Remote control for a hearing assistance device

• US 9,439,006 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• 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): NGUYEN, TUAN DUC
• Application Number:
  US14/543,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 communication system for controlling a hearing assistance device, the system comprising:

a personal wireless device including a short range radio transmitter 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, wherein the on/off keying includes a burst sequence and wherein the burst sequence can be demodulated using an envelope detection and wherein the short range radio transmitter is configured to use a wireless technology standard for exchanging data, such as BLUETOOTH.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the personal wireless device includes a cellular telephone.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein a pre-assigned burst sequence is emitted by the transmitter in response to an input to the personal wireless device.

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

5. The communication system 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.

6. The communication system 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.

7. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the short range radio transmitter is programmed to transmit instructions to the hearing assistance device to locate the hearing assistance device.

8. The communication system of claim 6, wherein the short range radio transmitter is programmed to transmit instructions to the hearing assistance device to detect motion of the hearing assistance device.

9. A personal wireless device, comprising:

a short range radio transmitter configured as a remote control for a hearing assistance device; and

a processor programmed to convert inputs into commands that control the hearing assistance device and further programmed 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 and wherein the short range radio transmitter is configured to use a wireless technology standard for exchanging data, such as BLUETOOTH.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to convert an input into one or more commands adapted to control a setting of the hearing assistance device.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to convert an input into one or more commands adapted to control a function of the hearing assistance device.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to convert an input into one or more commands adapted to control a mode of the hearing assistance device.

13. The device of claim 9, 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.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the short range radio transmitter is programmed to transmit instructions to the hearing assistance device to control volume of the hearing assistance device.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate a sound transmission from a speaker of the personal wireless device to the hearing assistance device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the sound transmission is used to calibrate a microphone of the hearing assistance device.

17. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate a transmission from the radio transmitter including a code to the hearing assistance device to initiate a transmission from the hearing assistance device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to locate the hearing assistance device using the received transmission.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to detect motion of the hearing assistance device using the received transmission.