U.S. patent application number 17/189481 was filed with the patent office on 2021-08-19 for user interfaces of a hearing device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Cochlear Limited. Invention is credited to Jan Patrick Frieding, Ivana Popovac.
Application Number | 20210252284 17/189481 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005553328 |
Filed Date | 2021-08-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210252284 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Frieding; Jan Patrick ; et
al. |
August 19, 2021 |
USER INTERFACES OF A HEARING DEVICE
Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for
dynamically adjusting a user interface provided by an external unit
of a hearing device. In an example method, the external unit
determines whether a state of the external unit is one of (i) a
coupled state when the external unit and the stimulation unit are
coupled or (ii) a decoupled state when the external and the
stimulation unit are decoupled. The external unit then provides one
of (i) a first user interface when the determined state is the
coupled state or (ii) a second user interface when the determined
state is the decoupled state.
Inventors: |
Frieding; Jan Patrick;
(Grose Vale, AU) ; Popovac; Ivana; (Dee Why,
AU) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cochlear Limited |
Macquarie University |
|
AU |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005553328 |
Appl. No.: |
17/189481 |
Filed: |
March 2, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16202495 |
Nov 28, 2018 |
10967176 |
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17189481 |
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15584666 |
May 2, 2017 |
10148809 |
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16202495 |
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14867741 |
Sep 28, 2015 |
9643018 |
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15584666 |
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62058079 |
Sep 30, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04R 2225/41 20130101;
H04Q 2213/002 20130101; A61N 1/37247 20130101; H04R 25/305
20130101; A61N 1/36039 20170801; H04M 1/72478 20210101; H04R 25/43
20130101; A61F 11/00 20130101; H04Q 2213/381 20130101; H04Q
2213/107 20130101; H04R 25/554 20130101; H04R 25/00 20130101; A61N
1/36 20130101; A61N 1/36038 20170801 |
International
Class: |
A61N 1/36 20060101
A61N001/36; A61N 1/372 20060101 A61N001/372; H04M 1/72478 20060101
H04M001/72478; H04R 25/00 20060101 H04R025/00 |
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. An external unit configured to be worn by a recipient,
comprising: one or more visual-output components; and circuitry
configured to: determine that the external unit is coupled with a
stimulation unit configured to be implanted in the body of the
recipient; in response to determining that the external unit is
coupled with the stimulation unit, configure the one or more
visual-output components to provide a first visual display;
determine that the external unit is decoupled from the stimulation
unit; in response to determining that the external unit is
decoupled from the stimulation unit, configure the one or more
visual-output components to provide a second visual display that is
different from the first visual display.
22. The external unit of claim 21, wherein the second visual
display comprises a greater number of visual outputs than the first
visual display.
23. The external unit of claim 21, wherein the first visual display
comprises no visible visual outputs.
24. The external unit of claim 21, wherein the second visual
display comprises a visible indication of a status of one or more
systems of the hearing device.
25. The external unit of claim 21, wherein the second visual
display provides a visible indication of a setting of a parameter
used by a sound processor of the hearing device.
26. The external unit of claim 21, wherein the one or more
visual-output components comprise at least one of a liquid crystal
display (LCD) display or an electronic paper display.
27. The external unit of claim 21, wherein the one or more
visual-output components comprises one or more light-emitting
diodes (LEDs).
28. The external unit of claim 27, wherein the first visual display
comprises one or more visual outputs in which the one or more LEDs
illuminate in a first manner to provide a first indication to a
user, and wherein the second visual display comprises one or more
visual outputs in which the one or more LEDs illuminate in a second
manner to provide a second indication to the user.
29. The external unit of claim 27, wherein the first visual display
comprises a visual display in which the one or more LEDs do not
illuminate, and wherein the second visual display comprises a
visual display in which the one or more LEDs illuminate to provide
an indication to a user.
30. The external unit of claim 21, wherein the circuitry is
configured to determine that the external unit is decoupled from
the stimulation unit in response to response to determining that
external unit has not received data from the stimulation unit
within a given period of time.
31. A method, comprising: receiving, by an external unit configured
to be worn by a recipient of an implantable stimulation unit, data
from the stimulation unit; determining that the external unit is in
a coupled state with the stimulation unit in response to receiving
the data from the stimulation unit; in response to determining that
the external unit is in a coupled state with the stimulation unit,
provide a first visual display at one or more visual-output
components of the external unit; determining that the external unit
has not received data from the stimulation unit within a period of
time; in response to determining that the external unit has not
received data from the stimulation unit within the period of time,
determining that the external unit is in a decoupled state with the
stimulation unit; in response to determining that the external unit
is in a decoupled state with the stimulation unit, displaying a
second visual display at the one or more visual-output components
of the external unit; wherein the first visual display and the
second visual display indicate different types of information to a
user.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the second visual display
comprises a greater number of visual outputs than the first visual
display.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first visual display
comprises no visible visual outputs.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein the second visual display
comprises a visible indication of a status of one or more systems
of the hearing device.
35. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more visual-output
components comprise at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD)
display or an electronic paper display.
36. The method of claim 31, wherein the one or more visual-output
components comprises one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first visual display
comprises one or more visual outputs in which the one or more LEDs
illuminate in a first manner to provide a first indication to a
user, and wherein the second visual display comprises one or more
visual outputs in which the one or more LEDs illuminate in a second
manner to provide a second indication to the user.
38. The method of claim 36, wherein the first visual display
comprises a visual display in which the one or more LEDs do not
illuminate, and wherein the second visual display comprises a
visual display in which the one or more LEDs illuminate to provide
an indication to a user.
39. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising
instructions that when executed configure hardware circuitry of an
external unit of implantable medical device system to perform
operations, the operations comprising: receiving data from a
stimulation unit of the implantable medical device system;
determining the external unit is in a coupled state in response to
the receiving of the data from the stimulation unit being within a
given period of time; displaying a first visual indicator in
response to the external unit being in the coupled state;
determining the external unit has not received data from the
stimulation unit within a second given period of time; determining
the external unit is in a decoupled state in response to the
external unit not receiving data within the second given period of
time; and displaying, in response to the external unit being in the
decoupled state, a second visual indicator different than the first
visual indicator.
40. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
39, wherein the first visual display and the second visual display
indicate different types of information to a user.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
16/202,495, filed Nov. 28, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 15/584,666, now U.S. Pat. No.
10,148,809, filed on May 2, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 14/867,741, now U.S. Pat. No.
9,643,018, filed on Sep. 28, 2015, which claims priority from U.S.
Provisional Application No. 62/058,079, filed Sep. 30, 2014. These
earlier applications are incorporated herein by reference in their
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the information described
in this section is not prior art to the claims and is not admitted
to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
[0003] Various types of hearing devices provide people with
different types of hearing loss with the ability to perceive sound.
Hearing loss may be conductive, sensorineural, or some combination
of both conductive and sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss
typically results from a dysfunction in any of the mechanisms that
ordinarily conduct sound waves through the outer ear, the eardrum,
or the bones of the middle ear. Sensorineural hearing loss
typically results from a dysfunction in the inner ear, including
the cochlea where sound vibrations are converted into neural
signals, or any other part of the ear, auditory nerve, or brain
that may process the neural signals.
[0004] People with some forms of conductive hearing loss may
benefit from hearing devices such as hearing aids or
electromechanical hearing devices. A hearing aid, for instance,
typically includes at least one small microphone to receive sound,
an amplifier to amplify certain portions of the detected sound, and
a small speaker to transmit the amplified sounds into the person's
ear. An electromechanical hearing device, on the other hand,
typically includes at least one small microphone to receive sound
and a mechanism that delivers a mechanical force to a bone (e.g.,
the recipient's skull, or middle-ear bone such as the stapes) or to
a prosthetic (e.g., a prosthetic stapes implanted in the
recipient's middle ear), thereby causing vibrations in cochlear
fluid. hearing devices
[0005] Further, people with certain forms of sensorineural hearing
loss may benefit from hearing devices such as cochlear implants
and/or auditory brainstem implants. Cochlear implants, for example,
include at least one microphone to receive sound, a unit to convert
the sound to a series of electrical stimulation signals, and an
array of electrodes to deliver the stimulation signals to the
implant recipient's cochlea so as to help the recipient perceive
sound. Auditory brainstem implants use technology similar to
cochlear implants, but instead of applying electrical stimulation
to a person's cochlea, they apply electrical stimulation directly
to a person's brain stem, bypassing the cochlea altogether, still
helping the recipient perceive sound.
[0006] In addition, some people may benefit from hybrid hearing
devices, which combine one or more characteristics of the acoustic
hearing aids, vibration-based hearing devices, cochlear implants,
and auditory brainstem implants to enable the person to perceive
sound.
[0007] Hearing devices typically include an external unit that
performs at least some processing functions and an internal
stimulation unit that at least delivers a stimulus to a body part
in an auditory pathway of the recipient. The auditory pathway
includes a cochlea, an auditory nerve, a region of the recipient's
brain, or any other body part that contributes to the perception of
sound. In the case of a totally implantable medical device, the
stimulation unit includes both processing and stimulation
components, though the external unit may still perform some
processing functions when communicatively coupled or connected to
the stimulation unit.
[0008] A recipient of the hearing device may wear the external unit
of the hearing device on the recipient's body, typically at a
location near one of the recipient's ears. The external unit may be
capable of being physically attached to the recipient, or the
external unit may be attached to the recipient by magnetically
coupling the external unit and the stimulation unit.
SUMMARY
[0009] Hearing devices such as these or others may include a sound
processor configured to process received audio inputs and to
generate and provide corresponding stimulation signals that either
directly or indirectly stimulate the recipient's hearing system. In
practice, for instance, such a sound processor could be integrated
with one or more microphones and/or other components of the hearing
device and may be arranged to digitally sample the received audio
input and to apply various digital signal processing algorithms so
as to evaluate and transform the receive audio into appropriate
stimulation output. In a cochlear implant, for example, the sound
processor may be configured to identify sound levels in certain
frequency channels, filter out background noise, and generate
corresponding stimulation signals for stimulating particular
portions of the recipient's cochlea. Other examples are possible as
well.
[0010] In general, the sound processor of a hearing device may be
configured with certain operational settings that govern how it
will process received audio input and provide stimulation output.
By way of example, the sound processor may be configured to sample
received audio at a particular rate, to apply certain gain
(amplification) tracking parameters so as to manage resulting
stimulation intensity, to reduce background noise, to filter
certain frequencies, and to generate stimulation signals at a
particular rate. While certain sound-processing parameters are
fixed, a recipient of the hearing device, or perhaps another user,
can interact with a component of the hearing device to manually
adjust settings for certain sound-processing parameters, such as a
volume level or a sound-processing program. Further, the recipient
might also interact with the hearing device to review or change
parameters not directly associated with sound-processing functions,
such as a battery level (i.e., an amount of charge remaining in a
battery of the hearing device) or an alarm time.
[0011] To facilitate such interactions, the present disclosure is
directed to aspects of dynamically adjusting a user interface
provided by an external unit of the hearing device. By way of
example, the user interface of the external unit may include one or
more input/output (I/O) components configured to receive user
inputs and/or to provide visual displays of information. The visual
displays may take any number of forms, such as, for instance,
different lights or light patterns, or even a graphical user
interface.
[0012] When the recipient is able to view the output components,
e.g., when the external unit is detached from the recipient's body,
the external unit may provide the recipient with the ability to
review and change a number of parameters associated with both
sound-processing functions and non-sound-processing functions. As a
result of these interactions, the external unit may provide the
recipient with a number of visual displays (e.g., status displays)
representative of settings for sound-processing parameters and/or
other parameters. Such visual displays may help the recipient to
select a particular parameter and to verify the changes being made
to such parameter.
[0013] When the recipient is wearing the external unit, however,
the recipient may have a limited ability to perceive visual
displays. As a result, the external unit may not provide as many
visual displays, if any at all, when the external unit is coupled
to the stimulation unit. Similarly, the external unit may provide
fewer input functions when the external unit is coupled to the
stimulation unit, as compared to the input functions available when
the external unit is decoupled from the stimulation unit.
[0014] Adapting the functions associated with the user interface
based on whether the external unit is coupled to or decoupled from
the stimulation unit may enhance a recipient's experience with the
hearing device when the output components are visible to the
recipient while conserving power resources for sound-processing
when they are not. Limiting the number of visual displays when the
output components are not visible to the recipient may also avoid
situations in which a visual display unnecessarily draws attention
to the recipient's hearing prosthesis or is otherwise irrelevant to
an observer. Further, providing a limited amount of functions while
the external unit is coupled to the stimulation unit could also
reduce a likelihood of the recipient accidentally applying an
incorrect change to a parameter setting while the recipient is
unable to visually verify the setting. On the other hand, providing
a wide range of functions when the external unit and the
stimulation unit are decoupled may give the recipient more options
for adapting the operations of the hearing device to the
recipient's individual preferences.
[0015] Similarly, providing a limited number of visual outputs when
the external unit is coupled to the stimulation unit--and thus when
the recipient's ability to perceive visual displays is reduced--may
conserve power for sound processing. Whereas when the external unit
is decoupled from the stimulation unit, providing a greater number
of visual outputs may deliver more information regarding different
aspects of the operations of the hearing device, thereby enhancing
the recipient's ability to interact with and customize the
operations.
[0016] Accordingly, in one respect, disclosed herein is a method
operable by an external unit of a hearing device to facilitate such
functionality. Per the method, the external unit determines that a
state of the external unit is one of (i) a coupled state when the
external unit and the stimulation unit are coupled or (ii) a
decoupled state when the external and the stimulation unit are
decoupled. The external unit also provides one of (i) a first user
interface when the determined state is the coupled state or (ii) a
second user interface when the determined state is the decoupled
state. The second user interface provides access to a greater
number functions of the hearing device than is provided first user
interface.
[0017] In another respect, disclosed herein is a hearing device
system comprising a stimulation unit and an external unit, with the
external unit including at least one user-interface component. In
practice, the external unit provides via the at least one
user-interface component a (i) a first user interface when the
external unit is coupled to the stimulation unit or (ii) a second
user interface when the external unit is decoupled from the
stimulation unit. A functionality provided via the second user
interface differs from functionalities provided via the first user
interface, and the external unit provides fewer functionalities via
the first user interface than via the second user interface.
[0018] In addition, in still another respect, disclosed is an
external unit of a hearing device, which includes at least one
user-interface component configured to receive a user input, at
least one visual-output component configured to provide a visual
output, and a processor. In practice, the processor is configured
to receive an indication of a user interaction with the external
unit. Responsive to receiving the indication, the processor
determines whether the external unit is coupled to or decoupled
from a stimulation unit of the hearing device. Based on the user
input, the processor also performs a function selected from one of
(a) a first set of functions when the external unit is coupled to
the stimulation unit or (b) a second set of functions when the
external unit is decoupled from the stimulation unit. Additionally,
the processor causes the visual-output component to provide the
visual output, which is selected from one of (a) a first set of
visual outputs when the external unit is coupled to the stimulation
unit or (b) a second set of visual outputs when the external unit
is decoupled from the stimulation unit. Here, the second set of
functions comprises a greater number of functions than the first
set of functions, and the second set of visual outputs includes a
greater number of visual outputs than the first set of visual
outputs.
[0019] In yet a further example, disclosed herein is a
non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes instructions
stored therein that are executable by a computing device to cause
the computing device to perform functions. The functions include
making a first determination of whether an external unit of a
hearing device is decoupled from a stimulation unit of the hearing
device. If the first determination is that the external unit is
coupled to the stimulation unit, then the functions further include
selecting a visual output from one of a first set of visual
outputs. On the other hand, if determination is that the external
unit is decoupled from the stimulation unit, then the functions
further include selecting the visual output from a second set of
visual outputs. The second set of visual outputs includes a greater
number of visual outputs than the first set of visual outputs.
Additionally, the functions include causing a display component of
the external unit to display the selected visual output. The
functions also include processing input signals received from a
user-input component of the external unit as corresponding to a
function included in one of (a) a first set of functions when the
first determination is the coupled state or (b) a second set of
functions when the first determination is the decoupled state. The
second set of functions includes a greater number of functions than
the first set of functions.
[0020] These as well as other aspects and advantages will become
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the
following detailed description, with reference where appropriate to
the accompanying drawings. Further, it is understood that this
summary is merely an example and is not intended to limit the scope
of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0021] FIG. 1A is a simplified illustration of an example system in
which features of the present disclosure can be implemented.
[0022] FIG. 1B is an illustration of an alternative state of the
hearing device system depicted in FIG. 1A.
[0023] FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of example external units
of a hearing device.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram depicting components of
an example external unit of a hearing device.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting functions that can be
carried out in accordance with the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] Referring to the drawings as noted above, FIGS. 1A and 1B
are simplified illustrations of a system in which features of the
present disclosure can be implemented. In particular, FIGS. 1A and
1B depict a hearing device 10 that includes an external unit 12 and
a stimulation unit 14. In an example arrangement, a recipient wears
the external unit 12 on the recipient's body, while the stimulation
unit 14 is implanted in the recipient's body. By way of example,
the hearing device 10 is depicted as a cochlear implant. In this
case, the stimulation unit 14 includes an electrode array 16
configured to stimulate one of the recipient's cochleae. In other
examples, however, the hearing device 10 may be a different type of
hearing device. For instance, if the hearing device 10 is an
auditory brainstem implant, the electrode array 16 may be adapted
to be inserted into a portion of the recipient's brain. Or in
examples in which the hearing device 10 does not deliver electrical
stimuli to the recipient, a different stimulation component
replaces the electrode array 16. Further, the stimulation unit 14
may not necessarily be implanted in the recipient's body in each
embodiment of the hearing device 10. For example, the stimulation
unit 14 might be inserted in one of the recipient's ear canals when
the recipient uses the hearing device 10.
[0027] In an example implementation, the external unit 12 may
operate in one of two states: a coupled state and a decoupled
state. When operating in the coupled state, the external unit 12
processes sounds, such as sound 20, to generate stimulation data,
and the external unit 12 then transmits the stimulation data, via a
forward link 22, to the stimulation unit 14. The stimulation unit
14 receives and processes the stimulation data to generate one or
more stimuli, and the stimulation unit 14 then causes the electrode
array 16 to deliver the one or more stimuli to the cochlea, thereby
enabling the recipient to perceive at least a portion of the sound
20.
[0028] To thus use the hearing device 10 to enable the recipient to
perceive sounds, the recipient couples the external unit 12 to the
stimulation unit 14, as shown in FIG. 1A. Coupling the external
unit 12 and the stimulation unit 14 may facilitate transmission of
data between the external unit 12 and the stimulation unit 14,
perhaps by aligning a coil of the external unit 12 with a coil of
the stimulation unit 14. Typically, coupling is achieved via one or
more magnets included in both the external unit 12 and the
stimulation unit 14, though other means for coupling the external
unit 12 and the stimulation unit 14 are possible as well.
[0029] When the recipient decouples the external unit 12 from the
stimulation unit 14, as shown in FIG. 1B, the external unit 12 is
in the decoupled state. In the decoupled state, the external unit
12 does not transmit the stimulation data via the forward link 22.
As a result, the stimulation unit 14 does not transmit the
telemetry data via a back link 24 and may not stimulate the
recipient's cochlea.
[0030] The external unit 12 provides the recipient, or perhaps a
different user, with one or more user interfaces via one or more
user-interface components. As used herein, a "user interface"
refers to inputs and/or visual outputs associated with a set of
functions or operations that the external unit 12 can perform,
whereas a "user-interface component" generally refers to a
component, such as any I/O component, that assists the recipient in
interacting with the external unit 12. Each user interface allows
the recipient to interact with the external unit 12 to review
and/or change parameters associated with operations of the hearing
device 10. The parameters may include sound-processing parameters
used by a sound processor when generating stimulation signals, such
as a volume of perceived sounds (e.g., an amplitude of stimuli
applied by the stimulation unit 14), a sound-processing strategy, a
current sound-processing profile, fault codes, and/or the like. The
parameters may also include system parameters that are not
specifically related to sound-processing functions, such as a
battery level (e.g., a current charge of the battery), usage
information, alarm times, or the like.
[0031] To facilitate this interaction, the one or more
user-interface components may include at least one user-input
component and at least one display component. By way of example,
FIG. 2A depicts an example external unit 12A, which includes a
light emitting diode (LED) array 30 and three buttons 40A, 40B, and
40C. The external unit 12A is one example of the external unit 12
depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In the example arrangement, the LED
array 30 includes five LEDs 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D, and 30E. In
alternative arrangements, however, the external unit 12A may
include more or fewer than five LEDs and/or three buttons.
Moreover, the external unit 12A may include, in lieu of one or more
of the buttons 40A-40C, one or more different user-input
components, such as one or more switches, a resistive-touch device,
a capacitive-touch device, and or any other user-input component
suitable for inclusion on the external unit 12A.
[0032] In the example arrangement, the external unit 12A receive
user-inputs via one or more of the buttons 40A-40C and provides
visual outputs, or displays of information, via the LED array 30.
In practice, functionalities of the buttons 40A-40C and/or the LED
array 30 depends on whether the external unit 12A is in the coupled
state or the decoupled state.
[0033] In an example implementation of the user interface in the
decoupled state, the recipient may press a left button 40A or a
right button 40C to scroll through a set of parameters of the
hearing device 10, which includes both sound-processing parameters
and system parameters. As the recipient scrolls through the set of
parameters, the external unit 12A may cause the LED array 30 to
provide a visual output in response to each interaction. As one
example, the external unit 12A may cause one or more of the LEDs to
light, with a number and/or pattern of the LEDs 30A-30E
corresponding to a particular parameter.
[0034] For instance, for the first five parameters, the external
unit 12A may cause one of the LEDs 30A-30E to light as a
corresponding parameter is selected. By way of example, a first LED
30A may correspond to a first parameter, a second LED 30B may
correspond to a second parameter, etc. For additional parameters,
multiple LEDs 30A-30E may light. For instance, the first LED 30A
and the second LED 30B may light to represent a sixth parameter,
the first LED 30A and a third LED 30C may light to represent a
seventh parameter, etc. Thus, the example LED array 30 can provide
visual outputs representing up to thirty-one individual parameters.
Further, in an example in which each LED 30A-30E in the LED array
30 can light in different colors, the LED array 30 could provide
visual outputs for more than thirty-one individual parameters. In
practice, however, the recipient will likely have access to fewer
than thirty-one individual parameters.
[0035] Each parameter may correspond to a sound-processing
parameter or a system parameter. The recipient may then press an
enter button 40C to select one of the parameter. The LED array 30
may responsively provide a visual output indicative of a current
setting of the selected parameter. If the selected parameter is a
current volume setting, for example, a number of the LEDs
representative of the current volume setting may light. In this
example, lighting each of the LEDs 30A-30E may indicate a maximum
volume setting, and lighting none of the LEDs 30A-30E may indicate
a minimum volume setting.
[0036] As another example, each sound-processing profile may be
associated with a particular lighting pattern of one or more LEDs
30A-30E. For example, a first sound-processing profile may be
associated with the first LED 30A lighting, a second
sound-processing profile may be associated with the second LED 30B
lighting, etc. If the selected parameter is a current
sound-processing profile (i.e., the sound-processing profile that
the external unit 12A will use to generate stimulation signals),
the external unit 12A may cause the one or more of the LEDs 30A-30E
to light based on the current sound-processing profile, thereby
providing a visual indication of the current sound-processing
profile. Other examples of sound-processing parameters are possible
as well.
[0037] The recipient can also select a system parameter to get an
indication of a status of the selected system parameter. For
example, if the recipient selects a system parameter corresponding
to a battery level, the external unit 12A may provide a visual
output indicative of the current battery level, perhaps by lighting
each of the LEDs 30A-30E when the battery is completely charged
(e.g., the battery level is at approximately 100%) or lighting none
of the LEDs 30A-30E when the battery is nearly drained (e.g., the
battery level approaching 10%). Additionally or alternatively, the
external unit 12A may cause one or more of the LEDs 30A-30E to
light in one color, such as green, when the battery level is above
a threshold battery level, and the external unit 12A may cause one
or more of the LEDs 30A-30E to light in a different color, such as
red, when the battery level is below the threshold level. Other
examples of system parameters are also possible.
[0038] The recipient can also interact with one or more of the
buttons 40A-40C to change the setting of some parameters. To change
the volume, for example, the recipient may press the right button
40B to increase the volume or the left button 40A to decrease the
volume. The LED array 30 may provide a visual output representative
of the new volume as the recipient presses the buttons 40A, 40B.
And when the recipient has set the volume to the desired level, the
recipient may press the enter button 40C to apply the new volume
setting. Alternatively, the external unit 12A may automatically
apply the new volume setting, or another selected parameter, if the
recipient subsequently couples the external unit 12A to the
stimulation unit 14 without pressing the enter button 40C. Further,
if the recipient does not press the enter button 40C within a
period of time, the external unit 12A may not apply the new
volume.
[0039] When the external unit 12A is in the decoupled state, the
LED array 30 may also automatically provide visual outputs in some
conditions. For example, upon entering the decoupled state, i.e.,
when the recipient decouples the external unit 12A from the
stimulation unit 14, the LED array 30 may automatically display a
current parameter setting, such as the battery level. Further, the
recipient may be able to select the parameter that is automatically
displayed upon decoupling, perhaps by interacting with the one or
more buttons 40A-40C. Additionally or alternatively, the LED array
30 may also automatically provide an indication of a fault or error
detected by the external unit 12A, perhaps by causing one or more
of the LEDs 30A-30E to flash and/or light in red.
[0040] In one example implementation, the external unit 12A
provides a limited user interface when the external unit 12A is
idled. For example, if a recipient interaction is not received
within a time limit, such as perhaps thirty seconds or even several
minutes, the external unit 12A is idled. In this case, none of the
LEDs 30 may be lit, thereby conserving the power resources of the
external unit's battery. Or if the external unit 12A is charging,
the LED array 30 may provide a visual output indicative of the
charging and/or a current charging level, perhaps by flashing or
lighting one or more of the LEDs 30A-30E in a left-to-right
sequence.
[0041] To "wake up" the external unit 12A from the idled condition,
the recipient may interact with the external unit 12A, perhaps by
pressing one of the buttons 40A-40C, thereby providing the
recipient with access to the full user interface available in the
decoupled state. Additionally or alternatively, the recipient can
wake up the external unit 12A by moving the external unit 12A. In
this example, the external unit 12A may include one or more sensors
configured to detect a movement of the external unit 12A, such as
one or more accelerometers. In this case, the external unit 12A
could determine whether a movement detected by the one or more
sensors is consistent with the recipient preparing to interact with
the device, such as when the recipient picks the external unit 12A
up from a table. In yet a further example, the external unit 12A
could be configured to wake up when the recipient unplugs a
charging cable.
[0042] In the coupled state, the external unit 12A provides a
different user interface. The recipient may have a limited, if any,
ability to see the LED array 30 while wearing the external unit
12A. Accordingly, the user interface generally provides fewer
visual outputs in the coupled state than in the decoupled state.
And since the recipient typically needs to modify only one or two
parameters, most notably the volume, while wearing the external
unit 12A, the user interface also provides access to fewer
functions than it does in the decoupled state. Further, because the
recipient does not receive visual feedback when the external unit
is in the coupled state, limiting the functionalities corresponding
to inputs may also reduce a likelihood of the recipient
accidentally changing the wrong parameter.
[0043] The external unit 12A may thus provide a user interface in
the coupled state that allows the recipient to change fewer
parameters than in the decoupled state. For example, pressing the
left button 40A or the right button 40B may respectively decrease
or increase the volume setting, as opposed to scrolling through a
series of selectable parameters, as described with respect to the
user interface in the decoupled state. In an additional example,
the recipient may also be able to cycle through the available
sound-processing modes or profiles by pressing the enter button
40B.
[0044] Additionally, whereas the external unit 12A may provide a
visual output in response to the recipient interacting with one of
the buttons 40A-40C when in the decoupled state, the external unit
12A may not provide a visual output in response to such
interactions in the coupled state. Instead, the external unit 12A
may generate, and send to the stimulation unit 14, one or more
stimulation signals that provide an audible indication of the
change being applied. For example, when the recipient increases the
volume, the external unit 12, upon applying the change, may
generate stimulation signals that will cause the recipient to
perceive a tone, with a volume of the tone being representative of
the maximum volume. Additionally, if the recipient changes a
sound-processing mode or profile, the resulting stimulation signals
generated by the external unit 12A may cause the recipient to
perceive a tone, or perhaps a spoken word or phrase indicative of
the selected sound-processing mode/profile.
[0045] In some examples, however, the external unit 12A may still
provide visual outputs in the coupled state. For instance, the
external unit 12A may cause one of the LEDs 30A-30E to provide
visual indication of whether the hearing device 10 is properly
functioning. As one example, one of the LEDs, such as the third LED
30C, may be lit, or possibly flash, green when the hearing device
10 is operating normally or red when the hearing device 10 is not
operating normally. The third LED 30C may also flash red when the
battery level is low. Additionally, the external unit 12A may be
equipped with an external speaker, in which case the external unit
12A may also provide an audible alarm when the hearing device 10 is
not functioning properly. These indications may be particularly
advantageous when the recipient is a student, as the visual
indication may alert a teacher when the recipient is using the
hearing device 10 and/or when the hearing device 10 is not properly
operating.
[0046] The recipient could also configure the external unit 12A,
perhaps by using an external computing device, to cause the LEDs
30A-30E to be lit while the recipient is wearing the external unit
12A in certain locations. In the example in which the recipient is
a student, for instance, the external unit 12A may be configured to
limit visual outputs while in the coupled state to times in which
the recipient is at school. Additionally or alternatively, the
external unit 12A may include a positioning device, such as a
global positioning service (GPS) receiver. The external unit 12A
could also be configured to receive a signal indicative of a
current location of the recipient, perhaps by receiving positioning
information from a local area wireless network or a positioning
device, such as a device with a GPS receiver. In these examples,
the external unit 12A may provide visual outputs only in certain
locations while in the coupled state, such as when the external
unit 12A determines that the recipient is at school.
[0047] FIG. 2B illustrates another example external unit 12B. The
external unit 12B includes a display 32, a sensor 34, and buttons
42A, 42B, and 42C. The display 32 is preferably an electronic paper
display, perhaps implemented as a touchscreen, though the display
32 could also be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an LED display.
The buttons 42A, 42B, and 42C are substantially similar to the
buttons 40A, 40B, and 40C, respectively. Further, in lieu of one or
more of the buttons 42A-42C, the external unit 12B may include one
or more different user-input components, such as one or more
switches, a resistive-touch device, a capacitive-touch device, and
or any other suitable user-input component.
[0048] The sensor 34 may provide an additional indication of the
recipient interacting with the external unit 12B. The external unit
12B may periodically receive from the sensor 34 a signal indicative
of whether the recipient is looking at the display 32. For
instance, the external unit 12B may be idled if a signal indicative
of the recipient is looking at the display 32 is not received
within a time limit, such as thirty seconds or up to several
minutes. Additionally or alternatively, the external unit 12B may
not wake up until both a signal from the sensor 34 indicative of
the recipient looking at the device and a user-input at one of the
buttons 42A-42C are received.
[0049] Like the external unit 12A, the external unit 12B may
provide a user interface in the decoupled state that differs from
the user interface in the coupled state. The recipient may interact
with the user interface, in both the decoupled state and the
coupled state, in a manner that is the same as or substantially
similar to the interactions described with respect to the external
unit 12A. The visual outputs provided by the external unit 12B,
however, differ from those provided by the external unit 12A.
[0050] In the decoupled state, for instance, the external unit 12B
provides a user interface, such as a graphical user interface, that
includes one or more interactive menus capable of being displayed
on the display 32. Each menu may include one or more parameters,
thereby allowing the recipient to quickly access a particular
parameter. A representation of each such menu, and any submenus,
and of each parameter may depend in part on the size of the display
32. For example, a representation of a parameter could be an
abbreviation, such as "VOL" for volume or "BAT" for battery level,
or a graphic or an image representative of the parameter, such as a
graphic of a speaker for volume or a graphic of a battery for
battery level.
[0051] The external unit 12B may also provide more information than
the external unit 12A provides regarding the operation of the
hearing device 10. For example, the recipient can select
information regarding the recipient's usage of the implant (e.g.,
the time periods or amount of time in which recipient used the
stimulation unit provided stimuli to the recipient), fault or error
codes and times such codes were received, and, if the stimulation
unit 14 includes an independent battery, the battery level of the
stimulation unit 14.
[0052] The display 32 may also provide visual outputs while the
external unit is idled in the decoupled state. While the external
unit 12B is charging, for example, the display 32 may provide a
graphic of a battery that is representative of the current battery
level, and perhaps an amount of time needed to fully charge the
battery. The display 32 may also display an indication of whether
the external unit 12B is calibrated for the recipient's right ear
or left ear, perhaps by displaying an "R" or an "L," which may be
helpful if the recipient uses two hearing devices.
[0053] Further, in still another example, the display 32 may
provide recipient-identifying information, such as the recipient's
name and telephone number, if the external unit 12B is idled. If
the recipient misplaces the external unit, this information can
help a person who finds the external unit 12B in returning it to
the recipient. Alternatively, rather than providing the
recipient-identifying information, the display 32 could display an
identification code and telephone number for a third-party service
that will assist the finder in returning the external unit 12B.
When the external unit 12B receives location information, again
from either a wireless network of from a positioning device, the
recipient-identifying information may be displayed in certain
locations, while the more discreet identification code and phone
number are displayed in other locations. In this manner, the
recipient can designate certain areas in which to display the
recipient-identifying information, such as in areas where a
prospective finder is more likely to know or be able to quickly
identify the recipient. Examples of such areas may include a school
or a work place.
[0054] Like the external unit 12A, the external unit 12B, when in
the coupled state, may not provide an output indicative of a
setting or status of a parameter. Instead, the external unit 12B
may cause the display 32 to provide a visual output unrelated to
hearing device operations or functions. For instance, the external
unit 12B might cause the display 32 to provide a display that
approximates the recipient's hair pattern. Such a display may be
predetermined and stored in a data storage of the external unit
12B, and the external unit 12B may access the data storage to
provide the display. This may provide some camouflaging of the
external unit 12B, thereby making it less apparent to people around
the recipient that the recipient is wearing the external unit 12B.
Alternatively, the recipient might configure the display 32 to
display a personal graphic or image, such as a logo of a sports
team. And in some examples, the external unit 12B may include an
LED, such as the LED 30C described with respect to the external
unit 12A, which the external unit 12B may light to provide a visual
indication of whether the hearing device 10 is properly
functioning.
[0055] Turning now to FIG. 3, the external unit 12 includes a
user-interface module 50, microphones (or other audio transducers)
60A and 60B, a processing unit 62, data storage 64, one or more
sensor(s) 66, a wireless communication interface 68, and a
transceiver 70, which are communicatively linked together by a
system bus, network, or other connection mechanism 72. The external
unit 12 also includes a magnet 80, thereby allowing the external
unit to magnetically couple to the stimulation unit 14, and a
transducer 74, such as an inductive coil, that is electrically
connected to the transceiver 70 to facilitate communications with
the stimulation unit 14 via the forward link 22 and the back link
24.
[0056] In an example arrangement, these components are included in
a single housing, which may have a physical structure similar to
the structures of the example external units 12A and 12B described
with respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively. In alternative
arrangements, the components could be provided in or more physical
units for use by the recipient. For example, the microphones 60A
and 60B, the processing unit 62, the data storage 64, the wireless
communication interface 68, the user-interface module 50, and the
transceiver 70 may be included in a behind-the-ear housing. The
magnet 80 and the transducer 74, and perhaps one or more sensors
66, may be included in a separate housing that is connected to the
first housing by a cable. Other arrangements are possible as
well.
[0057] The user-interface module 50 includes one or more
user-interface components suitable for providing user interfaces to
the recipient. As shown in FIG. 3, the user-interface module 50
includes one or more user-input components 52, one or more
visual-output components 54, and a speaker 56. The one or more
user-input components 52 may be the same as or substantially
similar to the buttons 40A-40C or 42A-42C described with respect to
FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively. Similarly, the one or more
visual-output components 54 may be the same as or substantially
similar to the LED array 30 and/or the display 32 described with
respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively. Note that in some
examples, the user-interface module 50 may include a touchscreen,
which could constitute both one of the one or more user-input
components 52 and one of the one or more visual-output components
54.
[0058] When the external unit 12 is in the coupled state, the
speaker 56 may provide one or more audible alarms when the hearing
device 10 is not operating properly. The alarm may be a tone, a
tone pattern, or a melody, or perhaps a spoken phrase or an audible
indication of a particular fault experienced by the hearing device
10. When the external unit 12A is in the decoupled state, the
speaker 56 may provide audible outputs in response to an
interaction with one of the one or more user-input components 52.
The speaker 56 could also provide an audible alarm that indicates
the external unit 12 needs to be charged and/or an indication of
the external unit 12 being lost or misplaced. Other example outputs
are possible as well.
[0059] In the arrangement as shown, the microphones 60A and 60B may
be arranged to receive audio input, such as audio coming from an
acoustic environment, and to provide a corresponding signal (e.g.,
electrical or optical, possibly sampled) to the processing unit 62.
For instance, the microphones 60A and 60B may be positioned on an
exposed surface of the housing of the external unit 12. Further,
the microphones 60A and 60B may comprise additional microphones
and/or other audio transducers, which could also be positioned on
an exposed surface of the housing of the external unit 12.
[0060] The processing unit 62 may then comprise one or more
processors (e.g., microprocessors) and/or one or more special
purpose processors (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits,
programmable logic devices, etc.). As shown, at least one such
processor functions as a sound processor 62A of the hearing device
10, to process received audio input so as to enable generation of
corresponding stimulation signals as discussed above. Further,
another such processor 62B could be configured to receive and
process inputs received via the one or more user-input components
52 and to provide outputs via the one or more visual-output
components 54. The processor 62B may also receive and process
signals received via the one or more sensors 66, perhaps via the
user-interface module 50, and to responsively determine whether the
external unit 12 is coupled to or decoupled from the stimulation
unit 14, and/or to determine whether the recipient has interacted
with the external unit 12 within a time limit. Further, the
processor 62B may cause the speaker 56 to provide an audible
output, perhaps in response to determining the hearing device 10 is
not operating properly. Alternatively, all processing functions,
including functions for implementing the user interfaces, could be
carried out by the sound processor 62A itself.
[0061] The data storage 64 may then comprise one or more volatile
and/or non-volatile storage components, such as magnetic, optical,
or flash storage, and may be integrated in whole or in part with
processing unit 62. As shown, the data storage 64 may hold program
instructions 64A executable by the processing unit 62 to carry out
various hearing device functions described herein, as well as
reference data 64B that the processing unit 62 may reference as a
basis to carry out various such functions.
[0062] By way of example, the program instructions 64A may be
executable by the processing unit 62 to facilitate providing one or
more user interfaces. For instance, the program instructions may
include instructions for providing a first user interface in the
coupled state and a second user interface in the decoupled state.
To this end, the instructions may cause the processing unit 62 to
process a user input by performing a function selected from either
a first set of functions when in the coupled state or a second set
of functions when in the decoupled state, with the second of set of
functions differing from the first set of functions. The first set
of functions may provide, for instance, the recipient with the
ability to directly adjust one or two sound-processing parameters,
whereas the second set of functions may provide the recipient with
the ability to cycle through a number of additional
sound-processing parameters, as well as one or more system
parameters, review settings such parameters, and change one or more
of the settings.
[0063] Similarly, the instructions may cause the processing unit 62
to provide a visual output selected from either a first set of
visual outputs when in the couples state or a second set of visual
outputs when in the decoupled state. Consistent with the above
discussion, the second set of visual outputs includes a greater
number of visual outputs than the first set of visual outputs. That
is, because the recipient has the ability to access more
sound-processing parameters, as well as system parameters, via the
second user interface, the second user interface provides a wider
variety of visual outputs than the first set of visual outputs. The
instructions may further cause the processing unit 62 to
automatically provide a visual output or, in the decoupled state,
to provide a visual output in response to an interaction with the
external unit 12.
[0064] The reference data 64B may include settings of adjustable
sound-processing parameters, such as a current volume setting, a
current recipient profile, and/or a current number of channels per
signal, and static sound-processing parameters, such as, for
instance, multiple recipient profiles. Moreover, the reference data
64B may include settings of system parameters not associated with
sound-processing operations, such as one or more alarm times and/or
recipient usage information. The processing unit 62 may access the
reference data 64B to determine a current status or setting of a
parameter prior to producing a visual output in the decoupled
state. Additionally, the processing unit 62 may change a setting of
a sound-processing parameter or a system parameter when performing
a recipient-request function. Note that the listed examples of
parameters are illustrative in nature and do not represent an
exclusive list of possible sound-processing parameters and/or
system parameters.
[0065] The one or more sensors 66 may provide the processing unit
62 with one or more signals indicative of whether the external unit
12 is coupled to or decoupled from the stimulation unit 14. To this
end, the one or more sensors 66 may include a sensor configured to
provide an output in the presence of a magnetic field, such as a
Reed switch or a Hall effect sensor. Such a sensor may provide an
output to the processing unit 62 in the presence of a magnetic
field generated by the magnet 80 and a magnet included in the
stimulation component 14.
[0066] The one or more sensors 66 may also include one or more
sensors configured to detect a movement or condition indicative of
the recipient is interacting with the external unit 12. As
previously described, the one or more sensors could include one or
more accelerometers, an infrared emitter/detector, a camera, or
perhaps even an internal positioning system. As another example,
the one or more sensors 36 could include an audio sensor (e.g., a
microphone). In this case, the one or more sensors 36 may receive
verbal commands from the recipient, and the processing unit 62 may
process a received verbal command to display a status of and/or
update a parameter of the external unit 12. The one or more sensors
66 may include one or more other types of sensors as well. Note
that in some examples, however, the external unit 12 may not
include the one or more sensors 66.
[0067] The wireless communication interface 68 may then comprise a
wireless chipset and antenna, arranged to pair with and engage in
wireless communication with a corresponding wireless communication
interface in another device such as wireless network of an external
device, according to an agreed protocol such as one of those noted
above. For instance, the wireless communication interface 68 could
be a BLUETOOTH radio and associated antenna or could take other
forms. In these examples, the wireless communications may include
relaying data associated with a location of the recipient, which
the wireless communication interface 68 may relay to the processing
unit 62 in order to assist the processing unit 62 in selecting a
visual output to provide via the one or more visual-output
components 54. Note that like the one more sensors 66, the external
unit 12 may not include the wireless communication interface 68 in
each possible embodiment.
[0068] Finally, as shown in FIG. 4, a flow chart is shown to
illustrate functions of a method 100 that can be carried out by an
external unit of a hearing device. For purposes of illustration
only, these functions will be described with reference to hearing
device 10.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 4, the method 100 begins at step 102 with
the external unit 12 determining that a recipient is interacting
with the external unit 12. The external unit 12 may make this
determination in any number of ways. As one example, if the
recipient interacts with a user-input component, then the external
unit 12 determines that the recipient is interacting with the
external unit 12. As another example, the external unit 12 may
determine that a movement of the external unit 12 is consistent
with a recipient interaction. For instance, the external unit 12
may include one or more sensors, such as one or more
accelerometers. When the recipient decouples the external unit 12
from the stimulation unit 14, or perhaps picks the external unit 12
up from a table, the one or more sensors may each provide signal
indicative of the a movement, which the external unit 12 could
interpret as a recipient interaction. To this end, the external
unit 12 may process each signal received from the one or more
sensors to determine whether a detected movement exceeds a
threshold. If the external unit 12 determines that the detected
movement exceeds the threshold, the external unit 12 may determine
that the movement is consistent with a recipient interaction. Or
the external unit 12 may determine whether the recipient is
interacting with the external unit 12 based on a signal received
from a different sensor, such as a camera or an infrared light
emitter/detector, configured to provide an output when the
recipient is looking at the external unit 12. Such sensor could
provide an output when the recipient is looking at a visual-output
component of the external unit 12, and the external unit 12 may
responsively determine that the output is indicative of a recipient
interaction.
[0070] The method 100 continues at block 104 with the external unit
12 making a determination of whether the external unit 12 and the
stimulation unit 14 are coupled or decoupled. The external unit 12
may make this determination in one of several ways. As noted above,
the stimulation unit 14 may periodically transmit telemetry data to
the external unit 12 at regular intervals. As a result, the
external unit 12 can determine the state based on a time since
telemetry data was last received. If the external unit 12 receives
telemetry data within a given period of time, such as 200
milliseconds or even as long as 1 second, the external unit 12 may
then determine that the external unit 12 and the stimulation unit
14 are coupled. If on the other hand the external unit 12 has not
received telemetry data within such a period of time, the external
unit 12 may then determine that the external unit 12 and the
stimulation unit 14 are decoupled.
[0071] In an alternative example, the external unit 12 could make
the determination based on a signal provided by a sensor configured
to detect a magnetic field, such as a Reed switch or a Hall effect
sensor. In practice, for instance, the sensor could provide an
output when the external unit 12 is coupled to stimulation unit 14,
whereas the sensor might not provide an output when external unit
12 is decoupled from the stimulation unit 14. The external unit 12
may thus make the determination based on the whether the sensor
provides the output.
[0072] If the determination is that the state is the coupled state,
then the method 100 continues, at block 106, with the external unit
12 providing a first user interface. On the other hand, if the
determination at block 104 is that the external unit 12 is
decoupled from the stimulation unit 14, then the method 100
continues at block 108 with the external unit 12 providing a second
user interface at block 112.
[0073] In line with the discussion above, the functionalities
provided by the first user interface differ from the
functionalities provided by the second user interface. For
instance, the functionalities provided by the first user interface
could include providing each of a first set of functions and a
first set of visual outputs, while the functionalities provided by
second user interface could include providing each of a second set
of functions and a second set of visual outputs. As described with
respect to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the functionalities of the second set
user interface--which is provided in the decoupled state--provide
the recipient with access to settings of more parameters than are
provided by functionalities of the first user interface. But while
the first set of functions differs from the second set of
functions, each user interface provides at least one functionality
for changing a setting of a sound-processing parameter. Similarly,
the second set of visual outputs includes a greater number of
visual outputs than the first set of visual outputs. That is, both
the first set of functions and the second set of functions may
include one or more common functions, such as the ability to adjust
a volume of perceived sounds or to change a sound-processing
profile.
[0074] After performing the steps of either block 106 or block 108,
the method 100 ends. Note that, in some examples, the external unit
12 may not perform the steps of the method 100 in the order
described. For instance, the external unit 12 could perform the
steps of block 104, and then perform the steps of block 102 before
proceeding to either block 106 or 108. Or the external unit 12 may
omit block 102 altogether. Moreover, the external unit 12 may
periodically performs one or more blocks of the method 100 to
verify that the external unit 12 is operating in the correct state.
Additionally or alternatively, the external unit 12 may perform one
or more blocks of the method 100 in response to receiving an
indication of a change of state, such as a signal from a sensor, an
indication of the external unit's 12 battery charging, etc.
[0075] With respect to any or all of the block diagrams, examples,
and flow diagrams in the figures and as discussed herein, each
step, block and/or communication may represent a processing of
information and/or a transmission of information in accordance with
example embodiments. Alternative embodiments are included within
the scope of these example embodiments. In these alternative
embodiments, for example, functions described as steps, blocks,
transmissions, communications, requests, responses, and/or messages
may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed,
including in substantially concurrent or in reverse order,
depending on the functionality involved. Further, more or fewer
steps, blocks and/or functions may be used with any of the message
flow diagrams, scenarios, and flow charts discussed herein, and
these message flow diagrams, scenarios, and flow charts may be
combined with one another, in part or in whole.
[0076] A step or block that represents a processing of information
may correspond to circuitry that can be configured to perform the
specific logical functions of a herein-described method or
technique. Alternatively or additionally, a step or block that
represents a processing of information may correspond to a module,
a segment, or a portion of program code (including related data).
The program code may include one or more instructions executable by
a processor for implementing specific logical functions or actions
in the method or technique. The program code and/or related data
may be stored on any type of computer-readable medium, such as a
storage device, including a disk drive, a hard drive, or other
storage media.
[0077] The computer-readable medium may also include non-transitory
computer-readable media such as computer-readable media that stores
data for short periods of time like register memory, processor
cache, and/or random access memory (RAM). The computer-readable
media may also include non-transitory computer-readable media that
stores program code and/or data for longer periods of time, such as
secondary or persistent long term storage, like read only memory
(ROM), optical or magnetic disks, and/or compact-disc read only
memory (CD-ROM), for example. The computer-readable media may also
be any other volatile or non-volatile storage systems. A
computer-readable medium may be considered a computer-readable
storage medium, for example, or a tangible storage device.
[0078] Moreover, a step or block that represents one or more
information transmissions may correspond to information
transmissions between software and/or hardware modules in the same
physical device. However, other information transmissions may be
between software modules and/or hardware modules in different
physical devices.
[0079] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed
herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those
skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed
herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
limiting, with the scope being indicated by the following
claims.
* * * * *