AU2008202727B2

AU2008202727B2 - Multi-component hearing aid system and a method for its operation

Info

Publication number: AU2008202727B2
Application number: AU2008202727A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mihail Boguslavskij; Volker Gebhardt; Gottfried Ruckerl
Original assignee: Sivantos Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Sivantos Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2007-07-02
Filing date: 2008-06-20
Publication date: 2010-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2028-06-20
Also published as: JP2009017557A; ATE463935T1; DE102007030745A1; AU2008202727A1; DK2012509T3; JP5021577B2; EP2012509B1; DE502008000514D1; EP2012509A1

Abstract

The system has a hearing aid component (1) generating and/or amplifying an audio impulse. Accessory units (2, 21) partially and intermittently stay in wireless communication connection to the component. Control units (6, 15, 26) shift interference sources (8-10, 17, 18, 28-30, 33), a loudspeaker (13) and a display (19) during transmission of data in an operating mode. Coupling of interference signals is carried out by one of the sources, in receivers (3, 4, 23, 41) engaged in data transmission in the operating mode, where the coupling is damped with respect to a normal operating mode. An independent claim is also included for a method for operating a multi-component hearing aid system.

Description

S&F Ref: 862661 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name and Address Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd., of Block 28, of Applicant: Ayer Rajah Crescent No. 06-08, 139959, Singapore, Singapore Actual Inventor(s): Mihail Boguslavskij Volker Gebhardt Gottfried RUckerl Address for Service: Spruson & Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 35 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Invention Title: Multi-component hearing aid system and a method for its operation The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 5845c(1 282915_1) Multi-Component Hearing Aid System And A Method For Its Operation The invention relates to a multi-component hearing aid system as well as to a method for its operation, in particular for data transmission between components of the hearing aid s system. Hearing aids serve primarily for providing hearing-impaired patients with as natural a hearing sensation as possible and in this regard compensate for usually medically induced malfunctions of the acoustic organs. At the same time, like most medical aids, they have t0 to fulfill this functionality without provoking other adverse effects for their wearer. Adverse effects of said kind can result, for example, from an inappropriate weight of the hearing aid or from, say, restrictions on movement associated with the wearing of hearing aids. Added to this in the case of medical aids that have to be positioned in the region of the face or head is that aesthetic considerations also play a special role. This is 15 particularly true since effort is often aimed at ensuring that the infirmity compensated by the hearing aid should remain hidden from the environment of a patient equipped with an aid of said kind. The aforementioned requirements are leading to a progressive weight reduction and 20 miniaturization of at least the hearing aid components worn in proximity to the ear. However, there are limits to said miniaturization due to the increasing complexity and functionality of modem hearing aids, which is why multi-component systems have become established in which individual functions of the hearing aid have been exported into an auxiliary device or other components that are to be positioned independently of 25 the ear. In order nonetheless to be able to use these exported functions, at least partial communication is necessary between components of the hearing aid system that are disposed at the ear of the patient and other components which can be arranged at a different location. In particular as a consequence of the demands in terms of comfort that are placed on contemporary hearing aids it follows that said communication between the 30 individual components of a hearing aid system generally takes place wirelessly. This applies in the same way to hearing aid systems comprising a plurality of components which are to be disposed on or in the ears and which are included in a communication connection.

-2 DE 10 2004 047 759 B3 describes a hearing aid which is intended to improve the transmission and amplification of a useful signal in particular in difficult environments, i.e. environments affected by interference signals. Toward that end it is proposed to 5 transmit signals between a first hearing aid worn by a first hearing aid wearer and a I second hearing aid worn by a second hearing aid wearer. In this arrangement the I transmitted signal can include control parameters, sound field characteristic values or an audio signal. Furthermore it is possible for the signals transmitted between the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid to be transmitted via at least one additional hearing 10 aid worn by at least one additional hearing aid wearer. In this case the third hearing aid fulfills the function of a relay station. Hearing aid systems within the meaning of the invention are to be understood in the following description to include all multi-component hearing aid systems which comprise is at least one component requiring to be disposed on or in the ear of a patient, and which comprise a further component which is communicatively connected at least partially and/or temporarily to the component that is to be worn on the ear. Said further component can be disposed independently of the ear of the patient and/or comprise, in the case of binaural systems, a further component requiring to be disposed on or in the 20 patient's other ear. Included in this context are hearing aids which can be adapted to the personal needs of the respective hearing aid wearer with the aid of a suitable programming device during individual sessions at the practice of a hearing aid acoustician and/or which have auxiliary devices via which the patient him-/herself or another person independent of the hearing aid acoustician can individually adjust or set specific 25 parameters on the hearing aid. Implicit in the wireless connection concept is that with the exception of systems which can be supplied with energy via inductive couplings, each component of a multi component hearing aid system must have its own energy source. For components that are 30 worn directly on the or in the ear of a patient it follows from the requirements described in the introduction that an energy source of said kind should be as small and as easy to configure as possible, but on the other hand must possess sufficient capacity to ensure the operational reliability of the hearing aid system over a relatively long period of time -3 without necessitating frequent maintenance measures in the meantime. For this reason hearing aid systems are generally designed in such a way that at least the components of the hearing aid system that are worn directly on or in the ear of the patient are characterized by very low energy consumption. This applies to the maintaining of the 5 functionality as a medical aid just as much as to the implementation of the communication between individual hearing aid components. Standards for inductive wireless transmission of data between individual components of multi-component hearing aid systems have become established for said communication. 10 With the inductive wireless transmission of data from a hearing aid system component that is to be worn close to the ear to a device equipped with a suitable receiving apparatus, for example an auxiliary device in the form of a relay station, a programming device or a remote control, there is the problem that due to the relatively low capacity, voltage and peak-current-carrying capacity of batteries that are typically used, the maximum transmit 15 power of such hearing aid system components that are to be worn close to the ear is also very limited. This results in a correspondingly short transmission range. An additional factor, in particular for inductive systems that are common today, is that in the near field normally used the reduction in field strength as a function of the distance from the transmitter is of particular consequence. Accordingly, with currently known inductive 20 systems, depending on their design, only distances of approx. 30 cm are spanned on the link from a hearing aid system component designed to be worn on the ear to a receiving apparatus. Due to the low level of the useful signal at the receiving apparatus, even very low-power sources of interference can massively influence the transmission quality or impede or prevent the identification of the data that is to be transmitted. 25 Due to their very design, however, essential components of a hearing aid system, including auxiliary devices designed to receive data, generate electromagnetic emissions which act as sources of interference during the data transmission and during the data transmission are situated between the individual components in immediate proximity to 30 the transmission link, in particular to the active receiver in each case, i.e. in inductive systems close to the active receiving coil in each case. Sources of interference of this kind are, for example, the inductances of clocked voltage regulators or the supply and output lines of practically all clocked electronic circuits. Circuits of said kind are used for -4 controlling displays, for example. Devices with displays constitute strong emitters overall in this context. In the actual hearing aid, i.e. in components that are to be worn close to the ear, the hearing aid earpiece itself can contribute an additional source of interference. 5 It is known to shield modules acting as sources of interference. However, effective shielding of magnetic interference fields requires the use of components with relatively large space requirements, for example in g-metal boxes. In particular in the case of hearing aid components that are to be worn in or on the ear, the necessary space for this is usually not available and the weight disadvantage associated therewith not acceptable. 10 A sufficiently great distance between the receiving coil and modules acting as sources of interference can likewise not be provided in particular in the case of hearing aid components that are to be worn in or on the ear. With auxiliary devices that are not required to be wom in immediate proximity to the ear, the trend is also toward integration is of a high degree of functionality in the device while keeping dimensions to a minimum, so that here too the aim is to keep the volume of the modules used as well as their maximum distance from one another as small as possible. On the assumption that the local arrangement of transmitting and receiving coils and all 20 sources of interference in the hearing aid or in the components of the hearing aid system is fixed and known at least during the data transmission, the receiving coil can in principle be placed in a minimum of the interference field to be expected. Orthogonal alignments of mutually influencing coils and/or interference fields are known for example. It is also known to realize local interference field compensation by generating 25 defined opposing fields. This, however, leads to significant restrictions in terms of design freedom and degree of miniaturization of devices configured in such a manner. A need therefore exists for a means of exchanging data reliably between individual components of a multi-component hearing aid system without having to accept the 30 shortcomings of the prior art. According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a multi-component hearing aid system, comprising at least one first component to be disposed on or in the ear of a patient for the purpose of generating and/or amplifying an auditory stimulus; at least one further -5 component which engages at least partially and/or temporarily in a wireless inductive communication connection via which a data transmission can take place with the first component to be worn on or in the ear and circuitry means are included which can place at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system at least during the 5 transmission of data into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by the at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner which is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode, with the at least one source of interference being a switching regulator, a display, a clocked switching circuit or a hearing device receiver contained in the hearing aid system. 10 The aspects of the invention are based essentially on placing identified sources of interference at least during the transmission of data into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled into one or all of the receivers involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating is mode of said sources of interference. This change in the operating mode of sources of interference can include their temporary deactivation, but can also consist in a change in the operating mode of the identified source of interference in which only the radiation properties of the source of interference change, but the functions of the component acting as a source of interference are preserved during the data transmission. A change of said 20 kind can include reducing the interference power by reducing the power injected into the source of interference or a change in the interference spectrum, which in the case of clocked components may be associated with a change of timing. Typical methods for wireless, in particular inductive data transmission between the 25 components of the hearing aid system can advantageously be adapted in harmony with the invention in such a way that the time at which at least one transmitter is operating is precisely known. At this time at least one source of interference is then placed into a different operating mode in order to facilitate the reception of the sent signals or the data transmission. 30 A minimum configuration for use of the aspects of the invention therefore comprises a multi-component hearing aid system having at least one first component to be disposed on or in the ear of a patient for the purpose of generating and/or amplifying an auditory stimulus and at least one further component which is engaged at least partially and/or -6 temporarily in a wireless communication connection via which a data transmission can take place with the component that is to be worn on or in the ear, wherein circuitry means are included which can place at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system at least during the transmission of data into an operating mode in which 5 interference signals coupled by this at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission are at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode. With the deactivation of the sources of interference or, as the case may be, a reduction in 10 the interference power or a manipulation of the interference spectrum, the reception situation in a receiving component of the hearing aid system, i.e. an auxiliary device for example, can be considerably improved temporarily at precisely defined times without noticeably compromising the performance of the individual components in normal operation if the change in the operating mode of the sources of interference only takes is place in short time windows in which deviations from the normal operation of the hearing aid system that occur are not perceptible. In certain cases changes in the operating mode of sources of interference are also conceivable which involve deviations from the normal operation of the hearing aid 20 system that lie above the perceptibility threshold. Since the data transmission from a hearing aid system component that is to be worn close to the ear to an auxiliary device is for example an operating situation which occurs very infrequently in the normal application of a hearing aid system, for example during a programming session when the hearing aid data is being read out or in the case of an interrogation of the status of the 25 hearing aid components by a remote control, the possibly perceptible performance restriction associated therewith is tolerable. Thus, the momentary deactivation of the hearing aid earpiece or a display unit on the auxiliary device will scarcely have disruptive effects. 30 Means can advantageously also be included which compensate at least temporarily for the loss of function of a deactivated source of interference. Thus, in the case of switching regulators, for example, the outage time can be bridged by adequately dimensioned backup capacitors.

-7 The change in the operating mode of the identified sources of interference, where appropriate their deactivation, advantageously takes place during the transmission of data in all components of the hearing aid system which, during the existence of the wireless communication connection, are located in the vicinity of receivers involved. The 5 deactivation or, as the case may be, change in the operating mode of the sources of interference both in the receiving component and in the sending component has the advantage that the influence of sources of interference in the sending component which can also cause reception problems or interference in the receiver of the receiving component in the local area when there is a relatively small distance between transmitter 1o and receiver is also reduced or excluded. In this way an adverse effect on the transmission of data in the case of very short distances between the individual components of the hearing aid system due to design factors is precluded. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a hearing aid component is of a multi-component hearing aid system which can engage at least partially and/or temporarily in a wireless inductive communication connection with a further hearing aid component, wherein circuitry means are included which at least during a transmission of data can place at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid component into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by the at least one 20 source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode, with the at least one source of interference being a switching regulator, a display, clocked switching circuit or a hearing device receiver contained in the hearing aid component. 25 According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a multi-component hearing aid system, between whose components a wireless data transmission can take place, wherein at least during the transmission of data between components of the hearing aid system at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system is placed into an operating mode in which interference signals are 30 coupled by the at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode, with the at least one source of interference being a switching regulator, a display, a clocked switching circuit or a hearing aid receiver contained in the hearing aid system.

- 7a The aspects of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. I is a schematic circuit diagram of a hearing aid system consisting of two 5 components; Fig. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of a binaural hearing aid system with data transmission according to an embodiment of the invention; and 10 Fig. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a binaural hearing aid system according to the invention having an auxiliary device suitable for data communication. Fig. 1 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a hearing aid system according to the invention, consisting of two components. The two components of the hearing aid system is are a hearing aid component I designed to be worn on the ear of a patient for the purpose of amplifying sound pressure and an auxiliary device 2 by means of which individual acoustic parameters of the hearing aid component to be worn on the ear can be set, as can be carried out by the patient him-/herself with the aid of a remote control for example. In 20 25 30 [THE NEXT PAGE IS PAGE 81 an alternative that is not shown, the auxiliary device can also be a programming device of a hearing aid acoustician. In order to carry out the settings, a communication is required for the purpose of data 5 transmission between the hearing aid component 1 and the auxiliary device 2. During the data transmission the auxiliary device 2 is brought close to the ear-worn hearing aid component I so that it is situated within range of the data transmission means disposed on the hearing aid component 1. In the present case the data transmission takes place wirelessly over an inductive data transmission link. For this purpose at least one coil 3, 4 10 which can be used as transmitter and receiver is contained in each case in the ear-worn hearing aid component 1 and in the auxiliary device 2. The ear-worn hearing aid component I also comprises a receiver module 5, a control unit 6 and a transmitter module 7. Signals received at the receiving coil 3 are first supplied to the receiver module 5, conditioned there accordingly and supplied in the form of usable output signals IS to the control unit 6. Various forms of signal processing are performed in the control unit 6 in order to enable the received signals to be used in a way that is meaningful for the functionality of the hearing aid system. The control unit 6 also possesses means for changing the respective operating mode of individual identified sources of interference 8, 9, 10. In particular clocked electronic components, such as switching regulators or other 20 components tending to harmonic-rich emissions, but also components which are directly part of the acoustic transmission link of the hearing aid can act as sources of interference of the aforesaid kind. In the present case the acoustic transmission link comprises a microphone 11, an amplifier 12 and a loudspeaker 13 in the form of an earpiece to be placed in the ear. Said loudspeaker 13 can likewise act as a source of interference. The 25 sources of interference can be identified on the basis of the component specification or by corresponding measurements already during the design phase of the hearing aid system. The auxiliary device 2 likewise includes a receiver module 14, a control unit 15, a transmitter module 16 and other sources of interference 17, 18, including also a display 19. 30 The hearing aid system shown is configured in such a way that the time at which the coil 3 in the hearing aid component 1 operates as a transmitter is known precisely in the auxiliary device 2. For this purpose a communication protocol is realized in such a way -9 that the hearing aid component I always transmits data only in response to a request by the auxiliary device 2 and never independently initiates a transmission. The auxiliary device 2, which possesses a powerful power supply and accordingly has a relatively high transmit power, therefore sends a request to the hearing aid component I in the form of an 5 invitation to transmit desired data. In this case the relatively high transmit power of the transmitter module 16 of the auxiliary device 2 guarantees that this request can be reliably identified by the hearing aid component 1, even when the sources of interference 8, 9, 10, 13 in the hearing aid component 1 and the sources of interference 17, 18, 19 in the auxiliary device 2 are in operation unchanged. Simultaneously with the request, the 10 control units 6, 15 initiate a change in the operating mode of the sources of interference 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19, in this case a deactivation. During the transmission of the data from the hearing aid component I to the auxiliary device 2 all sources of interference 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19 that are not directly required for transmitting or receiving the data now remain deactivated for the duration of the transmission, i.e. for 50ms for example, both in is the sending hearing aid component I and in the receiving auxiliary device 2. The hearing aid component 1 responds solely to the request by the auxiliary device 2 by sending the requested data. In this way it is ensured by means of an event-driven change in the operating mode of the sources of interference 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19 that interference effects are reduced during the transmission of data between the components 1, 2 of the 20 hearing aid system. Alternatively, instead of being deactivated, sources of interference suited thereto can also be placed momentarily into an operating state which is possibly energetically less i favorable, i.e. temporarily increases the energy consumption of the battery-powered 25 hearing aid component 1, but in which the interference emissions lie in a frequency range that is noncritical for the receiver. In addition the quality of the communication connection can be improved in that the sources of interference 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19 are also placed into a low-interference operating state when the auxiliary device 2 transmits data to the hearing aid component 1. 30 During a data transmission as just described it is already sufficient for the purposes of implementing the invention to place individual sources of interference, for example such sources of interference which transmit particularly critical interferences in the form of -10 interference signals that are particularly difficult to differentiate from useful signals, into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode. Advantageously, however, all 5 identified sources of interference in range of the receivers involved in the data transmission are placed into an operating mode of said kind. Fig. 2 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a binaural hearing aid system with data transmission according to the invention. A binaural hearing aid system of this kind has io two separate hearing aid components 1, 21 for sound pressure amplification, each of which is disposed on an ear of the hearing aid wearer. A communication for the purpose of data exchange is likewise required between said hearing aid components. This results on the one hand from the necessity of a parameter alignment and various status queries that have to be executed at regular intervals, and on the other hand from physical factors 15 which, for the purpose of implementing certain hearing aid functions, require the interaction of at least two microphones disposed at a distance from each other. In this case the communication between such hearing aid components must usually take place at much shorter time intervals than is the case for example for the setting of parameters by external auxiliary devices. When two independent hearing aid components for sound 20 pressure amplification are present, each of these is equipped with a separate energy supply which will usually be configured symmetrically, i.e. each of the hearing aid components has only a very small battery with limited capacity. In this case it would be unfavorable to assign one of the hearing aid components communication tasks which are associated with a significantly higher energy consumption compared to the other hearing 25 aid component, since that would lead to earlier exhaustion of the battery in the respective hearing aid component and that would run counter in part to the object of the invention. In the present binaural hearing aid system the communication means in the individual hearing aid components are for this reason configured symmetrically, i.e. each of the two 30 hearing aid components 1, 21 has the same means for maintaining or establishing a communication connection for the purpose of data exchange, and the communication protocol required for their operation is likewise realized symmetrically. Each of the hearing aid components 1, 21 has a coil 3, 23 which can be used as transmitter and - 11 receiver. Each of the hearing aid components 1, 21 also includes a receiver module 5, 25, a control unit 6, 26 and a transmitter module 7, 27. The individual modules can be linked analogously to the preceding exemplary embodiment. The control units 6, 26 in turn possess means for changing the respective operating mode of individual identified sources 5 of interference 8, 28, 9, 29, 10, 30. Each hearing aid component 1, 21 also includes an acoustic transmission link comprising a microphone 11, 31, an amplifier 12, 32 and a loudspeaker 13, 33 as a sound pressure generating output unit. It is possible also in hearing aid systems of this kind to realize the communication 10 protocol in such a way that the time at which a coil 3, 23 operates as a transmitter in one of the hearing aid components 1, 21 is precisely known. In contrast to the preceding exemplary embodiment, however, this synchronization is not accomplished in an event driven manner by means of a request-response system, but is time-controlled. Toward that end the control units 6, 26 additionally possess means for generating time 15 information, e.g. a timer circuit 20, 40 which transmits a time signal to the control unit 6, 26 at least at regular intervals. Given corresponding synchronicity of these time signals transmitted to the control units 6, 26, using this as a basis, a communication connection for the transmission of different data can be established exactly simultaneously by the two hearing aid components 1, 21, wherein during the time that said communication 20 connection exists, the operating mode of known sources of interference 8, 28, 9, 29, 10, 30 and 13, 33 is in turn changed in an inventive manner, as a result of which said sources of interference 8, 28, 9, 29, 10, 30, 13, 33 find themselves in an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled in at least an attenuated manner into the receiver involved in the data transmission in each case. The communication between the two hearing aid 25 components 1, 21 can thus take place largely free of interference effects, i.e. a high level of transmission reliability of the data to be transmitted exists even at low transmit power. Fig. 3 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a binaural hearing aid system according to the invention having an auxiliary device suitable for data communication. The advantages of 30 the two already cited exemplary embodiments are united in the exemplary embodiment shown in Fig. 3. Firstly, said hearing aid system comprises two separate hearing aid components 1, 21, each of which is disposed on an ear of the hearing aid wearer, and secondly, the hearing aid system shown comprises an auxiliary device 2 which can -12 establish a communication connection with one of the hearing aid components 21. The communication connection between the two hearing aid components 1, 21 is established cyclically in a time-dependent manner. The operating mode of identified sources of interference 8, 9, 10, 13, 28, 29, 30, 33 is correspondingly changed in a time-dependent 5 manner. The communication between the auxiliary device 2 and the hearing aid component 21 takes place in an event-driven manner by means of a request-response system, wherein at least the request always originates in the auxiliary device 2 and is transmitted at a substantially higher transmit power. The change in the operating mode of the identified sources of interference 17, 18, 19, 28, 29, 30, 33 is correspondingly effected 10 in an event-dependent manner by means of the request. The initiation of a communication connection by means of a request which is transmitted at high transmit power is always useful when the requesting component of the hearing aid system, i.e. in the present case the auxiliary device 2, possesses sufficient energy reserves is and said communication connection does not have to be established regularly and/or very frequently. The time-dependent establishment of a communication connection with simultaneous changing of the operating mode of relevant sources of interference is always useful when 20 said communication connection has to be established very frequently and/or regularly and the transmission of a request signal consuming a relatively large amount of energy would place too heavy a load on the energy budget of the communicating hearing aid components 1, 21. 25 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the hearing aid component 21 has an additional transmitting and receiving coil 41 via which the communication with the auxiliary device 2 can proceed. In an alternative variant (not shown) it is, however, also possible to implement the communication with the auxiliary device 2 and the other hearing aid component 1 worn close to the ear via one and the same coil 23. In a further embodiment 30 that is not shown it is also possible to equip both hearing aid components 1, 21 worn close to the ear with an external auxiliary device 2 via means for establishing a communication connection, thereby resulting in the possibility of direct access by such auxiliary devices, for example remote controls or programming devices, to the respective hearing aid - 13 component 1, 21. In this way the hearing aid components 1, 21 can be adapted directly to needs of the hearing aid wearer without the requirement for parameters to be passed via the communication connection existing between the hearing aid components 1, 21. 5

Claims

1. A multi-component hearing aid system, comprising: at least one first component to be disposed on or in the ear of a patient 5 for the purpose of generating and/or amplifying an auditory stimulus; at least one further component which engages at least partially and/or temporarily in a wireless inductive communication connection via which a data transmission can take place with the first component to be worn on or in the ear; and circuitry means are included which can place at least one source of 10 interference contained in the hearing aid system at least during the transmission of data into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner which is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode, with the at least one source of interference being a switching regulator, is a display, a clocked switching circuit or a hearing device receiver contained in the hearing aid system.

2. The hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein circuitry means are included for effecting an event-driven change in the operating mode of at least one 20 source of interference during a transmission of data from one component of the hearing aid system to another component.

3. The hearing aid system according to claim I or 2, wherein circuitry means are included for effecting a time-controlled change in the operating mode of at 25 least one source of interference during a transmission of data from one component of the hearing aid system to another component.

4. The hearing aid system according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein two components to be disposed on or in the ears of a patient for the purpose of generating 30 and/or amplifying auditory stimuli are included which function as a binaural hearing aid system, wherein means for a wireless exchange of data between said components are included. - 15

5. The hearing aid system according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein circuitry means are included which can place a plurality of sources of interference contained in the hearing aid system at least during the transmission of data between the components of the hearing aid system into an operating mode in which interference s signals are coupled by said sources of interference into receivers involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode of the sources of interference.

6. The hearing aid system according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the 10 circuitry means which can place the sources of interference contained in the hearing aid system into a different operating mode during the transmission of data include means for deactivating the sources of interference.

7. The hearing aid system according to claim 6, wherein circuitry means i5 are included which compensate at least temporarily for the loss of function of a deactivated source of interference.

8. The hearing aid system according to claim 7, wherein the circuitry means for compensating for the loss of function of a deactivated source of interference 20 include capacitors.

9. The hearing aid system according to one of claims I to 5, wherein the circuitry means which can place the sources of interference contained in the hearing aid system into a different operating mode during the transmission of data include means for 25 varying the timing as clocked components acting as sources of interference and/or varying the power injected into the source of interference and/or otherwise influencing the interference spectrum.

10. The hearing aid system according to one of claims I to 9, wherein at 30 least one first component to be disposed on or in the ear of a patient for the purpose of generating and/or amplifying an auditory stimulus and at least one further component in the form of a remote control or a programming device, between which a wireless communication connection can be set up. -16

11. A hearing aid component of a multi-component hearing aid system which can engage at least partially and/or temporarily in a wireless inductive communication connection with a further hearing aid component, wherein circuitry means are included which at least during a transmission of data can place at least one source of s interference contained in the hearing aid component into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode, with the at least one source of interference being a switching regulator, a display, clocked switching circuit or a hearing device receiver contained in lo the hearing aid component.

12. The hearing aid component according to claim 11, wherein circuitry means are included for effecting an event-driven change in the operating mode of at least one source of interference during a transmission of data. 15

13. The hearing aid component according to claim 11 or 12, wherein circuitry means are included for effecting a time-controlled change in the operating mode of at least one source of interference during a transmission of data. 20

14. The hearing aid component according to one of claims I1 to 13, wherein the hearing aid component is a hearing aid component that is designed to be disposed on or in the ear of a patient for the purpose of generating and/or amplifying an auditory stimulus. 25

15. The hearing aid component according to one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the hearing aid component is a remote control or a programming device of a multi-component hearing aid system.

16. A method for operating a multi-component hearing aid system 30 according to claim 1, between whose components a wireless data transmission can take place, wherein at least during the transmission of data between components of the hearing aid system at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system is placed into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said at least one - 17 source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode, with the at least one source of interference being a switching regulator, a display, a clocked switching circuit or a hearing aid receiver contained in the hearing 5 aid system.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system is placed by a request for data transmission that is sent by a component of the hearing aid system in an event-driven 10 manner during the transmission of data into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode. is

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system is placed in a time-controlled manner during the transmission of data into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said at least one source of interference into a receiver involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating 20 mode.

19. The method according to one of claims 16 to 18, wherein a plurality of sources of interference contained in the hearing aid system are placed during the transmission of data between the components of the hearing aid system into an operating 25 mode in which interference signals are coupled by said sources of interference into receivers involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated compared to the normal operating mode of the sources of interference.

20. The method according to one of claims 16 to 19, wherein at least one 30 source of interference contained in the hearing aid system is deactivated at least during the transmission of data.

21. The method according to one of claims 16 to 19, wherein by varying the timing and/or varying the power injected into the source of interference and/or otherwise - 18 influencing the interference spectrum, at least one source of interference contained in the hearing aid system is placed at least during the transmission of data into an operating mode in which interference signals are coupled by said source of interference into receivers involved in the data transmission in a manner that is at least attenuated 5 compared to the normal operating mode of the source of interference.

22. A multi-component hearing aid system substantially as disclosed herein with reference to any one or more of Figs. I to 3 of the accompanying drawings. 10

23. A hearing aid component of a multi-component hearing aid system substantially as disclosed herein with reference to any one or more of Figs. I to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A method for operating a multi-component hearing aid system is substantially as disclosed herein with reference to any one or more of Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this Sixteenth Day of June, 2010 Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. 20 Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON & FERGUSON