/06 Hearing aids construction of hearing aids H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/143 having special ear pieces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• 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

Abstract

A spectacle hearing device system includes: a first hearing instrument, the first hearing instrument having a first wireless hearing instrument transceiver and a first acoustic output transducer; a pair of spectacles, the pair of spectacles comprising a first wireless spectacle transceiver, and a first plurality of microphones, the first plurality of microphones forming a first directional microphone array configured for generating a first electrical signal from acoustic signals picked up by the first plurality of microphones; a first processor for processing the first electrical signal according to a hearing loss compensation prescription; and a first amplifier for applying the first electrical signal to the first acoustic output transducer; wherein the first wireless spectacle transceiver is configured for transmitting the first electrical signal wirelessly to the first hearing instrument.

Claims

1. A spectacle hearing device system comprising:

a first hearing instrument, the first hearing instrument having a first wireless hearing instrument transceiver and a first acoustic output transducer;

a pair of spectacles, the pair of spectacles comprising a first wireless spectacle transceiver, and a first plurality of microphones, the first plurality of microphones forming a first directional microphone array configured for generating a first electrical signal from acoustic signals picked up by the first plurality of microphones;

a first processor for processing the first electrical signal according to a hearing loss compensation prescription; and

a first amplifier for applying the first electrical signal to the first acoustic output transducer;

wherein the first wireless spectacle transceiver is configured for transmitting the first electrical signal wirelessly to the first hearing instrument.

2. The spectacle hearing device system according to claim 1, further comprising a second hearing instrument having a second wireless hearing instrument transceiver and a second acoustic output transducer;

the pair of spectacles comprising a second wireless spectacle transceiver, and a second plurality of microphones, the second plurality of microphones forming a second directional microphone array configured for generating a second electrical signal from acoustic signals picked up by the second plurality of microphones;

the system having a second processor for processing the second electrical signal according to another hearing loss compensation prescription, and a second amplifier for applying the second electrical signal to the second acoustic output transducer, wherein the second wireless spectacle transceiver is configured for transmitting the second electrical signal wirelessly to the second hearing instrument.

3. The spectacle hearing device system according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless spectacle transceiver is disposed in a proximal side bar of the pair of spectacles, the second wireless spectacle transceiver is disposed in a distal side bar of the pair of spectacles, the first hearing instrument is a proximal hearing instrument, and the second hearing instrument is a distal hearing instrument.

4. The spectacle hearing device system according to claim 2, wherein each of the first and the second wireless hearing instrument transceivers comprises a wireless signal detector for detecting a wireless signal, a wireless power estimator for estimating a power of the detected wireless signal, and a wireless power controller for reducing a transmission power of the corresponding wireless hearing instrument transceiver when the power of the detected wireless signal is estimated to be exceeding a predetermined limit.

5. A pair of spectacles for use with one or more hearing instruments, the pair of spectacles comprising:

a first wireless spectacle transceiver;

a processor; and

a first plurality of microphones, the first plurality of microphones forming a first directional microphone array configured for generating a first electrical signal from acoustic signals picked up by the first plurality of microphones;

wherein the first wireless spectacle transceiver is configured to transmit the first electrical signal wirelessly to a first hearing instrument.

6. The pair of spectacles according to claim 5, further comprising:

a second wireless spectacle transceiver; and

a second plurality of microphones, the second plurality of microphones forming a second directional microphone array configured for generating a second electrical signal from acoustic signals picked up by the second plurality of microphones;

wherein the second wireless spectacle transceiver is configured to transmit the second electrical signal wirelessly to a second hearing instrument.

7. The pair of spectacles according to claim 6, wherein the first and the second wireless spectacle transceivers are configured to exchange information wirelessly between a proximal hearing instrument and a distal hearing instrument via a wireless link between the first wireless spectacle transceiver and the second wireless spectacle transceiver, the proximal hearing instrument being one of the first and second hearing instruments, and the distal hearing instrument being the other one of the first and second hearing instruments.

8. The pair of spectacles according to claim 6, wherein the first and the second wireless spectacle transceivers are configured to exchange information between the proximal hearing instrument and the distal hearing instrument via an electrical connection between the first wireless spectacle transceiver and the second wireless spectacle transceiver, the proximal hearing instrument being one of the first and second hearing instruments, and the distal hearing instrument being the other one of the first and second hearing instruments.

9. A device for use with a spectacle hearing instrument system, comprising:

a wireless spectacle transceiver;

a processor;

a component for fixing the device securely to a pair of spectacles; and

a plurality of microphones, the plurality of microphones forming a directional microphone array configured for generating an electrical signal from acoustic signals picked up by the plurality of microphones;

the wireless spectacle transceiver being configured to transmit the electrical signal wirelessly.

10. A method of operating a spectacle hearing device system, comprising:

providing a first hearing instrument having a first wireless hearing instrument transceiver, a first hearing instrument processor, and a first acoustic output transducer;

providing a pair of spectacles comprising a first wireless spectacle transceiver, a spectacle processor, and a first plurality of microphones;

pairing the first wireless hearing instrument transceiver to the first wireless spectacle transceiver;

picking up sound signals using the first plurality of microphones;

converting the sound signals into a first electrical signal suitable for wireless transmission;

transmitting the electrical signal wirelessly from the first wireless spectacle transceiver to the first wireless hearing instrument transceiver;

receiving the electrical signal wirelessly by the first wireless hearing instrument transceiver;

applying a first hearing-loss correction to the received electrical signal according to a first hearing loss correction prescription; and

providing a first sound signal using the first acoustic output transducer of the first hearing instrument.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

providing a second hearing instrument having a second wireless hearing instrument transceiver, a second hearing instrument processor, and a second acoustic output transducer, wherein the pair of spectacles comprises a second wireless spectacle transceiver, and a second plurality of microphones;

pairing the second wireless hearing instrument transceiver to the second wireless spectacle transceiver;

picking up sound signals using the second plurality of microphones;

converting the sound signals into a second electrical signal suitable for wireless transmission;

transmitting the electrical signal wirelessly from the second wireless spectacle transceiver to the second wireless hearing instrument transceiver;

receiving the electrical signal wirelessly by the second wireless hearing instrument transceiver;

applying a second hearing-loss correction to the received electrical signal according to a second hearing loss correction prescription; and

providing a second sound signal using the second acoustic output transducer of the second hearing instrument.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a presence of a wireless signal;

determining a signal level of the wireless signal;

comparing the determined signal level against a first predetermined level limit;

reducing a transmission power of one of the respective first and second wireless hearing instrument transceivers if the determined signal level is above the first predetermined level limit; and

increasing the transmission power of one of the respective first and second wireless hearing instrument transceivers if the determined signal level is below the first, predetermined level limit.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

comparing the determined signal level against a second predetermined level limit; and

making one of the respective first and second wireless hearing instrument transceivers enter an idle state if the determined signal level is below the second predetermined level limit.

14. A method of transmitting data regarding operational characteristics of a proximal hearing instrument wirelessly to a distal hearing instrument using a pair of spectacles, comprising:

providing data regarding operational characteristics of a first processor of a proximal hearing instrument;

transmitting the data wirelessly from a first wireless hearing instrument transceiver disposed in the proximal hearing instrument to a first wireless spectacle transceiver disposed in a proximal side bar of the pair of spectacles;

receiving the data by the first wireless spectacle transceiver;

transmitting the data from the first wireless spectacle transceiver to a second wireless spectacle transceiver disposed in a distal side bar of the pair of spectacles;

receiving the data in the second wireless spectacle transceiver;

retransmitting the data wirelessly from the second wireless spectacle transceiver to a second hearing instrument transceiver disposed in the distal hearing instrument; and

receiving the data by the second hearing instrument transceiver.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the act of transmitting the data from the first spectacle transceiver to the second spectacle transceiver involves retransmitting the data wirelessly from the first wireless spectacle transceiver to the second wireless spectacle transceiver.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the act of transmitting the data from the first spectacle transceiver to the second spectacle transceiver involves retransmitting the data via an electrical connection between the first wireless spectacle transceiver and the second wireless spectacle transceiver.