Hearing Assistive System With Low Power Interface

Abstract

A communications interface provides for communications between a wireless communication device and a hearing assistive device. The communications interface converts a signal, including an audio signal, received from the wireless communication device into a format recognizable by a hearing assistive device. The communications interface generates a communication signal including the audio signal based on the converted signal and transmits the communication signal to the hearing assistive device using a low power radio frequency transmission protocol. The hearing assistive device converts the communication signal received from the communications interface into a usable format, extracts an audible signal from the communication signal, and manipulates the extracted audible signal according to a criterion associated with a user of the hearing assistive device.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A communications intermediary system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a first signal sent by an electronic device; 
 generating, based on the first signal, a second signal configured to cause, when transmitted to a hearing assistive device, less interference with the hearing assistive device than the first signal would cause with the hearing assistive device if transmitted to the hearing assistive device; and 
 initiating a transmission of the second signal from the communications intermediary system to the hearing assistive device. 
   
     
     
         22 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , wherein the operation of generating the second signal comprises generating the second signal according to a spread-spectrum technique. 
     
     
         23 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , wherein the operation of generating the second signal comprises generating the second signal to have a power level lower than a power level of the first signal. 
     
     
         24 . The communications intermediary system of claim  3 , wherein the first signal is a bluetooth signal. 
     
     
         25 . The communications intermediary system of claim  3 , wherein the second signal is a radio-frequency signal. 
     
     
         26 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , wherein the electronic device is one of a television, a cellular telephone, a computer, and a mobile digital audio player. 
     
     
         27 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , wherein the operation of generating the second signal, to cause less interference with the hearing assistive device than the first signal would cause with the hearing assistive device if transmitted to the hearing assistive device, comprises generating the second signal according to a spread-spectrum technique and to have a power level being lower than a power level of the first signal. 
     
     
         28 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , wherein:
 the operation of generating the second signal comprises generating a left-ear-piece signal customized for a left-ear piece of the hearing assistive device and generating a right-ear-piece signal customized for a right-ear piece of the hearing assistive device; and   the operation of initiating the transmission of the second signal to the hearing assistive device comprises initiating transmission of the left-ear-piece signal, for receipt by the left-ear piece, and transmission of the right-ear-piece signal for receipt by the right-ear piece.   
     
     
         29 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating, based on user input received by way of the user interface, a control signal to adjust a parameter of the hearing assistive device; and   initiating a transmission of the control signal generated to the hearing assistive device for adjusting the parameter of the hearing assistive device.   
     
     
         30 . The communications intermediary system of claim  9 , wherein the user interface comprises a microphone. 
     
     
         31 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , further comprising a user interface, wherein:
 the instructions comprise a communications-interface-device parameter; and   the operations further comprise adjusting the communications-interface-device parameter based on user input received by way of the user interface.   
     
     
         32 . The communications intermediary system of claim  1 , further comprising:
 a transceiver; and   a communications module configured to facilitate bi-directional communications with the hearing assistive device by way of the transceiver.   
     
     
         33 . A computer-readable storage device, for use at a communications intermediary system, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a first signal sent by an electronic device;   generating, based on the first signal, a second signal configured to cause, when transmitted to a hearing assistive device, less interference with the hearing assistive device than the first signal would cause with the hearing assistive device if transmitted to the hearing assistive device; and   initiating a transmission of the second signal from the communications intermediary system to the hearing assistive device.   
     
     
         34 . The computer-readable storage device of claim  13 , wherein the operation of generating the second signal comprises generating the second signal according to a spread-spectrum technique. 
     
     
         35 . The computer-readable storage device of claim  13 , wherein the operation of generating the second signal comprises generating the second signal to have a power level being lower than a power level of the first signal. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-readable storage device of claim  13 , wherein:
 the operation of generating the second signal comprises generating a left-ear-piece signal customized for a left-ear piece of the hearing assistive device and generating a right-ear-piece signal customized for a right-ear piece of the hearing assistive device; and   the operation of initiating the transmission of the second signal to the hearing assistive device comprises initiating transmission of the left-ear-piece signal, for receipt by the left-ear piece, and transmission of the right-ear-piece signal for receipt by the right-ear piece.   
     
     
         37 . The computer-readable storage device of claim  13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating, based on user input received by way of the user interface, a control signal to adjust a parameter of the hearing assistive device; and   initiating a transmission of the control signal generated to the hearing assistive device for adjusting the parameter of the hearing assistive device.   
     
     
         38 . The computer-readable storage device of claim  13 , wherein:
 the instructions comprise a communications-interface-device parameter; and   the operations further comprise adjusting the communications-interface-device parameter based on user input received by way of the user interface.   
     
     
         39 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a communications intermediary system comprising a processor, a first signal sent by an electronic device;   generating, based on the first signal, a second signal configured to cause, when transmitted to a hearing assistive device, less interference with the hearing assistive device than the first signal would cause with the hearing assistive device if transmitted to the hearing assistive device; and   initiating a transmission of the second signal from the communications intermediary system to the hearing assistive device.   
     
     
         40 . The method of claim  19 , wherein the operation of generating the second signal, to cause less interference with the hearing assistive device than the first signal would cause with the hearing assistive device if transmitted to the hearing assistive device, comprises at least one function selected from a group consisting of:
 generating the second signal according to a spread-spectrum technique; and   generating the second signal to have a power level being lower than a power level of the first signal.