# US 2014/0153756 A1 · System and Method for Network Based Hearing Aid Compatible Mode Selection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153756 A1 - Document ID: US20140153756A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/171,096 - Filed: 2014-02-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2007-10-18 - Assignees: AT&T Mobility II LLC - Applicants: At&T Mobility II LLC - Inventors: Melvin Duane Frerking - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153756A1 ## CPC - H04R 25/554: {using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils} - H04M 1/72478: for hearing-impaired users - H04R 2225/55: Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A system and method for providing a hearing aid compatibility mode of communication service to hearing aid users is disclosed. The described system can store an indication at a communication network that a given account is used by a person who wears hearing aid equipment. Services provided to that account can then use communication parameters and network resources which tend to minimize interference with a hearing aid. The network can instruct the user equipment and the radio access network to communicate using hearing aid friendly parameters. In some cases, network resources beyond those allocated for accounts not indicated as hearing aid user accounts can be allocated. Parameters adjusted in hearing aid compatibility mode can include codec rates, operating power levels, and burst frame length, among others. In some described embodiments, the hearing aid compatibility mode can be selectively enabled as desired by an account user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication system, comprising: a processor; and a computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: determining which of multiple available user-device settings is least likely to cause interference with a hearing aid being used with an audio communication device, yielding a lowest-interference user-device setting, wherein the audio communication device is associated with a user account; determining, in response to determining the lowest-interference user-device setting, whether sufficient network resources exist to provide a service using the lowest-interference user-device setting; and directing, in response to determining that sufficient network resources exist to provide the service using the lowest-interference user-device setting, the audio communication device to operate according to the lowest-interference user-device setting determined. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, from the audio communication device, being associated with the user account, a request for a hearing-aid-compatibility mode of operation in connection with the service being or to be provided to the audio communication device; determining, in response to receiving the request, whether the account is authorized for the hearing-aid-compatibility mode of operation; enabling, in response to determining that the account is authorized for the hearing-aid-compatibility mode, the hearing-aid-compatibility mode of operation for the account in connection with the service; ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: determining whether the audio communication device has one or more adjustable, network-directable settings; identifying, in response to determining that the audio communication device has one or more network-directable settings, the multiple available user-device settings of the audio communications device; ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise increasing a timer to hold hearing-aid compatibility mode calls to the audio communication device during periods of high frame rate errors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise providing, to a communication service provider, an indication that the account is using the hearing-aid-compatibility mode to facilitate use of the mode or the audio communication device while the audio communication device is roaming on a network served by the communication provider. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein determining whether sufficient network resources exist to provide the service using the lowest-interference user-device setting includes determining whether currently-available network bandwidth is sufficient to provide the service to the audio communication device with lowest-interference user-device setting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the network has network-directable settings related to provision of the service to the audio communications device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the lowest-interference user-device setting includes a frequency-band setting. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The communication system of claim 3, wherein identifying the available user-device settings of the audio communications device comprises querying the device to determine device capabilities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The communication system of claim 3, wherein determining whether the audio communication device has the network-directable settings comprises querying the device to determine device capabilities. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the lowest-interference user-device setting includes at least one feature selected from group consisting of: a user-device operating power level optimized for reduced hearing-aid interference; an antenna configuration of the device selected to reduce the electromagnetic field inference induced on an acoustic output of the audio communication device; a display setting, including a display backlighting circuitry optimizable for reduced hearing-aid interference; and a frequency-band setting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring a number of hearing-aid-compatibility mode users operating at a given location at a given time to prevent over allocation of resources. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: identifying network-directable settings related to provision of the service to the audio communications device; determining which of the network-directable settings is least likely to cause interference with a hearing aid being used with the audio communication device, yielding a lowest-interference network-device setting; determining, in response to determining the lowest-interference user-device setting, whether sufficient network resources exist to provide the service using the lowest-interference network-device setting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The communication system of claim 13, wherein the lowest-interference network-device setting includes at least one characteristic selected from a group consisting of: a codec rate; a burst frame length; an error correction coding; an operating power level; a frequency band; an antenna configuration; an interference cancellation technique; a quality of service, a call timer setting, packet prioritization. ### Claim 15 A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: determining which of multiple available user-device settings is least likely to cause interference with a hearing aid being used with an audio communication device, yielding a lowest-interference user-device setting, wherein the audio communication device is associated with a user account; determining, in response to determining the lowest-interference user-device setting, whether sufficient network resources exist to provide a service using the lowest-interference user-device setting; and directing, in response to determining that sufficient network resources exist to provide the service using the lowest-interference user-device setting, the audio communication device to operate according to the lowest-interference user-device setting determined. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, from the audio communication device, being associated with the user account, a request for a hearing-aid-compatibility mode of operation in connection with the service being or to be provided to the audio communication device; determining, in response to receiving the request, whether the account is authorized for the hearing-aid-compatibility mode of operation; enabling, in response to determining that the account is authorized for the hearing-aid-compatibility mode, the hearing-aid-compatibility mode of operation for the account in connection with the service; ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise: determining whether the audio communication device has one or more adjustable, network-directable settings; identifying, in response to determining that the audio communication device has one or more network-directable settings, the multiple available user-device settings of the audio communications device; ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise increasing a timer to hold hearing-aid compatibility mode calls to the audio communication device during periods of high frame rate errors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise providing, to a communication service provider, an indication that the account is using the hearing-aid-compatibility mode to facilitate use of the mode or the audio communication device while the audio communication device is roaming on a network served by the communication provider. ### Claim 20 A method, comprising: determining, by a system using a processor, which of multiple available user-device settings is least likely to cause interference with a hearing aid being used with an audio communication device, yielding a lowest-interference user-device setting, wherein the audio communication device is associated with a user account; determining, by the system, in response to determining the lowest-interference user-device setting, whether sufficient network resources exist to provide a service using the lowest-interference user-device setting; and directing, by the system, in response to determining that sufficient network resources exist to provide the service using the lowest-interference user-device setting, the audio communication device to operate according to the lowest-interference user-device setting determined.