Acoustic system with automatic switchover

• US 7,702,121 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2005
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Weidner, Tom, Husung, Kunibert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey; Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/283,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20060109994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 381/316, 381/312
• US Class Current: 381/316
• 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 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

The automatic switching of acoustic systems and especially of hearing aids into different processing programs is to be improved. To this end there is provision for the signal processing device of the acoustic system to feature a high-frequency detector for analysis of an input signal, with the output signal of said device being able to be used for processing one or more input signals by the signal processing unit. Specifically the presence of an active mobile telephone which emits electromagnetic radiation in the high-frequency range can be established in this way. This enables the system to be switched into telephone made with a high degree of certainty to suit a particular situation.

Claims

1. A hearing aid system, comprising first and second hearing aids, the first and second hearing aids each comprising:

a microphone device;

an output device;

a signal processing device for picking up a first input signal generated by the microphone device and for outputting an output signal to the output device; and

a receiver device for receiving electromagnetic signals and for outputting a second input signal to the signal processing device, wherein

the signal processing device;

comprises a high-frequency detector for analyzing the second input signal output to the signal processing device, and

is configured to generate an output signal for controlling the signal processing device based on the analyzed second input signal, wherein the signal processing device of either the first or second acoustic system comprises a signal measurement device for determining a level of or a level difference between the output signals generated by the high-frequency detectors of the first and second acoustic systems, the level or level difference used for adjusting signal processing.

2. The hearing aid system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the high-frequency detector is configured to detect frequency components above 1 MHz.

3. The hearing aid system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the high-frequency detector is configured to detect a modulation of high-frequency components.

4. The hearing aid system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the receiver device is configured to receive GSM, UMTS or Bluetooth signals.

5. The hearing aid system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the receiver device is configured to acquire signals generated by a cordless telephone.

6. The hearing aid system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the signal processing device comprises a plurality of signal processing programs, and the output signal of the high-frequency detector is configured to switch the signal processing device into a desired signal processing program based on the analyzed second input signal.

7. The hearing aid in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hearing aid system is configured to transmit between the first and second hearing aids information processed by the high-frequency detectors of the first and second hearing aids.

8. A method of operating an acoustic system, comprising:

processing a first input signal generated by a microphone device;

processing a second input signal generated by a receiver device configured to receive electromagnetic signals; and

analyzing the second input signal with regard to high-frequency components included in the second input signal, wherein the first input signal is processed based on the analyzed second input signal,

further comprising determining a level of or a level difference between received high-frequency signals by a first and a second hearing aid for identifying an electromagnetic near or far field based on the determined level or level difference.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the acoustic system is a hearing aid system.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

processing a signal generated by a telephone coil based on the analyzed second input signal; and

generating an output signal of the acoustic system, the output signal including the processed signal generated by the telephone coil.

11. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the acoustic system comprises a plurality of signal processing programs, and the output signal is configured to switch the acoustic system into a desired signal processing program based on the analyzed second input signal.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the high frequency components have a frequency above 1 MHz.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the second input signal is analyzed with regard to a modulation of the high-frequency components.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic signals include GSM, UMTS or Bluetooth signals.

15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic signals include DECT signals generated by a cordless telephone.

16. The method according to claim 8, wherein the acoustic system is configured to transmit between the first and second hearing aids information processed by high-frequency detectors of the first and second hearing aids.