Communication system

Abstract

The present invention regards a communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) comprising at least one communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) configured to connect to other communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) via an audio and data link (52). The communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) comprises at least a receiver unit (40), an output transducer (32), a microphone (22, 22′), a transmitter unit (42), and a control unit (38). The receiver unit (40) is adapted to receive audio signals and data signals via the audio and data link (52). The output transducer (32) is adapted to stimulate the hearing of the user (12, 20, 30) according to the audio signals received via the audio and data link (52). The microphone (22, 22′) is adapted to receive input sound (44) and generate an audio signal from the received input sound (44). The transmitter unit (42) is adapted to transmit audio signals and data signals via the audio and data link (52). The control unit (38) is connected to the receiver unit (40), to the output transducer (32), to the microphone (22, 22′), and to the transmitter unit (42). The control unit (38) is adapted to control the signal transmission between the receiver unit (40), the output transducer (32), the microphone (22, 22′), and the transmitter unit (42). The control unit (38) is further adapted to generate a data signal corresponding to the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) for identifying the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c). And the control unit (38) comprises a processor (46) which is adapted to process audio signals and data signals. The communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) is connectable to an attachable digital receiver (26) via the audio and data link (52). The attachable digital receiver (26) has a shape that matches a shape of a hearing aid (28) in order to be attached to the hearing aid (28). The communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) of the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) can be Smartphones.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising: a master communication device; and a slave communication device, wherein said master communication device is configured to connect to said slave communication device via an audio and data link, wherein the master communication device is configured to: receive audio signals and data signals from said slave device via the audio and data link, transmit audio signals and data signals to said slave device via the audio and data link, and control transmission of audio signals and data signals to said slave communication device, such that said master communication device functions as a host for the communications system, wherein said slave communication device is configured to: receive audio and data signals from said master device and transmit such audio and data signals to a hearing aid, said hearing aid having a digital receiver configured to receive the audio and data signals from said slave communication device.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the digital receiver has a shape that matches a shape of a hearing aid in order to be attached to the hearing aid.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the digital receiver is integrated with theft hearing aid.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the hearing aid includes an output transducer.

5. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the master communication device and the slave communication device of the communication system are mobile devices.

6. The communication system according claim 1, wherein the master communication device comprises a memory and wherein the memory is adapted to store audio signals and data signals.

7. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the master communication device and the slave communication device are each a Smartphone.

8. The communication system according claim 1, wherein at least one of the master communication device and slave communication device is connected to an external microphone, which is adapted to be worn by a user.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the master communication is device is further configured to determine if an audio signal comprises a voice signal and to automatically transmit the audio signal, when a voice signal is detected in the audio signal.

10. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the audio and data link is a digital link which forms a wireless network.

11. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the master communication device and the slave communication device of the communication system is adapted to connect to other media initially not forming part of the communication system.

12. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said communication system comprises multiple slave communication devices and said master communication device is configured to prioritize transmission of audio signals and data signals to at least one of said slave communication devices.

Description

(1) The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, taken together with the drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a communication system of prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a communication system;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a communication system;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of a communication system;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an exemplary operating system of a communication system; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a fourth embodiment of a communication system.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a prior art communication system 10′, e.g., an assistive learning system. A teacher 12 wears a microphone 14 connected to a transmitter 16. The voice of the teacher is recorded by the microphone 14. The microphone 14 generates audio signals and transmits the audio signals via a cable 18 to the transmitter 16. The transmitter 16 is configured to receive audio signals from the teacher 12 from the microphone 14 and from students 20 from a student microphone 22. One or more student microphones 22 can be wirelessly connected to the transmitter 16 via an audio link 24.

(9) The transmitter 16 transmits the audio signals of teacher 12 and students 20 to an FM-shoe 26′ (Frequency Modulation-shoe) attached to a hearing aid 28 of a hearing impaired student 30 with FM-Technology. The FM-shoe 26′ receives the audio signal and provides it to the hearing aid 28 where it is processed and transmitted to an output transducer 32, e.g., a loudspeaker, a vibrator or electrodes of a cochlear implant. The output transducer 32 stimulates the hearing in the ear 34 of the hearing impaired student 30. The hearing aid is adapted to be mounted at or in an ear 34 of the hearing impaired student 30.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of a communication system 10 according to the present disclosure, the system comprising or being formed by several communication devices 36, 36a, 36b, and 36c. Each of the communication devices 36 (36a, 36b, 36c) comprises a microphone 14, a control unit 38, a receiver unit 40, a transmitter unit 42 and an output transducer 32. The communication devices 36 can also alternatively comprise only some of the features or more features and/or can be connected to other features.

(11) Input sound 44, e.g., a person's voice, music, noise, ambient sound or other sound, is recorded by the microphone 14, which generates an audio signal from the input sound 44. The audio signal is a digital signal or can be digitalised by an A/D converter (not shown, e.g. forming part of the microphone unit 14). The audio signal is transmitted to the control unit 38 where it can be processed by a processor 46. The processor 46 can for example amplify certain frequencies of the audio signal more than other frequencies, adjust the sound level of the audio signal, reduce acoustic feedback, reduce background noise, adjust different listening environments, transpose frequencies or process the audio signal in other ways (e.g. providing a level dependent compression). The control unit 38 further comprises a voice detector 48 which is configured to detect if a voice signal is present in the audio signal. Optionally the control unit 38 can be configured to limit transmission of the audio signal to the transmitter unit 42 when no voice signal is present in the audio signal. Alternatively, the control unit 38 can be configured to limit transmission of the audio signal to the transmitter unit 42 when a voice signal is present in the audio signal. A copy of the audio signal is saved in a memory 50 adapted to store audio and data signals for later use. The control unit 38 generates a data signal which comprises an identification of the communication device 36. The data signal can be modulated on (or otherwise included in, e.g. embedded in) the processed audio signal. The control unit 38 eventually transmits the processed audio signal and the data signal to the transmitter unit 42 from which it is transmitted via the audio and data link 52 to the other communication devices 36a, 36b, and 36c.

(12) The receiver unit 40 of the communication device 36 receives an audio signal and data signal from the communication device 36c. The audio signal and data signal are transmitted from the receiver unit 40 to the control unit 38 of the communication device 36. The audio signal and data signal are processed by the processor 46 which identifies the origin of the audio signal and data signal by processing the data signal. If the data signal indicates a foreign (e.g. authorized, e.g. paired) communication device, e.g., communication device 36c, then the processor 46 processes the audio signal and transmits it to the output transducer 32. The output transducer 32, e.g., a loudspeaker (or electrodes of a cochlear implant, etc.), stimulates the hearing of a user, e.g., by generating sound waves 54.

(13) The output transducer 32 can also be arranged in, e.g., in-the-canal hearing aid (ITC), completely-in-the-canal hearing aid (CIC) or at a hearing aid 28, e.g., behind-the-ear hearing aid (BTE), which is optionally attached to an attachable digital receiver 26. In this case the processor 46 is configured to process the audio signal by adding a hearing aid signal corresponding to (e.g. identifying) the users hearing aid 28 and providing the processed audio signal to the transmitter unit 42. The transmitter unit 42 transmits the processed audio signal via the audio and data link 52 to the hearing aid 28 or to the integrated or attachable digital receiver 26 attached to the hearing aid 28. In the hearing aid 28 the audio signal can be further processed (e.g. adapted to apply a level and frequency dependent gain according to a user's hearing impairment) or delivered to the output transducer 32 of the hearing aid 28 to stimulate the hearing of the hearing aid user according to the received audio signal.

(14) The communication device 36 can comprise further units, e.g., a display, an interface, sensors, or other units or features. In this embodiment, the communication device comprises a vibration unit 55, which is configured to vibrate in response to a vibration signal generated by the control unit 38. The control unit 38 can for example be configured to generate a vibration signal if the connection to one of the communication devices 36a, 36b, 36c is low or lost, meaning that no data signal has been received by the receiver unit 40 for a certain amount of time indicating the foreign device or only a weak signal with data loss has been received.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a communication system 10a, with a Smartphone 36a as a first communication device, a transmitter 16 as a second device, and an attachable digital receiver 26 attached to a hearing aid 28. The second device 16 can also be a Smartphone (see FIG. 4). In this embodiment the transmitter 16 is a master device worn by the teacher 12. The transmitter 16 is connected to a microphone (not shown) of the teacher 12 via the cable 18 (see FIG. 1). Alternatively, the microphone may be integrated with the transmitter (e.g. implemented by a microphone of the Smartphone).

(16) Input sound is recorded by the microphone 14 of the Smartphone 36a of a student 20 (cf. FIG. 1). The Smartphone 36a transmits an audio signal generated from the input sound and a data signal to the transmitter 16 of the teacher 12 via the audio and data link 52. The transmitter 16 processes the audio signal and data signal by identifying the Smartphone 36a. Eventually the transmitter 16 transmits an audio signal and data signal to the attachable digital receiver 26 attached to the hearing aid 28 of the hearing impaired student 30 (see FIG. 1). The hearing aid 28 in this embodiment is a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid 28. The audio signal is processed in the BTE hearing aid 28 and an output sound is generated by the speaker 32 in the ear 34 of the hearing impaired student 30.

(17) The attachable digital receiver 26 comprises a vibration unit 55 (not shown), which is configured to indicate a low connectivity 56 with the audio and data link 52 by vibration. The vibration intensity is correlated with the connection status and has a higher intensity for lower connectivity. This may help the hearing impaired student to acknowledge the problem and to possibly inform the teacher. The connectivity status can also or alternatively be identified by a light signal, e.g., a light emitting diode, whereby the blinking frequency of the diode represents the quality of the connection. Further the transmitter 16 of the teacher comprises a vibration unit 55 (not shown), which is also configured to indicate the connectivity of the audio and data link 52 to the attachable digital receiver 26 or attachable digital receivers of hearing aid users 30 by vibration. Therefore the teacher receives an automated feedback if the connection of a hearing aid user 30 is lost or of low quality and can check the display 58 of the transmitter 16 to identify the attachable digital receiver 26 with low connectivity.

(18) FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the communication system 10b. The communication system 10b comprises the Smartphones 36, 36a, and 36b, which are wirelessly connected to each other.

(19) Each of the Smartphones runs a program application called “app” 60, 60a, and 60b. The apps 60, 60a, 60b are based on the same program but offer different functionalities to the users 12, 20, and 30.

(20) The teacher Smartphone 36 runs a master app 60, which allows the control over the audio signal and data signal transmission to the other Smartphones 36a, 36b. Further the Smartphone 36 running the master app 60 can control which Smartphones are allowed to connect to the communication system 10b, respectively Smartphone network. In this embodiment, the Smartphone 36 hosts the communication system 10b. All student 20 and hearing impaired 30 user Smartphones 36a, 36b are connected to the teacher Smartphone 36 (e.g. via a wireless local area network, e.g. a standardized network, e.g. IEEE 802.11 (WiFi)). The communication system 10b can also be hosted in a Smartphone to Smartphone (peer-to-peer) network.

(21) The Smartphone 36 determines a priority for the received audio signals and data signals and transmits only the signals with highest priority to the other Smartphones 36a and 36b. The priority is highest for the teacher 12 and can be set equal for the students 20 and hearing impaired 30 or the hearing impaired 30 can for example be assigned a higher priority. Additionally or alternatively, the priority can also be determined on a “first come first served” basis, where the first audio signal to be received by the teacher Smartphone 36 is transmitted to the other Smartphones 36a and 36b. Also, other priority schemes are possible, e.g., individual priority for each student or priority based on the discussion participation time. Instead of a teacher to student situation, it is also possible to use the communication system 10b in lecturer to student, moderator to talk-guest, politician to politician in political discussion, speaker to forum, or other communication situations, where one person hosts a discussion between a plurality of persons.

(22) The teacher Smartphone 36 comprises a loudspeaker 62, which is configured to output sound generated from audio signals received by the teacher Smartphone 36. Alternatively or additionally, headphones can be connected to the Smartphone 36 for output of sound (not shown). The master app 60 is configured to wirelessly connect to an external microphone 14. A second microphone 22′ is integrated in the Smartphone 36. The teacher 12 can decide whether he wants to use the integrated microphone 22′, the external microphone 14 or both microphones 14 and 22′ to record the teacher's voice. Use of both microphones 14 and 22′ can e.g. be used to increase the directionality of the sound.

(23) The Smartphone 36 displays the status of all connected students and has a vibration and/or light indication for low connection status of students (not shown).

(24) The hearing impaired students' Smartphone 36b runs a hearing impaired app 60b which is configured to connect the Smartphone 36b with the hearing aid 28 via the attachable digital receiver 26. Audio signals received by the Smartphone 36b can be outputted by the output transducer 32, e.g., via electrodes of a cochlear implant or a loudspeaker of an air conduction hearing device, to the ear of the hearing impaired student 30, a loudspeaker 62b, or a headphone connected to the Smartphone 36b (not shown). The hearing impaired student 30 can use the microphone 22b of the Smartphone 36b to record sound or use the touch screen display 64 to type a text. The Smartphone 36b can also include a keyboard or it can be connected to a keyboard, e.g., via bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other connection types (not shown). Especially mute students can benefit from the text input, which is processed into an audio signal on the hearing impaired student Smartphone 36b by the app 60b and transmitted to the teacher Smartphone 36. The text can also be transmitted to the teachers Smartphone 36 as a data signal and converted to an audio signal by the master app 60.

(25) The student Smartphone 36a runs a student app 60a. The Smartphone 36a can connect to the teacher Smartphone 36 using the app 60a. The student app 60a is configured to transmit audio signals generated from recorded voice or sound from the microphone 22 to the teacher Smartphone 62 and data signals, e.g., for indicating the identity of the student 20 using the Smartphone 36a. The app 60a further allows the Smartphone 36a to receive audio signals and data signals from the teacher Smartphone 36. The audio signals can be outputted over a loudspeaker 62a or headphones connected to the Smartphone 36a (not shown).

(26) All apps 60, 60a, 60b can be configured to enable the storing of audio signals and data signals for later use, e.g., preparation for exams, checking the participation level of students, or other uses. The data signals can for example also include video data, tables, documents, or the like which can be displayed on the Smartphone touch screen displays 64.

(27) Distance learning students or ill at home students can connect to the teacher Smartphone 36 over the internet to participate in a course, class or lecture. A camera system (not shown) can be included in the communication system to monitor the lecture and transmit the video broadcast over the communication system. Alternatively or additionally a “Smartboard”, which is to be understood as a virtual board that allows access via Wi-Fi and a touch screen display, can be connected to or form part of the communication system 10b (not shown). Data can be inserted to the Smartboard from the distance via Wi-Fi or in the class via the touch screen display.

(28) FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of an exemplary operating system (specifically illustrating a user interface), e.g., the apps 60a and 60 of a communication system 10b running on the Smartphone 36a and 36.

(29) The app 60a runs on a Smartphone 36a (leftmost illustration in FIG. 5, e.g. for a normally hearing student) and displays several features on the touch screen display 64a. In this embodiment the touch screen display 64a shows the features searching a teacher 66, status messages 68, and mode selection 70. The feature of searching a teacher 66 allows to search a teacher network and to select the teacher network to connect to. The status message 68 displays the current network the Smartphone 36a is connected to. The app 60a allows to switch between a microphone mode 70, which allows to record sound using the microphone 22 and the status mode displayed on Smartphone 36a in FIG. 5.

(30) The teacher Smartphone 36 (middle and rightmost illustrations in FIG. 5) runs the app 60, which has a sound slider 72 displayed on the touch screen display 64 to mute 72′ or activate 72 the teacher microphone 14 (not shown) and/or the microphone 22′. The app 60 displays a status message 74 containing the number of student Smartphones 36a and 36b or other communication devices, e.g., tablets, PCs, or the like connected to the teacher Smartphone 36. The see list 76 button allows to list the Smartphones 36a, 36b and/or Students 20, 30 connected to the teacher Smartphone 36. A drop down menu 78 offers various features, e.g., changing the language, settings, theme, help, or other features, which can be activated by pushing on the virtual tab on the touch screen display 64.

(31) FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the communication system 10c. The hearing impaired student 30 uses the Smartphone 36b to wirelessly connect to a tablet 80, a television 82, and a laptop 84. The Smartphone 36b can also be connected to a Smartboard or any other electric device transmitting or receiving audio signals and/or video signals receivable or transmittable by the Smartphone 36b. In this embodiment the Smartphone 36b is wirelessly connected to the attachable digital receiver 26 of a hearing aid 28 (cf. e.g. FIG. 4) of the hearing impaired student 30, which receives audio signals from the Smartphone 36b. The attachable digital receiver 26 provides the audio signals to the hearing aid 28 worn by the hearing impaired student 30 (cf. e.g. FIG. 4), where the audio signals are processed and provided to the output transducer 32 (cf. e.g. FIG. 2, 3), which is a loudspeaker in this embodiment, but can also be electrodes of a cochlear implant or the like. The output transducer 32 stimulates the hearing of the hearing impaired student 30, allowing him to connect to the audio signals of various devices with the help of the Smartphone 36b. The Smartphone 36b can also comprise an output transducer 32, which stimulates the hearing of the hearing impaired student 30.

(32) In one embodiment a method for using a communication system 10 comprises the step of establishing an audio and data link between communication devices. A next step of the method comprises receiving audio and data signals from communication devices. This step can be followed by a step of saving data from communication devices. A further step comprises determining which communication devices are connected with the communication system. The step can further comprise determining which communication device has priority. Another possible step comprises giving priority to the audio signal of the communication device which has priority. And a further step of the method comprises transmitting the audio signal to all communication devices. Preferably the step of the method comprises transmitting the audio signal with priority to all communication devices, which do not have priority. Some of the steps, e.g., saving data can be optional. Further steps are obvious regarding the communication system, e.g., generating a vibration signal in response to a low connection or lost connection and transmitting the vibration signal to a certain communication device or to a vibration unit of the device performing the method.

(33) The present disclosure also regards the following items:

(34) 1. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) comprising at least one communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) configured to connect to other communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) via an audio and data link (52), wherein the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) comprises at least a receiver unit (40) adapted to receive audio signals and data signals via the audio and data link (52), an output transducer (32) adapted to stimulate the hearing of the user (12, 20, 30) according to the audio signals received via the audio and data link (52), a microphone (22, 22′) adapted to receive input sound (44) and generate an audio signal from the received input sound (44), a transmitter unit (42) adapted to transmit audio signals and data signals via the audio and data link (52), and a control unit (38) connected to the receiver unit (40), to the output transducer (32), to the microphone (22, 22′), and to the transmitter unit (42), wherein the control unit (38) is adapted to control the signal transmission between the receiver unit (40), the output transducer (32), the microphone (22, 22′), and the transmitter unit (42), wherein the control unit (38) is adapted to generate a data signal corresponding to the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) for identifying the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c), wherein the control unit (38) comprises a processor (46) which is adapted to process audio signals and data signals, wherein the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) is connectable to an integrated or attachable digital receiver (26) via the audio and data link (52), and wherein the attachable digital receiver (26) optionally has a shape that matches a shape of a hearing aid (28) in order to be attached to the hearing aid (28).

(35) 2. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to item 1, wherein the output transducer (32) of at least one of the communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) is an output transducer (32) of a hearing aid (28).

(36) 3. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to item 1, wherein at least one hearing aid (28), which is adapted to be worn by a user (30), is connected to the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) via the audio and data link (52) and wherein the hearing aid (28) comprises at least a receiver unit (40) adapted to receive audio signals via the audio and data link (52) and an output transducer (32) adapted to stimulate the hearing of a user (30) according to the audio signals received.

(37) 4. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to item 1, wherein the attachable digital receiver (26) is connected to the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) via the audio and data link (52) when in use, wherein the attachable digital receiver (26) comprises a receiver unit (40) to receive audio signals via the audio and data link (52) and wherein the attachable digital receiver (26) is adapted to be attached to a hearing aid (28), which is adapted to be worn by a user (30) and which comprises at least an output transducer (32) which is adapted to stimulate the hearing of a user (30) according to the audio signals received by the receiver unit (40) of the attachable digital receiver (26).

(38) 5. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 4, wherein each device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c; 16) of the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) is mobile.

(39) 6. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 5, wherein one of the communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) of the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) is a master device (36) and all other communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) are slave devices (36a, 36b, 36c), wherein the master device (36) is configured to receive audio signals and data signals from the slave devices (36a, 36b, 36c) and transmit audio signals and data signals to the slave devices (36a, 36b, 36c), and wherein the slave devices (36a, 36b, 36c) are configured to receive audio signals and data signals only from the master device (36).

(40) 7. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 6, wherein the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) comprises a memory (50) and wherein the memory (50) is adapted to store audio signals and data signals.

(41) 8. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to item 7, wherein at least one communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) is a Smartphone (36, 36a, 36b, 36c), which further comprises a wireless interface to the public switched telephone network, an operating system and/or applications (60, 60a, 60b) running on the processor (46) of the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c), a user interface (64, 64a), a wireless data interface, and/or sensors.

(42) 9. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 8, wherein at least one communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) is connected to an external microphone (14), which is adapted to be worn by a user (12).

(43) 10. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 9, wherein the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) comprises a voice detector (48) adapted to determine if an audio signal comprises a voice signal, wherein the voice detector (48) is connected to the control unit (38), and wherein the control unit (38) is adapted to automatically transmit the audio signal, when a voice signal is detected in the audio signal by the voice detector (48).

(44) 11. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 10, wherein the audio and data link (52) is a digital link (52) which forms a wireless network.

(45) 12. A communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 11, wherein at least a communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) of the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) is adapted to connect to other media (16; 80, 82, 84) initially not forming part of the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c).

(46) 13. An attachable digital receiver (26) configured to connect a communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) and a hearing aid (28), wherein the attachable digital receiver (26) comprises a receiver unit (40) configured to connect to at least one communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) via an audio and data link (52) and to receive digital audio signals and digital data signals via the audio and data link (52) wirelessly, wherein the attachable digital receiver (26) has a shape that matches a shape of the hearing aid (28) in order to be attached to the hearing aid (28), and wherein the attachable digital receiver (26) comprises a transmitter unit (42) configured to connect to the hearing aid (28) and to transmit digital audio signals and digital data signals to the hearing aid (28).

(47) 14. Use of Smartphones (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) according to item 8 in a communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) according to at least one of the items 1 to 12.

(48) 15. A method for operating a communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c), comprising the steps of: establishing an audio and data link (52) between communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c), receiving audio and data signals from communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c), saving data from communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c), determining which communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) are connected with the communication system (10; 10a; 10b; 10c) and which communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) has priority, giving priority to the audio signal of the communication device (36, 36a, 36b, 36c) which has priority, transmitting the audio signal with priority to all communication devices (36, 36a, 36b, 36c), which do not have priority.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(49) 10 communication system 12 teacher 14 microphone 16 transmitter 18 cable 20 student 22 student microphone 24 audio link 26 attachable receiver 28 hearing aid 30 hearing impaired student 32 output transducer 34 ear 36 communication device 38 control unit 40 receiver unit 42 transmitter unit 44 input sound 46 processor 48 voice detector 50 memory 52 audio and data link 54 sound wave 55 vibration unit 56 low connectivity 58 display 60 app 62 speaker 64 touch screen display 66 searching a teacher 68 status message 70 mode selection 72 sound slider 74 status message 76 see list 78 drop down menu 80 tablet 82 television 84 laptop