Method of adapting a hearing device to a user's ear, and a hearing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016255448-A1
Application number	US-201615054928-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 26, 2016
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The application relates to a hearing device comprising an input unit for providing an electric input audio signal, a configurable signal processing unit for processing an audio signal and providing a processed audio signal, and a reversible output transducer for converting an electric output signal to an acoustic output sound. The hearing device further comprises a measurement unit configured to convert a sound pressure level to an electric signal, termed the measurement signal, and a control unit configured to determine a present electric impedance of the output transducer or a measure indicative of said present electric impedance from said measurement signal. This has the advantage that no additional microphone or other measurement equipment is needed to provide a (e.g. in-situ) real ear measurement of sound pressure level. The invention may e.g. be used to control audio signal processing in hearing aids, headsets, ear phones, active ear protection systems, or combinations thereof.

First claim

1 . A hearing device comprising an input unit for providing an electric input audio signal, a configurable signal processing unit for processing an audio signal and providing a processed audio signal, and an output transducer for—in a normal mode of operation—converting an electric output signal to an acoustic output sound, wherein
the output transducer is reversible, and the hearing device further comprises
a measurement unit configured—at least in a specific measurement mode—to convert a sound pressure level to an electric signal, termed the measurement signal, and
a control unit configured to determine a present electric impedance of the output transducer or a measure indicative of said present electric impedance from said measurement signal.

2 . A hearing device according to claim 1 comprising a memory storing corresponding values of a specific acoustic load and the electric impedance of the output transducer when exposed to the specific acoustic load.

3 . A hearing device according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to determine update processing parameters for substituting presently used processing parameters in the configurable signal processing unit based on the comparison of present electric impedance of the output transducer with an electric impedance corresponding to a specific acoustic load.

4 . A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein said control unit comprises data characterizing said output transducer.

5 . A hearing device according to claim 1 wherein said control unit is configured to determine an estimate of a present sound pressure based on said measurement signal and said present electric impedance of the output transducer or a measure indicative of said present electric impedance.

6 . A hearing device according to claim 1 comprising a memory storing a target sound pressure, or a measure thereof, intended to be applied to the user's ear drum to compensate for a hearing impairment of the user.

7 . A hearing device according to claim 6 wherein said control unit is configured to compare said estimate of present sound pressure or a measure thereof with said target sound pressure or a measure thereof and to provide a comparison result.

8 . A hearing device according to claim 7 wherein said control unit is configured to determine update processing parameters for substituting presently used processing parameters in said configurable signal processing unit from said estimate of present sound pressure.

9 . A hearing device according to claim 1 comprising a communication interface to a programming device for fitting processing parameters of the hearing device to a particular user, and wherein the hearing device is configured to allow said specific measurement mode to be controlled from said fitting system.

10 . A hearing device according to claim 1 comprising a user interface allowing said specific measurement mode to be controlled from said user interface.

11 . A hearing device according to claim 1 comprising a hearing aid, a headset, an ear phone, an active ear protection systems, or a combination thereof.

12 . A method of operating a hearing device, the method comprising
providing an electric input audio signal, processing an audio signal originating from the electric input audio signal, and providing a processed audio signal, and
in a normal mode of operation—using an output transducer to convert an electric output signal originating from the processed audio signal to an acoustic output sound, and
in a specific measurement mode—
using the output transducer to convert a sound pressure level to an electric signal, termed the measurement signal, and
determining a present electric impedance of the output transducer or a measure indicative of said present electric impedance from said measurement signal.

13 . A method according to claim 11 comprising
determining update processing parameters from said present electric impedance,
substituting presently used processing parameters with said update processing parameters for use in said processing of the audio signal, if said estimate of present sound pressure fulfils a predefined criterion.

14 . A method according to claim 11 comprising
analyzing said present electric impedance,
providing a number of proposed actions to the use via a user interface,
allowing the user to choose an action from said number of proposed actions via said user interface.

15 . A method according to claim 11 comprising
providing data characterizing said output transducer;
determining an estimate of a present sound pressure based on
said measurement signal,
said data characterizing said output transducer; and
said present electric impedance of the output transducer or a measure indicative of said present electric impedance.

16 . Use of a hearing device as claimed in claim 1 .

17 . A combined system comprising a hearing device as claimed in claim 1 and a programming device for fitting processing parameters of the hearing device to a particular user.

Assignees

• Oticon As
• Bernafon Ag

Inventors

• Morant Fabian
• Jensen Stefan Stegmann

Classifications

• H04R25/30

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

• H04R25/70 Primary

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

• H04R2225/021

  Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R2225/025

  In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids · CPC title

• H04R2225/61

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