System and method for sharing network resources between hearing devices

• US 8,452,036 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: Sommer, Peter, Bgh, Carsten Trygve
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jr., Jerome
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Yu
• Application Number:
  US11/919,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20090047994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,583 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/314, 381/315, 455/556.1
• US Class Current: 381/314
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/05 specially adapted for use on head, throat or breast
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72478 for hearing-impaired users
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/39 Aspects relating to automatic logging of sound environment parameters and the performance of the hearing aid during use, e.g. histogram logging, or of user selected programs or settings in the hearing aid, e.g. usage logging
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/07 Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/35 using translation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• 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

Abstract

This invention relates to a system (100, 200) for enabling a hearing device (106, 202) wireless access to a communication network (114). The system (100, 200) comprises a first transceiver unit (108) in said hearing device (106, 202) communicating according to a first communication protocol. The system (100, 200) further comprises a server device (112, 204) comprising an input/output unit (122), which is connected to the communication network (114) and communicates according to a second communication protocol, a second transceiver unit (118), which is connected wirelessly to the first transceiver unit (108) and communicates according to the first communication protocol, and comprising a translator unit (120), which interconnects the second transceiver unit (118) and the input/output unit (122) and translates between the first and second communication protocol.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a hearing device wireless access to a communication network, the system comprising:

said hearing device, including a first transceiver unit configured to communicate according to a first communication protocol; and

a server device, including;

an input/output unit connected to said communication network and configured to communicate according to a second communication protocol,

a second transceiver unit connected wirelessly to said first transceiver unit and configured to communicate according to said first communication protocol,

a translator unit interconnecting said second transceiver unit and said input/output unit and configured to translate between said first and second communication protocol,

a location identifying element configured to identify present location of the server device, and

a processor configured to assist in selecting a hearing aid program for said hearing device based on the present location identified by the location identifying element, wherein

said hearing device is configured to upload and download data to and from said communication network through said server device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said communication network comprises a wired or wireless telephone network, a computer network, media network, or any combination thereof.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said data comprises a data package including digital data configured in a transmission block.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said data package comprises a header section comprising routing and transmission control data, and a data section comprising data payload.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication between said first and second transceiver elements comprises capacitive or inductive coupling.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second transceiver elements each comprise a coil antenna adapted to communicate inductively with one another.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said communication network comprising connections to a plurality of service providers in said communication network.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein

said service providers are configured to provide services for the hearing device users selected among

updating hearing aid software with new features,

access to a multimedia event,

access service information,

or any combination thereof.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said communication network comprising further connections to a telephone, a computer, a personal digital assistant, a television, or any combination thereof.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said server device is incorporated in a mobile or cellular telephone.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said server device comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module adapted to determine the location of said server device.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said hearing device further comprises an acoustic environment detector adapted to generate an environment signal to be forwarded as data payload in a data package to an environment service provider in said communication network.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said environment signal comprises amplitude and frequency data relating to acoustic background noise of location of said hearing device.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein said environment service provider comprises a controller element adapted to generate an environment compensation signal to be forwarded as data payload in a data package to said hearing device.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said environment compensation signal comprises a phase shifted version of the environment signal.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein

said server device comprises a broadcasting element configured to broadcast to a plurality of hearing devices in a predefined area of the location of the server device.

17. A system according to claim 14, wherein said hearing device is adapted to utilise said environment compensation signal for increasing signal-to-noise ratio of an audio signal presented to the user of the hearing device.

18. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said hearing device is adapted to utilise an environment compensation signal for increasing signal-to-noise ratio of an audio signal presented to the user of the hearing device.

19. A system according to claim 12, wherein said environment service provider comprises an environment bank memory adapted to store a number of environment compensation signals each associated with a predefined noise situation.

20. A system according to claim 1 wherein said location identifying element is adapted to assist in selecting an appropriate program for a plurality of hearing aids communicating with the server device.

21. A system according to claim 1, wherein said location identifying element is adapted to assist in selecting an appropriate program for a hearing aid communicating with said server device.

22. A system for enabling a hearing device wireless access to a communication network, the system comprising:

said hearing device including a first transceiver unit configured to communicate according to a first communication protocol; and

a server device including

an input/output unit connected to said communication network and configured to communicate according to a second communication protocol,

a second transceiver unit connected wirelessly to said first transceiver unit and configured to communicate according to said first communication protocol, and

a translator unit interconnecting said second transceiver unit and said input/output unit and configured to translate between said first and second communication protocol, wherein

said hearing device is configured to upload and download data to and from said communication network through said server device,

said hearing device further comprises an acoustic environment detector configured to generate an environment signal and to forward said environment signal as data payload in a data package to an environment service provider in said communication network,

said hearing device is further configured to receive an environment compensation signal, which is a phase shifted copy of the environment signal, generated by said environment service provider and forwarded as data payload in a data package to said hearing device, and

said hearing device is further configured to add the environment compensation signal to an audio signal presented to a wearer of said hearing device.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said environment signal comprises amplitude and frequency data relating to acoustic background noise of location of said hearing device.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein

said hearing device is configured to receive the environment compensation signal and increase signal-to-noise ratio of an audio signal presented to a wearer of said hearing device based on the received environment compensation signal.