Hearing assistive system with low power interface

• US 7,620,429 B1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KommanditSelskabet Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Patent Partnership
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frerking, Melvin, Hirvela, George
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US11/247,746
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426.1, 455/9, 455/11.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/41.1, 455 412- 3, 455/550.1, 455/557, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/555, 455/569.1, 455/556.1, 455/574, 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 381/315, 381/312, 381/323
• US Class Current: 455/569.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An Interface provides for communication between a wireless communication device (WCD) and a hearing assistive device (HAD). In an exemplary embodiment the Interface includes a first short range communication module to receive a first short range communication protocol from a WCD and extract a desired audible signal and a second short range communication module to provide the audible signal to the HAD via a second short range communication protocol. The HAD may be provided with an RF module to receive a low power RF signal and provide a voice signal to the HAD user. The Interface allows the WCD device to be positioned a distance from the user'"'"'s HAD, thereby decreasing interference at the HAD due to the operation of the WCD. The Interface also can be provided with a microphone to receive voice signals from the user and in turn provide them to the wireless communications device.

Claims

1. A communications interface device for receiving an audio signal from a wireless communications device and forwarding the audio signal to a hearing assistive device, the communications interface device comprising:

a first communications module configured to receive a signal transmitted using the BLUETOOTH protocol;

a second communications module configured to transmit a signal using a low power RF protocol; and

a memory for storing instructions, executable by a processor to make the communications interface operable to;

extract the audio signal from a first communication signal received at the first communications module, the first communications module being adapted to receive the first communication signal from the wireless communications device that transmitted the first communication signal;

generate a second communication signal comprising the audio signal; and

transmit the second communication signal to the hearing assistive device using the second communications module.

2. The communications interface device of claim 1, wherein the first communications module communicates with the wireless communication device.

3. The communications interface device of claim 1, wherein the second communications module communicates with the hearing assistive device.

4. The communications interface device of claim 3, wherein the second communications module comprises a low power transmitter to transmit the second communications signal to the hearing assistive device.

5. The communications interface device of claim 4, wherein the second communications module further comprises a receiver to receive control signals from the hearing assistive device.

6. The communications interface device of claim 1, further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the first communications module and the second communications module, the controller adapted to control operations of the first communications module and the second communications module.

7. The communications interface device of claim 6, wherein the controller comprises a CPU and a memory.

8. The communications interface device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, the user interface configured to receive input from a user.

9. The communications interface device of claim 1, further comprising CODEC/Processor Logic to process signals in accordance with predetermined criteria.

10. The communications interface device of claim 9, wherein the CODEC/Processor Logic comprises a signal extractor to extract the audio signal from the communication signal.

11. The communications interface device of claim 9, wherein the CODEC/Processor Logic comprises an encoder and a decoder.

12. The communications interface device of claim 9, wherein the CODEC/Processor Logic comprises an encrypter and decrypter.

13. The communications interface device of claim 9, wherein the CODEC/Processor Logic comprises a signal compressor and decompressor.

14. The communications interface device of claim 1, further comprising a communicatively coupled microphone for receiving voice signals from a user.

15. The communications interface device of claim 14, wherein the first communications module transmits the voice signals to the wireless communications device.

16. The communications interface device of claim 1, further comprising a housing to house the first communications module and the second communications module.

17. A system, comprising:

a communications interface device comprising a first communications module communicatively coupled to a second communications module, wherein;

the first communications module is configured to receive a communication signal from a wireless communications device, the communication signal being transmitted using the BLUETOOTH protocol and comprising an audio signal; and

the second communications module is configured to provide the audio signal to a hearing assistive device via a low power RF signal; and

an RF-enabled hearing assistive device, comprising RF communications logic adapted to receive the low power RF signal from the second communications module of the communications interface device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first communications module comprises a short range communication module adapted to receive a short range communication from the wireless communications device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the RF-enabled hearing assistive device further comprises hearing assistive circuitry to manipulate the audio signal in accordance with defined hearing limitations.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a communications interface device, a communication transmitted by a wireless communications device using the BLUETOOTH protocol;

extracting, using a controller of the communications interface device, a desired signal from the communication at a first module of the communications interface device;

generating, using the controller, a second communications signal comprising the desired signal; and

providing the desired signal to a second module of the communications interface device, for transmission to a hearing assistive device over a low power RF protocol.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving a communication from the wireless communications device comprises receiving the communication from the wireless communications device via a first short range communication protocol.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein providing the desired signal comprises providing the desired signal to the second module of the communications interface for transmission to the hearing assistive device via a second short range communication protocol.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving a user voice signal from a user, via a microphone, at the first module.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising providing the user voice signal to the wireless communications device via the first short range communication protocol.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising processing the desired signal in accordance with user specific predetermined criteria.