Dynamic hearing aid system and a method for configuring the hearing aid system

• US 9,445,205 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Limited China (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Limited China (Siemens AG), Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (WS Audiology A/S)
• Inventors: Huettinger, Simon, Lampe, Mattias, Zhang, Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): Ensey, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/432,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/313, 381/322, 381/326, 381/327, 381/328, 381/330
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/55 using an external connection, either wireless or wired
• 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 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A dynamic hearing aid system and a method for configuring the hearing aid system. The dynamic hearing aid system includes a first hearing device and a second hearing device, and a controller adapted to communicate with each other. The hearing devices and the controller form a master-slave configuration wherein one of the hearing devices is the master hearing device in the master-slave configuration and the other hearing device is the slave hearing device.

Claims

1. A dynamic hearing aid system, comprising:

a first hearing device;

a second hearing device; and

a controller;

said first and second hearing devices and said controller being configured to communicate with each other;

said first and second hearing devices and said controller forming a master-slave configuration, wherein one of said first and second hearing devices is a master hearing device in said master-slave configuration and the other one of said first and second hearing devices is a slave hearing device; and

said slave hearing device being configured to detect a presence of said master hearing device and, upon determining that said master hearing device is absent, to act as a master.

2. The dynamic hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said slave hearing device is configured, upon losing a connection with said master hearing device, to change a communication with said controller.

3. The dynamic hearing aid system according to claim 2, wherein said slave hearing device is configured, upon losing a connection with said master hearing device, to suspend a communication of said slave hearing device with said controller.

4. The dynamic hearing aid system according to claim 2, wherein said slave hearing device is configured, upon losing a connection with said master hearing device, to send a respective signal to said controller, informing said controller about an absence of said master hearing device.

5. The dynamic hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to check whether said master hearing device is absent.

6. The dynamic hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to transmit data to said slave hearing device at regular time intervals.

7. The dynamic hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said slave hearing device and said master hearing device are battery driven devices.

8. A method of configuring a hearing aid system, the method comprising:

providing a first hearing device, a second hearing device, and a controller adapted to communicate with each other, wherein the first and second hearing devices and the controller form a master-slave configuration, with one of the hearing devices being a master hearing device and the other hearing device being a slave hearing device;

detecting a presence of the master hearing device by the slave hearing device; and

upon determining that the master hearing device is absent, acting as a master by the slave hearing device.

9. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises changing a communication by the slave hearing device with the controller on losing a connection with the master hearing device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a change in communication by the slave hearing device comprises suspending a communication with the controller.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein a change in communication by the slave hearing device comprises transmitting a signal to the controller, informing the controller of an absence of the master hearing device.

12. The method according to claim 8, which comprises verifying an absence of the master hearing device by the controller.

13. The method according to claim 8, which comprises transmitting data by the controller to the slave hearing device at regular intervals of time.

14. The method according to claim 8, which further comprises communicating a presence of master hearing device to the slave hearing device by the controller.

15. The method according to claim 8, which comprises relaying data between the master hearing device and the slave hearing device.