Fitting-setup for hearing device

• US 7,283,842 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Berg, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US11/267,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20060062412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/420, 455/66.1, 455/418, 455/419, 455/92, 381/312, 381/315, 381/314, 381/323, 381/60, 735/85, 600/559
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

A fitting setup for hearing aids (1), wherein a cell phone (1) is the input device. The cell phone is used to communicate with a server so as to change the fitting setup for the hearing aid to an optimal setting. The cell phone may also be used to communicate personalized data to the network, as well as to update resident software programs on the hearing aid.

Claims

1. A method for improving at least one self-contained hearing aid for an individual, said hearing aid having an acoustical/electrical input converter arrangement, an electrical/mechanical output converter arrangement and a signal processing unit interconnected between an output of said acoustical/electrical input converter arrangement and an input to said electrical/mechanical output converter arrangement, said method comprising at least one of optimizing fitting of said hearing aid and of updating signal processing in said processing unit by

establishing a first communication link between said hearing aid and a cell phone having an antenna and communication properties normal to a cell phone;

establishing a second communication link between said cell phone via said antenna to a remote data base;

downloading by said second communication link data from said remote data base to said cell phone;

communicating by said first communication link data which depend from said data downloaded to said hearing aid;

performing said at least one of said optimizing and of said updating in background during said normal cell phone operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said hearing aid is a binaural hearing aid.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing said first communication link via a converter unit.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising establishing said first communication link via a converter unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first communication link is established via at least one of a high-frequency link, an infrared link and an acoustical link.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said first communication link is established via at least one of a high-frequency link, an infrared link and an acoustical link.

7. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising integrating said converter unit into at least one of said cell phone and of said hearing aid.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising remote controlling said hearing aid by means of said cell phone.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising remote controlling said binaural hearing aid by means of said cell phone.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising remote controlling said hearing aid by means of said cell phone.

11. The method of one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising remote controlling said hearing aid by means of said cell phone.

12. The method of one of claims 1 to 6, 8 to 10, wherein said data base comprises at least one server and wherein the following data are transmitted between said cell phone and said server:

personalized data of said hearing aid of said individual.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein said data base comprises at least one server and wherein the following data are transmitted between said cell phone and said server:

personalized data of said hearing aid of an individual.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said data base comprises at least one server and wherein the following data are transmitted between said cell phone and said server:

personalized data of said hearing aid of an individual.

15. The method of one of claims 1 to 6, 8 to 10, wherein said second communication link between said cell phone and said remote data base is established via at least one of internet and intranet.