Method for establishing a binaural communication link and binaural hearing devices

• US 7,254,246 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Jakob, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni; Suhan
• Application Number:
  US10/054,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20020131613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/314, 381315-318, 381322-324, 381/326, 381327-328, 381/151, 381/331, 381/370, 381/384, 600/25, 607 55- 57, 607/59, 181128-130, 343/718, 455/100, 455/93
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• 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 25/558 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

A binaural communication link between two hearing devices is established via at least one wire (7_w) and a conductor, which is formed by individual'"'"'s body (7_B).

Claims

1. A method of establishing a binaural communication link between two hearing devices at an individual by at least two electrical conductors, each of said hearing devices comprising an electrical to mechanical output converter, the method comprising the steps of establishing one of said at least two electrical conductors by the individual'"'"'s body and a second one of said at least two electrical conductors by a wire.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising bi-directionally transmitting electrical signals between said hearing devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting at least one of control signals and of audio signals via said communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an electronic unit communicating by said link with said devices.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said unit comprises a receiver-/transmitter-unit for wireless communication and establishing communication.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing said transmitter-/receiver unit between said two hearing devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said two hearing devices is a master and the second of said hearing devices is a slave.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying said wire to at least one of said hearing devices by magnetic attraction.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising establishing by said magnetic attraction an electric conduction contact of said wire to an input tab of said at least one hearing device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising establishing by said magnetic attraction a capacitive electric contact of said wire to an input of said at least one hearing device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising establishing a predetermined relative positioning of a contact area at said wire and a contact area at said at least one hearing device, by said magnetic attraction.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising enabling or disabling applying said wire to one of said two hearing devices by appropriately selecting magnetic polarities of respective magnetic arrangements at said at least one hearing device and said wire.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising establishing said conduction contact by at least one of a magnetic and of a ferromagnetic member.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising establishing said conduction contact with at least one of a non-magnetic metal contact member, a conductive polymer contact member.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing electric contact to said individual'"'"'s body from said devices by a conduction body electrode comprising at least one of a metallic and of a conductive polymer body electrode.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing electric contact to said individual'"'"'s body by a series capacitance electrode from said hearing devices.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an electronic unit interconnected between said two hearing devices by said communication link and providing at said electronic unit an electrode to said individual'"'"'s body comprising one of a conduction body electrode, preferably of at least one of a metal and of a conductive polymer and of a capacitive body electrode.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said hearing devices are one of in-the-ear and outside-the-ear hearing devices.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said hearing devices are therapeutical hearing aid devices.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising integrating said communication link into a head-worn assembly, preferably into glasses.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising establishing electric connection of said wire to at least one of said hearing devices by putting on said glasses.

22. A binaural hearing device set comprising a pair of hearing devices and a communication link between said pair of hearing devices, said communication link comprising a pair of body electrodes for establishing an electrically conductive communication path by using the body of an individual wearing said binaural hearing device set as an electrical conductor, and each of said pair of hearing devices comprising an electrical to mechanical output converter, wherein said communication link further comprises at least one single wire.

23. The set of claim 22, further comprising a magneticconnection arrangement between at least one end of saidwire and at least one of said two hearing devices.

24. The set of claim 23, wherein said magnetic connection comprises conductive contact members at said hearing device and at said one end respectively for establishing mutual galvanic contact between said wire and said hearing device.

25. The set of claim 24, wherein at least one of said conductive contact members comprises a magnet or being made of ferromagnetic metal.

26. The set of claim 24, wherein at least one of said conductive contact members comprises at least one of non-magnetic metal and of conductive polymer.

27. The set of claim 23, wherein said magnetic connection comprises a series capacitance, established by establishing said magnetic connection.

28. The set of claim 22, wherein said communication link further comprises an electronic unit and two single wires respectively connectable to said hearing devices on one side and to said electronic unit on the other side.

29. The set of claim 28, wherein said electronicunit comprises a wireless transmitter-/receiver-unit operationally connected to contact areas for said two wires.

30. The set of claim 22, wherein said body electrode is a conductive plate or a conductive plate covered with a dielectric material.

31. The set of claim 22, wherein said wire is integrated into a head-worn assembly.

32. The set of claim 22, wherein said hearing devices are in-the-ear or outside-the-ear hearing devices.

33. The set claim 22, wherein said hearing devices are hearing aid devices.