Hearing instrument with a separate link

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10812916-B2
Application number	US-201414251088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2014
Priority date	Apr 4, 2014
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A hearing instrument includes: a wireless receiver configured for reception of a message relating to a ticket issued for a user of the hearing instrument by a ticket management system; a processing unit configured for processing the message according to a hearing loss of the user; and a speaker configured to convert the processed message into an acoustic signal for transmission towards an eardrum of the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hearing instrument comprising:
a wireless receiver configured for reception of a message relating to a ticket issued for a user of the hearing instrument by a ticket management system, the ticket management system configured to associate the ticket with the hearing instrument;
a processing unit configured for processing the message according to a hearing loss of the user; and
a speaker configured to convert the processed message into an acoustic signal for transmission towards an eardrum of the user;
wherein the hearing instrument is configured to receive a signature that is transmitted together with the message;
wherein the processing unit of the hearing instrument is further configured to mix the message from the ticket management system with an audio signal to obtain a mixed output.

2. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transmitter configured for transmission of a signal to the ticket management system with data identifying the hearing instrument.

3. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the message is configured to summon the user.

4. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the ticket comprises information regarding an assigned order for the user.

5. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a function to process the message that is different from a hearing loss compensating function.

6. The hearing instrument of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to process the mixed output according to the hearing loss of the user.

7. The hearing instrument of claim 1 , wherein the signature is encoded in a way that would allow the hearing instrument, not another hearing instrument, to decode the signature.

8. The hearing instrument of claim 1 , wherein the message from the ticket management system comprises an audio message.

9. A ticket management system comprising:
a transceiver;
a user interface;
a processing unit configured for:
issuing a ticket to a user of a wireless device, upon reception of a corresponding user request entered by the user using the user interface,
associating the ticket with the wireless device, and
controlling the transceiver to transmit an audio message relating to the ticket to the wireless device based at least in part on the association of the ticket with the wireless device;
wherein the wireless device is a hearing instrument configured to compensate for hearing loss; and
wherein the ticket management system is configured to transmit a signature together with the audio message to the hearing instrument, wherein the signature is configured to be processed by the wireless device.

10. The ticket management system according to claim 9 , wherein the transceiver comprises an interface to the Internet, and wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the audio message to the hearing instrument through the Internet.

11. The ticket management system according to claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to associate the ticket with the hearing instrument that is configured to compensate for the hearing loss.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the hearing instrument is a hearing aid.

13. The ticket management system of claim 9 , wherein the ticket management system is configured to, before transmitting the signature, encode the signature in a way that would allow the hearing instrument, not another hearing instrument, to decode the signature.

14. A ticket management system comprising:
a transceiver;
a user interface; and
a processing unit configured for:
issuing a ticket to a user of a wireless device, upon reception of a corresponding user request entered by the user using the user interface,
associating the ticket with the wireless device, and
controlling the transceiver to transmit an audio message relating to the ticket to the wireless device based at least in part on the association of the ticket with the wireless device;

wherein the wireless device is a hearing instrument configured to compensate for hearing loss; and
wherein the processing unit is configured to perform the act of associating by:
establishing an ad hoc network between the ticket management system and the hearing instrument; and
determining a transmission property of the hearing instrument in the ad hoc network, wherein the transmission property comprises a strength of a signal provided by the hearing instrument; and

wherein the processing unit is configured to control the transceiver to transmit a signature for reception by the hearing instrument.

15. The ticket management system according to claim 14 , further comprising an encoder configured for encoding the signature for transmission together with the audio message, the signature identifying the ticket management system.

16. The ticket management system according to claim 14 , wherein the ad hoc network is a Bluetooth Low Energy network.

17. The ticket management system of claim 14 , wherein the ticket management system is configured to, before transmitting the signature, encode the signature in a way that would allow the hearing instrument, not another hearing instrument, to decode the signature.

18. A method of communication between a ticket management system and a wireless device, wherein the ticket management system comprises a transceiver and a user interface, the method comprising:
receiving, at the ticket management system, a user request for a ticket from a user of the wireless device;
issuing a ticket by the ticket management system to the user;
associating the ticket with the wireless device of the user;
transmitting an audio message relating to the ticket from the ticket management system to the wireless device, wherein the wireless device is a hearing instrument configured to compensate for hearing loss; and
generating a signature, wherein the signature is transmitted together with the audio message from the ticket management system to the hearing instrument, and wherein the signature is configured to be processed by the hearing instrument.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the act of associating comprises associating the ticket with the hearing instrument that is configured to compensate for the hearing loss.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the hearing instrument is a hearing aid.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising encoding the signature in a way that would allow the hearing instrument, not another hearing instrument, to decode the signature.

22. A method of communication between a ticket management system and a wireless device, wherein the ticket management system comprises a transceiver and a user interface, the method comprising:
receiving, at the ticket management system, a user request for a ticket from a user of the wireless device;
issuing a ticket by the ticket management system to the user;
associating the ticket with the wireless device of the user;
transmitting an audio message relating to the ticket from the ticket management system to the wireless device, wherein the wireless device is a hearing instrument configured to compensate for hearing loss;
wherein the method further comprises:
generating a signature identifying the ticket management system, wherein the signature is transmitted together with the audio message from the ticket management system to the hearing instrument;
processing, by the hearing instrument, the transmitted signature fr

Assignees

• Gn Hearing As

Inventors

• Pedersen Brian Dam

Classifications

• H04R27/02

  Amplifying systems for the deaf · CPC title

• H04R1/10

  Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)} · CPC title

• H04R25/554 Primary

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title