System for programming hearing aids

• US 20030014566A1
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Micro Ear Technology Incorporated (Starkey Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Armitage, Scott T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,851,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/502 using analog signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/556 External connectors, e.g. plugs or modules H04R25/607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

A hearing aid programming system with a host computer system including a program for programming a hearing aid. The host computer system includes a first communication interface for sending and receiving control and data signals. A hearing aid programming interface device is connected to the communication interface of the host computer system and includes a second communication interface for sending and receiving control and data signals. The hearing aid programming interface device also includes circuitry for electrically isolating the hearing aid to be programmed from the host computer. The first communication interface may be PCMCIA, USB, RS-232, SCSI or IEEE 1394 interfaces, which are arranged to send and receive serial data and control signals to the hearing aid programming interface device. The first communication interface may also be a wireless communications interface which wirelessly sends and receives control and data signals with the hearing aid programming interface device.

Claims

1. A hearing aid programming system comprising:

a host computer system including a program for programming a hearing aid, the host computer system including a host communication interface (HCI) of a predetermined type for sending and receiving control and data signals;

a hearing aid programming interface device connected to the HCI by a first interface communication interface (ICI) of the same predetermined type as the HCI, for sending and receiving control and data signals between the host computer system and the hearing aid programming interface device;

the hearing aid programming interface device including at least one additional ICI of a different type than the type connecting the first ICI to the host computer system;

at least one hearing aid to be programmed connected to the hearing aid programming interface device, and

the program for programming the at least one hearing aid is downloaded to the hearing aid programming interface device when the hearing aid programming interface device is initially powered up.

2. The hearing aid programming system of claim 1 wherein the HCI is selected from the group consisting of PCMCIA, USB, RS-232, SCSI, IEEE 1394 or wireless.

3. The hearing aid programming system of claim 2 wherein the HCI is a PCMCIA interface and one of the at least one additional ICI'"'"'s is a USB interface.

4. The hearing aid programming system of claim 2 wherein the HCI is a USB interface and one of the at least one additional ICI'"'"'s is a PCMCIA interface.

5. The hearing aid programming system of claim 2 wherein the HCI and ICI interfaces are constructed and arranged to send and receive serial control and data signals.

6. The hearing aid programming system of claim 2 wherein the hearing aid programming interface further includes circuitry for electrically isolating a hearing aid from the host computer comprised of at least one pair of optoisolators for sending and receiving data and control signals between the host computer and the hearing aid to be programmed.

7. The hearing aid programming system of claim 2 wherein the at least one hearing aid to be programmed is connected to the hearing aid programming interface with a cable, the hearing aid programming interface including a cable identification circuit for identification of the type of cable connecting the at least one hearing aid to the hearing aid programming interface.

8. The hearing aid programming system of claim 7 wherein the program is configured to program a hearing aid connected by a predetermined type of cable and wherein upon identification of a mismatch between the program and the type of cable a signal is sent to the host computer prompting a warning to the user.

10. A hearing aid programming system comprising:

a host computer system including a program for programming a hearing aid, the host computer system including a host computer interface (HCI) selected from the group consisting of PCMCIA, USB, RS-232, SCSI, IEEE 1394 or wireless, for sending and receiving control and data signals;

a hearing aid programming interface device connected to the HCI with an interface communication interface (ICI) which is the same as the selected HCI, for sending and receiving control and data signals between the host computer and the hearing aid programming interface device, and

at least one hearing aid to be programmed connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

11. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the HCI is a PCMCIA interface which converts PCMCIA bus signals to and from serial bus signals, the PCMCIA interface being electrically connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

12. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the HCI is a USB interface which converts USB bus signals to and from serial bus signals, the USB interface being electrically connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

13. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the HCI is a SCSI interface which converts SCSI bus signals to and from serial bus signals, the SCSI interface being electrically connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

14. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the communication interface is an IEEE 1394 interface which converts IEEE 1394 bus signals to and from serial bus signals, the IEEE 1394 interface being electrically connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

15. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the HCI is a wireless interface selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF) or ultrasonic wireless communication interfaces, the wireless interface being wirelessly connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

16. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the HCI and ICI interfaces are constructed and arranged to send and receive serial control and data signals.

17. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the hearing aid programming interface further includes circuitry for electrically isolating a hearing aid from the host computer comprised of at least one pair of optoisolators for sending and receiving data and control signals between the host computer and the hearing aid to be programmed.

18. The hearing aid programming system of claim 10 wherein the at least one hearing aid to be programmed is connected to the hearing aid programming interface with a cable, the hearing aid programming interface including a cable identification circuit for identification of the type of cable connecting the at least one hearing aid to the hearing aid programming interface.

19. The hearing aid programming system of claim 13 wherein the program is configured to program a hearing aid connected by a predetermined type of cable and wherein upon identification of a mismatch between the program and the type of cable a signal is sent to the host computer prompting a warning to the user.

20. A hearing aid programming system comprising:

a host computer system including a program for programming a hearing aid, the host computer system including a first wireless communication interface for wirelessly sending and receiving control and data signals;

a battery powered hearing aid programming interface device wirelessly connected to the communication interface of the host computer system, the hearing aid programming interface device including a second wireless communication interface for wirelessly sending and receiving control and data signals between the host computer and the programming interface device, and

at least one hearing aid to be programmed connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

21. The hearing aid programming system of claim 20 wherein the wireless communication interface communicates using infrared (IR) signals.

22. The hearing aid programming system of claim 20 wherein the wireless communication interface communicates using radio frequency (RF) signals.

23. The hearing aid programming system of claim 20 wherein the wireless communication interface communicates using ultrasonic signals.

26. The hearing aid programming system of claim 25, wherein the HCI is selected from the group consisting of PCMCIA, USB, SCSI, IEEE 1394, and wireless.

27. The hearing aid programming system according to claim 26, wherein the hearing aid programming interface includes circuitry for electrically isolating the at least one hearing aid from the host computer.

28. The hearing aid programming system according to claim 27, wherein the circuitry for electrically isolating the at least one hearing aid from the host computer includes optoisolators.

29. The hearing aid programming system of claim 25, wherein the hearing aid programming interface device further includes a cable identification circuit for identification of a type of cable connecting a hearing aid to the hearing aid programming interface device.

30. The hearing aid programming system of claim 29, further including programming software for identifying a mismatch between a type of cable coupled between a hearing aid and the hearing aid programming interface device and a type of hearing aid to which the cable is coupled, and for sending an output identifying the mismatch to the host computer.

24. A hearing aid programming system comprising:

a host computer system including a program for programming a hearing aid, the host computer system including at least one host computer interface (HCI) selected from the group consisting of PCMCIA, USB, RS-232, SCSI, IEEE 1394 or wireless, for sending and receiving control and data signals;

a hearing aid programming interface device connected to the HCI with an interface communication interface (ICI) which is the same as at least one of the selected HCI interfaces, for sending and receiving control and data signals between the host computer and the hearing aid programming interface device, and

at least one hearing aid to be programmed connected to the hearing aid programming interface device.

25. A hearing aid programming system comprising:

a host computer system including a program for programming a hearing aid, the host computer system including a host communication interface (HCI) for sending and receiving control and data signals; and

a hearing aid programming interface device having a first interface communication interface (ICI) of a type compatible with the HCI, for sending and receiving control and data signals between the host computer system and the hearing aid programming interface device, the hearing aid programming interface device having at least one additional ICI of a type different than the first ICI, wherein the hearing aid programming system is configured to download the program for programming a hearing aid to the hearing aid programming interface device when the hearing aid programming interface device is initially powered up.

31. A hearing aid programming system, comprising:

a host computer system including a program for programming a hearing aid, the host computer system including a host communication interface (HCI) for sending and receiving control and data signals;

a hearing aid programming interface device having a communication interface compatible with the HCI for sending and receiving control and data signals between the host computer system and the hearing aid programming interface device, wherein the hearing aid programming system is configured to download the program for programming a hearing aid to the hearing aid programming interface device when the hearing aid programming interface device is initially powered up.

32. The hearing aid programming system of claim 31, wherein the communication interface is selected from the group consisting of PCMCIA, USB, SCSI, IEEE 1394, and wireless.

33. The hearing aid programming system according to claim 31, wherein the program for programming a hearing aid includes a plurality of programs, each program associated with a different hearing aid to be programmed.

34. The hearing aid programming system according to claim 31, further including programming software for identifying a mismatch between a type of cable coupled between a hearing aid and the hearing aid programming interface device and a type of hearing aid to which the cable is coupled, and for sending an output identifying the mismatch to the host computer.

35. The hearing aid programming system according to claim 31, wherein the hearing aid programming interface device includes a microprocessor for running the downloaded program for programming a hearing aid.

37. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the host computer system includes a second communication interface selected from the group consisting of PCMCIA, USB, SCSI, IEEE 1394, and wireless interfaces.

38. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the second communication interface includes a PCMCIA interface which converts PCMCIA bus signals to and from serial bus signals.

39. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the second communication interface includes a USB interface which converts USB bus signals to and from serial bus signals.

40. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the second communication interface includes a SCSI interface which converts SCSI bus signals to and from serial bus signals.

41. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the second communication interface includes an IEEE 1394 interface which converts IEEE 1394 bus signals to and from serial bus signals.

42. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the second communication interface includes a second wireless interface.

43. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the wireless first communication interface is selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF) or ultrasonic wireless communication interfaces.

44. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the programming interface device further includes optoisolators for electrically isolating a hearing aid to be programmed from the host computer.

45. The hearing aid programming system of claim 36, wherein the programming interface device further includes a cable identification circuit for identification of a type of cable coupled to the third communication interface for transferring control and data signals to a hearing aid.

46. The hearing aid programming system of claim 45, further including programming software for identifying a mismatch between the type of cable coupled to the third communication interface and a type of hearing aid to which the cable is coupled and for sending an output identifying the mismatch to the host computer.

48. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 47, wherein at one least one of the first communication interface or the second communication interface includes a wireless interface.

49. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 48, wherein the wireless interface includes an infrared (IR) communications interface.

50. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 48, wherein the wireless interface includes a radio frequency (RF) communications interface.

51. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 48, wherein the wireless interface includes an ultrasonic communications interface.

52. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 48, wherein the hearing aid programming device is battery powered.

53. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 47, further including memory for the microprocessor, wherein the memory stores programming software for providing control and data signals to the hearing aid to be programmed.

54. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 53, wherein the memory is configured to be written to with upgraded programming software.

55. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 47, wherein at one least one of the first communication interface or the second communication interface includes a serial interface.

56. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 47, wherein at one least one of the first communication interface or the second communication interface includes a RS-232, a SCSI, an IEEE 1394, a USB, or a PCMCIA communications interface.

57. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 56, further including optoisolators for electrically isolating a hearing aid to be programmed from a host computer that downloads a program to the hearing aid programming interface device.

58. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 47, further including a cable identification circuit for identification of a type of cable coupled to the third communication interface for transferring control and data signals to a hearing aid.

59. The hearing aid programming interface device of claim 47, further including programming software for identifying a mismatch between the type of cable coupled to the third communication interface and a type of hearing aid to which the cable is coupled and for providing an output identifying the mismatch.

36. A hearing aid programming system comprising:

a host computer system having a program for programming a hearing aid, the host computer system having a host computer interface (HCI) for sending and receiving control and data signals; and

a programming interface device, the program interface device including;

a microprocessor for programming the hearing aid;

a first communication interface coupled to the HCI to transfer control and data signals between the host computer and the microprocessor;

a second communication interface to provide control and data signals to the microprocessor from an external programming source; and

a third communication interface to transfer control and data signals between the microprocessor and the hearing aid to be programmed, wherein the first communication interface is a wireless interface.

47. A hearing aid programming interface device comprising:

a microprocessor for programming a hearing aid;

a first communication interface to transfer control and data signals between a host computer and the microprocessor;

a second communication interface to provide control and data signals to the microprocessor from an external programming source; and

a third communication interface to transfer control and data signals between the microprocessor and the hearing aid to be programmed.