BATTERY-POWERED WIRELESS AUDIO DEVICE AND A METHOD OF OPERATING SUCH A WIRELESS AUDIO DEVICE

• US 20140355781A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Eckardt, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,467,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36038 Cochlear stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/109 Arrangements to adapt hands free headphones for use on both ears
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless audio device includes an audio streaming unit to wirelessly transmit an audio signal to a remote hearing device such as a hearing aid or a cochlear implant. A remote control unit to wirelessly controls the remote hearing device, a battery monitor determines a power level of a battery and provides a battery state signal indicative of the power level of the battery. A power management unit deactivates the audio streaming unit when the battery state signal reaches or falls below a first threshold and deactivates the remote control unit when the battery state signal reaches or falls below a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold. Also described is a method of operating such a wireless audio device as well as a hearing system including such a wireless audio device and a remote hearing device, such as a hearing aid or a cochlear implant.

Claims

1. A wireless audio device (1) comprising:

an audio streaming unit (3) adapted to wirelessly transmit an audio signal to a remote hearing device (2);

a remote control unit (4) adapted to wirelessly control the remote hearing device (2);

a battery monitoring unit (5) adapted to determine a power level of a battery (6) and to provide a battery state signal indicative of the power level of the battery (6); and

a power management unit (7) adapted to deactivate the audio streaming unit (3) when the battery state signal reaches or falls below a first threshold and to deactivate the remote control unit (3) when the battery state signal reaches or falls below a second threshold, wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold.

2. The wireless audio device (1) of claim 1, wherein at least the first threshold is configurable.

3. The wireless audio device (1) of claim 1, wherein at least the first threshold is settable by an input means (8) located at the wireless audio device (1).

4. The wireless audio device (1) of claim 1, wherein at least the first threshold is automatically determinable by the wireless audio device (1) dependent on the type of the battery (6).

5. The wireless audio device (1) of claim 1, further comprising a logging unit (10) adapted to log information related to the battery state signal.

6. The wireless audio device (1) of claim 1, further comprising an estimation unit (11) adapted to determine an estimate of an amount of time remaining until the audio streaming unit (3) is deactivated, wherein the estimate is determined based on the battery state signal, more particularly based on the information logged by the logging means (9) according to claim 6.

7. The wireless audio device (1) of claim 1, further comprising a display means (9) adapted to display the battery state signal and/or the estimate of the amount of time remaining until the audio streaming unit (3) is deactivated.

8. A hearing system comprising a wireless audio device (1) according to claim 1, and a remote hearing device (2), the remote hearing device (2) being a hearing device adapted to be worn at an ear of an individual, more particularly the remote hearing device (2) being one of the following:

a hearing aid,

a cochlear implant,

an in-ear receiver,

an in-ear monitor,

an earphone,

a headset.

9. A method of operating a wireless audio device (1) comprising an audio streaming unit (3) for wirelessly transmitting an audio signal to a remote hearing device (2) and a remote control unit (4) for wirelessly controlling the remote hearing device (2), the wireless audio device (1) being powered by a battery (6), the method comprising the steps of:

determining a power level of the battery (6);

providing a battery state signal indicative of the power level of the battery (6);

deactivating the audio streaming unit (3) when the battery state signal reaches or falls below a first threshold; and

deactivating the remote control unit (3) when the battery state signal reaches or falls below a second threshold,

wherein the first threshold is higher than the second threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of configuring the wireless audio device (1) with data pertaining to at least the first threshold.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of setting at least the first threshold via an adjustment means (8) located at the wireless audio device (1).

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of automatically determining by the wireless audio device (1) of data pertaining to at least the first threshold dependent on the type of the battery (6).

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of logging information related to the battery state signal.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of estimating an amount of time remaining until the audio streaming unit (3) is deactivated, wherein the estimate is determined based on the battery state signal, more particularly based on the information logged according to claim 13.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying the battery state signal and/or the estimate of the amount of time remaining until the audio streaming unit (3) is deactivated.