Selection of communication connections in hearing aids

• US 20030133582A1
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Gmbh (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Niederdrank, Torsten
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A hearing aid and a corresponding method are provided in which address data and/or channel data with respect to a plurality of signal sources are stored in a memory of the hearing aid. As a result of a priority-driven address management system, the hearing aid user can very conveniently automatically engage in communication with an interface having the highest priority.

Claims

1. A hearing aid, comprising:

a radio interface configured to receive radio signals from signal sources and to convert the radio signals into at least one of acoustic signals and control signals;

a memory device configured to store at least one of address data and channel data with respect to a plurality of the signal sources; and

an address management system configured to allocate priorities to the plurality of signal sources whose at least one of address data and channel data are stored.

2. The hearing aid according to claim 1, comprising a presetter configured to preset a highest priority or highest priorities for at least one of address data and channel data.

3. The hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch device configured to initiate storing at least one of address data and channel data.

4. The hearing aid according to claim 3, wherein the switch device is a push-button.

5. The hearing aid according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal generator device for generating an acoustic signal when signals from a signal source with a higher priority are received during a reception of signals from a signal source.

6. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein one-of the signal sources can be automatically selected based on a priority or on a basis of an external control signal or can be manually selected using a push-button.

7. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the radio interface is a bluetooth interface.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

generating an acoustic signal by the hearing aid when signals from a signal source with a higher, second priority are received during reception of signals from a signal source with a first priority.

8. A method for operating a hearing aid, comprising:

receiving radio signals from a plurality of signal sources;

storing at least one of address data and channel data with respect to the plurality of signal sources;

coupling at least one of address data and channel data with priority information; and

converting the received radio signals from one of the plurality of signal sources whose at least one of address data and channel data are stored into at least one of acoustic signals and control signals.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising presenting at least one of address data and channel data having the highest priority or the highest priorities.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

actuating a switch device at the hearing aid; and

storing at least one of address data and channel data are by the actuating of the switch device at the hearing aid.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

automatically selecting one of the signal sources based on a priority or based on an external control signal or is manually selected.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

manually selecting one of the signal sources.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

providing a bluetooth standard receiver for the reception of the radio signals.