Control systems and methods for remote audiologists

1 . A test system for use by a virtual-health practitioner (“VHP”), the test system comprising:

a hearing test device including one or more test headphones, the one or more test headphones operably coupled to a controller of the hearing test device, the hearing test device configured to facilitate a hearing test of a patient;

a VHP speaker and VHP headphones;

a VHP device configured to facilitate a virtual-health visit and comprising a controller; and

an A/B switch auditorily coupled to the VHP speaker, the hearing test device, and the VHP device, the A/B switch configured to switch the test system from a pre-examination mode to an examination mode,

wherein, during operation of the test system, the VHP device is configured to communicate with the audiologist through a VHP microphone regardless of an operating mode of the test system,

wherein switching from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode comprises placing the controller of the hearing test device in operable communication with the controller of the VHP device through the A/B switch,

wherein, in response to transitioning from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode, the A/B switch switches an audio output signal from the VHP speaker to the one or more test headphones and the VHP headphones,

wherein, when in the examination mode, the controller of the VHP device commands the controller of the hearing test device to conduct the hearing test of the patient, and

wherein an audio output of the A/B switch is auditorily coupled to the one or more test headphones and the VHP headphones through the hearing test device so that spoken audio from an audiologist microphone is transmitted to the patient and the VHP through the one or more test headphones and the VHP headphones.

2 . The test system of claim 1 , further comprising an audio mixer auditorily coupled to the hearing test device and the VHP device.

3 . The test system of claim 2 , wherein:

the audio mixer is configured to receive a first audio input from the hearing test device and a second audio input from the VHP microphone and form a mixed audio output, and

transmit the mixed audio output to an audiologist device through one or more servers.

4 . The test system of claim 2 , wherein the audio mixer is disposed within the VHP device.

5 . The test system of claim 1 , wherein:

the A/B switch further comprises a first data input and a second data input,

responsive to engaging the first data input, the auditory output from the A/B switch transitions from the hearing test device to the VHP speaker, and

responsive to engaging the second data input, the auditory output transitions from the VHP speaker to the hearing test device.

6 . The test system of claim 1 , wherein the hearing test device is auditorily coupled to the one or more test headphones and the VHP device.

7 . The test system of claim 6 , wherein the VHP device comprises a VHP microphone and a VHP controller, the VHP controller configured to:

receive a set of tones from the hearing test device;

receive audio data from the VHP microphone;

mix the set of tones and the audio data to form a single audio output; and

transmit the single audio output through one or more servers to an audiologist speaker.

8 . The test system of claim 7 , further comprising the audiologist speaker, wherein the audiologist speaker is disposed in a remote location relative to the VHP microphone.

9 . A method for conducting a remote hearing test, the method comprising:

switching, by an A/B switch, a hearing test system from a pre-examination mode to an examination mode,

wherein in response to the switching the hearing test system from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode, a remote microphone is auditorily coupled to test headphones of the hearing test system, the hearing test system disposed in a local location,

wherein, during operation of the test system, a virtual-health practitioner (“VHP”) device is configured to communicate with the audiologist through a VHP microphone regardless of an operating mode of the test system,

wherein switching from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode comprises placing a controller of the hearing test device in operable communication with a controller of the VHP device through the A/B switch,

wherein, in response to transitioning from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode, the A/B switch switches an audio output signal from a VHP speaker to the test headphones and VHP headphones,

wherein, when in the examination mode, the controller of the VHP device commands the controller of the hearing test device to conduct the remote hearing test of the patient, and

wherein an audio output of the A/B switch is auditorily coupled to the test headphones and the VHP headphones through the hearing test device so that spoken audio from an audiologist microphone is transmitted to the patient and the VHP through the test headphones and the VHP headphones; and

initiating, by one or more processors, a hearing test, wherein in response to initiating the hearing test, a set of tones are output through the test headphones.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to initiating the hearing test, the set of tones are simultaneously output through a remote speaker.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the remote speaker and the remote microphone are physically decoupled from the VHP device.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the set of tones are transmitted through a mixer.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving audio data through a local microphone disposed in the local location; and

transmitting the audio data through the mixer, and out the remote speaker, wherein an audio output corresponding to the audio data and the set of tones is output together from the remote speaker.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors, from the remote microphone, and through one of a server or a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, audio data; and

transmitting, by the one or more processors, audio corresponding to the audio data through the test headphones.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising transmitting, by the one or more processors, an audio output corresponding to the audio data through the VHP headphones.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein in response to the switching the hearing test system from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode, a speaker disposed in the local location is auditorily de-coupled from the remote microphone.

17 . An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

switching, by the one or more processors, a hearing test system from a pre-examination mode to an examination mode,

wherein in response to the switching the hearing test system from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode, a remote microphone is auditorily coupled to test headphones of the hearing test system, the hearing test system disposed in a local location,

wherein, during operation of the test system, a virtual-health practitioner (“VHP”) device is configured to communicate with the audiologist through a VHP microphone regardless of an operating mode of the test system,

wherein switching from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode comprises placing a controller of the hearing test device in operable communication with a controller of the VHP device through the A/B switch,

wherein, in response to transitioning from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode, the A/B switch switches an audio output signal from a VHP speaker to the test headphones and VHP headphones,

wherein, when in the examination mode, the controller of the VHP device commands the controller of the hearing test device to conduct the remote hearing test of the patient, and

wherein an audio output of the A/B switch is auditorily coupled to the test headphones and the VHP headphones through the hearing test device so that spoken audio from an audiologist microphone is transmitted to the patient and the VHP through the test headphones and the VHP headphones; and

initiating, by the one or more processors, a hearing test, wherein in response to initiating the hearing test, a set of tones are output through the test headphones.

18 . The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein in response to initiating the hearing test, the set of tones are simultaneously output through a remote speaker.

19 . The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein in response to the switching the hearing test system from the pre-examination mode to the examination mode, a speaker disposed in the local location is auditorily de-coupled from the remote microphone.