Self-fitting of hearing device with user support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11323827-B2
Application number	US-202017127113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2020
Priority date	Dec 23, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A method for adjusting a hearing device includes: receiving an input sound signal; identifying a listening situation; selecting at least one hearing program from a plurality of hearing programs in dependence of the identified listening situation; processing the input sound signal using the at least one selected hearing program to generate a processed sound signal and providing the processed sound signal to a user of the hearing device; receiving an adjustment command for the one or more processing parameters; determining a change rate at which the listening situation changes; when the change rate is above a predefined threshold, applying the one or more adjusted processing parameters to a possible set of hearing programs from the plurality of hearing programs; and when the change rate is below the predefined threshold, applying the one or more adjusted processing parameters to the at least one selected hearing program.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for adjusting a hearing device, the method comprising:
receiving an input sound signal;
identifying a listening situation based on the input sound signal by means of sound classification;
selecting at least one hearing program from a plurality of hearing programs in dependence of the identified listening situation, wherein one or more processing parameters are associated with the hearing programs;
processing the input sound signal using the at least one selected hearing program to generate a processed sound signal and providing the processed sound signal to a user of the hearing device, wherein preset processing parameters for the at least one selected hearing program are applied to the at least one selected hearing program;
receiving an adjustment command for the one or more processing parameters, the adjustment command being generated by the user with a user interface and determining one or more adjusted processing parameters from the adjustment command;
determining a change rate at which the listening situation changes;
when the change rate is above a predefined threshold, applying the one or more adjusted processing parameters to a possible set of hearing programs from the plurality of hearing programs, the possible set of hearing programs comprising the at least one selected hearing program and at least one hearing program, which is selectable after a change of the listening situation;
when the change rate is below the predefined threshold, applying the one or more adjusted processing parameters to the at least one selected hearing program and updating the preset processing parameters for the at least one selected hearing program to the adjusted processing parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the change rate is above the predefined threshold and after that falls below the predefined threshold, the one or more adjusted processing parameters are discarded and the one or more preset processing parameters are applied to the possible set of hearing programs.

3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the one or more preset processing parameters are stored in the hearing device; and/or
wherein one or more preset processing parameters for different listening situations are stored in the hearing device.

4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the hearing device is connected via a data communication connection with a mobile device of the user;
wherein the user interface for generating the adjustment command is provided by the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified listening situation is provided to the user via the user interface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change rate of the listening situation is provided to the user via the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein an indicator is provided by the user interface, that the change rate is above the predefined threshold and that the change rate is below the predefined threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein an interest command for a specific listening situation is received, the adjustment command being generated by the user with the user interface;
wherein, when the selected listening situation equals the specific listening situation, applying the one or more adjusted processing parameters to the at least one selected hearing program;
wherein, when the selected listening situation is different from the specific listening situation, applying the one or more preset processing parameters to the at least one selected hearing program.

9. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein, when a change in a listening situation is identified, the hearing device waits for a time constant, until the at least one selected hearing program is activated and the input sound signal is processed with the at least one selected hearing program.

10. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein, when the change rate of the listening situation raises above the predefined threshold, the time constant is set to a smaller value;
wherein, when the change rate of the listening situation falls below the predefined threshold, the time constant is reset to a preset value.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the listening situation is identified based on at least one of sound class, a sound level, a signal-to-noise ratio, a mean reverberation time, a frequency distribution, a direction of arrival information, or a selected mode of operation.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hearing device is a hearing aid adapted for compensating a hearing loss of a user.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program for adjusting a hearing device, which, when being executed by a processor, is adapted to carry out the method of claim 1 .

14. A hearing system comprising a hearing device,
wherein the hearing system is adapted for performing the method of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Sonova Ag

Inventors

• Boretzki Michael
• Crameri Erich
• Hildebrand Nicola

Classifications

• H04R2225/61

  Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning · CPC title

• H04R25/70 Primary

  Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting · CPC title

• H04R25/558 Primary

  Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency · CPC title

• H04R25/30

  Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power · CPC title

• H04R25/554

  using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils · CPC title