Hearing Device Sound Simulation System and Method of Using the System
First Claim
1. A hearing device sound simulation system for simulating a hearing aid environment, comprisingmeans for collecting data representative of a hearing profile of a user from prior hearing tests;
- a software program for analyzing the user'"'"'s hearing profile andmeans for creating a simulation to the user of the user'"'"'s hearing capability including a hearing aid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to hearing aid training systems (100). More particularly, the present invention relates to the simulation of a hearing aid environment (108) prior to a user'"'"'s (105) purchase of a hearing aid. To create the simulated environment, the user'"'"'s hearing profile (111) is collected from all prior hearing tests. Prior hearing tests include information on all aspects of the user'"'"'s hearing, such as frequency and speech intelligibility. The software program (126) of this invention, and the audiologist using the software program (126), analyzes the user'"'"'s hearing profile and creates a simulation that demonstrates to the user how he or she would hear with a hearing aid. Furthermore, this invention provides a way to make additional adjustments to the hearing aid'"'"'s DSP data based upon user preferences prior to ordering the individual customized hearing aid.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A hearing device sound simulation system for simulating a hearing aid environment, comprising
means for collecting data representative of a hearing profile of a user from prior hearing tests; -
a software program for analyzing the user'"'"'s hearing profile and means for creating a simulation to the user of the user'"'"'s hearing capability including a hearing aid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Hearing device sound simulation system for simulating a hearing aid environment comprising:
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means for generating a hearing loss profile including frequency versus multitude test data, based on performance of a hearing aid test; means for computing digital signal processor (“
DSP”
) correction factors based on the frequency versus amplitude test data;means for identifying at least one word in a test word database having at least one frequency component substantially equal to one of the frequencies corresponding to the DSP factors; means for generating a normal version sound output of the word, wherein the normal sound output is the word without application of a DSP correction factor; and means for generating a modified version sound output of the word, wherein the modified sound output is the word as modified by the DSP correction factor for the one (e.g. range) of the frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for simulating a hearing aid environment comprising:
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a controller including a digital signal processor (“
DSP”
) and a memory; and
an annunciator,a user data input device and a network communications interface coupled to the controller, wherein the memory includes a hearing test applications program and the controller executes the program for causing transmission of data to and reception of data from a remote hearing health database at the network interface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for simulating a hearing aid environment comprising:
- generating a hearing loss profile including frequency versus amplitude test data, based on performance of a hearing aid test;
computing digital signal processor (“
DSP”
) correction factors based on the frequency versus amplitude test data;identifying at least one word in a test word database having at least one frequency component substantially equal to one (e.g. within the range) of the frequencies corresponding to the DSP factors; generating a normal version sound output of the word, wherein the normal sound output is the word without application of a DSP correction factor; and generating a modified version sound output of the word, wherein the modified sound output is the word as modified by the DSP correction factor for the one (e.g. range) of the frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
- generating a hearing loss profile including frequency versus amplitude test data, based on performance of a hearing aid test;
Specification