Method and system for configuring more than one hearing devices

• US 9,025,499 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Gehring, Stephan, Maksyagin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Ronald h
• Application Number:
  US13/636,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/276
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• 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 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

The method for configuring at least two devices of a hearing system (10) using a communication channel comprises the steps of

• a1) providing, using said communication channel, a first (11) of said devices with a request (R1) for the execution (E1) of at least one first configuring command in said first device (11);
• b1) executing (E1) said at least one first configuring command in said first device (11);
• a2) providing, using said communication channel, a second (12) of said devices with a request (R2) for the execution of at least one second configuring command in said second device (12);
  wherein step a2) is started before step b1) is completed, in particular wherein step a2) is completed before step b1) is completed. This way, time can be saved in configuring two or more devices (11;12;13) of a hearing system (10).

Claims

1. A method for individually configuring with a configuration unit (1) a first device and a second device (11;

12;

13) of a hearing system (10) using a communication channel operationally interconnecting said configuration unit (1) with said hearing system (10), said method comprising;

a1) said configuration unit (1) sending, using said communication channel, said first device (11) a request (R1) for execution of at least one first configuring command in said first device (11);

b1) executing (E1) said at least one first configuring command in said first device (11);

a2) said configuration unit (1) sending, using said communication channel, said second device (12) a request (R2) for execution in said second device (12) of at least one second configuring command;

b2) executing (E2) said at least one second configuring command in said second device (12);

wherein a2) is started after a1) is completed and before b1) is completed, a2) is completed before b1) is completed, b1) and b2) run simultaneously during a majority of the execution time for the first and second configuring commands, said at least one first configuring command is not identical with said at least one second configuring command, and an installation or reinstallation of new or updated firmware, or of new hearing device settings obtained in a fitting session for said first device (11) and said second device (12), respectively, is performed based on executing (E1, E2) said at least one first configuring command in said first device (11) and said at least one second configuring command in said second device (12).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first (11) and second devices (12) is a hearing device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first (11) and second (12) devices is a hearing-aid device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication channel is operated in duplex or half duplex operation, said method comprising, after a1) has been completed,

c1) transmitting, from said first device (11) and using said communication channel, a first response message (S1).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication channel is operated in half duplex operation, and said request (R1) in a1) is sent as a unicast message, and said request (R2) in a2) is sent as a unicast message, and wherein said method comprises, upon detecting in said first device (11) that b1) is finished,

c1′

) transmitting, from said first device (11) and using said communication channel, a first response message (S1) indicative of a termination of b1).

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said first response message (S1) is indicative of at least one of the group consisting of

a reception in said first device (11) of said request (R1) mentioned in a1),

a termination of said b1);

a time at which b1) is expected to be finished.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein c1) is carried out automatically and independent of receiving in said first device (1) a polling message (P).

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein c1) is carried out upon reception in said first device (11) of a polling message (P).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said request (R1) in a1) is sent as a unicast message or as a multicast message.

10. A hearing system configuration system for individually configuring devices of a hearing system (10), comprising a first (11) and a second (12) device of said hearing system (10) and a configuration unit (1) comprising a communication unit (3), wherein said configuration unit (1) is structured and configured for operating a network (5) with said first (11) and second (12) devices and said communication unit (3) as network members, said network (5) comprising a communication channel, and wherein said configuration unit (1) is structured and configured for

a1′

) sending, using said communication channel, to said first device (11) a request (R1) for the execution in said first device (11) of at least one first configuring command; and

for

a2′

) sending, using said communication channel, to said second device (12) a request for the execution in said second device (12) of at least one second configuring command; and

wherein said configuration unit (1) is structured and configured for starting a2′

) after a1′

) is completed, and for completing a2′

) before an execution (E1) of said at least one first configuring command in said first device (11) is completed, and

wherein said at least one first configuring command is not identical with said at least one second configuring command, and an installation or reinstallation of new or updated firmware, or of new hearing device settings obtained in a fitting session for said first device (11) and said second device (12), respectively, is performed based on executing (E1, E2) said at least one first configuring command in said first device (11) and said at least one second configuring command in said second device (12).

11. The hearing system configuration system according to claim 10, comprising a computer (2) with a hearing device fitting software.

12. A computer program product comprising program code for causing a computer (2) of a configuration unit (11) to perform:

D) operating a network (5) comprising a network channel, with a first (11) and a second (12) device of a hearing system (10) and a communication unit (3) as network members;

A1′

) instructing said communication unit (3) to send, using said communication channel, to said first device (11) a request (R1) for an execution in said first device (11) of at least one first configuring command;

A2′

) instructing said communication unit (3) to send, using said communication channel, to said second device (12) a request (R2) for an execution in said second device (12) of at least one second configuring command; and

wherein said program code is configured to cause said computer (2) to carry out A1′

) and A2′

) in such a way that said sending to said second device (12) said request (R2) in A2′

) is started after A1′

is completed, and is completed before an execution (E1) in said first device (11) of said at least one first configuring command is completed, and

wherein said at least one first configuring command is not identical with said at least one second configuring command, and an installation or reinstallation of new or updated firmware, or of new hearing device settings obtained in a fitting session for said first device (11) and said second device (12), respectively, is performed based on executing (E1, E2) said at least one first configuring command in said first device (11) and said at least one second configuring command in said second device (12).

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein a computer-readable medium comprises the program code of claim 12.