Hearing Device And Method For Providing A Broadcast Audio Stream

Abstract

The invention relates to a hearing device configured to be worn on an ear of a user. Such a hearing device includes an input transducer, a processing unit, an output transducer, a motion sensor configured to acquire motion data indicative of a user's movement, an antenna, and a wireless communication unit coupled to the antenna. The hearing device is configured to initiate a scan of advertisements of available broadcast audio streams. A scan of the advertisement is initiated based on the motion data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for providing broadcast audio streams and a hearing device including a wireless communication unit configured to scan advertisements of available broadcast audio streams and associated audio stream protocols. Background Art

[0002] The advent of digital technology has revolutionized the way we consume audio content. Whether it is music, podcasts, or just the information stream guiding us to our destination, the demand for audio stream services is growing rapidly. At the same time, assistive hearing technologies for the hearing impaired aim to improve the ability of hearing loss patients to participate, move, and generally orient themselves in an acoustic environment. This has promoted the development of various devices and methods to facilitate the delivery of audio content to end users.

[0003] Broadcast audio streams are audio streams in the form of wireless signals provided by broadcast devices. Such audio streams are provided using broadcast standards, which means that it does not require pairing between the broadcast device and the receiving device. Therefore, the goal of broadcast audio stream technology is to allow hearing device users to select the audio stream to listen to without the cumbersome pairing process with each broadcast device.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for an improved method of providing broadcast audio streams using a hearing device configured to be worn on a user's ear.

[0005] A further goal is to provide a hearing device with enhanced functionality in listening to broadcast audio streams. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In a first aspect, a hearing device configured to be worn on a user's ear is disclosed. Such a hearing device includes an input transducer, a processing unit, an output transducer, a motion sensor configured to obtain motion data indicating user movement, an antenna, and a wireless communication unit coupled to the antenna. The hearing device is configured to initiate a scan of advertisements of available broadcast audio streams. The scan of the advertisements is initiated based on the motion data.

[0007] In a second aspect, a method of providing a broadcast audio stream using a hearing device configured to be worn on a user's ear is disclosed. Such a method includes using a motion sensor in the hearing device to detect user movement to provide motion data indicating user movement. Such a method includes scanning advertisements of available broadcast audio streams. The advertisement scan is initiated based on the motion data.

[0008] In a third aspect, a hearing system is disclosed, including a hearing device according to the first aspect and an auxiliary device. The hearing device and the auxiliary device are configured to be wirelessly connected to each other.

[0009] The advantages of the present invention are that the hearing device can obtain information about available broadcast audio streams without continuous scanning, which is very costly in terms of battery power consumption and would drain the battery of the hearing device at an unrealistic rate. This is even more beneficial for hearing devices such as hearing aids, as their miniaturization has been pushed to the limit, which also restricts the size of the batteries that can be installed in them, thus making continuous scanning impossible.

[0010] Another advantage of the present invention is that the hearing device can maintain a connection to a specific audio stream broadcast by multiple spaced-apart broadcast devices, because when the user moves between the coverage areas of the broadcast devices, monitoring the user's movement helps with handover between the broadcast devices. An example of this scenario could be a user listening to an information broadcast stream when entering and leaving a boarding gate at an airport. When the user changes position, the hearing device can detect this movement and initiate a scan to check if there is a broadcast device at the user's new position that broadcasts an information stream with better coverage of the user's new position than the broadcast device the hearing device was previously listening to.

[0011] A broadcast audio stream is an audio stream provided by a broadcast device in the form of a wireless signal. Such an audio stream is provided using a broadcast standard, which means it does not require pairing between the broadcast device and the receiving device. For example, certain versions of Bluetooth LE Audio Sharing allow for multi-stream and broadcast audio feature functions, which are referred to as Auracast. Thus, in some embodiments, the relevant audio stream protocol is a Bluetooth audio stream protocol, such as Bluetooth LE Audio.

[0012] The broadcast audio stream may be encrypted, such that the receiving device may need to perform security steps, such as entering a password, to be able to provide the audio stream to its user. In the case of an unencrypted broadcast audio stream, any device configured to receive the audio stream can listen in. Regardless of whether the audio stream is encrypted or not, the broadcast device can transmit the audio signal without knowing how many receiving devices (if any) are listening to the broadcast.

[0013] The broadcast device advertises the availability of the audio stream and typically also advertises the audio stream protocol used for the broadcast, i.e., the audio stream transmission protocol associated with the audio stream. This advertisement provides the receiving device with transmission data, such as the name, content, configuration, etc. of the audio stream. Thus, the broadcast device sends an advertisement for each audio stream it provides, along with the audio stream. The broadcast audio stream may include left and right stereo audio streams.

[0014] In all aspects of the present invention, the hearing device is configured to be wirelessly connected to an auxiliary device, such as a smart device, such as a smartphone or a computer. The hearing device can be directly connected to a broadcast device, i.e., without an intermediate device relaying the broadcast stream, or can be connected via an auxiliary device, i.e., the auxiliary device forwards the broadcast stream to the hearing device. The scanning of advertisements can be performed by the hearing device, i.e., the hearing device can be configured to scan for advertisements in available broadcast audio streams, and / or the scanning of advertisements can be performed by the auxiliary device, i.e., the hearing device can be configured to initiate the scanning of advertisements in available broadcast audio streams by the auxiliary device, e.g., by sending an instruction to the auxiliary device to perform the advertisement scan.

[0015] It should be noted that one or more motion sensors of the hearing device detect the movement of the hearing device and thereby infer the movement of the user. Thus, the movement of the user can include the stationary movement of the user (e.g., when the user picks up the hearing device while standing / sitting at the same location), as well as the user changing position by their own movement (e.g., walking, cycling, etc.) and assisted movement (e.g., by car, mobile scooter, etc.).

[0016] In this context, an advertisement should be understood as an information packet broadcast by a broadcast device that can be received without pairing with the broadcast device, such that any potential listening device can detect the broadcast device and connect to it if the user wishes. Such advertisements are typically broadcast at fixed time intervals and in one or more frequency bands. The advertisements of available broadcast audio streams typically include a name, content, codec configuration, etc. Description of the Drawings

[0017] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A block diagram of a hearing device according to the present invention is shown, Figure 2 and Figure 3 An example of a hearing device is shown, Figure 4 and Figure 5 A hearing system and a broadcast device of the present invention are shown, Figure 6 An auxiliary device presenting broadcast information is shown, and Figure 7 A flowchart of a method for scanning a broadcast stream is shown. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0018] In the following exemplary embodiments, a method of providing a broadcast audio stream using a hearing device configured to be worn on a user's ear and an auxiliary device is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, as well as a hearing device including a wireless communication unit configured to scan for advertisements and associated audio stream protocols of available broadcast audio streams. Those skilled in the art will understand that the drawings are schematic and have been simplified for clarity, and thus show only the details important for understanding the present invention while omitting other details. The elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but are mainly intended to show relative positions, orientations, and functions. The same reference numerals always denote the same elements. Therefore, the same elements are not necessarily described in detail for each figure.

[0019] The hearing device can scan for advertisements and provide broadcast information to an auxiliary device (such as a smartphone, etc.). The auxiliary device can be a smartphone, a smartwatch, a tablet computer, a computer, etc. Communication between the hearing device and the auxiliary device can be facilitated by any of various known wireless communication protocols. For example, user selection information can be transmitted via any of various known communication protocols, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC. These are common wireless communication technologies that can facilitate the transmission of information between the auxiliary device and the hearing device.

[0020] The auxiliary device can provide a user interface that enables the user to select a broadcast to listen to. During use, the auxiliary device can act as an intermediate device that relays the user-selected broadcast to the hearing device, or it can provide the hearing device with a user selection indicating the user-selected broadcast, such that the hearing device can connect to the broadcast device based on the user selection information. When the hearing device receives the user selection information, it joins the selected broadcast and provides an audio stream to the user of the hearing device.

[0021] In some embodiments, the auxiliary device does not need to have the capabilities and / or programs required to perform advertisement scanning because the hearing device can be configured to perform advertisement scanning. Thus, the user of the hearing device can use a simpler auxiliary device, for example. Additionally, the hearing device does not need to be configured to present an overview of the available broadcast audio streams, such as via a user interface on the hearing device. Furthermore, the user of the hearing device and the user of the auxiliary device can be different, which enables the user of the auxiliary device to assist the user of the hearing device.

[0022] In some embodiments, this method further includes connecting the hearing device to the auxiliary device via a wired and / or wireless connection (such as via a Bluetooth connection).

[0023] Presenting available broadcast audio streams can be implemented in text form, such as a list of some form, or using other forms of presentation information, such as graphics, audio, tactile, etc. The auxiliary device can present the available broadcast audio streams to the user in the form of a list, such as a list provided in the GUI or a list read out loud.

[0024] In some embodiments, the connection between the hearing device and the auxiliary device is maintained during the scanning of the advertisement.

[0025] In some embodiments, the scanning of the advertisement is carried out within a limited time period, such as a predetermined time period and / or a time period selected by the user. In some embodiments, the scanning duration is set by the user actively interacting with the auxiliary device or the hearing device, such as within the scanning duration actively requested by the user. For example, the duration can be set by the user pressing a physical or virtual button on the auxiliary device or the hearing device. In a preferred embodiment, the duration is set by the user pressing a virtual button in an application on the auxiliary device. Thus, the user can set the expected scanning duration.

[0026] In some embodiments, the scanning of the advertisement also includes the hearing device determining the active processes running on the hearing device, and optionally, the hearing device also determines whether to stop or pause one or more active processes. The determination of the active processes can be carried out before starting the scanning, or can be carried out during the scanning. In this way, the hearing device can pause or stop active processes, such as power-consuming active processes, during the scanning of the broadcast to ensure that there is sufficient power to perform the scanning, and / or save battery power, and / or release resources such as memory. The paused processes can be paused during the scanning duration and automatically resumed afterwards, such as immediately after the scanning is completed or after a set time after the scanning is completed. In some embodiments, the step of scanning the advertisement also includes the hearing device stopping or pausing any audio streams it provides when starting to scan the advertisement. In some embodiments, determining the active processes includes determining the battery power consumption data of one or more active processes, where the battery power consumption data may include one or more of how much power the active process consumes and / or an estimate of the battery demand for the continuous operation of the active process. In some embodiments, determining whether to pause one or more active processes is at least partially based on the battery power consumption data. Determining whether to pause one or more active processes can additionally or optionally be at least partially based on the available battery power.

[0027] In some embodiments, this method also includes sending a scanning request from the hearing device to the auxiliary device, and the step of scanning the advertisement also includes starting the scanning in response to the scanning request and being executed by the auxiliary device.

[0028] In some embodiments, the hearing device is configured to scan for advertisements of available unencrypted broadcast audio streams and optionally also scan for relevant audio stream protocols. The hearing device may be configured to scan both encrypted and unencrypted broadcast audio streams. The hearing device and / or an auxiliary device may be configured to provide an interface for entering a password.

[0029] When the motion data indicates that the user has changed location, advertisement scanning may be initiated, for example when the motion data indicates that the user has moved more than a threshold distance from the location where the advertisements were last scanned. The threshold distance may be more than 3 meters, more than 5 meters, more than 10 meters, more than 15 meters, or more than 20 meters. This will help to switch between broadcast devices that are broadcasting the same audio stream when the user moves, thus allowing for seamless switching between broadcast devices and providing the user with a continuous broadcast stream.

[0030] When the motion data indicates that the hearing device is moving vertically and / or horizontally, advertisement scanning may be initiated. Since the vertical movement of the hearing device can well indicate that the user has picked up their hearing device for use, it can advantageously be used as an indication that advertisement scanning should be initiated. Similarly, the horizontal movement of the hearing device may indicate that the user is moving and may thus be moving out of the range of the current broadcast device, and can advantageously be used as an indication that advertisement scanning should be initiated.

[0031] When the motion data indicates that the moving speed of the hearing device exceeds a speed threshold, advertisement scanning may be initiated. The speed threshold may be higher than 0.3 m / s, 0.5 m / s, 0.75 m / s, or 1 m / s. By restricting the hearing device to initiate advertisement scanning only when the motion data indicates that the moving speed of the hearing device exceeds the speed threshold, false alarms of the hearing device initiating scanning based on motion data can be avoided.

[0032] The motion sensor may include one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a GPS module. These detectors or a combination of detectors can reliably detect the movement of the hearing device to provide motion data indicating user movement.

[0033] The hearing device is configured to be worn by a user. The hearing device may be arranged at, on, above, in, within the ear canal, behind, and / or within the outer ear of the user, i.e., the hearing device is configured to be worn within, on, above, and / or at the user's ear. The user may wear two hearing devices, one on each ear. These two hearing devices may be connected, for example wirelessly and / or by wires, such as in a binaural hearing aid system.

[0034] A hearing device can be an audible device, such as a headset, headphone, earphone, earbud, hearing aid, personal sound amplification product (PSAP), over-the-counter (OTC) hearing device, hearing protection device, one-size-fits-all hearing device, custom hearing device, or another head-worn hearing device. The hearing device can include prescription and over-the-counter devices.

[0035] The hearing device can be embodied in various housing styles or form factors. Some of these form factors are behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing devices, receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing devices, receiver-in-ear (RIE) hearing devices, or microphone-and-receiver-in-ear (MaRIE) hearing devices. These devices can include a BTE unit configured to be worn behind the user's ear and an in-the-ear (ITE) unit configured to be partially or fully inserted into the user's ear canal. Generally, the BTE unit can include at least one input transducer, a power source, and a processing unit. The term BTE hearing device refers to a hearing device in which the receiver (i.e., the output transducer) is contained in the BTE unit and the sound is directed to the ITE unit via a sound tube connecting the BTE unit and the ITE unit, while the terms RIE, RIC, and MaRIE hearing devices refer to hearing devices in which the receiver can be contained in the ITE unit and is coupled to the BTE unit via a connector cable or wire configured to transmit electrical signals between the BTE unit and the ITE unit.

[0036] Some of these form factors are in-the-ear (ITE) hearing devices, completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing devices, or invisible-in-canal (IIC) hearing devices. These hearing devices can include an ITE unit, where the ITE unit can include at least one input transducer, a power source, a processing unit, and an output transducer. These form factors can be custom devices, meaning that the ITE unit can include a housing made of a rigid material (such as a rigid polymer or metal) or a soft material (such as a rubber-like polymer) and molded into a shape that conforms to the shape of a particular user's ear canal.

[0037] Some of these form factors are earplugs, earbud headphones, or earmuff headphones. Different types of hearing devices and different options for positioning the hearing device within, on, above, and / or around the ear of a hearing device wearer are well known to those skilled in the art. The hearing device (or a pair of hearing devices) can be custom, standard, open, and / or closed.

[0038] In some embodiments, a hearing device may include one or more input transducers. The one or more input transducers may include one or more microphones. The one or more input transducers may include one or more vibration sensors configured to detect bone vibrations. The one or more input transducers may be configured to convert an acoustic signal into a first electrical input signal. The first electrical input signal may be an analog signal. The first electrical input signal may be a digital signal. The one or more input transducers may be coupled to one or more analog-to-digital converters configured to convert the analog first input signal into a digital first input signal.

[0039] In some embodiments, a hearing device may include one or more antennas configured for wireless communication. The one or more antennas may include electrical antennas. The electrical antennas may be configured for wireless communication at a first frequency. The first frequency may be higher than 800 MHz, preferably, with a wavelength between 900 MHz and 6 GHz. The first frequency may be from 902 MHz to 928 MHz. The first frequency may be from 2.4 to 2.5 GHz. The first frequency may be from 5.725 GHz to 5.875 GHz. The one or more antennas may include magnetic antennas. The magnetic antennas may include magnetic cores. The magnetic antennas may include coils. The coils may be wound around the magnetic cores. The magnetic antennas may be configured for wireless communication at a second frequency. The second frequency may be lower than 100 MHz. The second frequency may be between 9 MHz and 15 MHz.

[0040] The hearing device includes one or more wireless communication units. The one or more wireless communication units may include one or more wireless receivers, one or more wireless transmitters, one or more transmitter-receiver pairs, and / or one or more transceivers. At least one of the one or more wireless communication units is configured to scan for advertisements of available broadcast audio streams and associated audio stream protocols. At least one of the one or more wireless communication units is configured to send broadcast information to an auxiliary device. At least one of the one or more wireless communication units is configured to receive a broadcast audio stream.

[0041] At least one of the one or more wireless communication units may be coupled to one or more antennas. The wireless communication unit may be configured to convert a wireless signal received by at least one of the one or more antennas into a second electrical input signal. The hearing device may be configured for wired / wireless audio communication, e.g., enabling a user to listen to media (such as music or radio) and / or enabling a user to make a phone call.

[0042] In an embodiment, the wireless signal may originate from one or more external sources and / or external devices, such as a spouse microphone device, a wireless audio transmitter, a smart computer, and / or a distributed microphone array associated with a wireless transmitter. The wireless input signal may come from another hearing device (e.g., as part of a binaural hearing system) and / or from one or more accessory devices (e.g., a smartphone and / or a smartwatch).

[0043] The hearing device includes a processing unit. The processing unit may be configured to process a first electrical input signal and / or a second electrical input signal. Such processing may include compensating for the user's hearing loss, i.e., applying a frequency-dependent gain to the input signal according to the user's frequency-dependent hearing impairment. Such processing may include performing feedback cancellation, beamforming, tinnitus mitigation / masking, noise reduction, noise cancellation, speech recognition, bass adjustment, treble adjustment, and / or processing user input. The processing unit may be a processor, an integrated circuit, an application, a functional module, etc. The processing unit may be implemented in a signal processing chip or a printed circuit board (PCB). The processing unit may be configured to provide a first electrical output signal based on the processing of the first electrical input signal and / or the second electrical input signal.

[0044] The hearing device includes an output transducer. The output transducer may be coupled to the processing unit. The output transducer may be a receiver. It should be noted that in this case, the receiver may be a speaker, and the wireless receiver may be a device configured to process wireless signals. The receiver may be configured to convert the first electrical output signal into an acoustic output signal. The output transducer may be coupled to the processing unit via a magnetic antenna. The output transducer may be included in the ITE unit or the earpiece of the hearing device, such as an in-the-ear receiver (RIE) unit or an in-the-ear microphone and receiver (MaRIE) unit. One or more input transducers may be included in the ITE unit or the earpiece.

[0045] In some embodiments, the wireless communication unit may be configured to convert a second electrical output signal into a wireless output signal. The wireless output signal may include synchronization data. At least one wireless communication unit may be configured to transmit the wireless output signal via at least one of one or more antennas.

[0046] In some embodiments, the hearing device may include a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the first electrical output signal, the second electrical output signal, and / or the wireless output signal into an analog signal.

[0047] In some embodiments, a hearing device may include a vent. A vent is a physical passage, such as a duct or tube, which is mainly placed to provide pressure equalization on a housing placed in the ear, such as an ITE hearing device, an ITE unit of a BTE hearing device, a CIC hearing device, an RIE hearing device, a RIC hearing device, a MaRIE hearing device or a round tip / earmold. The vent may be a pressure vent with a relatively small cross-sectional area and is preferably acoustically sealed. The vent may be an acoustic vent configured to eliminate occlusion. The vent may be an active vent capable of opening or closing the vent during use of the hearing device. The active vent may include a valve.

[0048] In some embodiments, a hearing device may include a power source. The power source may include a battery providing a first voltage. The battery may be a rechargeable battery. The battery may be a replaceable battery. The power source may include a power management unit. The power management unit may be configured to convert the first voltage to a second voltage. The power source may include a charging coil. The charging coil may be provided by a magnetic antenna.

[0049] In some embodiments, a hearing device may include a memory, including both volatile and non-volatile forms of memory.

[0050] In some embodiments, the relevant audio stream protocol is a Bluetooth audio stream protocol, such as Bluetooth LE Audio. In some embodiments, the hearing device is also configured to pair with an auxiliary device, such as via Bluetooth pairing. In some embodiments, the hearing device is also configured to maintain the pairing between the hearing device and the auxiliary device during a scan advertisement.

[0051] In some embodiments, the hearing device is also configured to perform a scan advertisement, perform the scan of the advertisement for a scan duration, where the scan duration is a limited time period, such as a predetermined time period and / or a user-selected time period. In some embodiments, the hearing device is also configured to perform the advertisement scan only for a duration requested by the auxiliary device (e.g., intermittently requesting a scan) or for a duration during which the user actively interacts with the hearing device.

[0052] In some embodiments, the hearing device is further configured to determine the active processes running on the hearing device, and optionally, the hearing device is further configured to determine whether to pause one or more active processes. The determination of the active processes can be made before the scan is initiated or during the scan. In this way, the hearing device can pause or stop active processes, such as power-consuming active processes, during the scan of broadcasts to ensure there is sufficient power to perform the scan, and / or to save battery power, and / or to free up resources such as memory. The paused processes can be paused for the duration of the scan and automatically resume at some time after the scan is completed, such as immediately after the scan is completed and / or after a set time after the scan is completed. In some embodiments, the hearing device is further configured to stop or pause any audio streams provided when initiating an advertisement scan. In some embodiments, the hearing device is further configured to determine the battery power consumption data of one or more active processes, where the battery power consumption data can include one or more of the following: how much power the active process consumes and / or an estimate of the battery requirements for the continuous operation of the active process. In some embodiments, the determination of whether to pause one or more active processes is at least partially based on the battery power consumption data. The determination of whether to pause one or more active processes can be at least partially based on the available battery power.

[0053] Figure 1 FIG. shows a block diagram of a hearing device 1 according to the present invention. The hearing device 1 includes one or more input transducers 2, such as microphones and / or bone vibration sensors, for capturing acoustic signals and providing a first electrical input signal based on the captured acoustic signals. The hearing device 1 includes a wireless communication unit 4, such as a radio, transceiver, or receiver-transmitter pair, which is connected to an antenna 5 to provide wireless communication capabilities to the hearing device 1. The wireless communication unit 4 and the antenna 5 can receive wireless signals and provide a second electrical input signal based on the received wireless signals. The hearing device 1 includes a processing unit 3, which is connected to the input transducer 2 and the wireless communication unit 4 and is configured for signal processing to provide a first electrical output signal based on the first electrical input signal and / or the second electrical input signal. The hearing device 1 includes an output transducer 6, such as a micro speaker, also referred to as a receiver in hearing aid terminology. The output transducer 6 is configured to provide an acoustic output signal based on the first electrical output signal. Some hearing devices 1 further include an energy source 8, such as a battery, which is configured to provide energy to other electronic components. The energy source 8 can be a rechargeable battery (such as a lithium-ion battery) or a disposable battery (such as a zinc-air battery).

[0054] The hearing device 1 further includes one or more motion sensors 7, such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and / or a GPS module, configured to detect the movement of the hearing device 1. Based on the detection result, the motion sensor 7 provides motion data indicating the movement of the user, for example, vertical movement when the user is standing or sitting, or horizontal movement when the user is walking. The (one or more) motion sensors 7 are connected to the wireless communication unit 4, optionally via the processing unit 3, such that the hearing device 1 can initiate a scan for advertisements of available broadcast audio streams based on the provided motion data, for example, when the motion data indicates that the user is moving towards a new location.

[0055] It should be noted that there can be two hearing devices 1, thus providing a set of binaural hearing devices 1. When two hearing devices 1 are provided, they can be wirelessly connected to each other, for example, via the antenna 5 or via a secondary magnetic antenna (not shown).

[0056] Figure 2 An example of the hearing device 1 according to the present invention is shown in the form of an in-the-ear receiver (RIE) hearing aid, also known as a receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid. The hearing device 1 includes a behind-the-ear module configured to be placed behind the user's auricle. The behind-the-ear module includes some electronic components, such as the processing unit 3 or a part of the processing unit 3, one or more input transducers 2 (such as microphones), and a wireless communication unit 4. The hearing device further includes an in-the-ear module configured to be placed in the user's ear canal. The in-the-ear module includes an output transducer 6. The in-the-ear module may also include a part of the processing unit 3, one or more input transducers 2 (such as microphones).

[0057] Figure 3 An example of the hearing device 1 according to the present invention is shown in the form of an earbud, configured to be placed in the user's ear canal and outer ear.

[0058] Figure 4 A hearing system is shown that includes the hearing device 1 according to the present invention, an auxiliary device 30 in the form of a smartphone, and a plurality of broadcast devices 20. The plurality of broadcast devices 20 includes a plurality of individual broadcast devices 201, 202, 203, …, 20 n . A plurality of broadcast devices 20 (two or more) can broadcast the same audio stream from different locations to increase the coverage area. A part of the plurality of broadcast devices 20 can broadcast a plurality of audio streams, whereby a plurality of advertisements can be broadcast, that is, one broadcast audio stream corresponds to one advertisement.

[0059] The hearing device 1 is wirelessly connected to the auxiliary device 30. In addition, the hearing device 1 can listen, that is, receive the broadcast audio stream broadcast by one of the multiple broadcast devices 20. In this case, it should be noted that the connection between the hearing device 1 and the auxiliary device 30 is usually a paired connection between the two, that is, a reliable binding has been generated between the two, enabling the hearing device 1 and the auxiliary device 30 to wirelessly exchange data with each other. When listening to the broadcast audio stream, the hearing device 1 or the auxiliary device 30 does not need to pair with the broadcast device 20 of the broadcast audio stream x because this can be a one-way data exchange, where the hearing device 1 or the auxiliary device 30 does not interact with the broadcast device 20 x or identify itself to it. However, it is not excluded that the hearing device 1 and the auxiliary device 30 can pair with the broadcast device 20 x pair.

[0060] The scanning of the advertisements of the available broadcast audio streams can be performed by the hearing device 1 or the auxiliary device 30. Therefore, when the motion data indicates that the user is moving, for example, moving beyond a speed threshold or having moved beyond a distance threshold, the hearing device 1 will initiate the scanning of the advertisements of the available broadcast audio streams by performing the advertisement scanning itself or sending an instruction to the auxiliary device 30 to perform the advertisement scanning.

[0061] When selecting the audio stream to be listened to, the hearing device 1 can stream the content of the audio stream to the user directly using the antenna 5 of the hearing device 1, that is, the hearing device 1 itself directly receives the broadcast stream from the broadcast device 20 x or the hearing device 1 can also use the auxiliary device 30 as a relay, that is, the auxiliary device 30 receives the broadcast stream and forwards it to the hearing device 1.

[0062] Figure 5 Shows a hearing system similar to Figure 4 that shown, but omitting the auxiliary device 30. In this system, both the scanning of the advertisements and the listening to the selected broadcast stream are performed by the hearing device 1 itself without the need for the auxiliary device 30 as an intermediate device.

[0063] Figure 6 Shows how to use the auxiliary device 30 to select a broadcast stream after the advertisement scanning has identified multiple available broadcast devices 20. Although the hearing device 1 can present information to the user in the form of audio information, it is usually more desirable to present the information about the available broadcast audio streams visually, for example, by displaying on the screen of the auxiliary device 30. Then, the user can select the available broadcast device 20 from the list x and then the hearing device 1 can directly listen or use the auxiliary device 30 as a relay to listen to the selected audio stream.

[0064] As shown in the figure, the advertisement may include basic information about the audio stream, such as the title or short description of the content, and information identifying the broadcast device 20 that broadcasts the audio stream being broadcast. x of the information.

[0065] Figure 7 A flowchart showing a method for providing a broadcast audio stream according to some embodiments. This method includes detecting movement of the hearing device using a motion sensor 7 in the hearing device 1 (step 100), thereby also detecting movement of the user. This method includes providing motion data based on the result of detecting movement or lack of movement (step 110). Determine whether the motion data indicates user movement (step 120), and if not, continue to the step 100 of detecting movement.

[0066] If the step 120 of determining whether the motion data indicates user movement indicates movement, then this method may optionally include pausing one or more non-essential processes of the hearing device 1 (step 125), such as wireless binaural communication with another hearing device, which may be necessary for some hearing devices 1 because the battery cannot support normal operation while scanning for advertisements. If the step 120 of determining whether the motion data indicates user movement indicates movement, then this method includes scanning for advertisements of available broadcast audio streams (step 130), thereby obtaining broadcast information including data about the available broadcast audio streams. This step may be performed by the hearing device 1 using the antenna 5 or by the auxiliary device 30. Optionally, if one or more non-essential processes have been paused, then this method may include resuming one or more non-essential processes (step 135).

[0067] This method includes presenting the available broadcast audio streams to the user based on the received broadcast information (which is obtained by the hearing device 1 or the auxiliary device 30 through the advertisement scanning step 130) (step 140). If the advertisement scanning step 130 is performed by the hearing device and the step 140 of presenting the available broadcast audio streams is performed by the auxiliary device 30, then this step may optionally include sending the received broadcast information from the hearing device 1 to the auxiliary device 30.

[0068] At this stage, wait for the user to select one of the available broadcast audio streams (step 150). The user can indicate their selection among the available broadcast audio streams through the interface of the hearing device 1 (such as a button) or the interface of the auxiliary device 30 (such as a touch screen). Once the user has selected the available broadcast audio stream they want to listen to, this method includes obtaining user selection data indicating the broadcast audio stream selected by the user based on the input provided by the user (step 160).

[0069] This method includes receiving the broadcast device 20 selected by the user based on the user selection data xBroadcast audio stream (step 170). This step can be directly performed by the hearing device 1 by receiving the broadcast audio stream using the antenna 5, or by the auxiliary device 30, which can then forward the received audio stream to the hearing device via a wireless connection between the hearing device 1 and the auxiliary device 30. If step 150 of selecting one of the available broadcast audio streams is performed by the auxiliary device 30, and step 170 of receiving the broadcast audio stream is performed by the hearing device 1, then this method can include transferring the user selection from the auxiliary device 30 to the hearing device 1. x If step 170 of receiving the broadcast audio stream is performed by the hearing device 1, then this method can include transferring the user selection from the auxiliary device 30 to the hearing device 1.

[0070] Optionally, this method includes processing the received audio stream by the processing unit 3 (step 180). Step 180 of processing the received audio stream can include applying frequency-dependent gain based on two or more gain parameters set according to the user's hearing profile to compensate for the user's hearing impairment. Step 180 of processing the received audio stream can include mixing the received audio stream with the electrical input signal obtained by one or more input transducers 2.

[0071] This method includes providing an acoustic output signal using the output transducer 6 based on the received audio stream (step 190).

[0072] In step 130, the scanning of the advertisements of the available broadcast audio streams can be performed within a limited time period, such as within a predetermined time period and / or a user-selected time period.

[0073] In step 150, the auxiliary device waits for the user of the device to select one of the available broadcast audio streams presented. The user can select the broadcast audio stream through any known interface (such as a touch interface, voice command, and / or gesture control). The auxiliary device or the hearing device can provide mechanisms on the device, such as buttons, swipes, switches, etc., that the user can use to select the broadcast.

[0074] The use of the terms "first", "second", "third", and "fourth", "primary", "secondary", "tertiary", etc. does not imply any particular order, but is used to identify individual elements. In addition, the use of the terms "first", "second", "third", and "fourth", "primary", "secondary", and "tertiary", etc. does not indicate any order or importance, but is used to distinguish one element from another. It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", "third", and "fourth", "primary", "secondary", "tertiary", etc. are only used for identification purposes here and do not indicate any particular spatial or temporal order.

[0075] In addition, the marking of the first element does not imply the existence of the second element, and vice versa.

[0076] It is understood that certain modules or operations are shown in solid lines and certain modules or operations are shown in dashed lines in the accompanying drawings. The modules or operations shown in solid lines are components or operations included in the broadest exemplary embodiments. The modules or operations shown in dashed lines are exemplary embodiments that may be included in or partially included in the modules or operations of the solid-line exemplary embodiments, or are additional modules or operations that may be taken. It should be understood that these operations need not be performed in the order shown. Additionally, it should be understood that not all operations need to be performed. The exemplary operations may be performed in any order and in any combination.

[0077] It should be noted that the term "comprising" does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps beyond those listed.

[0078] It should be noted that the prefix "a" or "the" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0079] It should also be noted that any reference signs do not limit the scope of the claims, and the exemplary embodiments may be implemented at least in part by hardware and software, and a plurality of "means", "units" or "devices" may be represented by the same item of hardware.

[0080] The various exemplary methods, devices, and systems described herein are described in the general context of a process of method steps. In one aspect, these method step processes may be implemented by a computer program product that includes computer-executable instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, including program code executed by a computer in a network environment, such as program code. The computer-readable medium may include removable and non-removable storage devices, including but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), etc. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specified tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program code for performing the steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequences of these executable instructions or associated data structures represent examples of the corresponding actions for implementing the functions described in these steps or processes.

[0081] Although various features have been shown and described, it is understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed invention, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded as exemplary rather than restrictive. The present invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.

[0082] Symbolic Explanation 1 Hearing device 2 Input transducer 3 Processing unit 4 Wireless communication unit 5 Antenna 6 Output transducer 7 Motion sensor 8 Energy source 20 Multiple broadcast devices 20 x Broadcast device 201 Broadcast device 202 Broadcast device 203 Broadcast device 20 n Broadcast device 30 Auxiliary device 100 Detect movement 110 Provide motion data based on detection of movement 120 Determine whether the motion data indicates user movement 125 Stop / pause non-essential processes 130 Scan for advertisements of available broadcast audio streams 135 Resume one or more non-essential processes 140 Present available broadcast audio streams to the user 150 Have the user select one of the available broadcast audio streams 160 Obtain user selection data 170 Receive an audio stream 180 Process the received audio stream 190 Provide an acoustic output signal

Claims

1. A hearing device (1) configured to be worn on an ear of a user, the hearing device (1) comprising: Input transducer (2), Processing unit (3), Output transducer (6), a motion sensor (7) configured to acquire motion data indicative of a user's movement, an antenna (5), and a wireless communication unit (4) coupled to an antenna (5), The hearing device (1) is configured to initiate a scan for advertisements in available broadcast audio streams, and Wherein, scanning for advertisements is initiated based on the motion data.

2. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein The scanning for advertisements is performed for a scan duration, which is a finite period of time.

3. The hearing device according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein: The hearing device is further configured to suspend one or more active processes of the processing unit and / or one or more active processes of the wireless communication unit for the scanning duration.

4. The hearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: When the motion data indicates that the user has changed location, a scan for advertisements is initiated.

5. The hearing device according to claim 4, wherein The hearing device is configured to initiate scanning for advertisements when the motion data indicates that the user has moved more than a threshold distance from a location where a scan for advertisements was last performed.

6. The hearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The motion sensor includes one or more of the following: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, magnetometer, and GPS module.

7. The hearing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The hearing device is further configured to perform a scan for advertisements.

8. A method for providing a broadcast audio stream using a hearing device (1) configured to be worn on an ear of a user, the method comprising the following steps: detecting movement of a user using a motion sensor in the hearing device (100) to provide motion data indicative of the user's movement, and Scanning (130) available broadcast audio streams for advertisements, Wherein, scanning for advertisements is initiated based on the motion data.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: The scanning for advertisements is performed for a scan duration, which is a finite period of time.

10. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein: The step of scanning for advertisements may also include pausing one or more active processes.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: When the motion data indicates that the user has changed location, a scan for advertisements is initiated.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: When the motion data indicates that the user has moved more than a threshold distance from a location where a scan for advertisements was last performed, a scan for advertisements is initiated.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein: The step of scanning for advertisements may further comprise the hearing device stopping or pausing any audio stream that it is providing when the hearing device initiates scanning for advertisements.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein: The scanning for advertisements is performed by the hearing device.

15. A hearing system comprising a hearing device and an auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the hearing device and the auxiliary device are configured to be wirelessly connected to each other.

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