Hearing device considering external environment of user and control method of hearing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9794699-B2
Application number	US-201314103218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2013
Priority date	Dec 13, 2012
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A hearing device and a method of the hearing aid are provided considering an external environment surrounding a user. The hearing device includes an external environment determination unit, an inquiry unit, and a parameter set unit. The external environment determination unit is configured to determine an external environment surrounding a user wearing the hearing device. The inquiry unit is configured to select a question corresponding to the external environment and inquire the question to the user. The parameter set unit is configured to set a parameter of the hearing device based on a response to the question and hearing loss information of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hearing device, comprising:
an external environment determination unit configured to determine an external environment currently surrounding a user wearing the hearing device, using a radio wave sensor included in the hearing device;
an inquiry unit configured to select a question in response to the external environment currently surrounding the user and to inquire the question to the user; and
a parameter set unit configured to set a parameter of the hearing device based on a response to the question and hearing loss information of the user,
wherein the inquiry unit is further configured to classify an electronic device disposed in the external environment currently surrounding the user using radio waves detected by the radio wave sensor and select a question of whether to connect to the classified electronic device and receive sound, through the radio wave sensor, from the classified electronic device, according to intensity of radio waves detected from the electronic device.

2. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the external environment comprises any one or any combination of two or more of oscillation frequency, frequency, and electronic waves generated in the external environment currently surrounding the user.

3. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the external environment determination unit is further configured to determine the external environment currently surrounding the user using an audio sensor included in the hearing device.

4. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the inquiry unit comprises a question list comprising questions corresponding to the external environment currently surrounding the user.

5. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the inquiry unit is further configured to select the question considering sound distortions due to influences caused by any one or any combination of two or more of a user gender, a user age, a time zone at which the external environment currently surrounding the user is determined, a season, a weather, and an external temperature.

6. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the inquiry unit is further configured to inquire the selected question to the user through a user terminal connected to the hearing device or to an audio sensor or a touch sensor included in the hearing device, and to receive the response to the question.

7. The hearing device of claim 1 , wherein the parameter set unit is further configured to set the parameter of the hearing device based on any one or any combination of two or more of volume control, equalizer control, volume control at a particular frequency band, noise control, reverberation control, wind noise control, acoustic feedback control, microphone power control, connection to an electronic device, and preset.

8. A method for a hearing device, comprising:
determining an external environment currently surrounding a user wearing the hearing device, using a radio wave sensor included in the hearing device;
selecting a question in response to the external environment currently surrounding the user and inquiring the question to the user; and
setting a parameter of the hearing device based on a response to the question and hearing loss information of the user,
wherein the selecting and inquiring of the question comprises classifying an electronic device disposed in the external environment currently surrounding the user using radio waves detected by the radio wave sensor and selecting a question of whether to connect to the classified electronic device and receive sound, through the radio wave sensor, from the classified electronic device, according to intensity of radio waves detected from the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the external environment comprises any one or any combination of two or more of oscillation frequency, frequency, and electronic waves generated in the external environment currently surrounding the user.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining of the external environment comprises determining the external environment currently surrounding the user using an audio sensor included in the hearing device.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selecting and inquiring of the question comprises using a question list comprising questions corresponding to the external environment currently surrounding the user.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selecting and inquiring of the question comprises selecting the question considering sound distortions due to influences caused by any one or any combination of two or more of a user gender, a user age, a time zone at which the external environment currently surrounding the user is determined, a season, a weather, and an external temperature.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selecting and inquiring of the question comprises inquiring the selected question to the user through a user terminal connected to the hearing device or to an audio sensor or a touch sensor included in the hearing device, and to receive the response to the question.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the setting of the parameter comprises setting the parameter of the hearing device based on any one or any combination of two or more of volume control, equalizer control, volume control at a particular frequency band, noise control, reverberation control, wind noise control, acoustic feedback control, microphone power control, connection to an electronic device, and preset.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 8 .

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Jong Min
• Ku Yun Seo
• Kim Dong Wook
• Kim Jong Jin
• Sohn Jun Il
• Uhm Jun Whon
• Lee Heun Chul
• Cheong Yoon Chae

Classifications

• H04R2225/41

  Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest · CPC title

• H04R25/43 Primary

  Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics (H04R25/407 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R2225/61

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

• H04R25/505

  using digital signal processing · CPC title

• A61F2/18 Primary

  Internal ear or nose parts, e.g. ear-drums {(implants for middle ear ventilation or drainage A61F11/202)} · CPC title