Methods and systems for loading hearing instrument parameters

A hearing instrument, comprising:

• processing circuitry for processing an input signal from a microphone into an output signal for driving a speaker;
• a wireless transceiver connected to the processing circuitry;
• an antenna connected to the wireless transceiver;
• wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
• determine whether the hearing instrument is programmed or programmed to operate as a member of a binaural pair of hearing instruments on a first side of the patient using a first set of programming parameters or on a second side of the patient using a second set of programming parameters as determined by a resistive identification tag inserted into the hearing instrument, wherein the resistive identification tag is incorporated into either a receiver-in-canal (RIC) cable for an RIC hearing instrument or a behind-the-ear (BTE) hook for a BTE hearing instrument;
• when it is determined that the hearing instrument is generically programmed, wireless transmit a request to a second hearing instrument for programming information relating to the first set of programming parameters or the second set of programming parameters as indicated by resistive identification tag inserted into the hearing instrument, wherein the programming information includes coefficients of a polynomial function that rep resents the patient's audiogram;
• and,
• upon receipt of the programming information, begin operation using the first or second set of programming parameters.