Dynamic negotiation and discovery of hearing aid features and capabilities by fitting software to provide forward and backward compatibility

1. A method comprising:

transmitting, from a hearing assistance device application to a hearing assistance device, a request to determine if a feature is supported by the hearing assistance device;

receiving, from the hearing assistance device, a response message identifying the feature as supported by the hearing assistance device;

determining that the feature of the hearing assistance device is supported by the hearing assistance device application;

parsing the response message to identify a version of the feature supported by the hearing assistance device; and

based on the determination and response, configuring the hearing assistance device application to control the feature of the hearing assistance device with the version of the feature identified in the response message.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

updating a configuration file for the hearing assistance device to indicate the feature and version of the feature as supported by the hearing assistance device, the configuration file associated with the hearing assistance device application.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

transmitting, from the hearing assistance device application to the hearing assistance device, a request to determine if a second feature is supported by the hearing assistance device;

receiving, from the hearing assistance device, a response message identifying the second feature as not supported by the hearing assistance device; and

updating the configuration file to indicate the second feature as not supported by the hearing assistance device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an adjust feature request from the hearing assistance device application to the hearing assistance device in accordance with a format supported by the version of the feature supported by the hearing assistance device; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from the hearing assistance device indicating the feature was adjusted.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including:

transmitting a request to determine if a capability is supported by the hearing assistance device;

receiving a response message identifying the capability as supported by the hearing assistance device; and

updating a configuration file for the hearing assistance device to indicate the capability as supported by the hearing assistance device, the configuration file associated with the hearing assistance device application.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request includes a request to determine if a plurality of features are supported by the hearing assistance device.

7. A system comprising:

a communications module configured to:

transmit, from a hearing assistance device application to a hearing assistance device, a request to determine if a feature is supported by the hearing assistance device; and

receive, from the hearing assistance device, a response message identifying the feature as supported by the hearing assistance device; and

a discovery module configured to:

determine that the feature of the hearing assistance device is supported by the hearing assistance device application;

parse the response message to identify a version of the feature supported by the hearing assistance device; and

based on the determination and response message, configure the hearing assistance device application to control the feature of the hearing assistance device with the version of the feature identified in the response message.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:

a configuration file for the hearing assistance device indicating which version of the feature is supported by the hearing assistance device.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hearing assistance device and hearing assistance device application are connected via a wireless connection.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hearing assistance device is a hearing aid.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the hearing assistance device application is fitting software configured to adjust parameters of the hearing assistance device according to the features supported by both the hearing assistance device and hearing assistance device application.

12. A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to:

transmit, from a hearing assistance device application to a hearing assistance device, a request to determine if a feature is supported by the hearing assistance device;

receive, from the hearing assistance device, a response message identifying the feature as supported by the hearing assistance device;

determine that the feature of the hearing assistance device is supported by the hearing assistance device application;

parse the response message to identify a version of the feature supported by the hearing assistance device; and

based on the determination and response message, configure the hearing assistance device application to control the feature of the hearing assistance device with the version of the feature identified in the response message.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein the instructions further configure the at least one processor to:

update a configuration file for the hearing assistance device to indicate the feature and version of the feature as supported by the hearing assistance device, the configuration file associated with the hearing assistance device application.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further configure the at least one processor to:

transmit, from the hearing assistance device application to the hearing assistance device, a request to determine if a second feature is supported by the hearing assistance device;

receive, from the hearing assistance device, a response message identifying the second feature as not supported by the hearing assistance device; and

update the configuration file to indicate the second feature as not supported by the hearing assistance device.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 wherein the instructions further configure the at least one processor to:

transmit an adjust feature request from the hearing assistance device application to the hearing assistance device in accordance with a format supported by the version of the feature supported by the hearing assistance device; and

receive an acknowledgement message from the hearing assistance device indicating the feature was adjusted.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further configure the at least one processor to:

transmit a request to determine if a capability is supported by the hearing assistance device;

receive a response message identifying the capability as supported by the hearing assistance device; and

update a configuration file for the hearing assistance device to indicate the capability as supported by the hearing assistance device, the configuration file associated with the hearing assistance device application.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 , wherein the request includes a request to determine if a plurality of features are supported by the hearing assistance device.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting, from a hearing assistance device application to a hearing assistance device, the request comprising transmitting the request via a wireless connection between the hearing assistance device e connected via a wireless connection.

19. The system of claim 7 , wherein the request includes a request to determine if a plurality of features are supported by the hearing assistance device.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit the request via a wireless connection.