Hearing aid systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- a mobile device adapted to use packets of data to communicate with a remote server through a network that includes an Internet connection, wherein the Internet connection is used to communicate between the mobile device and the remote server;
a hearing aid device adapted to be worn by a user, the hearing aid device including a microphone, a speaker, and a signal processing system connected to the microphone and the speaker; and
a client application adapted to operate on the mobile device to communicate packetized data between the hearing aid device and the remote server, wherein the client application is adapted to use at least one digital communication protocol to digitally communicate packetized data,wherein the hearing aid device is adapted to receive digital audio in packets of data within a digital signal transmitted from the mobile device using a digital communication protocol, to decompress the digital audio, and to generate an audible signal from the speaker, wherein the audio signal is representative of the digital audio.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, structures, and methods are provided to fit, program, or upgrade a hearing aid system to a patient. One embodiment includes the use of a mobile device to interact with the hearing aid system through a short-range network. The mobile device is also adapted to communicate with a server through a long-range wireless network. The server may reside on the Internet.
461 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a mobile device adapted to use packets of data to communicate with a remote server through a network that includes an Internet connection, wherein the Internet connection is used to communicate between the mobile device and the remote server; a hearing aid device adapted to be worn by a user, the hearing aid device including a microphone, a speaker, and a signal processing system connected to the microphone and the speaker; and a client application adapted to operate on the mobile device to communicate packetized data between the hearing aid device and the remote server, wherein the client application is adapted to use at least one digital communication protocol to digitally communicate packetized data, wherein the hearing aid device is adapted to receive digital audio in packets of data within a digital signal transmitted from the mobile device using a digital communication protocol, to decompress the digital audio, and to generate an audible signal from the speaker, wherein the audio signal is representative of the digital audio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method performed using a system that includes a mobile device, a hearing aid device adapted to be worn by a user, and a client application adapted to operate on the mobile device, the method comprising:
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using the client application operating on the mobile device, communicating packetized data between the hearing aid device and a remote server through a network that includes an Internet connection, wherein the Internet connection is used to communicate between the mobile device and the remote server, wherein; the hearing aid device includes a microphone, a speaker, and a signal processing system connected to the microphone and the speaker, and communicating packetized data includes using a digital communication protocol to digitally transmit a digital audio signal to the hearing aid device; and decompressing the digital audio signal and generating an audible acoustic signal from the speaker of the hearing aid device, wherein the audible acoustic signal is representative of the digital audio. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system, comprising:
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a mobile device adapted to use packets of data to communicate with a remote server through a network that includes an Internet connection, wherein the Internet connection is used to communicate between the mobile device and the remote server; a hearing aid device adapted to be worn by a user, the hearing aid device including a microphone, a speaker, and a signal processing system connected to the microphone and the speaker; a client application adapted to operate on the mobile device to communicate packetized data between the hearing aid device and the remote server through a network wherein the mobile device and the hearing aid device are adapted to use a digital communication protocol to digitally transmit a digital audio signal in packets of data within a digital signal transmitted from the mobile device and receive the digital audio signal at the hearing aid device, and the hearing aid device is adapted to generate an audible signal from the speaker, wherein both the mobile device and the hearing aid device are adapted to compress and decompress digital audio, and wherein the audio signal is representative of the digital audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A system, comprising:
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a mobile device configured with network communication capabilities, the mobile device adapted to use packets of digital data to communicate with a remote server through a network that includes an Internet connection, wherein the Internet connection is used to communicate between the mobile device and the remote server, wherein; communication between the mobile device and the remote server includes Internet communication and communication through a wireless network, and the packets of digital data include destination information for use to route the packets of data through the network to the remote server; a hearing aid device adapted to be worn by a user, the hearing aid device including a microphone, a speaker, and a signal processing system connected to the microphone and the speaker, and wherein the mobile device includes a client application adapted to operate on the mobile device to communicate packetized data between the hearing aid device and the remote server, wherein the client application is adapted to use at least one digital communication protocol to digitally communicate packetized data, and wherein the at least one digital communication protocol includes a Bluetooth digital wireless protocol, wherein the hearing aid device is adapted to receive digital audio in packets of data within a digital signal transmitted from the mobile device using a digital communication protocol, to decompress the digital audio, and to generate an audible signal from the speaker, wherein the audio signal is representative of the digital audio. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method performed using a system that includes a mobile device, a hearing aid device adapted to be worn by a user, and a client application adapted to operate on the mobile device, the method comprising:
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communicating packetized data between the hearing aid device and a remote server through a network that includes an Internet connection, wherein the Internet connection is used to communicate between the mobile device and the remote server, wherein communicating includes using the client application operating on the mobile device to provide packets of digital data for transmission to the remote server, wherein communicating between the hearing aid device and the remote server includes Internet communication and further includes transmitting packets through a wireless network, and wherein the packets of data include destination information for use to route the packets of digital data to the remote server; wherein; the hearing aid device includes a microphone, a speaker, and a signal processing system connected to the microphone and the speaker, and communicating packetized data includes using a Bluetooth digital communication protocol to digitally transmit a digital audio signal to the hearing aid device; and decompressing the digital audio signal and generating an audible acoustic signal from the speaker of the hearing aid device, wherein the audible acoustic signal is representative of the digital audio. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification