Hearing aid systems

摘要

Systems, structures, and methods are provided to fit, program, or upgrade a hearing aid system to a patient. One embodiment includes the use of a mobile device to interact with the hearing aid system through a short-range network. The mobile device is also adapted to communicate with a server through a long-range wireless network. The server may reside on the Internet.

主权项

1. A method to be performed using a mobile device and a non-transitory application with executable instructions to be executed by the mobile device, the method comprising:
receiving, using the mobile device and the application to be executed by the mobile device, digital transmissions through a wireless cellular network; and transmitting, using the mobile device including the application to be executed by the mobile device, digital audio through a wireless short-range communication link to a hearing aid that is fitted to a hearing-impaired patient and that is configured to be worn in or near an ear of the hearing-impaired patient, the hearing aid including:
a microphone to pick up sound and produce an audio signal;a processing system capable of processing the audio signal from the microphone into a processed signal tailored to fit the hearing-impaired patient and capable of processing the digital audio from the mobile device into the processed signal tailored to fit the hearing-impaired patient; anda speaker to convert the processed signal into an output audio signal and present the output audio signal to the hearing-impaired patient, wherein the mobile device is a digital cellular telephone, and the method further comprises using the digital telephone and the application to be executed by the digital telephone to access an Internet connection through the wireless cellular network and to communicate with a server through the cellular network and through the Internet connection.