SYSTEM FOR LOCATING AN ELECTRONIC ACCESSORY DEVICE

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a system for locating an electronic accessory device, the system comprising one or more electronic accessory devices and a hearing device. One or more electronic accessory devices comprise a first electronic accessory device. Each of the one or more electronic accessory devices being configured to provide a wireless connection with the hearing device. The hearing device, when wirelessly connected with the first electronic accessory device, is configured to send a first request to the first electronic accessory device, and wherein the first electronic accessory device is configured to generate a first notification upon reception of the first request. The disclosure further relates to a method for locating an electronic accessory device and a computer program.

Claims

1. A hearing device configured for locating an electronic accessory device, the hearing device comprising: a communication unit configured to establish a wireless connection with the electronic accessory device; and a request generator configured to generate a request; wherein the hearing device, when wirelessly connected with the electronic accessory device, is configured to send the request to the electronic accessory device; wherein the request from the hearing device is configured to cause the electronic accessory device to generate a notification; and wherein the notification allows the electronic accessory device to be located.

2. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device is configured to send the request to the electronic accessory device on-demand initiated by a user of the hearing device.

3. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the request comprises a user's voice.

4. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the request is configured to activate a loudspeaker of the electronic accessory device, and wherein the notification comprises an audio signal.

5. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the request comprises a user's input, and wherein the notification comprises a notification code, the notification code corresponding to the user's input.

6. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device is a hearing aid configured to be worn by a user of the hearing aid.

7. The hearing device according to claim 6, wherein the hearing aid comprises at least one input transducer, and wherein the hearing aid is configured to detect the notification via the at least one input transducer, and provide an indication to the user of the hearing aid.

8. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device comprises a processing unit configured to apply a head related transfer function to a sound received at the hearing device, the sound being generated by the electronic accessory device.

9. The hearing device according to claim 8, wherein the hearing device comprises a processing unit configured to apply a head related transfer function to an audio signal wirelessly received by the hearing device.

10. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device is configured to perform an environmental classification upon sending the request.

11. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device is configured to operate in an omnidirectional mode upon sending the request.

12. A system comprising the hearing device of claim 1, and the electronic accessory device.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising an additional electronic accessory device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein each of the electronic accessory devices is configured to wirelessly connect with the hearing device; and wherein the hearing device comprises a memory storing a plurality of defined requests, each of the defined requests associated with a corresponding one of the electronic accessory devices.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein each of the electronic accessory devices is associated with at least one user input.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the additional electronic accessory device and the hearing device are configured to wirelessly connect with each other; wherein the hearing device, when wirelessly connected with the additional electronic accessory device, is configured to send another request to the additional electronic accessory device to cause the additional electronic accessory device to generate another notification.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein a first wireless connection protocol between the hearing device and the electronic accessory device is different from a second wireless connection protocol between the hearing device and the additional electronic accessory device.

18. A method performed by a hearing device for locating an electronic accessory device, the method comprising: establishing a wireless connection with the electronic accessory device; generating a request; and sending the request from the hearing device to the electronic accessory device to cause the electronic accessory device to generate a notification; wherein the notification allows the electronic accessory device to be located.

19. A non-transitory medium storing a set of instructions which, when executed by a processing unit, will cause the method of claim 18 to be performed.

20. A method performed by an electronic accessory device, the method comprising: establishing a wireless connection with a hearing device; receiving a request from the hearing device; and generating a notification by the electronic accessory device upon receipt of the request; wherein the notification allows the electronic accessory device to be located.

21. A non-transitory medium storing a set of instructions which, when executed by a processing unit, will cause the method of claim 20 to be performed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] The above objects, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of example embodiments of the present disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a system for locating an electronic accessory device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a user initiating a process of sending a request from a hearing device.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a binaural system for locating a misplaced hearing aid according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a system for locating a misplaced electronic accessory device from a plurality of electronic accessory devices according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Various embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to the figures. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Like elements will, thus, not be described in detail with respect to the description of each figure. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the claimed invention or as a limitation on the scope of the claimed invention. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described.

[0061] FIG. 1 shows a system 100 for locating an electronic accessory device 104 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 100 for locating the electronic accessory device 104 comprises the electronic accessory device 104 and a hearing device 102. The hearing device 102 may be an headset, true-wireless ear buds, a hearing aid or a binaural hearing aid system with an user interface. The electronic accessory device 104 may be a PDA such as a smart phone, a remote control of the hearing device 102. The user interface comprises means for receiving user input, such as, but not limited to, push button, touching sensor, microphone for receiving voice command from the user etc. The electronic accessory device 104 and hearing device 102 are configured to provide a wireless connection 106 with each other, such as, but not limited to, via Bluetooth Technology, Magnetic Induction, Wifi, Terrestrial Microwave communication or NFC etc. FIG. 1a) shows the system 100 with the devices 102 and 104 connected with the wireless connection 106. The hearing device 102 is typically worn by a user and the accessory device 104 is out of user's sight. When the user wants to locate the accessory device 104, the user may initiate a process of locating the accessory device 104 via the user interface . FIG. 1b) shows the system 100 when the hearing device 102 sends a request 108 to the electronic accessory device 104. As the devices 102 and 104 are wirelessly connected, the request 108 will reach the electronic accessory device 104, and the electronic accessory device 104 will generate a notification 110 upon reception of the request. This is shown in FIG. 1c). The notification comprises at least one of the following signals such as acoustic sound, vibrations, and/or optical signal e.g. LED flashing.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows a user 212 initiating a process of sending a request from a hearing device 202. In this embodiment, the hearing device 202 is a hearing aid 202 worn by the user 212. In FIG. 2a), the user 212 taps the hearing aid 202 to initiate sending the request from the hearing aid 202 to an accessory device (not shown). The hearing aid 202 is paired with the accessory device which is out of user's reach and the user 212 wants to find it. The hearing aid is configured to, upon user's initiation, send the request to the electronic accessory device. FIG. 2b) shows another scenario where the user 212 provides a voice command 214: “find my phone, please”. The hearing aid 202 can be configured to recognize such voice command 214, receive it, and to then send the request to the accessory device. The request may comprise the user's voice command. When the accessory device receives the request, it will generate a notification. The notification may comprise an answer to the voice command 214, i.e. the accessory device may generate an audio signal. The hearing aid 202 may change its operational mode upon sending the request to adapt it to the audio signal generated by the accessory device.

[0063] Another small paragraph for a headset. Specifying switching to hear through mode after sending the request to the AD.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a binaural system 300 for locating a misplaced hearing aid 304 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 300 for locating the hearing aid 304 is a binaural hearing aid system comprising two hearing aids, a left hearing aid 302 and a right, misplaced, hearing aid 304 configured to be worn on the left and right user's ear, respectively. The left and right hearing aids 302 and 304 may alternatively be a left and right true-wireless ear buds with an user interface. The user interface may comprise means for receiving user input, such as, but not limited to, push button, touching sensor, microphone for receiving voice command from the user etc. The two hearing aids 302 and 304 are configured to provide a wireless connection 106 with each other, such as, but not limited to, via Bluetooth Technology or magnetic induction. FIG. 3a) shows the binaural system 300 with the hearing aids 302 and 304 connected with the wireless connection 106. The left hearing aid 302 is typically worn by the user and the right hearing aid 304 is misplaced, i.e. out of user's sight. When the user wants to locate the misplaced hearing aid 304, the user may initiate a process of locating the misplaced hearing aid 304 via the user interface. FIG. 3b) shows the binaural system 300 when the left hearing aid 302 sends a request 108 to the misplaced hearing aid 304. As the hearing aids 302 and 304 are wirelessly connected, the request 108 will reach the misplaced hearing aid 304, and the misplaced hearing aid 304 will generate a notification 110 upon reception of the request. This is shown in FIG. 3c). The notification comprises at least one of the following signals such as acoustic sound, vibrations, and/or optical signal, e.g. LED flashing. Same operation can also be applied to a pair of true wireless earbud.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a system 400 for locating a misplaced electronic accessory device from a plurality of electronic accessory devices according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 400 for locating the misplaced device comprises a hearing device 402 and a plurality of other devices 404a, 404b, 404c. The other devices may comprise a smartphone 404a, another hearing aid 404b in the binaural system, an external microphone 404c, such as a spouse microphone or a table microphone, etc. The hearing devices 402 and 404b may form a binaural hearing system with an user interface. The hearing device 402 is configured to be wirelessly connected to the devices 404a, 404b, 404c through separate wireless connections 106a, 106b, and 106c, respectively. FIG. 4a) shows the system 400 with the hearing device 402, and another hearing device 404b, a smartphone 404a, and an external microphone 404c connected with a separate wireless connection for each of the devices 404a, 404b, and 404c. When the user wants to locate one of the devices 404a, 404b, 404c, the user may initiate a process for locating a misplaced device via the user interface. Typically, each device will be linked with a predefined voice command or a predefined user input. For instance, for locating the smartphone 404a, the predefined voice command may be “find my phone”. If the user uses such voice command, a signal processor of the hearing device 402 will know that a request should be sent to the smartphone 404a. Alternatively, a predefined user input, such as tapping the hearing device 402 twice, for instance, may be linked with the smartphone 404a. For locating the hearing device 404b, the predefined voice command may be “find the other hearing device” or the predefined user input may be “pressing a touch button on the hearing device 402. If the user uses one (or both) of these predefined inputs, the hearing device 402 will be sending a request to the hearing device 404b. Similarly, for locating the external microphone 404c, the predefined voice command may be “find the external microphone” and if the user uses such voice command, the hearing device 402 will be sending the request to the external microphone 404c. FIG. 4b) shows an example of the system 400 when a request is sent to the misplaced external microphone 404c. As the hearing device 402 and the microphone 404c are wirelessly connected, the request will reach the misplaced microphone 404c, and the misplaced microphone 404c will generate a notification 110 upon reception of the request. The notification may comprise at least one or any combinations of the following signals such as acoustic sound, vibrations, and/or optical signal, e.g. LED flashing.

[0066] In some embodiments, the user may first activate a Find-my-devices-mode by, e.g.

[0067] pressing a push button or a touch sensor on the hearing device 402. Once the mode is activated, the user may use a predefined voice command. Alternatively, the user may simply use a predefined name of a device to be located and use it as a voice command. Therefore, the request may comprise a user's initiation of the Find-my-devices-mode followed by the predefined voice input, wherein each of the devices connected to the hearing device 402 is linked to a different predefined voice input. The predefined user input can be personalized during the initialization or fitting of the hearing device. Same operation can also be applied to a pair of true wireless earbud.

[0068] The person skilled in the art realizes that the present disclosure is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. The person skilled in the art further realizes that modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. Additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

[0069] Although particular features have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed invention, and it will be made obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The claimed invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0070] 100, 200, 300, 400 system for locating a misplaced electronic accessory device

[0071] 102, 304, 402 hearing device

[0072] 104 electronic accessory device

[0073] 106, 106a, 106b, 106c wireless connection

[0074] 108 request

[0075] 110 notification

[0076] 202, 302 hearing aid

[0077] 212 user

[0078] 214 voice command

[0079] 404a smartphone

[0080] 404b hearing device

[0081] 404c external microphone