Remote control for a hearing assistance device

• US 8,891,793 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Sacha, Michael Karl, Lin, Wei Li, Shah, Jay Ashwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Russell, Christina
• Application Number:
  US12/823,505
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 381/315, 381/312, 381/314, 381/330
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

The present subject matter provides systems and methods for remotely controlling a hearing assistance device, including using a personal wireless device such as a cellular telephone. One embodiment includes a communication system for controlling a hearing assistance device. The system includes a personal wireless device including a short range radio transmitter. The short range radio transmitter is programmed to transmit instructions to the hearing assistance device by conversion of inputs to the personal wireless device into control signals for the hearing assistance device using on/off keying of the short range radio transmitter.

Claims

1. A method for converting a personal wireless device into a remote control for a hearing assistance device worn on or in an ear of a wearer, the method comprising:

providing programming that can be executed by the personal wireless device to convert inputs into commands that control the hearing assistance device, wherein the personal wireless device is separate from the hearing assistance device and the personal wireless device includes a short range radio transmitter, a microphone and a speaker; and

providing programming for the personal wireless device to convert the commands into wireless signals using on/off keying of the short range radio transmitter, wherein the on/off keying includes a burst sequence and wherein the burst sequence can be demodulated using an envelope detection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding one or more commands adapted to control a setting of the hearing assistance device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding one or more commands adapted to control a function of the hearing assistance device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding one or more commands adapted to control a mode of the hearing assistance device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range radio transmitter is programmed to transmit instructions to the hearing assistance device to initiate bidirectional communication between the hearing assistance device and the personal wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range radio transmitter is programmed to transmit instructions to the hearing assistance device to control volume of the hearing assistance device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a sound transmission from a speaker of the personal wireless device to the hearing assistance device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sound transmission is used to calibrate a microphone of the hearing assistance device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a code to the hearing assistance device to initiate a transmission from the hearing assistance device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising locating the hearing assistance device using the received transmission.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting motion of the hearing assistance device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal wireless device includes a cellular telephone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range radio transmitter is configured to use a wireless technology standard for exchanging data, such as BLUETOOTH.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising emitting a pre-assigned burst sequence from the transmitter in response to an input to the personal wireless device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a detection circuit adapted to receive the encoded on/off keyed signals.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the detection circuit includes a band pass filter.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the detection circuit includes a trace antenna.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the detection circuit includes a low noise amplifier (LNA).

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.