Control of low power or standby modes of a hearing assistance device
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods to provide improved control of hearing aids and hearing aid applications. In one embodiment, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone, a receiver for playing sound to a wearer, a processor connected to the microphone and the receiver, and a radio connected to the processor. The processor is adapted to enter a low power or standby mode upon receipt of a predetermined command from one or more of the microphone or the radio. The processor is further adapted to exit a low power or standby mode upon receipt of a predetermined command from one or more of the microphone or the radio. Other embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the present subject matter.
1. A hearing assistance device for a wearer, comprising:
a microphone;
a receiver for playing sound to the wearer;
a processor connected to the microphone and the receiver; and
a radio connected to the processor,
wherein the processor is configured to place the radio into a low power or standby mode upon receipt of a dedicated predetermined command from one or more of the microphone or the radio, by deactivating the radio without using a power switch of the device.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to place the radio into the low power mode upon receipt of a predetermined audio command from the microphone.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to place the radio into the standby mode upon receipt of a predetermined audio command from the microphone.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to place the radio into the low power mode upon receipt of a predetermined wireless command from the radio.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to place the radio into the standby mode upon receipt of a predetermined wireless command from the radio.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to exit the radio from the low power mode upon receipt of a predetermined audio command from the microphone.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to exit the radio from the standby mode upon receipt of a predetermined audio command from the microphone.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to exit radio from the low power mode upon receipt of a predetermined wireless command from the radio.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to exit radio from the standby mode upon receipt of a predetermined wireless command from the radio.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the predetermined command via dual tone multifunction (DTMF) tones from the microphone or from the radio.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the radio exits a low power or standby mode upon receipt of a predetermined command from one or more of the microphone or the radio.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to exit radio from the low power or standby mode upon a triggering occurrence.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the triggering occurrence includes a programmable timer reaching a setpoint.
14. A method of controlling modes of a hearing assistance device, comprising:
receiving a dedicated predetermined command at a hearing assistance device processor from one or more of a hearing assistance device microphone or a radio connected to the processor; and
entering a low power or standby mode of the radio of the hearing assistance device upon receipt of the dedicated predetermined command to deactivate the radio without using a power switch of the device.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving a second predetermined command at a hearing assistance device processor from one or more of a hearing assistance device microphone or a radio connected to the processor; and
exiting a low power or standby mode of the radio of the hearing assistance device.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein entering standby mode includes disabling processing of audio information.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving a predetermined command includes receiving a DTMF tone sequence.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein receiving the DTMF tone sequence includes receiving the sequence from a cellular phone.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein entering standby mode includes disabling wireless radio frequency transmission.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving a predetermined command includes receiving a voice activation command.