METHOD OF DETERMINING A FIT OF A HEARING DEVICE AND HEARING DEVICE WITH FIT RECOGNITION

• US 20150172829A1
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte Ltd (WS Audiology A/S)
• Inventors: GIESE, ULRICH, DROSTE, EVA
• Application Number:
  US14/568,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172829A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/15 Determination of the acoustic seal of ear moulds or ear tips of hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/305 Self-monitoring or self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Abstract

A method is shown which recognizes whether a hearing device system or a hearing device component is fitted correctly in an ear. To this end an acoustic test signal is output by an output device and is received again by a recording device. The test signal received back is compared to the permanently preset reference values of reference criteria in order thereby to obtain a status signal. The status signal contains information about the fit. In other words, it is possible to establish by the status signal whether the hearing device system is correctly fitted. Furthermore a hearing device system is shown which is suitable for performing the method.

Claims

1. A method for determining a fit of a hearing device or a component of the hearing device on and in an ear, which comprises the steps of:

transmitting a test signal as a transmit test signal from an output device of the hearing device;

receiving at least a part of the transmit test signal as a received test signal by a recording device of the hearing device for sound;

comparing the received test signal using a signal processing device to at least one reference value of a reference criterion stored in the signal processing device; and

generating a status signal in dependence on a result of a comparison between the received test signal and the at least one reference value, the status signal containing information about a fitting status of the hearing device, and the at least one reference value is preset and cannot be changed by a hearing device wearer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference criterion is a reference signal and the reference value is a signal value.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference criterion is an attenuation and the reference value is an attenuation value.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises outputting the status signal via the output device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the output device is a sound transducer which outputs the status signal as an acoustic signal.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises transmitting the status signal to an external transmit and/or receive unit.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises performing the method anew at preset table time intervals.

8. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises performing the method anew after the hearing device has been switched on and/or put into the ear.

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises directing the recording device in a direction of an external region outside an auditory canal of a user.

10. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises directing the recording device in a direction of an internal region inside an auditory canal of a user.

11. A hearing device system, comprising:

a hearing device;

a recording device disposed on or in said hearing device for recording sound and converting the sound into a signal;

a signal processing device for processing a signal and connected to said recording device;

an output device disposed on or in said hearing device for converting a processed signal into a sound signal and outputting the sound signal, said output device connected to said signal processing device;

said signal processing device programmed to compare a test signal to at least one reference value of a reference criterion and consequently for generating a status signal, the status signal containing information about a fitting status of said hearing device, the at least one reference value being a preset value and cannot be changed by a hearing device wearer;

said output device configured for outputting a test signal; and

said recording device recording the sound and recording at least a part of the test signal.

12. The hearing device system according to claim 11, wherein the status signal is determined anew at preset table time intervals.

13. The hearing device system according to claim 11, wherein the status signal is determined anew after said hearing device is switched on and/or put into an ear.

14. The hearing device system according to claim 11, further comprising an external transmit and/or receive unit, the status signal is determined anew by means of a trigger function of said external transmit and/or receive unit.

15. The hearing device system according to claim 14, wherein said signal processing device is disposed in said external transmit and/or receive unit and the status signal is generated there.