Self-fitting of a hearing device
First Claim
1. A hearing device comprising:
- a speaker configured to produce a test output representative of one or more test sound segments corresponding to suprathreshold loudness levels within an audible range of human hearing, wherein the test output is at least partially based on programmable fitting parameters of the hearing device;
memory configured to store test sound segments representative of a loud level sound and a soft level sound, and the programmable fitting parameters, wherein a first set of programmable fitting parameters are adjustable based on a consumer'"'"'s assessment of the loud level sound and a second set of programmable fitting parameters are adjustable based on the consumer'"'"'s assessment of the soft level sound, and wireless circuitry configured to receive a wireless command to produce the test output, wherein the wireless command is configured to cause the hearing device to produce a test output representative of the test sound segments stored in the memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are systems and methods enabling self-fitting by a non-expert consumer. The method in some examples involves transmitting a wireless command by a computing device to a hearing device in-situ to produce a sequence of test audio signals corresponding to natural sound segments, while allowing the consumer to adjust fitting parameters based on perceptual assessment of hearing device output. The sound segments may represent a practical range of sounds within the normal human auditory range, with each sound segment selected to correspond to one or more fitting parameters of the programmable hearing device. The consumer is instructed to listen to the output of the in-situ hearing device and adjust controls on the personal computer'"'"'s graphical user interface related to corresponding fitting parameters. The systems and methods disclosed herein allow dispensing or adjusting of hearing devices without requiring specialized instruments or clinical settings.
163 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A hearing device comprising:
- a speaker configured to produce a test output representative of one or more test sound segments corresponding to suprathreshold loudness levels within an audible range of human hearing, wherein the test output is at least partially based on programmable fitting parameters of the hearing device;
memory configured to store test sound segments representative of a loud level sound and a soft level sound, and the programmable fitting parameters, wherein a first set of programmable fitting parameters are adjustable based on a consumer'"'"'s assessment of the loud level sound and a second set of programmable fitting parameters are adjustable based on the consumer'"'"'s assessment of the soft level sound, and wireless circuitry configured to receive a wireless command to produce the test output, wherein the wireless command is configured to cause the hearing device to produce a test output representative of the test sound segments stored in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- a speaker configured to produce a test output representative of one or more test sound segments corresponding to suprathreshold loudness levels within an audible range of human hearing, wherein the test output is at least partially based on programmable fitting parameters of the hearing device;
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6. A self-fitting system comprising:
- a hearing device comprising;
a speaker configured to produce a test output representative of one or more test sound segments corresponding to suprathreshold loudness levels within an audible range of human hearing, wherein the test output is at least partially based on programmable fitting parameters of the hearing device;
a memory storing the one or more test sound segments and the programmable fitting parameters, wherein the one or more test sound segments are representative of a loud sound and a soft sound, and wherein a first set of programmable fitting parameters are adjustable based on a consumer'"'"'s assessment of the loud level sound and a second set of programmable fitting parameters are adjustable based on the consumer'"'"'s assessment of the soft level sound; and
wireless circuitry configured to receive a wireless command to produce the test output; and
a computing device comprising;
a processing unit configured to provide a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured for receiving user inputs indicative of the consumer'"'"'s assessments of the test output, wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine adjustments to the programmable fitting parameters based on the user inputs and generate a wireless command comprising the adjustments; and
wireless electronics configured to transmit the wireless command to the hearing device, wherein the hearing device is configured to execute the wireless command to adjust the programmable fitting parameters while the test output is being produced by the speaker. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
- a hearing device comprising;
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9. A method of self-fitting a hearing device for a consumer, the method comprising:
- providing a hearing device comprising memory storing test sound segments representative of a loud sound and a soft sound;
producing, by the hearing device in-situ, a test output representative of one or more test sound segments, wherein the test output is at least partially based on fitting parameters programmed into the hearing device, and wherein the test sound segments correspond to suprathreshold loudness levels within an audible range of human hearing; and
adjusting a plurality of the fitting parameters based, at least in part, on the consumer'"'"'s assessment of the test output, wherein the adjusting comprises making a first adjustment to one or more fitting parameters corresponding to the loud level sound by a computing device and making a second adjustment to one or more fitting parameters corresponding to the soft level sound by the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- providing a hearing device comprising memory storing test sound segments representative of a loud sound and a soft sound;
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19. A method of self-fitting of a hearing device, the method comprising:
- providing a hearing device comprising memory storing test sound segments representative of a loud sound and a soft sound, wherein the test sound segments correspond to suprathreshold loudness level s within an audible range of human hearing;
receiving a wireless command to produce a test output representative of one or more test sound segments;
producing, by the hearing device in-situ, the test output representative of the one or more test sound segments stored within memory of the hearing device in response to receiving the wireless command, wherein the test output is at least partially based on fitting parameters programmed into the hearing device, receiving, by a computing device communicatively coupled to the hearing device, user input indicative of a consumer'"'"'s assessment of the test output; and
adjusting a plurality of the fitting parameters based, at least in part, on the consumer'"'"'s assessment of the test output, wherein the adjusting comprises making a first adjustment to one or more fitting parameters corresponding to the loud level sound and making a second adjustment to one or more fitting parameters corresponding to the soft level sounds wherein at least one of the first adjustment or the second adjustment is performed while the test output is being produced. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
- providing a hearing device comprising memory storing test sound segments representative of a loud sound and a soft sound, wherein the test sound segments correspond to suprathreshold loudness level s within an audible range of human hearing;
Specification