# US 9,439,004 B2 · Method for operating a binaural hearing system and a binaural hearing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,439,004 B2 - Document ID: US9439004B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/378,785 - Filed: 2012-02-22 - Published: 2015-01-29 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-22 - Assignees: Sonova AG - Applicants: Henry Luo; Ara Talaslian; Shawn Lee; Deming Zhang - Inventors: Henry Luo; Ara Talaslian; Shawn Lee; Deming Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9439004B2 ## CPC - H04R 25/552: {Binaural} - H04R 25/407: {Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers} - H04R 2225/39: Aspects relating to automatic logging of sound environment parameters and the performance of the hearing aid during use, e.g. histogram logging, or of user selected programs or settings in the hearing aid, e.g. usage logging - H04R 2225/41: Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest - H04R 2225/61: Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning - H04R 2460/03: Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices - 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) ## Abstract A method for operating a binaural hearing system including first and second hearing devices, each including an input transducer, a signal processing unit, an output transducer and a link unit for exchanging information between the devices. Operating the first hearing device according to a first processing scheme, operating the second hearing device according to a second processing scheme, monitoring an acoustic situation by the hearing devices, generating a request for coordinating the two hearing devices if one hearing device detects an acoustic situation asking for coordinating the two processing schemes of the hearing devices, the hearing device detecting such an acoustic situation being an ipsi-lateral hearing device the other being a contra-lateral hearing device, activating a link between the devices for transmitting the request to the contra-lateral hearing device, and changing the processing scheme in at least one of the devices in accordance with the request. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for operating a binaural hearing system comprising a first and a second hearing device (1, 2), each comprising at least one input transducer (3, 4, 5, 6), a signal processing unit (7, 8), an output transducer (11, 12) and a link unit (9, 10) capable for exchanging information between the first and the second hearing device (1, 2), the method comprising the steps of: operating the first hearing device (1) according to a first processing scheme, operating the second hearing device (2) according to a second processing scheme, monitoring acoustic situation by the first hearing device (1), monitoring acoustic situation by the second hearing device (2), generating a request for coordinating the two hearing devices (1, 2) if one hearing device (1, 2) detects an acoustic situation asking for coordinating the two processing schemes of the first and the second hearing device (1, 2), the hearing device (1, 2) detecting such an acoustic situation being an ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) the other being a contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2), activating a link between the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) and the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) for transmitting the request to the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2), shutting down the link between the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) and the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) after the request has been transmitted to the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2), and changing the processing scheme in at least one of the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) and the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) in accordance with the request. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of changing the processing scheme in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is based on the acoustic situation monitored in the contra-lateral hearing device (2, 1). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the step of changing the processing scheme in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is further based on the acoustic situation monitored in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of changing the processing scheme in the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is based on the acoustic situation monitored in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (2, 1). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the step of changing the processing scheme in the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is further based on the acoustic situation monitored in the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: processing the request in the contra-lateral hearing device taking into account information available in the contra-lateral hearing device, either confirming the request by the contra-lateral hearing device or rejecting the request by the contra-lateral hearing device by transmitting corresponding information to the ipsi-lateral hearing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic situation is characterized by at least one of the following: an input signal picked-up by an input transducer (3, 4, 5, 6); a user input signal; a target sensor signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of pre-processing the acoustic situation before generating a request in order to reduce a request rate to a predetermined rate. ### Claim 9 A binaural hearing system comprising a first hearing device (1) and a second hearing device (2), each hearing device (1, 2) comprising: at least one input transducer (3, 5; 4, 6), a signal processing unit (7; 8), an output transducer (11; 12), a link unit (9; 10) capable for exchanging information between the hearing devices (1, 2), means for monitoring acoustic situation, means for generating a request if an acoustic situation is detected asking for exchanging information between the hearing devices (1, 2), the hearing device (1, 2) detecting such an acoustic situation being an ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) the other being a contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2), means for activating a link between the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) and the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) for transmitting the request to the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2), means for shutting down the link between the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) and the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) after the request has been transmitted to the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2), and means for changing the processing scheme in at least one of the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) and the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) in accordance with the request. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The binaural hearing system of claim 9, wherein the means for changing the processing scheme in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is taking into account the acoustic situation monitored in the contra-lateral hearing device (2, 1). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The binaural hearing system of claim 10, wherein the means for changing the processing scheme in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is further taking into account the acoustic situation monitored in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (1, 2). ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The binaural hearing system of claim 9, wherein the means for changing the processing scheme in the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is taking into account the acoustic situation monitored in the ipsi-lateral hearing device (2, 1). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The binaural hearing system of claim 12, wherein the means for changing the processing scheme in the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2) is further taking into account the acoustic situation monitored in the contra-lateral hearing device (1, 2). ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The binaural hearing system of claim 9, further comprising: means for processing the request in the contra-lateral hearing device taking into account information available in the contra-lateral hearing device, means for either confirming the request by the contra-lateral hearing device or means for rejecting the request by the contra-lateral hearing device by transmitting corresponding information to the ipsi-lateral hearing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The binaural hearing system of claim 9, wherein the acoustic situation is characterized by at least one of the following: an input signal picked-up by an input transducer (3, 4, 5, 6); a user input signal; a target sensor signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The binaural hearing system of claim 9, further comprising means for pre-processing the acoustic situation before generating a request in order to reduce a request rate to a predetermined rate.