Hearing instrument with an authentication protocol

1. A hearing instrument comprising:

a radio for reception of a broadcasted signal having a message, at least a part of the message has been encrypted with a first key, wherein the first key has been encrypted with a second key to result in an encrypted first key, and wherein the at least a part of the message that has been encrypted with the first key comprises information to be conveyed to a user of the hearing instrument;

an authenticator configured for authentication of the message by

decrypting the encrypted first key with a third key, and

decrypting the at least a part of the message with the first key; and

a processing unit for converting the message into an acoustic signal for transmission towards an eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument;

wherein the second key has a value that is different from a value of the third key;

wherein the hearing instrument is configured for worn by the user; and

wherein the message comprises (1) a first payload broadcasted with the encrypted first key, and (2) a second payload broadcasted without the encrypted first key.

2. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured for muting at least one other signal received by the hearing instrument upon successful authentication of the message.

3. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit comprises a mixer for mixing the message with at least one other signal received by the hearing instrument upon successful authentication of the message to obtain a mixed output, and wherein the processing unit is configured for converting the mixed output into the acoustic signal for transmission towards the eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument.

4. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured for ignoring the broadcasted signal upon failed authentication of the message in the broadcasted signal.

5. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit comprises a mixer for mixing the message in the broadcasted signal with an additional message to obtain a mixed output, at least a part of the additional message overlaps with at least a part of the message in the broadcasted signal in time.

6. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a medium for storing a first additional message that is received during transmission of the acoustic signal towards the eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument.

7. The hearing instrument according to claim 6 , wherein processing unit is further configured for converting the stored first additional message into an additional acoustic signal for transmission towards the eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument.

8. The hearing instrument according to claim 6 , wherein the medium is also for storing a second additional message, and wherein the processing unit is configured for converting the first and second additional messages into respective acoustic signals for transmission towards the eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument in an order in which the first and second additional messages are received by the hearing instrument.

9. The hearing instrument according to claim 6 , wherein the medium is also for storing a second additional message, and wherein the processing unit is configured for converting the first and second additional messages into respective acoustic signals for transmission towards the eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument in an order of priority.

10. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the hearing instrument is a headset or a hearing aid.

11. The hearing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the at least a part of the message is encoded with an error checking code, and wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a verification using the error checking code, and to convert the message into the acoustic signal if the verification is successful.

12. The hearing instrument of claim 1 , wherein the broadcasted signal is also for reception by one or more additional hearing instrument(s) being used by one or more additional user(s).

13. A method of communicating a message, comprising:

encoding a part of the message for broadcasting;

encrypting the part of the message with a first key, wherein the part of the message that is encrypted with the first key comprises information to be conveyed to a user;

encrypting the first key with a second key to obtain an encrypted first key;

broadcasting the encrypted first key for reception by a device that is configured for worn by the user; and

broadcasting the encrypted part of the message for reception by the device, wherein the device is configured for receiving the encrypted first key and the encrypted part of the message, decrypting the first key with a third key, decrypting the part of the message with the first key, and converting the part of the message into an acoustic signal for transmission towards an eardrum of a human;

wherein the second key has a value that is different from a value of the third key; and

wherein the message comprises (1) a first payload broadcasted with the encrypted first key, and (2) a second payload broadcasted without the encrypted first key.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the act of broadcasting the encrypted first key and the act of broadcasting the encrypted part of the message are performed so that the encrypted first key is broadcasted together with the part of the message.

15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising encoding the part of the message with an error checking code.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the second key comprises a private key and the third key comprises a public key.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the part of the message is encoded with an error checking code, and wherein the device is configured to perform a verification using the error checking code, and to convert the part of the message into the acoustic signal if the verification is successful.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the encrypted part of the message that has been broadcasted is also for reception by one or more additional device(s) being used by one or more additional user(s).

19. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving the encrypted first key and the encrypted part of the message by the device;

decrypting the first key with the third key;

decrypting the part of the message with the first key; and

converting the part of the message into the acoustic signal for transmission towards the eardrum of the human.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the act of decrypting the part of the message comprises decrypting multiple sub-parts of the message with the first key.

21. A broadcasting system comprising:

an encoder configured for encoding a part of a message for broadcasting;

an encryption unit configured for encrypting the part of the message with a first key, and encrypting the first key with a second key to obtain an encrypted first key, wherein the part of the message encrypted by the encryption unit comprises information to be conveyed to a user; and

a transmitter configured for broadcasting a signal having the encrypted first key and the encrypted part of the message for reception by a hearing instrument that is configured for worn by the user;

wherein the hearing instrument comprises a radio for reception of the signal having the message and the encrypted first key, an authenticator configured for authentication of the message by decrypting the first key with a third key, and decrypting the part of the message with the first key, and a processing unit configured for converting the message into an acoustic signal for transmission towards an eardrum of the user of the hearing instrument;

wherein the second key has a value that is different from a value of the third key; and

wherein the message comprises (1) a first payload transmitted with the encrypted first key, and (2) a second payload broadcasted without the encrypted first key.

22. The broadcasting system of claim 21 , further comprising the hearing instrument.

23. The hearing instrument according to claim 21 , wherein the part of the message is encoded with an error checking code, and wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a verification using the error checking code, and to convert the message into the acoustic signal if the verification is successful.

24. The broadcasting system of claim 21 , wherein the encrypted part of the message broadcasted by the transmitter is also for reception by one or more additional hearing instrument(s) being used by one or more additional user(s).