METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICE USING MEMS SENSORS

• US 20090097683A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Green, Matthew, Burns, Thomas Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,767,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/025 In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/02 adapted to be supported entirely by ear
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically

Abstract

The present subject application relates to hearing assistance systems and in particular to a method and apparatus for detecting user activities from within a hearing assistance system using micro electro-mechanical structure sensors. Such benefits include the reduction of the ampclusion effect and other excessive sound pressure buildup in the residual air volume of the ear canal for a person wearing a hearing assistance device with an earmold.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a microphone for reception of sound and generating a sound signal;

a signal processor connected to the microphone, to process the sound signal;

a micro electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) sensor adapted to measure mechanical vibration, the MEMS sensor connected to the signal processor; and

a housing adapted to house MEMS sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor is mounted integral to the wall of the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor is mounted flush with an exterior wall of the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to fit within a user'"'"'s ear.

5. The apparatus of claims 4, further comprising a receiver connected to the signal processor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the receiver is housed in the housing.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising wireless electronics connected to the MEMS sensor and the receiver, wherein the MEMS sensor and the receiver are connected to the signal processor through the wireless electronics.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a second housing adapted to house the microphone and the signal processor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second housing is adapted to be worn behind a user'"'"'s ear.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the housing is adapted to house the microphone and the signal processor.

11. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a receiver connected to the signal processor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a second housing adapted to house the microphone, the signal processor and the receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second housing is adapted to fit behind the user'"'"'s ear.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor is a MEMS accelerometer.

15. A method for operating a hearing assistance device, the method comprising:

receiving a voltage waveform from a micro electro-mechanical structure (MEMS) sensor;

comparing the voltage waveform to one or more predetermined user activity waveforms;

identifying a user activity based on the comparison; and

adjusting one or more filters of the hearing assistance device to compensate for the identified user activity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein reading a voltage waveform includes digitizing the voltage waveform.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein comparing the voltage waveform includes computing a correlation coefficient between the voltage waveform and the one or more predetermined user activity waveforms.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein comparing the voltage waveform includes computing a squared correlation coefficient between the voltage waveform and the one or more predetermined user activity waveforms.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying a user activity includes identifying speech.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying a user activity includes identifying head tilt and the method further includes playing an audio alert using the hearing assistance device.