MODULAR HEARING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC CALIBRATION PARAMETERS

• US 20180192207A1
• Filed: 12/20/2017
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Granted Patent: US 10,863,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/021 Behind the ear [BTE] hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0213 Constructional details of earhooks, e.g. shape, material
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/0216 BTE hearing aids having a receiver in the ear mould
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/57 Aspects of electrical interconnection between hearing aid parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• 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 25/60 Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles ear wax retarders, e.g. mounting thereof H04R25/654
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/607 of earhooks
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

A hearing instrument includes: a first portion shaped and sized for placement at a pinna of a user'"'"'s ear; and a second portion having an earpiece for placement in the user'"'"'s ear canal; wherein the second portion also comprises a connector assembly configured for electrically coupling to the first portion, the connector assembly having a plurality of connector wires, the plurality of connector wires comprising a first connector wire; wherein the second portion also comprises a receiver or miniature loudspeaker for receipt of an audio drive signal through at least the first connector wire; and wherein the second portion also comprises a non-volatile memory circuit having a data interface configured for receipt and transmittal of module data, the non-volatile memory circuit configured to store the module data, wherein the stored module data at least comprises electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker.

Claims

1. A hearing instrument comprising:

a first portion shaped and sized for placement at a pinna of a user'"'"'s ear; and

a second portion having an earpiece for placement in the user'"'"'s ear canal;

wherein the second portion also comprises a connector assembly configured for electrically coupling to the first portion, the connector assembly having a plurality of connector wires, the plurality of connector wires comprising a first connector wire;

wherein the second portion also comprises a receiver or miniature loudspeaker for receipt of an audio drive signal through at least the first connector wire; and

wherein the second portion also comprises a non-volatile memory circuit having a data interface configured for receipt and transmittal of module data, the non-volatile memory circuit configured to store the module data, wherein the stored module data at least comprises electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker.

2. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a first connector element, and wherein the connector assembly comprises a second connector element;

wherein the connector assembly of the second portion is configured for mechanically coupling to the first portion in a releasable manner via the first and second connector elements, wherein when the first and second connector elements are connected, the second portion has an electrically interconnected state, and wherein when the first and second connector elements are disconnected, the second portion has an electrically disconnected state.

3. The hearing instrument according to claim 2, wherein the first connector element comprises a first plurality of electrical terminals and the second connector element comprises a second plurality of electrical terminals, the first plurality of electrical terminals being mechanically joined to, or abutted against, respective ones of the second plurality of electrical terminals when the second portion is in the electrically interconnected state and mechanically separated from respective ones of the second plurality of electrical terminals when the second portion is in the electrically disconnected state.

4. The hearing instrument according to claim 3, wherein the second connector element comprises a plug with the second plurality of electrical terminals, and wherein the non-volatile memory circuit is in the plug.

5. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second portion further comprises:

at least one microphone arranged to pick-up sound pressure in the user'"'"'s ear canal or arranged to pick-up sound pressure from an external environment at the user'"'"'s ear;

wherein the stored module data also comprises electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of the at least one microphone.

6. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) comprises:

electroacoustic sensitivity of the receiver, expressed in absolute term(s) or relative to a first reference sensitivity; and

/or

electroacoustic sensitivity of the at least one microphone, expressed in absolute term(s) or relative to a second reference sensitivity.

7. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the module data stored in the non-volatile memory circuit comprises an identification code of the second portion;

and

wherein the identification code is either a unique code amongst all manufactured second portions or a non-unique code indicating a particular type of the second portion amongst a plurality of types of the second portion.

8. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a processor in the first portion.

9. The hearing instrument according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of connector wires comprises a second connector wire;

and

wherein the second connector wire is configured to electrically couple to a controllable input-output port of the processor, wherein the controllable input-output port comprises a communication interface for reading the stored module data from the non-volatile memory circuit by the processor.

10. The hearing instrument according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of connector wires comprises a third connector wire connected to a power supply input of the non-volatile memory circuit;

and

wherein the third connector wire is configured to connect to the first portion, the first portion comprising a controllable output port configured to selectively power-on and power-down the non-volatile memory circuit via the third connector wire.

11. The hearing instrument according to claim 9, wherein the communication interface comprises a first resistance element configured to connect the second connector wire to a first reference potential.

12. The hearing instrument according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to:

detect a logic state of a second connector wire in the plurality of connector wires, and

based on the detected logic state, determine whether the second portion is in an electrically interconnected state or an electrically disconnected state.

13. The hearing instrument according to claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to detect the logic state of the second connector wire by reading the logic state through a controllable input-output port of the processor.

14. The hearing instrument according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to, during its booting state:

power-on the controllable output port to energize the non-volatile memory circuit;

read the stored module data comprising the electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker from the non-volatile memory circuit; and

adjust one or more parameters of a hearing loss compensation audio processing algorithm, or a function, to be executed by the processor based on the electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker.

15. The hearing instrument according to claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to, subsequent to the reading of the module data:

power-down the controllable output port to remove supply voltage of the non-volatile memory circuit; and

maintain power-down of the controllable output port during normal operation of the first portion.

16. The hearing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises a stiff hollow housing, accommodating at least the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker, and the non-volatile memory circuit.

17. A detachable portion of a hearing instrument, comprising:

a hollow housing at least partially surrounded by an ear piece that is configured for placement in a user'"'"'s ear canal;

a connector comprising a plurality of electrical connector wires for connection to a behind-the-ear portion of the hearing instrument;

a receiver or miniature loudspeaker for receipt of an audio drive signal through at least a first one of the plurality of electrical connector wires; and

a non-volatile memory circuit comprising a data interface connected to at least a second one of the plurality of electrical connector wires that is configured for allowing read-out of stored data in the non-volatile memory circuit;

wherein the stored data at least comprises electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker.

18. A method of determining and storing electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of at least a receiver or miniature loudspeaker of a detachable portion of a hearing instrument, the method comprising:

coupling a sound output port of the detachable portion to an acoustic coupler of an electroacoustic test system;

generating an electric stimulus signal;

applying the electric stimulus signal to the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker via a connector of the detachable portion of the hearing instrument to generate a corresponding output sound pressure at the sound output port;

measuring the output sound pressure;

determining the electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) by comparing the measured output sound pressure and known electroacoustic characteristic(s) of the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker; and

storing the electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) to a non-volatile memory circuit in the detachable portion of the hearing instrument.