Method for wireless data transfer between a hearing aid and an external device

• US 8,165,330 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Gottschalk, Georg, Rückerl, Gottfried, Sauer, Gunter, Schätzle, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jr., Jerome
• Assistant Examiner(s): Page, Dale E
• Application Number:
  US12/309,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20100008527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 455/343, 381/315
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• 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 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

Data is wirelessly transferred between a hearing aid and an external device, wherein the hearing aid via an internal receiving device, receives data being sent form the external device via a wireless connection. The hearing aid is in a receiving mode when data from the external device is sent via the wireless connection, wherein the receiving device is then permanently in the on-position for receiving data. Furthermore, the hearing aid switches to a stand-by mode, when no data is sent via the wireless connection from the external device, wherein the receiving device is alternatively turned on and off, in order to detect a beginning data transfer from the external device.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless data transfer between a hearing aid and an external device, comprising:

receiving data sent from the external device by an internal receiving device in the hearing aid, the data received via a wireless connection;

switching the hearing aid into a receiving mode in response to the receiving data;

wherein while the internal receiving device is in the receiving mode the internal receiving device is constantly switched on in order to receive the data; and

switching the hearing aid to a standby mode in response to no data being received from the external device via the wireless connection, wherein while the internal receiving device is in the standby mode the internal receiving device is alternately switched on and off in a uniformly repeating duty ratio of on/off durations in order to detect the receipt of further data from the external device via the wireless connection;

wherein the duration of the switched-on and switched-off phases of the internal I receiving device in standby mode is selected within a duty ratio range of 1/9 to 2/3 in order to detect the receipt of the further data from the external device via the wireless connection.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hearing aid in the switched-on phase of the standby mode changes to the receiving mode when the internal receiving device detects the receipt of the further data from the external device via the wireless connection.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hearing aid changes from the receiving mode to the standby mode when the internal receiving device within a prespecified time detects no data being received from the external device via the wireless connection.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hearing aid receives an activation signal from the external device via the wireless connection in order to indicate to the hearing aid the start of a further data.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the duration of the activation signal exceeds the duration of the switched-off phase of the internal receiving device in the standby mode of the hearing aid.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the activation signal comprises an activation message and a redundant preamble, and

wherein the duration of the redundant preamble is selected so that the total duration of the activation signal exceeds the duration of the switched-off phase of the internal receiving device in the standby mode of the hearing aid.

7. The method as claimed claim 6, wherein the activation message in the activation signal is repeated until the total duration of the activation signal exceeds the duration of the switched-off phase of the internal receiving device in the standby mode of the hearing aid.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the external device uses a specific carrier modulation method in order to indicate the start of the further data and

wherein the hearing aid changes to the receiving mode when the internal receiving device receives a data with the specific carrier modulation method.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the specific carrier modulation method is selected from either phase modulation or frequency modulation, and the specific modulation method is only used for data transfer, and the hearing aid changes to the receiving mode when the internal receiving device receives a data with the specific carrier modulation method.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a data receipt occurs within the scope of wireless programming of the hearing aid, and

wherein the hearing aid in a programming mode receives programming data from the external device serving as a control device in order to wirelessly program the hearing aid.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

changing the hearing aid to the programming mode as soon as a special command is received from the control device via the wireless connection,

wherein programming data received by the hearing aid outside of the programming mode via the wireless connection is ignored by the hearing aid.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 further comprising:

preventing a change of the hearing aid to the standby mode when the hearing aid is in the programming mode.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

automatically changing the hearing aid from the programming mode to the receiving mode or the standby mode after an expiry of a prespecified time.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the automatic changing the hearing aid from the programming mode to the receiving mode or the standby mode is prevented when another programming access via the wireless connection is made within the prespecified time.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the hearing aid in the programming mode resets the time for the automatic change when another programming access takes place or when the hearing aid receives an audio data flow.

16. A hearing aid, comprising:

an internal receiving device that receives data from an external device via a wireless connection;

a plurality of operating modes in which a behavior of the internal receiving device is modified based on a current operating mode;

wherein when the current operating mode is a receiving mode the internal receiving device is constantly switched on;

wherein when the current operating mode is a standby mode the internal receiving device is alternately switched on and off in a uniformly repeating duty ratio of on/off durations;

wherein the current operating mode is switched from the receiving mode to the standby mode when no data is received from the internal receiving device for a predetermined duration of time; and

wherein the current operating mode is switched from the standby mode to the receiving mode when data is received during the switched on phase of the internal receiving device;

wherein the duration of the switched-on and switched-off phases of the internal receiving device in standby mode is selected within a duty ratio range of 1/9 to 2/3 in order to detect the receipt of the data from the external device via the wireless connection;

wherein the hearing aid receives an activation signal from the external device via the wireless connection in order to indicate to the hearing aid the start of a transfer of data; and

wherein the duration of the activation signal exceeds the duration of the switched-off phase of the internal receiving device in the standby mode of the hearing aid.

17. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 16, wherein when the current operating mode is a programming mode the external device serves as a control device to wirelessly program the hearing aid, wherein the current operating mode is changed to the programming mode after a receipt of a special command from the control device via the wireless connection, and wherein programming data received by the hearing aid when the current operating mode is not the programming mode is ignored by the hearing aid.

18. The hearing aid as claimed in claim 17, wherein when the current operating mode is in the programming mode a change to the standby mode is prevented.