Hearing system with wideband pulse transmitter

• US 8,358,785 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Nikles, Peter, Schtzle, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Leshui
• Application Number:
  US11/807,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20070291970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 381/23.1, 381/60, 381/312, 381/72, 381/302, 381/303, 381/311, 381/315, 381/321, 381/323, 381/328, 381/331, 381/74, 381/77, 381/79, 381/97, 381/98, 381/367, 381/370, 381/376, 455/552, 455/556.1, 455/343.6, 455/569.1, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/573, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/567, 455/3.05, 455/563, 455/570, 379/428.02
• US Class Current: 381/23.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

Wireless communication is to be enabled between hearing units of small construction, especially between hearing aids with an increased data rate. To this end it is provided in accordance with the invention that the hearing unit is fitted with a transceiver which has an inductive receiving device and a digital wideband pulse transmitter. Two such hearing units can then communicate wirelessly with one another with the help of a communication station which is structurally separate from the hearing units and with which a message can be transmitted from the one to the other of the hearing units. The digital wideband pulse transmitter can be implemented in a structurally small manner in the hearing unit and with low power consumption.

Claims

1. A hearing aid system, comprising:

at least two spatially separated hearing aid units wore on left ear and right ear of a user, respectively, and the each hearing aid unit having a transceiver for enabling wireless communication, wherein each transceiver includes an inductive receiving device and a digital wideband pulse transmitter;

a portable communication station structurally separated from the at least two hearing aid units and wherein a signal including a data signal and a control signal is transmitted from the digital wideband pulse transmitter of the transceiver of the one hearing aid unit to the portable communication station and then transmitted from the portable communication station to the inductive receiving device of the transceiver of the other one hearing aid unit so that a power consumption and an overall size of each hearing aid unit are reduced; and

a configuration device that can be coupled to the portable communication station for configuration purpose and communicated with the portable communication station by using a bidirectional communication and wherein the portable communication station is configured by the configuration device to provide quasi-simultaneous communication of the signal between the at least two hearing aid units through the portable communication station.

2. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal is a digitally modulated magnetic field signal.

3. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a bandwidth of the digital wideband pulse transmitter is at least 100 MHz.

4. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 2, wherein an electrical antenna of the digital wideband pulse transmitter is smaller than 20 mm.

5. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the portable communication station comprises a bidirectional interface to the configuration device.

6. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a configuration data is transmitted by the portable communication station from the configuration device to one of the at least two hearing aid units.

7. A method for wirelessly communicating between at least two spatially separated hearing aid units wore on left ear and right ear of a user, respectively, comprising:

arranging a digital wideband pulse transmitter in a transceiver of each of the at least two hearing aid units;

arranging an inductive receiving device in the transceiver of each of the at least two hearing aid units;

providing a portable communication station structurally separated from the at least two hearing aid units;

transmitting a signal including a data signal and a control signal from the digital wideband pulse transmitter of the transceiver of the one hearing aid unit to the portable communication station and then transmitted from the portable communication station to the inductive receiving device of the transceiver of the other one hearing aid unit so that a power consumption and an overall size of each hearing aid unit are reduce; and

configuring the portable communication station by a configuration device that can be coupled to the portable communication station for configuration purpose and communicated with the portable communication station by using a bidirectional communication for providing quasi-simultaneous communication of the signal between the at least two hearing aid units through the portable communication station.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the signal is a digitally modulated magnetic field signal.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a bandwidth of the digital wideband pulse transmitter is at least 100 MHz.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein an electrical antenna of the digital wideband pulse transmitter is smaller than 20 mm.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the portable communication station comprises a bidirectional interface to the configuration device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a configuration data is transmitted by the portable communication station from the configuration device to one of the at least two hearing aid units.