Hearing assistance device with a low-power mode
First Claim
1. A hearing assistance system including a portable hearing assistance device, the portable hearing assistance device comprising:
- an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal;
an output unit for providing on output signal originating from the audio signal;
a forward path between the input unit and the output unit;
an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device;
wherein when a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device is activated the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising1) signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device,2) signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device,3) signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, and4) signals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device, whereina deactivation of the low-power mode is also controlled, andthe number of control input signals used to decide on a deactivation of the low-power mode is smaller than the number of control input signals used to activate the low-power mode.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable hearing assistance device comprises an input unit, an output unit, a forward path between the input unit and the output unit, and an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device. The hearing assistance device further comprises a control unit to control activation (or deactivation) of a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device. When the low-power mode is activated—the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation (or deactivation) being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals to the control unit, each control input signal being a signal selected from 1) signals relating to current physical environment, 2) signals relating to current acoustic environment, 3) signals relating to current wearer state, and 4) signals relating to current state or operation mode.
23 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A hearing assistance system including a portable hearing assistance device, the portable hearing assistance device comprising:
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an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal; an output unit for providing on output signal originating from the audio signal; a forward path between the input unit and the output unit; an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device; wherein when a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device is activated the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising 1) signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device, 2) signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device, 3) signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, and 4) signals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device, wherein a deactivation of the low-power mode is also controlled, and the number of control input signals used to decide on a deactivation of the low-power mode is smaller than the number of control input signals used to activate the low-power mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A hearing assistance system including a portable hearing assistance device, the portable assistance device comprising:
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an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal; an output unit for providing on output signal originating from the audio signal; a forward path between the input unit and the output unit; an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device; wherein when a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device is activated the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising 1) signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device, 2) signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device, 3) signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, and 4) signals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device, wherein the hearing assistance system comprises a user operable activation element configured to allow deactivation of the low-power mode. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A hearing assistance system including a portable hearing assistance device, the portable assistance device comprising:
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an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal; an output unit for providing on output signal originating from the audio signal; a forward path between the input unit and the output unit; an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device; wherein when a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device is activated the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising 1) signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device, 2) signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device, 3) signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, and 4) signals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device, said hearing assistance system further including;
an auxiliary device, the system being adapted to establish a communication link between the portable hearing assistance device and the auxiliary device to provide that information signals can be exchanged between or forwarded from one to the other. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of providing a low-power mode in a portable hearing assistance device, the portable hearing assistance device comprising
an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal, an output unit for providing an output signal originating from the audio signal, a forward path between the input unit and the output unit, and an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device, the method comprising: -
providing a low-power mode and a normal mode of operation of the hearing assistance device, wherein when said low-power mode is activated the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the hearing assistance device; controlling the activation of said low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device by providing that the activation is influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising 1) signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device, 2) signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device, 3) signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, and 4) signals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device, wherein a deactivation of the low-power mode is also controlled by the controlling step, and the number of control input signals used by the controlling step to decide on a deactivation of the low-power mode is smaller than the number of control input signals used to activate the low-power mode.
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20. A portable hearing assistance device comprising
an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal, an output unit for providing on output signal originating from the audio signal, a forward path between the input unit and the output unit, an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device, wherein, when a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device is activated, the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device,signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device,signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, andsignals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device,wherein the number of control input signals used to decide on a deactivation of the low-power mode is smaller than the number of control input signals used to activate the low-power mode.
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23. A method of providing a low-power mode in a portable hearing assistance device, the portable hearing assistance device comprising
an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal, an output unit for providing an output signal originating from the audio signal, a forward path between the input unit and the output unit, and an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device, the method comprising: -
providing a low-power mode and a normal mode of operation of the hearing assistance device, wherein when said low-power mode is activated the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the hearing assistance device; controlling the activation of said low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device by providing that the activation is influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising 1) signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device, 2) signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device, 3) signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, and 4) signals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device, wherein said method further comprises enabling deactivation of the low-power mode via a user operable activation element.
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24. A method of providing a low-power mode in a portable hearing assistance device, the portable hearing assistance device comprising
an input unit for providing an electric input signal comprising an audio signal, an output unit for providing an output signal originating from the audio signal, a forward path between the input unit and the output unit, and an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device, the method comprising: -
providing a low-power mode and a normal mode of operation of the hearing assistance device, wherein when said low-power mode is activated the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the hearing assistance device; controlling the activation of said low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device by providing that the activation is influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals, each control input signal being a signal selected from the group of signals comprising 1) signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing assistance device, 2) signals relating to a current acoustic environment of the hearing assistance device, 3) signals relating to a current state of a wearer of the hearing assistance device, and 4) signals relating to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing assistance device and/or of another device in communication with the hearing assistance device, wherein said method further establishes a communication link between the portable hearing assistance device and an auxiliary device to provide that information signals can be exchanged between or forwarded from one to the other.
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Specification