Hearing aid device and method for operating the hearing aid device with a communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9942670-B2
Application number	US-201514837191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Aug 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A method operates a system of a hearing aid device and a communication device. The hearing aid device has an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing device and an electro-acoustic transducer. The communication device has a controller and an electro-acoustic transducer. The method includes the steps of: receiving of an incoming call by the communication device, signaling of the incoming call by the communication device by a first acoustic signal via the electro-acoustic transducer, receiving of the first acoustic signal by the acousto-electrical transducer of the hearing aid device, identifying of the first acoustic signal and carrying out of a first change of adjustment on the hearing aid device when the first acoustic signal has been identified.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for operating a system of a hearing aid device and a communication device, the hearing aid device having an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing device and an electro-acoustic transducer, the communication device having a controller and an electro-acoustic transducer, which comprises the steps of:
receiving an incoming call via the communication device;
signaling reception of the incoming call by the communication device outputting a first acoustic signal via the electro-acoustic transducer, the first acoustic signal carrying predetermined combinations or sequences of acoustic signals, and the first acoustic signal at least one of: laying outside a frequency range perceptible by a wearer, or being filtered out by the signal processing device;
receiving the first acoustic signal by the acousto-electrical transducer of the hearing aid device;
identifying the first acoustic signal in the hearing aid device;
carrying out of a first change of adjustment on the hearing aid device when the first acoustic signal has been identified;
subsequent to the identifying step, determining a distance between the communication device and the hearing aid via a sensor integrated in the communication device, the communication device determining the distance without assistance from the hearing aid device; and
forwarding a distance signal containing the distance from the communication device to the hearing aid device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises transmitting, via the communication device, the first acoustic signal when the incoming call is accepted on the communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first acoustic signal is part of a ringing sound.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first change of adjustment specifies a change in state of the hearing aid device into a first operating state and the hearing aid device, in the first operating state, monitors an environment of the hearing aid device for the distance signal from the communication device.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the hearing aid device performs a second change of adjustment on determining an approach of the communication device.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the hearing aid device cancels the second change of adjustment or performs a third change of adjustment when a removal of the communication device from the environment of the hearing aid device is determined.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the hearing aid device has a facility for detecting the distance signal of the communication device.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the hearing aid device cancels the first change of adjustment or performs a fourth change of adjustment when a second acoustic signal is received from the communication device so that the hearing aid device leaves the first operating state.

9. A hearing aid device, comprising:
an acousto-electrical transducer;
a signal processor;
an electro-acoustic transducer; and
means for detecting a distance signal indicating a distance of a communication device relative to the hearing aid device;
the hearing aid device configured:
to receive a first acoustic signal through said acousto-electrical transducer, the first acoustic signal carrying predetermined combinations or sequences of acoustic signals, and the first acoustic signal at least one of: laying outside a frequency range perceptible by a wearer, or being filtered out by the signal processing device; and
to identify the first acoustic signal and to carry out a first change of adjustment when the first acoustic signal has been identified, the first change of adjustment specifies a change in state of the hearing aid device into a first operating state and the hearing aid device is configured, in the first operating state, subsequent to identifying the first acoustic signal, to monitor an environment of the hearing aid device for an approach of the communication device with an aid of the distance signal.

10. The hearing aid device according to claim 9 , wherein the hearing aid device is configured to perform a second change of adjustment on detection of the approach of the communication device.

11. The hearing aid device according to claim 10 , wherein the hearing aid device is configured to cancel the second change of adjustment or to perform a third change of adjustment when the hearing aid determines a removal of the communication device from the environment of the hearing aid device.

12. The hearing aid device according to claim 9 , further comprising an estimating device for estimating a transfer function of a feedback path.

13. The hearing aid device according to claim 9 , further comprising a facility for detecting the distance signal of the communication device.

14. The hearing aid device according to claim 11 , wherein the hearing aid device is configured to cancel the first change of adjustment or to perform a fourth change of adjustment when a second acoustic signal is received so that the hearing aid device leaves the first operating state.

15. A method for operating a system of a hearing aid device and a communication device, the hearing aid device having an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing device and an electro-acoustic transducer, the communication device having a controller and an electro-acoustic transducer, which comprises the steps of:
receiving an incoming call via the communication device;
signaling reception of the incoming call by the communication device outputting a first acoustic signal via the electro-acoustic transducer, the first acoustic signal being a combination of a predetermined first item of information modulated on an acoustic carrier frequency, and the first acoustic signal at least one of: laying outside a frequency range perceptible by a wearer, or being filtered out by the signal processing device;
receiving the first acoustic signal by the acousto-electrical transducer of the hearing aid device;
identifying the first acoustic signal in the hearing aid device;
carrying out of a first change of adjustment on the hearing aid device when the first acoustic signal has been identified; and
subsequent to the identifying step, determining a distance between the communication device and the hearing aid via a sensor integrated in the communication device, the communication device determining the distance without assistance from the hearing aid device; and
forwarding a distance signal containing the distance from the communication device to the hearing aid device.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the predetermined first item of information is a hearing-aid device-specific component.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the hearing-aid device-specific component is a serial number of communication device.

Assignees

• Sivantos Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Dickel Thomas
• Froehlich Matthias
• Harich Uwe
• Weimer Carlo Christian

Classifications

• H04R25/554 Primary

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

• H04R25/505 Primary

  using digital signal processing · CPC title

• H04R2225/41

  Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest · CPC title

• H04R2225/61

  Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning · CPC title

• H04R25/45

  Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback · CPC title