Method for transmitting a hearing aid setting data set from a first hearing aid to a second hearing aid, hearing aid system, and hearing aid

Abstract

A method transmits a hearing aid setting data set from a first hearing aid to a second hearing aid. By use of an Internet-capable third device, a translation instruction for translating hearing aid setting data contained in the hearing aid setting data set from a platform of the first hearing aid to a platform of the second hearing aid is retrieved from a database. The translation instruction is transmitted to the first or the second hearing aid or to a local fourth device. By the Internet-capable third device, an instruction for transmitting the hearing aid setting data set is output and the hearing aid setting data set is transmitted locally and while bypassing the Internet or a computer network from the first to the second hearing aid. The hearing aid setting data contained in the hearing aid setting data set are translated in the first or the second hearing aid or in the fourth device without access to the Internet or the computer network to the platform of the second hearing aid.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a hearing aid setting data set from a first hearing aid to a second hearing aid, which comprises the steps of: retrieving from a database, by means of an Internet-capable third device, a translation instruction for translating hearing aid setting data contained in the hearing aid setting data set from a platform of the first hearing aid to a platform of the second hearing aid; transmitting the translation instruction to the first or the second hearing aid or to a local fourth device; outputting, by means of the Internet-capable third device, an instruction for transmitting the hearing aid setting data set; transmitting the hearing aid setting data set locally and while by-passing the Internet or a computer network from the first to the second hearing aid; and translating the hearing aid setting data contained in the hearing aid setting data set in the first or the second hearing aid or in the local fourth device without access to the Internet or the computer network to the platform of the second hearing aid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hearing aid setting data which are contained in the hearing aid setting data set and are translated are used by the second hearing aid as setting data for a signal processor.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transmitting the hearing aid setting data set from the first hearing aid directly to the second hearing aid.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction to transmit the hearing aid setting data set is output to the second hearing aid.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the Internet-capable third device creates a key on a basis of at least one unique identifier of the first hearing aid, stores the key in a memory of the first hearing aid, and subsequently transmits the key to the second hearing aid.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the Internet-capable third device determines a respective type of the first and the second hearing aid to retrieve the translation instruction.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transmitting the translation instruction to the second hearing aid.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a charging device compatible with the first and the second hearing aid is used as the local fourth device, the charging device includes a controller having an assigned data memory, and wherein the hearing aid setting data set is transmitted from the first hearing aid to the local fourth device and therefrom to the second hearing aid.

9. A hearing aid system, comprising: a first hearing aid; a second hearing aid; a third device; a database storing a translation instruction for translating hearing aid setting data contained in a hearing aid setting data set from a platform of said first hearing aid to a platform of a second hearing aid; and said third device being configured in a context of a transmission of the hearing aid setting data set from said first hearing aid to said second hearing aid, to retrieve the translation instruction from said database and to transmit the translation instruction to said first hearing aid or said second hearing aid or to a local fourth device.

10. A hearing aid, comprising: a controller configured to process input signals on a basis of user-specific hearing aid setting data to form output signals; and a receiving interface for receiving the hearing aid setting data in a context of a hearing aid setting data set from another hearing aid and for receiving a translation instruction, wherein said controller is configured by means of the translation instruction to translate the hearing aid setting data contained in the hearing aid setting data set received from the other hearing aid from a platform of the other hearing aid to its own platform.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a hearing aid in a schematic illustration; and

(2) FIG. 2 is a block diagram of hearing aid system and a method executed thereby.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) Parts corresponding to one another are always provided with the same reference signs in all figures.

(4) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a hearing aid 1, which forms a hearing assistance device for persons impaired in their sense of hearing (“hard of hearing”). The hearing aid 1 includes a housing 2, in which multiple electrical components of the hearing aid 1 are arranged. In the present exemplary embodiment, these are two microphones 4 for sensing ambient sound, a signal processor 6 (also: “controller”) for processing the input signals SE generated by means of the microphones 4 upon sensing ambient sound, and a loudspeaker 8 for acoustically outputting output signals SA generated by means of the signal processor 6 from the input signals SE. As further electrical components, the hearing aid 1 contains a transmitting and receiving device 10 (also: transmitting and receiving interface) for data transmission with other devices, for example another hearing aid (for example in the case of a binaural hearing system) and/or a third device. A battery 12 for the power supply of the other electrical components also forms an electrical component. The battery 12 is formed in the present exemplary embodiment by a rechargeable battery. However, the battery 12 can alternatively also be formed by a “primary cell”, i.e., a non-rechargeable cell.

(5) One or more signal processing algorithms are implemented in the signal processor 6, which enable user-specific and preferably also situation-dependent signal processing. The hearing aid 1 can be adapted here by appropriate parameterization of the respective signal processing algorithm to a specific user. The transmission behavior of the hearing aid 1 is thus adapted to the requirements, for example to the hearing loss, and in particular also to personal preferences of the respective user.

(6) For the case in which the user of an old “first” hearing aid 20 (see FIG. 2) will not continue to use this hearing aid, specifically because in the future he will use a newer, “second” hearing aid, the above-described hearing aid 1 here, it is of interest for the user to be able to transmit the transmission behavior of the old hearing aid 20 to the new hearing aid 1. This is regularly the case due to familiarity with the transmission behavior up to this point. For such a transmission, a hearing aid system 22 is specified. It contains a database 24 (also referred to as an “online service”), on which translation instructions for translating hearing aid setting data from platforms of old hearing aids to platforms of newer hearing aids, specifically thus also a translation instruction of the hearing aid setting data of the old hearing aid 20 to the platform of the new hearing aid 1, are stored. The hearing aid system 22 also contains a third device, in the present exemplary embodiment in the form of a smartphone 26, on which a software application for carrying out at least a part of a method described in greater detail hereinafter is implemented.

(7) At least the new hearing aid 1 also forms a part of the hearing aid system 22. The old hearing aid 22 can also be considered to be part of the hearing aid system 22 at least for the duration of the method described hereinafter.

(8) In order to initiate the transmission of hearing aid setting data, by means of which the transmission behavior of the old hearing aid 20 is specified, the user starts the application implemented on the smartphone 26. The smartphone 26 thereupon connects in a first method step 30 to the old hearing aid 22, which therefore also includes a communication unit for implementing a transmission channel—optionally wired, but preferably wireless. The smartphone 26 queries a unique identifier, in one exemplary embodiment specifically the serial number, from the old hearing aid 22. In further exemplary embodiments, the smartphone 26 alternatively or additionally queries the MAC address of the old hearing aid 20. On the basis of the identifier (or the identifiers), the smartphone 26 creates a key 32 and stores it in a memory of the old hearing aid 20. In addition, the smartphone 26 queries the model of the old hearing aid 20.

(9) Subsequently, the smartphone 26 closes the connection to the old hearing aid 20 and in a second method step 40 connects to the new hearing aid 1 and queries its model from it. In addition, the smartphone 26 transmits the key 32 to the new hearing aid 1.

(10) In a further method step 50, the smartphone 26 (optionally in parallel to the connection to the new hearing aid 1) connects via a network, specifically the Internet, to the database 24. From the database 24, the smartphone 26 retrieves the transmission instruction assigned to the two hearing aids 1 and 20, specifically the two models, for the hearing aid setting data from the old platform to the new platform.

(11) The smartphone 26 transmits this translation instruction to the new hearing aid 1 in a method step 60. In an optional variant, the smartphone 26 only now transmits the key 32 to the new hearing aid 1. In addition, the smartphone 26 queries the readiness of the new hearing aid 1 to receive the hearing aid setting data. This exists in particular as soon the translation instruction and the key 32 are stored in the new hearing aid 1. If the new hearing aid 1 reports its readiness, the smartphone 26 outputs an instruction to the new hearing aid 1 to begin the data transmission. The new hearing aid 1 thereupon searches in a method step 70 for the old hearing aid 20 on the basis of the key 32 and establishes a direct communication connection 72 with it. The old hearing aid 20 authenticates the new hearing aid 1 in this case in that it communicates the key 32 to the old hearing aid 20. The old hearing aid 20 thereupon starts the transmission of the hearing aid setting data in the form of a hearing aid setting data set 74.

(12) The communication connection 72 is, for example a signal connection based on an inductive signal transmission. The Internet or another computer network is not used during the data transmission between the hearing aids 1 and 20.

(13) As soon the new hearing aid 1 has completely received the hearing aid setting data set 74, in a further method step (not shown in greater detail), the new hearing aid 1 calculates the hearing aid setting data corresponding to its platform on the basis of the translation instruction from the hearing aid setting data of the old hearing aid 20 and stores these data in its memory as parameters (setting data) for its signal processing algorithms.

(14) In an exemplary embodiment not shown in greater detail, a local (i.e., provided at the user) fourth device in the form of a charging device for the hearing aids 1 and 20 is connected between the two hearing aids 1 and 20. The charging device includes a controller and an assigned memory, to which the smartphone 26 transmits the translation instruction. The transmission of the hearing aid setting data set 74 takes place here in that the old hearing aid 20 is coupled to the charging device, firstly to the charging device. The charging device subsequently carries out the conversion of the hearing aid setting data to the platform of the new hearing aid 1 and transmits the “converted” hearing aid setting data set 74 to the new hearing aid 1, as soon as it is coupled to the charging device.

(15) The subject matter of the invention is not restricted to the above-described exemplary embodiments. Rather, further embodiments of the invention can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the above description. In particular, the individual features of the invention described on the basis of the various exemplary embodiments and their design variants can also be combined with one another in another way.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(16) 1 hearing aid 2 housing 4 microphone 6 signal processor 8 loudspeaker 10 transmitting and receiving device 12 battery 20 hearing aid 22 hearing aid system 24 database 26 smartphone 30 method step 32 key 40 method step 50 method step 60 method step 70 method step 72 communication connection 74 hearing aid setting data set SE input signal SA output signal