Programmable remote control

• US 8,224,004 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Baechler, Herbert, Meier, Hilmar, Boretzki, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US11/530,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20070071264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: 381/60, 381/312, 381/314, 381/315, 381/323, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/557, 455/556.1, 600/559, 607/56, 607/57
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/33 Aspects relating to adaptation of the battery voltage, e.g. its regulation, increase or decrease
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A hearing system includes a hearing device with a signal processing unit. A control input of the signal processing unit is connected to a device communication port. A remote control device has a wireless communication port for single or bi-directional wireless communication with the device communication port. A computer is embedded in the remote control device. An output of the computer is connected to the wireless communication port and to a machine/man interface at the remote control device. An input of the computer is connected to a man/machine interface at the remote control device. A set of application programs is executable by the computer.

Claims

1. A hearing system comprising at least one hearing device having a signal processing unit with a control input operationally connected to a device communication port, and

a remote control device comprising a wireless communication port for single- or bi-directional wireless communication with said device communication port, an embedded computer in said remote control device operated by an operating system, an output thereof being operationally connected to said wireless communication port and to at least one machine/man interface at said remote control device, an input thereof being operationally connected to at least one man/machine interface at said remote control device, a set of hearing device-specific application programs executable by said embedded computer and corresponding to a plurality of different hearing device types, said remote control device being operatable via said man/machine interface to adjust at least the momentarily prevailing volume at said hearing device,

wherein the remote control device identifies said hearing device and automatically selects and executes a hearing device-specific application program corresponding to the identified hearing device, from said set of hearing device-specific application programs corresponding to the plurality of different hearing device types.

2. The system of claim 1, at least a part of said hearing device-specific application programs of said set being commonly installed and selectively activatable for execution via said at least one man/machine interface.

3. The system of claim 2, said hearing device-specific application programs being activatable and settable under menu control.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control device selects and executes an application program in dependency of the needs of said individual.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said machine/man interface comprises at least one of the following units:

a color display, a loudspeaker unit, an electrical to mechanical output converter of the hearing device, an output connection plug at the remote control device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said man/machine interface comprises at least one of the following units:

a touch screen, a microphone, a keypad, an acoustical-to-electrical input converter at the hearing device, an input connection plug at the remote control device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote control device comprises an input unit for loading application programs.

8. The system of claim 1, said remote control device being operatable as at least one of a PDA, a mobile phone, a radio broadcast receiver, a video player, an audio player, a TV receiver, a camera, a remote control for a device different from said hearing device, a fitting control device for said hearing device, a communication transit unit between said hearing device and a remote information system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein when the hearing device is approached closer to the remote control device than a predetermined distance, the remote control device identifies said hearing device and automatically selects and executes the hearing device-specific application program corresponding to the identified hearing device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit provides a plurality of processing options, and

wherein the hearing device identifies said remote control device and automatically recognizes options of the remote control device corresponding to options of said plurality of processing options, and enables the options of said plurality of processing options that correspond to the recognized options of the remote control device.