Hearing assistive apparatus having sound replay capability

A hearing assistive device, comprising:

• sound data acquisition apparatus adapted to acquire current sound data representing sound that occurs in the vicinity of the hearing assistive device;
• sound production apparatus adapted to produce sound in accordance with sound data acquired by the sound data acquisition apparatus;
• and
• sound replay apparatus, the sound replay apparatus comprising:
• a sound data accumulation device for accumulating replay sound data comprising sound data acquired by the sound data acquisition apparatus that represents sound occurring during a replay time;
• and
• a sound data selection device for controlling the mode of operation of the hearing assistive device, wherein:
• the sound data selection device can control the hearing assistive device to operate in a replay mode in which the replay sound data is transmitted to the sound production apparatus for use in producing sound;
• and
• the sound data acquisition apparatus can, continue to acquire current sound data during the time that the replay sound data is used by the sound production apparatus in producing sound.

Audio display apparatus, comprising:

• apparatus for producing a primary audio display;
• and
• hearing assistive apparatus, the hearing assistive apparatus comprising:
• sound data acquisition apparatus adapted to acquire current sound data representing sound that occurs in the vicinity of the audio display apparatus;
• sound production apparatus adapted to produce sound in accordance with sound data acquired by the sound data acquisition apparatus;
• and
• sound replay apparatus, the sound replay apparatus comprising:
• a sound data accumulation device for accumulating replay sound data comprising sound data acquired by the sound data acquisition apparatus that represents sound occurring during a replay time;
• and
• a sound data selection device for controlling the mode of operation of the hearing assistive apparatus, wherein the sound data selection device can control the hearing assistive apparatus to operate in an off mode in which sound data is inhibited from being transmitted to the sound production apparatus, or in a replay mode in which the replay sound data is transmitted to the sound production apparatus for use in producing sound.

A method for assisting hearing, comprising the steps of:

• acquiring current sound data representing sound that occurs in the vicinity of a hearing assistive device;
• producing sound in accordance with sound data;
• accumulating replay sound data representing sound occurring during a replay time;
• and
• controlling the hearing assistive device to operate in an off mode in which sound data is inhibited from being used in producing sound or a replay mode in which the replay sound data is used in producing sound.