Method, apparatus, system and interface unit for programming a hearing aid

• US 5,226,086 A
• Filed: 05/18/1990
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co (3M Company)
• Inventors: Platt, Jonathan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US07/525,901
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90, 379/102, 379/106, 379/107, 381/23.1, 381/58, 381/60, 381/68, 381/68.2, 381/68.4
• US Class Current: 381/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

System and method for programming a plurality of hearing aids physically located at a plurality of remote locations, each of the plurality of hearing aids being capable of being responsive to the auditory characteristics of an individual user, being responsive to a set of auditory parameters and having a programmable memory for storing the set of auditory parameters. A first transmitting mechanism, located at each of the plurality of remote locations, transmits the auditory characteristics of those of the individual users located at one of the plurality of remote locations to a central location. A calculating mechanism, located at the central location, calculates an appropriate set of auditory parameters for each of the hearing aids based upon the auditory characteristics of each of the individual users. A second transmitting mechanism transmits the appropriate set of auditory parameters from the central location to each of the plurality of remote locations for each of the hearing aids. A storing mechanism, located at each of the plurality of remote locations, stores the appropriate auditory parameters in the programmable memory of each of the plurality of hearing aids.

Claims

1. A system for programming a plurality of hearing aids, each of said plurality of hearing aids capable of being responsive to auditory characteristics of an individual user, being responsive to a set of auditory parameters and having a programmable memory for storing said set of auditory parameters, comprising:

a plurality of first transmitting means for transmitting via telephone lines said auditory characteristics of each of said individual users to a central office;

calculating means for calculating at said central office an appropriate set of auditory parameters for each of said plurality of hearing aids based upon said auditory characteristics of said individual user;

second transmitting means for transmitting via telephone lines appropriate set of auditory parameters from said central office to each corresponding one of said plurality of hearing aids; and

a plurality of storing means for storing said appropriate set of auditory parameters in said programmable memory of each of said plurality of hearing aids.

2. A system for programming a plurality of hearing aids as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of hearing aids are located at separate locations remote from the location of said central office.

3. A system for programming a plurality of hearing aids as in claim 2 where there are at least one of said first transmitting means and at least one of said storing means for each of said separate locations.

4. A system for programming a plurality of hearing aids as in claim 3 which further comprises a plurality of means for transmitting said set of auditory characteristics for each of said plurality of hearing aids to each of said separate location.

5. A system for programming a plurality of hearing aids physically located at a plurality of remote locations, each of said plurality of hearing aids capable of being responsive to auditory characteristics of an individual user, being responsive to a set of auditory parameters and having a programmable memory for storing said set of auditory parameters, comprising:

first transmitting means, located at each of said plurality of remote locations, for transmitting via telephone lines said auditory characteristics of those of said individual users to a central location;

calculating means, located at said central location, for calculating at said office an appropriate set of auditory parameters for each of said hearing aids based upon said auditory characteristics of each of said individual users;

second transmitting means for transmitting via telephone lines said appropriate set of auditory parameters from said central location to each of said plurality of remote locations for each of said hearing aids; and

storing means, located at each of said plurality of remote locations, for storing said appropriate set of auditory parameters in said programmable memory of each of said plurality of hearing aids.

6. A method for programming a plurality of hearing aids physically located at a plurality of remote locations, each of said plurality of hearing aids capable of being responsive to auditory characteristics of an individual user, being responsive to a set of auditory parameters and having a programmable memory for storing said set of auditory parameters, comprising the steps of:

transmitting via telephone lines from each of said plurality of remote locations said auditory characteristics of those of said individual users located at each of said plurality of remote locations to a central location;

calculating at said central location an appropriate set of auditory parameters for each of said hearing aids based upon said auditory characteristics of each of said individual users;

transmitting via telephone lines said appropriate set of auditory parameters from said central location to each of said plurality of remote locations for each of said hearing aids; and

storing said appropriate set of auditory parameters in said programmable memory of each of said plurality of hearing aids.

7. A method of programming a plurality of hearing aids as in claim 6 which further comprises the step of transmitting said set of auditory characteristics for each of said plurality of hearing aids, located at each of said remote location, to said central location.

8. A method of programming a plurality of hearing aids as in claim 6 wherein said step of transmitting said auditory characteristics is performed individually by each of said remote locations originating telephone contact.

9. An interface unit utilized with a programmable hearing aid to accommodate auditory characteristics of an individual user and a telephonic link to a remotely located central programming device, said hearing aid being responsive to a set of auditory parameters and having a programmable memory for storing said set of auditory parameters, comprising:

receiving means for receiving an appropriate set of auditory parameters via said telephonic link which have been calculated by said central programming device; and

storing means for storing said appropriate set of auditory parameters in said programmable memory of said hearing aid.

10. An interface unit utilized with a programmable hearing aid to accommodate auditory characteristics of an individual user and a telephonic link to a remotely located central programming device, said hearing aid being responsive to a set of auditory parameters and having a programmable memory for storing said set of auditory parameters, comprising:

transmitting means for transmitting said auditory characteristics of said individual user to said central programming device via said telephonic link;

receiving means for receiving an appropriate set of auditory parameters via said telephonic link which have been calculated by said central programming device; and

storing means for storing said appropriate set of auditory parameters in said programmable memory of said hearing aid.