EP0796035B1 - Digital hearing-aid with processor supervision - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a digital hearing aid according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates a method for operating a digital hearing aid the preamble of claim 7.

When a digital hearing aid is operated, what is required in each case Program for signal processing in the processor of the digital Hearing aids loaded and then controlled via a program counter executed. Depending on the respective functional conditions the digital hearing aid or the environmental conditions, in which the digital hearing aid is operated, there may be malfunctions when the loaded program is running. Such bugs can e.g. through static Discharge processes or due to strong electromagnetic fields (e.g. near GSM phones).

The user of the hearing aid is now generally forced to switching the hearing aid off and on again and thus initializing of the hearing aid and reloading the canceled one Program. It arises for the user the hearing aid may be substantial and disruptive Downtime during which the user manually owns the hearing aid must reactivate and possibly even distracted is, so that he is exposed to an increased risk of accidents becomes. The user interrupts the signal transmission perceived as disturbing. The malfunction could also cause harmful levels at the output of the hearing aid if it is not recognized in time.

A remote-controlled hearing aid emerges from CH-A 680 249, the actual hearing device worn on or in the ear and has a handheld transmitter as an operating device. The hearing aid contains electronic reception, control and amplifier modules and the control unit is equipped with a circuit, with which periodic control signals are generated and which are received and processed by the handset if there is no or no reception an alarm signal of these control signals in the hearing apparatus is triggered.

From FR-A-2 536 878 is a restart circuit for one Processor known, which is a properly delivered Processor signal tracks and automatically a restart signal generated for the processor once the frequency the processor signal changes.

The invention has for its object a digital hearing aid and a method for operating a digital hearing aid offer a temporary failure of the digital Avoid hearing aids in the event of a program sequence disruption.

The task is for the digital hearing aid according to the invention by the characterizing part of claim 1 in conjunction solved with the generic term. Advantageous embodiments are realized in subclaims 2-6.

The task is solved for the procedure by the characteristics of the characterizing part of claim 7 in conjunction with the generic term.

According to the invention, the digital hearing aid has one Monitoring element to determine a failure or a Malfunction of the sequence program and secondly an activation element, which in the event of a detected failure or malfunction the sequence program an automatic restart of the sequence program causes.

After failure and cancellation of the just loaded and running program, this failure is caused by the monitoring element determined and it is after stopping a Signals to the activation element automatically - without manual Add and necessary user response - a restart and reload the program.

This can be done so quickly that the malfunction that has occurred and troubleshooting is not noticed by the user or if only perceived for a short time.

It is no longer necessary for the user to reactivate manual switching on / off must be carried out. Much more he can continue with undiminished attention to himself Dedicate to the environment and is (for example, driving a car or as a pedestrian in road traffic) if the program is canceled the hearing aid is no longer at risk of an accident.

The hearing aid according to the invention thus also has a program fault an increased ease of use and increases the Safety when wearing a hearing aid.

In an advantageous embodiment, the monitoring element not just a malfunction of the program flow fixed, but also monitors fluctuations in the supply voltage and leads if necessary - if the supply voltage drops below an adjustable limit - likewise reload the program.

Generally, monitoring element and activation element executed as separate components but also as a combination component become.

In one embodiment of the invention is a digital counter provided with the unit for input / output of data, a clock and the processor of the digital hearing aid connected is.

In another embodiment of the invention, one is monostable Flip-flop provided with the unit for input / output of data as well as the processor is connected.

It is advantageous between the monostable multivibrator and the A driver element is provided for the input / output of data, which indirectly controls the monostable multivibrator becomes.

It also sees a further advantageous embodiment the invention a Schmitt trigger element, which after the monostable multivibrator and upstream of the processor is. This makes the analog output signal the monostable Flip-flop into discrete "1" or "O" signals Control of the processor converted.

According to claim 8, a method according to the invention has which uses a digital counter, the process steps a) - e) on. During these process steps, periodic resetting of the undisturbed program flow Digital counter provided. When a program malfunction occurs the digital counter is not reset and overflows.

The next step in such a process Program error from the digital counter a signal to the processor of the hearing aid, causing a new charge of the program in the respective processor memory and so that the program sequence starts again.

Then the (overflowed) digital counter is reset and again and again in the following undisturbed program sequence automatically and periodically by integrated in the program flow Signals reset.

In an advantageous method variant according to claim 9 are the method steps a) - e) according to claim 8 even if the supply voltage falls below a certain limit by the supply voltage of the hearing aid carried out.

Such an undesirable lowering of the supply voltage limit becomes an example of a temporary undesirable change in other operating parameters of the Hearing aids.

Other parameters (e.g. functionality of individual electronic Components of the hearing aid) can also be monitored become.

By the proposed in claims 10 and 11 Adjustability of the counting frequency and the counting interval of the Digital counter can change its response sensitivity so that e.g. extremely short-term, possibly yourself self-correcting malfunctions from the digital counter not be recorded.

The periodic reset of the digital counter when there is no interference Program sequence is advantageously done according to claim 12 by a periodic reset signal of the input / output unit of data or the processor of the digital hearing aid.

In the event of a program fault, this remains periodic Reset signal off, so that an overflow of the digital counter takes place with the described subsequent reactions.

The inventive method for process monitoring according to claim 13 uses a monostable in its implementation Flop. The latter is in normal program execution periodically triggered, i.e. activated.

The monostable falls after an adjustable time interval Flip-flop in the event of a program error in its deactivated state back and generates a reset pulse.

Subclaims 14 to 16 include process claim 13 Realizations of the method steps according to claim 13 with already presented in previous claims Circuit elements.

In the process claims 17 and 18 is advantageous Embodiments provided, the respective causes of Program sequence errors (such as the drop in the supply voltage below a limit value) and information elements make visible.

The latter can also be done by importing the respective the causes of the interference-related signals in one (Queryable) memory of the processor happen.

Also other related to the program malfunctions Data (e.g. time of occurrence, time frequency and other statistical parameters) can be determined and the user or service personnel for disposal a malfunction that occurs several times as valuable auxiliary information to provide.

FIG 1

ein schematisches Schaltbild eines digitalen Hörgeräts,

FIG 2

eine Abwandlung von FIG 1 mit einem Digitalzähler sowie

FIG 3

eine weitere Abwandlung von FIG 1 mit einer monostabilen Kippstufe.

The invention is explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments in the drawing figures. Show it:

FIG. 1

1 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a digital hearing aid,

FIG 2

a modification of FIG 1 with a digital counter and

FIG 3

a further modification of FIG 1 with a monostable multivibrator.

1 shows a processor clocked via a clock generator 5 6, which the respectively called programs for signal processing loads into the program memory 10. This processes the signals and gives signal data to the unit 4 for input / output of data further.

The latter unit 4 is connected to the processor 6, but also with the monitoring element 1. The monitoring element 1 now determines if in the program memory 10 loaded program a fault occurs and then outputs a signal to the activation element 2, which in turn is connected to the processor 6 and an automatic reload of the program and a new one Start of the program in the program memory 10 causes without manual user intervention is necessary.

Instead of the overwash element 1 and the activation element 2 advantageously becomes a digital counter 3 (see FIG. 2) are used, which is also like the monitoring element 1 and the activation element 2 with the Unit 4 for input / output of data and the processor 6 in Connection is established and also clocked by a clock 5 becomes.

The digital counter 3 now counts with an adjustable counting frequency and adjustable counting interval and is used when the program runs undisturbed over and over again by unit 4 a reset bit, starting from unit 4, reset.

If such a reset bit due to a program failure is no longer provided by the unit 4, occurs now the overflow of the digital counter 3, causing a signal the processor 6 is discontinued and the program is reloaded in the program memory 10 with a new start of the program is effected.

According to FIG. 3, the monitoring element shown in FIG. 1 can 1 and activation element 2 also by a monostable Flip-flop 7 can be realized, which consists essentially of a resistor 11 and a capacitor 12 (i.e. RC element) and a Schmitt trigger element 9.

3 shows the monostable multivibrator 7 controlled via a driver element 8, and only then, when a signal is sent from the unit 4 to the driver element 8 which indicates that a program is running. Then the monostable multivibrator 7 is triggered and a signal is prevented from being sent to the processor 6, , which means a reload and a new start of the program. In the case of program errors, this will Monoflop no longer triggered, so that a reset is triggered and the program is reloaded.

Claims (18)

1. Digital hearing aid with a processor, a program memory for loading executive programs to control signal processing and a unit for input/output of data, characterised by the following features:

   monitoring means (1) for detecting a failure or a fault in the loaded executive program, and

   activation means (2) for automatically restarting the executive program upon detection of a failure or fault by the monitoring means (1).
2. Digital hearing aid according to Claim 1, characterised in that the monitoring means (1) is also used to monitor the supply voltage of the hearing aid.
3. Digital hearing aid according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that a digital counter (3) is provided which is connected to the unit (4) for input/output of data, to a clock-pulse generator (5) and to the processor (6).
4. Digital hearing aid according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a monostable flip-flop (7) is provided which is connected to the unit (4) for input/output of data and to the processor (6) of the hearing aid.
5. Digital hearing aid according to Claim 4, characterised in that a driver element (8) is provided between the monostable flip-flop (7) and the unit (4) for input/output of data.
6. Digital hearing aid according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that a Schmitt trigger element (9) is provided between the monostable flip-flop (7) and the processor (6).
7. Method for operating a digital hearing aid according to one of Claims 1 to 6, with a processor, a program memory for loading executive programs to control signal processing and a unit for input/output of data, characterised by the following process steps:

   detecting a failure or a fault in a loaded executive program, and

   automatically restarting the executive program when a failure or a fault is detected.
8. Method according to Claim 7, characterised by the following process steps:

   (a) periodic resetting of a digital counter (3) when the program executes without failure or fault,

   (b) suppressing resetting of the digital counter (3) and resulting overflow of the digital counter (3) in the event of failure and fault in the program execution,

   (c) supplying a signal from the digital counter (3) to the processor (6) of the hearing aid to restart the said executive program,

   (d) resetting the digital counter (3); and

   (e) continuing with step (a).
9. Method according to Claim 8, characterised in that the process steps a) to e) are also performed when a supply voltage limit value is temporarily undershot by the supply voltage of the hearing aid.
10. Method according to one of Claims 8 or 9, characterised in that the counting frequency of the digital counter (3) is varied.
11. Method according to one of Claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the counting interval of the digital counter (3) is varied.
12. Method according to one of Claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the digital counter (3) is reset when a program executes without failure or fault by a periodic signal from the unit (4) for input/output of data or a periodic signal from the processor (6).
13. Method according to Claim 7, characterised by the following process steps:

    a) triggering a monostable flip-flop (7) during normal program execution,

    b) suppressing the trigger signal in the event of program errors where there is a fault or a failure in the program, and

    c) supplying a signal from the monostable flip-flop (7) to the processor (6) to restart the executive program.
14. Method according to Claim 13, characterised in that the monostable flip-flop (7) is triggered via a driver element (8).
15. Method according to one of Claims 13 or 14, characterised in that the monostable flip-flop (7) supplies a signal to the processor (6) via a Schmitt trigger element (9).
16. Method according to one of Claims 13 to 15, characterised in that the monostable flip-flop (7) is triggered by a signal from the unit (4) for input/output of data or a signal from the processor (6).
17. Method according to one of Claims 8 to 16, characterised in that the cause(s) of the fault or of the failure of the program execution is/are detected.
18. Method according to Claim 17, characterised in that the cause(s) are displayed via information elements or are stored in the memory of the processor (6), from where they can be read.

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