Listening system comprising a charging station with a data memory

• US 8,265,315 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, Frank Engel, Sørensen, Per Kokholm
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN DUC
• Application Number:
  US12/577,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20100098278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/314, 381/315, 381/322, 381/323, 381/23.1, 320/107, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 381/323
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/31 Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A listening system, e.g. a hearing aid system, including a charging station and one or more listening devices, e.g. hearing instruments. The hearing aid system includes a) a hearing instrument including a rechargeable battery for energizing the hearing instrument, and a volatile data memory, wherein basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument are stored during normal operation, b) a charging station adapted for allowing a hearing instrument to be mounted and the battery to be recharged without removing the battery from the hearing instrument, and c) a connection allowing communication between the charging station and the hearing instrument, to allow the basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument to be transferred from the data memory of the charging station to the data memory of the hearing instrument, when the hearing instrument is mounted in the charging station.

Claims

1. A hearing aid system comprising:

a) a hearing instrument comprising a rechargeable battery for energizing the hearing instrument, and

b) a charging station, adapted for allowing a hearing instrument to be mounted and the battery to be recharged without removing the battery from the hearing instrument,

wherein the hearing instrument further comprises a volatile data memory, wherein basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument are stored during normal operation, and wherein the charging station comprises a data memory, wherein the basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument can be stored, and wherein the system further comprises;

c) a connection allowing communication between the charging station and the hearing instrument, to allow the basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument to be transferred from the data memory of the charging station to the data memory of the hearing instrument, when the hearing instrument is mounted in the charging station.

2. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to be able to monitor the battery voltage of the hearing instrument.

3. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to transfer data from the hearing instrument to the data memory of the charging station.

4. A hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein the data memory of the charging station is a non-volatile data memory.

5. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to be connectable to a computer and/or a server.

6. A hearing aid system according to claim 5 adapted to provide that data can be uploaded from a server to the charging station and further to the hearing instrument.

7. A hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein the charging station comprises one or more USB-connectors.

8. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to provide that data transfer between the charging station and the hearing instrument is initiated automatically, when the hearing instrument is mounted in the charging station.

9. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to transfer the basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument from the data memory of the charging station to the volatile data memory of the hearing instrument, when the battery voltage of the hearing instrument is above a predefined threshold voltage, for which the hearing instrument is functionally operational.

10. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to provide that the connection allowing communication between the hearing instrument and the charging station is wireless.

11. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to provide that the connection allowing communication between the hearing instrument and the charging station is a wired connection that is established via galvanic contact between the hearing instrument and the charging station when the hearing instrument is mounted in the charging station.

12. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to provide that the charging of a battery of the hearing instrument is performed via a wired connection that is established via galvanic contact between the hearing instrument and the charging station when the hearing instrument is mounted in the charging station.

13. A hearing aid system according to claim 1 adapted to provide fully functional operation for a predefined period of time larger than one hour.

14. A method of operating a hearing instrument comprising a rechargeable battery for energizing the hearing instrument and a volatile data memory, wherein basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument can be stored, the method comprising:

a) storing basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument in a data memory of a charging station adapted for allowing a hearing instrument to be mounted and the battery to be recharged without removing the battery from the hearing instrument;

b) mounting the hearing instrument in the charging station allowing a recharging of the rechargeable battery of the hearing instrument and the transfer of data from the charging station to the hearing instrument;

c) initiating the recharging of the rechargeable battery of the hearing instrument; and

d) transferring basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument from the memory of a charging station to the volatile memory of the hearing instrument.

15. A method according to claim 14 comprising providing that a first hearing instrument is exchanged with another identical hearing instrument, when the rechargeable battery is de-charged or worn out.