Advanced assistance for prosthesis assisted communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12563352-B2
Application number	US-202217878029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2022
Priority date	Oct 23, 2017
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A system, including a signal input, a processor a signal output, wherein the processor is configured to generate an instruction related to data related to a recipient of a sensory prosthesis based on input into the signal input, and the signal output is configured to output data indicative of the instruction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a signal input; a processor; and a signal output, wherein the processor is configured to generate an instruction related to data related to a user of an electronics device based on input into the signal input, and the signal output is configured to output data indicative of the instruction.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the electronics device is a sensory prosthesis; the user is a recipient of the sensory prosthesis; and the processor is configured to analyze the data related to the recipient and determine whether a person speaking is providing sensory input in a manner that enhances a sensory percept of the recipient of the sensory prosthesis.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the system is configured to identify whether the person speaking is a person with the sensory prosthesis.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the system is configured to provide the instruction to the recipient of the sensory prosthesis.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the system is configured to provide the instruction to a person that is part of a group of people providing sensory input captured by the system other than the recipient of the sensory prosthesis.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the signal input is in signal communication with a microphone.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the system is configured to evoke at least one of a visual, an audible or a tactile indication as the output indicative of an instruction.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the system includes a hearing prosthesis and a smart device, the smart device including an interactive display screen remote from the hearing prosthesis; and the system is configured to display, on the interactive display screen, one or more controls of the hearing prosthesis.

9 . A device, comprising:
a prosthesis configured to operate with a sensory evoking phenomenon capture device that also includes an indicator, wherein the prosthesis is configured to provide input to the device related to a captured sensory stimulation evoking phenomenon captured by the prosthesis and/or the device so that the device provides an indication related to the phenomenon via the indicator.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the prosthesis is a hearing prosthesis; and the sensory evoking phenomenon capture device is a microphone.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the indicator is a visual indicator, and the indication provided by the indicator is a visual indication.

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the indicator is configured to provide an indication regarding the captured sensory stimulating phenomenon to enhance a future sensory input from a future sensory stimulating phenomenon.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the indication is an indication that there exists a phenomenon that is deleterious to a future sensory input from a future sensory stimulating phenomenon.

14 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the prosthesis is configured to analyze the captured phenomenon and develop the input to the sensory evoking phenomenon capture device, wherein the input is input instructing the indicator to indicate that one or more people within visual sight of the indicator should take an action that impacts a future sensory input from a future sensory stimulating phenomenon.

15 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the prosthesis is configured to adjust a functionality of the sensory evoking phenomenon capture device unrelated to the indicator.

16 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the prosthesis is configured to automatically determine that it is paired with the sensory evoking phenomenon capture device and begin providing the input to the device due to the determination.

17 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the sensory evoking phenomenon capture device is a separate device from the prosthesis and/or a remote device from the prosthesis.

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable media having recorded thereon, a computer program for executing the following actions:
processing captured sensory input to identify an indication for one or more persons in an interaction, at least one of the one or persons being a person using a sensory prosthesis, to enable the person using the sensory prosthesis to have at least one of an enhanced or an adequate sense of a future sensory input; and outputting the indication for the one or more of the persons.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein:
the indication is an instruction to a participant in the conversation other than the person using the hearing prosthesis.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein:
the indication is non-instruction information.

21 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein:
the indication indicates that one or more of the participants is speaking properly.

22 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein:
the indication is an instruction to one or more of the participants to speak differently.

23 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein:
the indication indicates that one or more features in an ambient environment is deleterious to an optimum sensory percept by the person using the sensory prosthesis.

24 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18 , wherein:
the sensory prosthesis is a hearing prosthesis; and
the indication is an indication that a sensitivity of a sound capture apparatus remote from the hearing prosthesis can be adjusted and/or that at another sound capture apparatus can be used to improve hearing by the person using the hearing prosthesis.

25 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the sensory evoking phenomenon capture device is a separate device from the prosthesis.

26 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the sensory evoking phenomenon capture device is a remote device from the prosthesis.

27 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the prosthesis is configured to also provide input to the device that corresponds to the captured sensory stimulation evoking phenomenon, wherein the input to the device related to the captured sensory stimulation evoking phenomenon is different from the input to the device that corresponds to the captured sensory stimulation evoking phenomenon.

28 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
wherein the captured sensory stimulation evoking phenomenon is captured by the device.

29 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is further configured to, in addition to generating the instruction and outputting data indicative of the instruction, receive input control commands, from a party to a conversation of which the user is a part, into the system and adjust a setting of the system based on the command.

30 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the device is further configured to, in addition to providing an indication related to the phenomenon via the indicator, receive input control commands, from a party to a conversation of which a user of the device is a part, into the device, and adjust a setting of the device based on the command.

Assignees

• Cochlear Ltd

Inventors

• Oplinger Kenneth
• Page Rowan Christopher

Classifications

• H04R2225/67

  Implantable hearing aids or parts thereof not covered by H04R25/606 · CPC title

• H04R2225/43

  Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility · CPC title

• H04R25/70

  Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting · CPC title

• H04R25/558

  Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency · CPC title

• H04R25/505

  using digital signal processing · CPC title