HEARING DEVICE, HEARING DEVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE HEARING DEVICE SYSTEM

• US 20090154742A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: RASMUSSEN, Karsten Bo
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• 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 25/453 electronically
• 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

Abstract

The present invention refers to a hearing device system which comprises: at least a first hearing device (10) including a first control unit (14) and a second hearing device (30) including a second control unit (37) for processing acoustic signals. Each of the hearing devices includes a transceiver (20, 34) for establishing a data communications link (40) between the first and the second hearing devices. At least one of the hearing devices including a sensing means (18, 33) for detecting, whether a telephone handset (19) is placed close to the hearing device. Each of the control units includes at least a first and a second control mode. Both hearing devices are adapted for outputting the processed acoustic signals in the first control mode. Upon detection of the telephone handset the first hearing device is shifted to the second control mode for inhibiting the output of the processed acoustic signals and establishing the data communications link for transmitting the processed acoustic signals to the second hearing device. The second hearing device is also shifted to the second control mode for receiving the processed acoustic signals transmitted from the first hearing device and outputting the transmitted acoustic signals.

Claims

1. A hearing device, comprising:

an input transducer for converting an acoustic input signal (Si1) to an electric input signal,

an output transducer for converting a processed electric output signal to an acoustic output signal,

an electric signal path extending between the input and output transducers,

a transceiver for establishing a data communications link to another hearing device,

a sensing unit for detecting whether a telephone handset is placed close to the hearing device, and

a control unit for controlling at least the acoustic output signal and the transceiver in at least a first and second control mode,

wherein

in the first, normal mode, the control unit is adapted for enabling the acoustic output signal, and

in the second, Tx-mode, when a telephone handset is detected by the sensing unit, the control unit is adapted for inhibiting or attenuating the acoustic output signal and for enabling the transmission of an electric signal tapped from the signal path to the other hearing device via the data communications link.

2. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the signal path comprises a processing unit for processing an electric input signal and providing a processed electric output signal.

3. A hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit in the Tx-mode is adapted for causing the transceiver to transmit the electric input signal to the other hearing device via the data communications link.

4. A hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit in the Tx-mode is adapted for causing the transceiver to transmit the processed electric output signal to the other hearing device via the data communications link.

5. A hearing device according to claim 1 adapted to provide that the electric signal tapped from the signal path and transmitted to the other hearing device via the data communications link in the Tx-mode is based on a signal originating from the acoustic input signal from a telephone handset.

6. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is adapted to automatically enter into the second, Tx-mode when the sensing unit detects the presence of a telephone handset.

7. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is adapted to transmit to and receive from the other hearing device via the data communications link instructions for setting the hearing devices.

8. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein a Cm-signal identifying the current control mode of the hearing device and/or a corresponding appropriate control mode of the other hearing device is transmitted to the other hearing device.

9. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is adapted to implement a third, Rx-control mode enabling the reception of a signal from the other hearing device via the data communications link and enabling the acoustic output signal including a signal originating from the signal received from the other hearing device.

10. A hearing device according to claim 9 wherein in the third, Rx-mode, the control unit is adapted to enable a mixing of the electric signal received from the other hearing device with an electric signal originating from the input transducer.

11. A hearing device according to claim 9 wherein in the third, Rx-mode, the control unit s adapted to disable the electric signal from the input transducer.

12. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the input transducer comprises at least one microphone, such as one or two microphones, or more than two microphones.

13. A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein the data communications link is a wireless radio frequency connection or a wired connection.

14. A hearing device according to claim 13 wherein the wireless radio frequency connection is based on an inductive coupling between induction coils located in the hearing device and the other hearing device.

16. A hearing device system according to claim 15 wherein the first hearing device is a hearing device according to claim 1.

17. A hearing device system according to claim 15 wherein the second hearing device is a hearing device according to claim 1.

15. A hearing device system, comprising:

at least a first hearing device and a second hearing device, each of the hearing devices comprising

an input transducer for converting an acoustic input signal to an electric input signal,

an output transducer for converting a processed electric output signal to an acoustic output signal,

an electric signal path extending between the respective input and output transducers,

a transceiver for establishing a data communications link between the first and the second hearing devices, and

a control unit for controlling at least the acoustic output signal and the transceiver in at least a first and second control mode,

and at least the first one of the hearing devices includes a sensing unit for detecting, whether a telephone handset is placed close to the hearing device, wherein

each of the control units of the first and second hearing device is adapted for enabling the acoustic output signal in the first, normal control mode, and

the control unit of the first hearing device is adapted in its second, Tx-control mode for inhibiting or attenuating the acoustic output signal and for enabling the transmission of an electric signal tapped from its signal path to the second hearing device via the data communications link, and

the control unit of the second hearing device is adapted in its second, Rx-control mode for enabling the reception of a signal from the first hearing device (30) via the data communications link and enabling the acoustic output signal including a signal originating from the signal received from the other hearing device.

18. A hearing device system according to claim 15 wherein the control unit of the first hearing device is adapted for transmitting via the data communications link instruction signals to the control unit of the second hearing device for setting the second hearing device in its appropriate control mode.

19. A hearing device system according to claim 15 wherein the control unit of the first hearing device is adapted to automatically enter into its second, Tx-control mode, when the sensing unit detects the presence of a telephone handset and to transmit an instruction to the control unit of the second hearing device for setting the second hearing device in its appropriate Rx-control mode, and wherein the control unit of the second hearing device is adapted to receive the instruction and to enter the second hearing device into its second, Rx-control mode.

20. A hearing device system according to claim 15 wherein the data communications link is a wireless radio frequency connection or a wired connection.

21. A method of controlling a hearing device system in connection with a telephone handset, the hearing device system comprising at least a first hearing device and a second hearing device, and each of the hearing devices including an input transducer for converting an acoustic input signal to an electric input signal, an output transducer for converting a processed electric output signal to an acoustic output signal, an electric signal path extending between the input and output transducers, a transceiver for establishing a data communications link between the first and the second hearing device, and a control unit for implementing at least a first and a second control mode, and wherein at least the first one of the hearing devices includes a sensing unit adapted to detect, whether a telephone handset is placed close to the hearing device, the method comprising:

detecting whether a telephone handset is placed close to the first hearing device,

if a telephone handset is detected, switching the first and second hearing device from a first, normal control mode to a second, Tx- and Rx-control mode, respectively,

establishing in the second control mode a data communications link between the first and second hearing device,

transmitting an electric signal derived from the signal path of the first hearing device to the second hearing device via the data communications link, and

inhibiting or attenuating the acoustic output signal of the first hearing device and enabling the acoustic output signal of the second hearing device, the acoustic output signal including a signal originating from the signal received from the first hearing device.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein an electric signal derived from the signal path of the first hearing device and transmitted to the second hearing device during the second, Tx- and Rx-control mode includes a signal originating from the speaker of a telephone handset located at the first hearing device.

23. A method according claim 21 wherein the data communications link is based on wireless radio frequency communication, e.g. based on inductive coupling between coils located in the first and second hearing devices.

24. A method according to claim 21, further including the step of transmitting via the data communications link instruction signals from the first hearing device to the second hearing device and vice versa.

25. A method according to claim 21 wherein the control unit of the first hearing device is adapted for transmitting via the data communications link instruction signals to the control unit of the second hearing device for setting the second hearing device in its appropriate control mode.