IP Library Granted Patent US 7,860,262
Granted Patent B2
US 7,860,262 · App. 12/246,631 · Granted Dec 28, 2010

Method to operate a hearing device and arrangement with a hearing device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,860,262
App. No.
12/246,631
Granted
Dec 28, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hearing device has a transfer function adjustable by a set of parameters. The hearing device can have two microphones, a processing unit, and a speaker unit. A direction identification unit is operationally connected to the processing unit. Communication between a user of the hearing device and at least one reference person is ensured for changing positions of the user and/or the reference person. The transfer function is adjusted as a function of at least one current reference person direction by changing the set of parameters. The reference person direction encloses an angle with a reference plane of the user.

Claims (36)

1. A method of operating a hearing device, comprising the steps of:

providing the hearing device, wherein the hearing device includes a first microphone, a second microphone, and an adjustable transfer function having at least one adjustable parameter;

receiving, by at least one of the first microphone and the second microphone, a spoken word from a reference person;

determining an identity of the reference person based on the spoken word;

determining a direction of the reference person; and

adjusting the parameter based on the direction and the identity of the reference person.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting includes the step of changing a directional characteristic of the hearing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining an identity of the reference person includes the step of determining an identity of a voice of the reference person.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining an identity of the reference person includes the step of recognizing the spoken word.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the spoken word includes a predefined code word.

6. A method of operating a hearing device, comprising the steps of:

providing the hearing device, wherein the hearing device includes a first microphone, a second microphone, and an adjustable transfer function having at least one adjustable parameter;

receiving, by at least one of the first microphone and the second microphone, a spoken word from a reference person;

determining whether the reference person matches a known identity based on the spoken word;

determining a direction of the reference person; and

adjusting the parameter based on the direction when the reference person matches the known identity.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of adjusting includes the step of changing a directional characteristic of the hearing device.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of determining whether the reference person matches a known identity includes the step of determining an identity of a voice of the reference person.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of determining whether the reference person matches a known identity includes the step of recognizing the spoken word.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the spoken word includes a predefined code word.

11. A hearing device, comprising:

a first microphone;

a second microphone;

a speaker;

a direction identification unit that identifies a direction of a reference person; and

a processing unit that determines an identity of the reference person based on a spoken word from the reference person, and changes a directional characteristic of the hearing device based on the identity of the reference person and the identified direction of the reference person.

12. The hearing device of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit identifies a voice of the reference person from the spoken word.

13. The hearing device of claim 11 , wherein the spoken word includes a predefined code word that is recognized by the processing unit.

14. A hearing device, comprising:

a first microphone;

a second microphone;

a speaker;

a direction identification unit that identifies a direction of a reference person; and

a processing unit that determines whether the reference person matches a known identity based on a spoken word from the reference person, and changes a directional characteristic of the hearing device based on the identified direction when the reference person matches the known identity.

15. The hearing device of claim 14 , wherein the processing unit identifies a voice of the reference person from the spoken word.

16. The hearing device of claim 14 , wherein the spoken word includes a predefined code word that is recognized by the processing unit.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 24, 2015
From: PHONAK AG
To: SONOVA AG
Reel/Frame 036674/0492 →