Right/left detection in hearing aids

• US 8,605,913 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd (WS Audiology A/S)
• Inventors: Schwerdtner, Claus-Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ojo, Oyesola C
• Application Number:
  US12/560,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 381/23.1, 381312-331, 381/60, 381/340, 381/370, 381/79, 379/52
• US Class Current: 381/23.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

In a hearing aid system having a first hearing aid and a second hearing aid for providing binaural hearing assistance to a user, the hearing aid for providing hearing assistance to the left ear can easily be confused with the hearing aid for providing hearing assistance to the right ear. The invention proposes a side detection device by means of which each hearing aid detects on or in which ear of the user it is currently being worn. Advantageously, the parameter settings for providing hearing assistance to both ears are stored in both hearing aids of a respective hearing aid system, with the result that following the automatic detection of the respective ear in which the respective hearing aid is currently being worn the corresponding parameter settings are also activated automatically.

Claims

1. A hearing aid system, comprising:

a first hearing aid wearable either on a user'"'"'s left ear or on a user'"'"'s right ear;

a second hearing aid wearable either on the user'"'"'s left ear or on the user'"'"'s right ear; and

a side detection device for automatically detecting which of the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid is worn on the user'"'"'s left ear and which of the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid is worn on the user'"'"'s right ear,

wherein the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid are adjustable by a first parameter setting to match an individual hearing loss in the user'"'"'s left ear and by a second parameter setting to match an individual hearing loss in the user'"'"'s right ear,

wherein both of the first parameter setting and the second parameter setting are stored in both of the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid, and

wherein the first parameter setting or the second parameter setting is activated automatically by a respective hearing aid of the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid based on the automatic detection of an ear on which the respective hearing aid is being worn.

2. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side detection device comprises a transmitting coil in the first hearing aid for transmitting a detection signal.

3. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the side detection device comprises:

a first receiving coil in the second hearing aid for receiving the detection signal and for generating a first detection receive signal, and

a second receiving coil in the second hearing aid spaced apart from the first receiving coil for receiving the detection signal and for generating a second detection receive signal, and

wherein in relation to a straight-ahead viewing direction of the user and a typical wearing position of the second hearing aid on one of the user'"'"'s ears, the first receiving coil is arranged closer to a left side of a housing of the second hearing aid and the second receiving coil is arranged closer to a right side of the housing of the second hearing aid.

4. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the side detection device comprises an evaluation unit for comparing the first detection receive signal and the second detection receive signal.

5. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the evaluation unit compares a first field strength of the detection signal at a location of the first receiving coil and a second field strength at a location of the second receiving coil, and

wherein the second hearing aid is automatically detected being worn on the right ear if the first field strength is higher than the second field strength, and

wherein the second hearing aid is automatically detected being worn on the left ear if the second field strength is higher than the first field strength.

6. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the evaluation unit detects a phase difference between the first detection receive signal and the second detection receive signal,

wherein the second hearing aid is automatically detected being worn on the right ear if the first detection receive signal precedes the second detection receive signal, and

wherein the second hearing aid is automatically detected being worn on the left ear if the first detection receive signal trails behind the second detection receive signal.

7. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 2,

wherein data is transmitted between the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid,

wherein the transmitting coil sends out the data, and

wherein at least one of the first receiving coil and the second receiving coil receives the data.

8. The hearing aid system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein side information is stored in the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid, and

wherein a warning signal discernible by the user is output by the hearing aid system if at least a respective hearing aid of the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid is not being worn on or in an ear designated for the respective hearing aid.

9. A method for operating a hearing aid system having a first hearing aid and a second hearing aid each wearable either on a user'"'"'s left ear or on a user'"'"'s right ear, the method comprising:

sending a detection signal by the first hearing aid;

receiving the detection signal by a first receiving coil of the second hearing aid;

generating a first detection receive signal by the first receiving coil of the second hearing aid;

generating a second detection receive signal by a second receiving coil of the second hearing aid spaced apart from the first receiving coil;

comparing the first detection receive signal with the second detection receive signal; and

automatically detecting whether the second hearing aid is worn on the user'"'"'s left ear or on the user'"'"'s right ear based on the comparison.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein an amplitude of the first detection receive signal is compared with an amplitude of the second detection receive signal.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a phase of the first detection receive signal is compared with a phase of the second detection receive signal.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a signal resulting from the first detection receive signal is compared with a signal resulting from the second detection receive signal.