Widex A/s

T&w Engineering A/s

Niels Erik Boelskift Maretti

Anders Westergaard

Svend Vitting Andersen

Soren Erik Westermann

Søren Erik Westermann

A hearing aid service system includes an Internet enabled personal communication device and one or more hearing aids provided with respective transceivers for establishing a wireless connection, whereby the personal communication device becomes a gateway for the hearing aids to a remote server. Each hearing aid includes a processor controlling the operation of the hearing aid, and a memory containing program code for at least one add-on program for the operation of the hearing aid. The server manages user accounts for a plurality of hearing aid users, including managing subscription status for the add-on program. The server creates a subscription status change event for the account upon change of the subscription status for the at least one add-on program and sends a status change instruction to the hearing aids for enabling or disabling one or more of the add-on programs by using the communication device as gateway.

System and method for feature management in a hearing aid

A data system for managing the settings for configuring a hearing aid includes a hearing aid () and a remote server (). The hearing aid () has a processor (). a first memory segment (-) for storing said configuration settings, a transceiver () adapted for establishing a wireless connection to an Internet enabled personal communication device (), and a second memory segment () for storing at least one security element. The remote server () is adapted to set up a secure session with said hearing aid via said personal communication device () acting as a gateway. The processor () allows said remote server () to edit said settings for configuring the hearing aid () stored said first memory segment (-) during a secure session set up under control of said at least one security element stored in the second. memory segment ().

Secure connection between internet server and hearing aid

A method of personalizing at least one hearing aid for a hearing aid user including manufacturing at least one hearing aid (), receiving an audiogram from a server () for the hearing aid user, programming the at least one hearing aid () by the audiogram, whereby the at least one hearing aid () becomes personalized for the hearing aid user. The at least one personalized hearing aid () is delivered to the hearing aid user. Once the user has received the at least one personalized hearing aid (), he may take the hearing aids into use. If there arises a need for fine tuning, the hearing aid user may request a consultation with a hearing healthcare professional. The hearing healthcare professional has equipment () for fine tuning the hearing aid (), and he may fine tuning the at least one personalized hearing aid () in dialogue with the hearing aid user. Also provided is a hearing aid delivering system and an Internet enabled personal communication device.

System and method for personalizing a hearing aid

A hearing aid service system includes a personal communication device () acting as a gateway for one or more hearing aids () to a remote server () accessible via the Internet. The hearing aids () have a processor () monitoring electrical hearing aid parameters for detecting a change indicating a replacement of a hearing aid component (), and report the hearing aid component replacement to the remote server (). The remote server () is tracking the consumption of hearing aid components for individual user accounts and identifies a priority item for sale depending on recorded consumption. The priority item for sale is displayed on the hearing aid control application software interface on the personal communication device (). The remote server () completes the transaction based on data stored in the user account. The invention further provides a method for maintenance of a hearing aid.

System and method for managing replacement parts for a hearing aid

A hearing aid () has a memory () for storing personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user. A user account is created from an Internet enabled computer device () on a remote server (), and the user account includes the personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user and personal information. A wireless connection is set up between the hearing aid () and the personal communication device (), and the personal communication device () is identified as a gateway to the Internet for said hearing aid. The user grants access rights to a third party to modify data in a sub-set of the user account stored on the server ().

Granting access rights to a sub-set of the data set in a user account

A system, method, hearing aid and software for providing a network connection for a computer device to at least one hearing aid having a gateway to the Internet. The system includes a user account server providing a user account database, each user account includes a unique identity for an associated hearing aid; a control server providing a hearing aid connection register including the unique identity of hearing aids associated with current connection information; and a network connection handling element for detecting the presence of a wireless connection between the hearing a and gateway, and for uploading current connection information to the control server. On receiving connection information, the control server updates the hearing aid connection register, and provides the current connection information to a requesting computer device. The computer device can establish a direct connection to the hearing aid based on current connection information requested from the control server.

Method and system for establishing network connection to a hearing aid

A data system for handling user data for a hearing aid user and at least one hearing aid () having a memory for storing personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user includes a remote server () accessible by means of an Internet enabled computer device. A personal communication device () is Internet enabled and is able to act as a gateway to the Internet for the at least one hearing aid. The user may create a user account on the remote server, enter personal information into the user account and store the entered personal information on the remote server, and enter the gateway information to the user account. The personal communication device and the at least one hearing aid are provided with respective transceivers for establishing a wireless connection under guidance of said application software. The least one hearing aid uploads the personal settings for alleviating the hearing loss via the gateway to the remote server for storing in the user account.

Hearing aid user account management

A method for programming a hearing assistive device includes requesting write access from a programming device to the hearing assistive device, sending, in response to the request, a first message from the hearing assistive device to a programming-rights-management server, generating, in the programming-rights-management server, a programming rights permission list, sending a second message containing the programming rights permission list from the programming-rights-management server to the hearing assistive device, transferring programming data in a programming session from the programming device to the hearing assistive device, writing the received programming data as control data sets permitted according the programming rights permission list received from the programming-rights-management server, and terminating the programming session once data writing has been completed.

Programmable hearing assistive device

A hearing aid configuration managing system for configuring at least one hearing aid having a wireless connection to the Internet via a gateway. The hearing aid includes a processor controlling its configuration, and a memory containing configuration settings for customizing the configuration of the hearing aid. The remote server manages user accounts for multiple hearing aid users, including managing the configuration of the hearing aid, and creates a service level status change event for the account upon change of the service level status to a new configuration of the hearing aid. The remote server sends a configuration change instruction to the hearing aid via the gateway upon the occurrence of the service level status change event. The hearing aid processor stores new configuration settings in the hearing aid memory upon reception of the configuration change instruction, and changes the hearing aid to the new configuration.

System and method for managing a customizable configuration in a hearing aid

A method of personalizing at least one hearing aid for a hearing aid user includes the steps of manufacturing a hearing aid (), receiving an audiogram from a server () for the hearing aid user, programming the hearing aid () by means of the audiogram, whereby the hearing aid () becomes personalized for the hearing aid user. Hereafter, the personalized hearing aid(s) () is/are delivered to the hearing aid user who may then put it into use. If there arises a need for fine tuning, the hearing aid user may request a consultation with a hearing healthcare professional. The hearing healthcare professional has equipment () for fine tuning the hearing aid (), and he may fine tune the personalized hearing aid(s) () in dialogue with the hearing aid user. The invention further provides a hearing aid delivering system and an Internet enabled personal communication device.

A hearing aid () has a memory () for storing personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user. A user account is created from an Internet enabled computer device () on a remote server (), and the user account includes the personal settings for alleviating a hearing loss for the hearing aid user and personal information. A wireless connection is set up a between the hearing aid () and the personal communication device (), and the personal communication device () is identified as a gateway to the Internet for said hearing aid. The user grants access rights to a third party to modify data in a sub-set of the user account stored on the server ().

Growing community of inventors

Birkerød, Denmark

Niels Erik Boelskift Maretti