Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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COMMUNICATION METHOD AND HEARING AID SYSTEM
The present invention relates to a communication method and to a hearing
device
system. Such methods and hearing device systems are known. For example, it is
known to acknowledge manual inputs made on a therapeutic hearing device, in
particular a behind-the-ear device, such as for example by means of toggle
switches,
by means of synthetic beep signals, which are fed as electrical audio signals
to the
electro/mechanical output converter of the hearing device.
Therapeutic hearing devices still brand the individual
who is dependent on such a device with a certain stigma
of invalidity, which is felt in particular by young
people. Therefore, it has recently become accepted
practice to design even those hearing devices
prescribed to aid medical problems esthetically in such
a way that wearing them gives the impression of a
certain youthfulness or cheerfulness, helping to
overcome the tendency to hide and conceal the device,
and with it the handicap of the wearer. In pursuit of
increasing their attractiveness in this way, the
present invention has the aim of also making the
communication between the hearing device and an
individual more attractive and playful.
According to the resent invention, there is provided a method for
communicating
between a hearing device including a user input for listening to first audio
signals and
an individual carrying said device, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of notification audio signals each having a
corresponding
predetermined duration;
a user selecting one of said plurality of notification signals, using the user
input, for associating with a status of the device; and
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applying to an output converter of said hearing device said selected
notification signal for notifying the user of the status of said hearing
device.
According to the resent invention, there is also provided a hearing device
system with
at least one hearing device, said hearing device comprising:
an electrical/mechanical converter;
an input for a user to select one of a plurality of notification audio signals
for
associating with a system status;
a signal processing unit with an output being operationally connected to an
input of the electrical/mechanical converter; and
a generator unit an output of which is also operationally connected to said
input of said converter, said generator unit including a user exchangeable
storage for
storing one or more of said plurality of notification signals, wherein
said generator unit provides said selected notification signal to said
converter
to notify the user of the status of the system status.
According to the resent invention, there is also provided a hearing device
system
comprising:
at least one hearing device, said hearing device including: an
electrical/mechanical converter; and
a signal processing unit with an output being operationally connected to an
input of said electrical/mechanical converter;
an input for a user to select a user defined notification audio signal of
predetermined extent for associating with a system status; and
a generator unit the output of which is operationally connected to the input
of
said electrical/mechanical converter, said generator unit including a user
writable
read/write storage unit for storing said user defined notification audio
signal to be
output by said generator unit for notifying a user of a status of the system.
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According to the resent invention, there is also provided a method of
acknowledging
to an individual carrying a hearing device, said hearing device having:
an acoustical/electrical input converter unit having an output;
a signal processing unit having an input and an output;
an input for a user to select one of a plurality of acknowledgement audio
signals for associating with a predetermined system status; and
an electrical/mechanical output converter arrangement having an input,
wherein
said output of said input converter is operationally connected to said input
of
said signal processing unit, the output thereof being operationally connected
to said
input of said output converter arrangement, said method comprising the steps
of:
generating an acknowledgement control signal in said hearing device
whenever the predetermined status of said hearing device is reached; and
initiating said selected acknowledgement audio signal according to said
acknowledgement control signal to be applied to said input of said output
converter,
wherein
said acknowledgement audio signal is made selectable by the individual.
According to the resent invention, there is also provided a system comprising
at least
one hearing device, said hearing device including:
an electrical/mechanical input converter arrangement having an output;
a signal processing unit having an input and an output;
an input for a user to select a notification audio signal for associating with
a
predetermined system status;
an electrical/mechanical output converter arrangement having an input; and a
generator unit having:
an audio signal storage unit for storing the selected notification signal; and
an output operationally connected to said input of said output converter
arrangement;
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wherein said output of said input converter arrangement is operationally
connected to said input of said signal processing unit, and wherein
said output of said signal processing unit is operationally connected to one
of
said input and another input of said output converter arrangement, and further
wherein
said hearing device generates at least one acknowledgement control signal
when said predetermined status of said hearing device is achieved, and still
further
wherein
said generator unit applies said selected notification audio signal to said
output
converter arrangement when initiated by said acknowledgement control signal of
said
hearing device.
Consequently, it is now possible for each user, whether of a therapeutic
hearing
device or else of a hearing device from the area of entertainment electronics,
such as
for example headphones, with the required characteristics to be in a position
to
choose for himself with which audio signals events at the hearing device are
indicated or acknowledged.
In a preferred embodiment of the method according to
the invention, the time-restricted electrical audio
signals are in this case generated in particular as
acknowledgement signals in response to control signals,
which control signals are generated at the hearing
device manually or by remote control, or which are
triggered by the hearing device itself, such as for
example when the battery voltage drops.
In a preferred embodiment of the method according to
the invention, at least some of the time-restricted
audio signals mentioned are stored on user-exchangeable
memory elements for the hearing device, in this case
preferably on read-only memory elements.
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Preferably, it is consequently possible for the user himself to exchange the
memory
elements mentioned, with audio signals corresponding to his taste stored on
them.
As read-only memories, such memory elements may be made available for example
by the device manufacturers in a wide range of different audio signal
patterns.
In a likewise preferred embodiment, if appropriate
supplementing the embodiment last mentioned, the time-
restricted audio signals mentioned are stored in a
user-defined manner on a memory unit which is
integrated on the hearing device itself or which is in
connection, or can be brought into operative
connection, with the latter, preferably wirelessly. In
the case of this embodiment, the audio signals
mentioned are stored selectively and user-defined in
the actual hearing device and can be correspondingly
exchanged.
Preferably, in a third embodiment, which can be combined, if appropriate, with
the
previously mentioned embodiment, on the actual hearing device there is stored
only
the localizing information as to where on a given audio signal carrier the
audio signal
sequences respectively to be called up lie. This procedure means that the user
of the
hearing device carries on him an audio playing device, such as for example a
minidisc player, an MP3 player etc. The communication between the hearing
device
on the one hand and such a playing device preferably takes place wirelessly.
In a further preferred embodiment of the method
according to the invention, in which the mentioned
output converter is a loudspeaker, it is proposed that
at least some of the time-restricted electrical audio
signals mentioned are generated in such a way that the
acoustic converter result can also be heard by an
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individual from a distance. This makes it possible by
corresponding acoustic signals also to convey
information to a user when the hearing device is not
being worn. This may be the case for example when the
battery voltage drops, when the hearing device is
stored improperly, but detectably, etc.
in a further preferred embodiment, the user-defined
selection of the time-restricted electrical audio
signals is menu-controlled. Provided for this purpose
is a communication unit that is preferably wirelessly
in operative connection with the hearing device and by
which the user is guided through the selection menu by
visual indication and/or voice prompting.
Preferably, if the communication unit mentioned is designed at least also for
voice
prompting, it is further proposed to realize the voice prompting by means of
the
hearing device mentioned, in that the corresponding voice signals are fed into
the
hearing device.
The invention is explained below by way of example on
the basis of figures, in which:
figure 1 shows on the basis of a simplified signal
flow/function block diagram the principle of
a method according to the invention and a
hearing device system according to the
invention;
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figure 2 shows in a representation analogous to that
of figure 1 preferred embodiments of the
method according to the invention and of the
hearing device system according to the
invention, and
figure 3 shows in turn in a representation in analogy
with those of figures 1 and 2 a further
preferred configurational variant of the
method according to the invention and of the
hearing device system according to the
invention.
In figure 1, the principle of the present invention is
represented on the basis of a signal flow/function
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block diagram. A hearing device system 10 comprises a
hearing device per se, with an acoustic/electrical
input converter unit 1, downstream of which a usually
digital signal processing unit 3, which acts on the
output side on an electrical/mechanical converter unit
5. If the hearing device is an at least partly
implanted therapeutic hearing device, the
electrical/mechanical converter unit 5 is, for example,
a unit which acts mechanically on an ossicle in the
middle ear, while in the case of a customary
therapeutic in-the-ear or behind-the-ear hearing device
the converter unit mentioned is formed by a loudspeaker
unit. Apart from a device for therapeutic purposes,
the hearing device may also be a device not used for
therapeutic purposes, such as for example headphones.
The signal processing unit 3 of the actual hearing
device receives control signals S of all kinds, such as
for example program switching signals, signals for
setting the transmitted volume, that is in principle
signals which trigger desired signal processing changes
when the hearing device is being used by the respective
individual. As schematized in figure 1, such signals S
are triggered manually, M, such as for example by
actuation of switches, or, when remote control is
provided, are usually input wirelessly, as represented
at F. In figure 1, the conversion of manually input
signals M or wirelessly transmitted signals F into
control signals for the signal processing unit 3 is
represented in combined form in a schematized manner at
a coding/decoding unit 7. To this extent, the
explained provisions on hearing devices, in particular
therapeutic hearing devices, are known.
It is further known in this respect that, in the
function of the signals at the hearing device 10a that
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are input, as mentioned, manually - M- or via a remote
control - F -, acoustic acknowledgement signals which
can be perceived by the respective individual are
generated, in the form of identifying sequences of beep
signals. In the function of the control signals input
manually, M, or by remote control, F, acknowledgement
signals Q assigned to the control signals M, F by the
codec unit 7 are called up at a generator unit 9 and
fed on the input side to the electro/mechanical
converter unit 5, converted at it into corresponding
signals which are audible for the individual.
Consequently, the actual hearing device 10a is formed
in any event and in the representation according to
figure 1 by the units 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 and their signal
connections.
The generator unit 9 provided in the case of previously
known hearing devices of this type is formed as an
actual read-only unit, on which the acknowledgement
signals to be fed correspondingly to the converter unit
are stored.
In principle, the present invention now proposes that
the mentioned acknowledgement signals Q are no longer
stored in advance at the factory as fixed values, in
the sense of read-only storage, but instead these
signals can be stored in a user-defined manner. The
acknowledgement signals Q assigned to the control
signals M, F can be freely chosen by the respective
individual using the hearing device and changed as
desired. In this respect, the audible user-defined
signals corresponding to the electrical acknowledgement
signals Q may be, for example, voice sequences, music
sequences, noises. The system according to the
invention can then be designed, for example, in such a
way that:
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- the respective user-defined acknowledgement signals
can be called up at the appropriate time directly
from a sound storing device, if appropriate virtually
online, preferably by wireless transmission, and
converted at the generator unit 9 into the electrical
acknowledgement signals Q required device-
specifically,
- desired acknowledgement sequences are pre-selected by
the user and preferably stored directly on the
hearing device,
- that memories, such as for example chips, on which
sequences are pre-stored according to taste and
adapted to the signals M or F to be acknowledged, are
offered for example by the hearing device
manufacturer.
If it is provided that desired signal sequences can be
stored on the hearing device in a user-defined manner
or such signals can be defined on sound carriers, this
preferably takes place in a menu-controlled manner, as
still to be explained.
In figure 1, the basic approach, following the
invention, is represented by the signal input BD to the
generator unit 9, via which the user-defined
acknowledgement signals Q mentioned are input, whether
by user-defined insertion of pre-recorded data memories
11a, whether by storing user-defined stored sequences
11b, or whether by user-defined storing of sound
carriers 11c.
As further evident from figure 1, it is quite possible
that states, such as for example the dropping of
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battery voltages below predetermined values, are to be
signaled to the user by the signal processing unit 3.
The input to the codec unit 7 then takes place from the
signal processing unit 3, as represented by Z. As
already explained, a corresponding user-defined
acknowledgement signal Q is then also transmitted to
the converter unit 5 and occurrence of the signal Z is
indicated to the user by a corresponding user-defined
signal.
If appropriate, the acknowledgement signals Q may be
formed in such a way that, in the case of hearing
devices with a loudspeaker on the output side, the
corresponding audio signals also become audible when
the hearing device is not even being worn. For
example, state information signals Z emitted by the
signal processing unit 3, which indicate for example
the state of the battery, or indicate that the hearing
device is being stored at an excessive ambient
temperature, etc., can be used for calling up a
corresponding acknowledgement signal Q, which even when
the hearing device is stored away from the user draws
the attention of the latter to it, and leads to
appropriate action.
On the basis of figure 2, which in turn shows in a
schematic and simplified form a signal flow/function
block diagram of a preferred hearing device system
according to the invention, operating by the method
according to the invention, it is intended to explain
how a user selects user-defined sound sequences in a
menu-controlled manner and, if appropriate, also
additionally stores them.
In the selection mode for the acknowledgement
sequences, the signals I which have already been
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represented in figure 1, respectively identifying
signal input manually - M - or wirelessly -F -, are fed
on the output side of the codec unit 7 to an external
indicating unit 15 with a display 16 or with synthetic
voice output (not represented), such as for example a
laptop, a computer or a remote-control unit. When the
respective identification signal I occurs, in a way
corresponding to a menu input M or a remote input F,
the following text for example is indicated or spoken
at the unit 15:
"Please select the acknowledgement signal desired
for the NORMAL AMBIENT/CONCERT HALL program
change-over. Its maximum permissible length is 5
seconds."
If the menu control text is spoken, it is appropriate,
especially when a hearing device is being used,
especially a therapeutic hearing device, to feed this
to the converter 5, as represented by dashed lines in
figure 2 at AT.
The user then switches on any desired audio signal
source, such as for example a sound carrier 17 or an
Internet page, and the sequence selected by the user at
the source is fed during the predetermined length of
time, of example 5 seconds, in the form of electrical
signals E17 to the generator unit 9a and stored there,
assigned to the specific identification signal I. For
this purpose, the identification signal I is looped to
the generator unit 9 via the indicating device 15
mentioned. Consequently, in the case of this
embodiment the signal E17 corresponding to the chosen
sound sequence is preferably, but not necessarily,
stored in the generator unit 9a in digital form.
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In this manner, the selected audio sequences with the
assigned signals I triggering them are stored by the
user on the generator unit 9 for those signals input
manually or via remote control, corresponding to M or
F, for which user-defined acknowledgement signals Q are
desired at all.
During the operation of the hearing device, the
indicating unit 15 is removed, unless it is a unit
integrated on the remote control system, and, as
represented at I', the operative connection between the
codec unit 7 and the generator unit 9 is created.
If appropriate, however, it may also be provided that
the selected audio sequence, corresponding to E17, is
not stored on the generator unit 9 at all, but that
only retrieval data A17 of the respective sequence on a
sound carrier are registered there, assigned to the
respective signal I. In this case, with the playback
device with the sound carrier 17 carried on the
individual, when an identification signal I occurs
during operation the generator unit 9 will, as
represented by dashed lines at L, activate the playback
device to play the audio sequences defined on the
generator unit 9. Only then is the signal E17 fed to
the converter unit 5, via the generator unit 9, or if
appropriate directly.
The signal paths marked by "-" in figure 2 may be based
on wireless transmission. For instance, in selection
mode, the signal I can be transmitted wirelessly to the
indicating unit 16,. for example as an infrared signal
or as a radio signal over the short distance.
Similarly, the generator unit 9a may be realized away
from the actual hearing device 1, 3, 5, 7. The
acknowledgement signal Q is then transmitted from the
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remote generator unit 9a wirelessly to the input of the
converter unit 5. Similarly, the respective signal I,
calling up an audio sequence, is preferably transmitted
wirelessly from the output of the codec unit 7 to the
generator unit 9. It goes without saying that in this
case transmitting or receiving units are provided in a
way corresponding to the selected wireless transmission
techniques at the units 7, 9a, 15, 17 on the input side
of the converter unit 5(not represented). If it is
further intended, as already explained on the basis of
figure 1, for states registered by the specific hearing
device 1, 3 to 5 to trigger acknowledgement signals Q,
in a way corresponding to the signals Z, the signals Z
which may occur are simulated in the selection menu for
the corresponding audio sequences and, as described,
assigned to the respective audio sequences. Such a
simulation can be triggered for example by pressing a
button on the hearing device, as represented in figure
2 by SimZ.
Even if all that is stored on the generator unit 9 are
retrieval data A17, assigned to the signals I, which
then call up defined audio sequences virtually online
from a sound carrier 17, a RAM data storage in the
sense of a read/write memory is nevertheless performed
on the generator unit 9a in a corresponding memory,
whereupon the mentioned retrieval data can be changed
at any time by the user in order to assign other audio
sequences to the respective control signals I as
acknowledgement signals Q.
A further preferred embodiment of a hearing device
system according to the invention, which is fully
integrated, is represented in figure 3. In this case
the generator unit 9b is part of the actual hearing
device, whereupon the respectively desired
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acknowledgement signal audio sequences or their user-
exchangeable memories, such as chips 20 for example,
are chosen. In this case, a selection of different
acknowledgement signals is preferably provided on
memories 20, by means of which the user can select the
style or sound structure that appeals to him. By
exchanging the memories 20, which are then preferably
formed as read-only memories ROM, the user respectively
selects which acknowledgement signals he wishes to hear
for the assigned switching signals M, F or Z.
With the present invention, it is possible for users
both of therapeutic hearing devices and hearing devices
from the entertainment sector, for example of
headphones, to get away from dry, more technical
acknowledgement signal, such as the known beep signals,
and in each case choose their personal acknowledgement
signals. It is readily possible, for example in the
procedure according to figure 3, for example for young
people to exchange the memories 20 with one another or
else, if, as in the case of the realization according
to figure 2, a preferably wireless interface is created
between the generator units 9a of different hearing
systems, such as by means of infrared, to "synchronize"
the generator unit 9 with the audio sequences of
another hearing system, as indicated in figure 2 by IR.
