Method for operating a wireless audio signal receiver unit and system for providing hearing assistance to a user

• US 7,940,945 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Marquis, Francois, Callias, Francois, Dijkstra, Evert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni; Suhan
• Application Number:
  US11/428,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20080009253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 381/312, 381/315, 381/316, 381/331, 379/430
• 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 25/554 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

There is provided a method for operating a receiver unit (12) for receiving audio signals from a remote transmission unit (10) via a wireless audio link (56), comprising: connecting an audio signal output (41) of the receiver unit (12) to an audio signal input (42) of a hearing instrument (14A, 14B) comprising means (52) located at a user'"'"'s ear or in the user'"'"'s ear canal for stimulating the user'"'"'s hearing according to the audio signals from the receiver unit (12) and a microphone arrangement (44); measuring by means (34, 38) included in the receiver unit (12) the impedance of the audio signal input (42) of the hearing instrument (14A, 14B); and adjusting the impedance of the audio signal output (41) of the receiver unit (12) according to the measured impedance of the audio signal input (42) of the hearing instrument (14A, 14B).

Claims

1. A method for operating a receiver unit for receiving audio signals from a remote transmission unit via a wireless audio link, comprising:

connecting an audio signal output of said receiver unit to an audio signal input of a hearing instrument comprising means located at a user'"'"'s ear or in a user'"'"'s ear canal for stimulating said user'"'"'s hearing according to the audio signals from said receiver unit and a microphone arrangement;

measuring by means included in said receiver unit an impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument; and

adjusting an impedance of said audio signal output of said receiver unit according to the measured impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument; and

wherein said connecting step comprises electrically connecting the audio signal output of the receiver unit to the audio input of the hearing instrument via an interface which also mechanically connects the receiver unit to the hearing instrument.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said output impedance of said receiver unit is adjusted such that a predetermined audio signal output level is achieved.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument is classified into categories in order to generate a status signal representative of a connection status of said audio signal output of said receiver unit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said status signal is indicative of a type of audio input to which said receiver unit is connected.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said status signal is indicative of a quality of a connection of said audio signal output to said audio input of said hearing instrument.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the categories of said status signal include:

“

no connection”

if the measured audio input impedance is equal to or higher than a first threshold, “

connection to a high impedance audio input separate from the microphone arrangement of the hearing instrument”

if the measured audio input impedance is equal to or higher than a second threshold but less than said first threshold, “

connection to a low impedance audio input parallel to the microphone arrangement of the hearing instrument”

if the measured audio input impedance is equal to or higher than a third threshold but less than said second threshold, and “

short circuit connection”

if the measured audio input impedance is less than said third threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein an alarm signal is generated if the measured impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument has been classified into the categories “

no connection”

or “

short circuit connection”

.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the measurement of said impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument is initiated by a command received via an inductive link from a remote device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said status signal is transmitted via said inductive link from said receiver unit to said remote device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument is measured with alternating current.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument is measured at least two different frequencies.

12. The method of one claim 1, wherein said impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument is measured at an audio signal level corresponding to a microphone sound pressure level of at least 85 dB.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein during the measurement of said impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument said microphone arrangement of said hearing instrument is fully working.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement of said impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument is automatically initiated when said receiver unit is turned on.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said audio signals received at said receiver unit are muted during measuring the impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless audio link is a Radio Frequency link, such as a Frequency Modulation link.

17. A method for operating a receiver unit for receiving audio signals from a remote transmission unit via a wireless audio link, comprising:

connecting an audio signal output of said receiver unit to an audio signal input of a hearing instrument comprising means located at a user'"'"'s ear or in a user'"'"'s ear canal for stimulating said user'"'"'s hearing according to the audio signals from said receiver unit and a microphone arrangement;

measuring by means included in said receiver unit an impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument;

adjusting an impedance of said audio signal output of said receiver unit according to the measured impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument;

wherein said output impedance of said receiver unit is adjusted such that a predetermined audio signal output level is achieved, and

wherein said output impedance of said receiver unit is set to a pre-determined first value if connection to a high impedance audio input separate from said microphone arrangement of said hearing instrument has been detected by measuring a value of said audio input impedance less than a first threshold but equal to or higher than a second threshold.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said output impedance of said receiver unit is set to said pre-determined first value by setting a first switch to a first position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein by setting said first switch to said first position a non-variable first resistor is connected in parallel to said audio input.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said output impedance of said receiver unit is set to a value selected from a plurality of pre-determined values according to the measured audio input impedance if connection to a low impedance audio input parallel to said microphone arrangement of said hearing instrument has been detected by measuring a value of said audio input impedance equal to or higher than a third threshold but less than said second threshold.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said output impedance of said receiver unit is set to said selected value by setting said first switch to a second position and by adjusting a variable resistor according to the measured audio input impedance.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein by setting said first switch to said second position a serial connection of said variable resistor, of said non-variable first resistor and of said non-variable second resistor is connected in parallel to said audio input.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said audio input impedance is measured with said first switch being set to said second position.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said audio input impedance is measured by varying a resistance of said variable resistor and comparing a voltage on said first non-variable resistor and a voltage on a serial connection of said second non-variable resistor and said variable resistor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said resistance of said variable resistor is varied in logarithmic steps.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein a value of said resistance of said variable resistor for which a pre-determined condition for a voltage on said first non-variable resistor and a voltage on said second non-variable resistor and said variable resistor is fulfilled is taken as representative of said audio input impedance.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein said resistance of said variable resistor is set to a value for which a pre-determined condition for a voltage on said first non-variable resistor and a voltage on said second non-variable resistor and said variable resistor is fulfilled in order to set said output impedance of said receiver unit to said selected value.

28. A receiver unit for receiving audio signals from a remote transmission unit via a wireless audio link, comprising:

an audio signal output adapted for being connected to an audio signal input of a hearing instrument comprising means to be located at a user'"'"'s ear or in the user'"'"'s ear canal for stimulating a user'"'"'s hearing according to audio signals from the receiver unit;

means for measuring a impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument; and

means for adjusting an impedance of said audio signal output of said receiver unit according to the measured impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument; and

an interface with which the audio signal output of the receiver unit is electrically connectable to the audio input of the hearing instrument and with which the receiver unit is also mechanically connectable to the hearing instrument.

29. A system for providing hearing assistance to a user, comprising:

a receiver unit comprising;

an audio signal output adapted for being connected to an audio signal input of a hearing instrument comprising means to be located at a user'"'"'s ear or in the user'"'"'s ear canal for stimulating a user'"'"'s hearing according to audio signals from the receiver unit;

means for measuring a impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument and means for adjusting an impedance of said audio signal output of said receiver unit according to the measured impedance of said audio signal input of said hearing instrument;

a remote transmission unit, a hearing instrument; and

means for connecting said audio signal output of said receiver unit to an audio signal input of said hearing instrument, said means comprising an interface with which the audio signal output of the receiver unit is electrically connected to the audio input of the hearing instrument and with which the receiver unit is also mechanically connected to the hearing instrument;

wherein said hearing instrument comprises means located at a user'"'"'s ear or in a user'"'"'s ear canal for stimulating a user'"'"'s hearing according to said audio signals from said receiver unit.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said remote transmission unit comprises a microphone arrangement for capturing audio signals which are to be transmitted to said receiver unit.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said hearing instrument comprises a microphone arrangement for capturing audio signals and means for mixing said audio signals with audio signals provided at said audio signal input in order to provide the mixed audio signals to said stimulating means.