Gateway for a wireless hearing assistance device

• US 9,794,701 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Flood, Stephen Paul, Polinske, Beau Jay, Solum, Jeffrey Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US13/601,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20140064528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 381315, 381 231, 381 60, 381312, 381314, 381 716, 381 72
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• 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

Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for providing a gateway for a wireless hearing assistance device. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method for wirelessly communicating with a hearing assistance device. One or more message and alert inputs are received and the message and alert inputs are processed to obtain an output. The output is wirelessly transmitted to a hearing assistance device, and the output is configured to be played via audio to a wearer of the hearing assistance device and to interrupt a current audio stream being played to the wearer, in various embodiments.

Claims

1. A method of using a hearing assistance device having a microphone and a processor and adapted to be worn by a wearer, the method comprising:

receiving one or more messages and alerts;

processing the messages and alerts using the processor to obtain an output;

analyzing an acoustic input to the microphone using the processor to determine whether the acoustic input includes an alarm indication or other alert; and

attenuating a wired or wireless audio stream input to the hearing assistance device configured to compensate for hearing losses of the wearer to alert the wearer about the alarm indication or other alert, wherein the processor is further configured with a learning mode to identify and analyze the alerts to determine when to attenuate the audio stream input, and wherein the output includes information conveyed to the wearer regarding the messages and alerts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm indication or other alert includes a fire alarm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm indication or other alert includes a telephone ring.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm indication or other alert includes a smoke detector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm indication or other alert includes a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm indication or other alert includes a burglar alarm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm indication or other alert includes a doorbell.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm indication or other alert includes a severe weather alert.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a wireless headset.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the hearing assistance device includes a hearing aid.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing aid includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing aid includes an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing aid includes a completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing aid includes a receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid.