METHOD OF OPERATING A HEARING AID SYSTEM AND A HEARING AID SYSTEM
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a hearing aid system comprising the steps of:
- providing an input signal representing an acoustical signal from an input transducer of the hearing aid system;
providing the input signal to an auditory nerve compressor;
selecting a minimum output level for the auditory nerve compressor, wherein the minimum output level represents a hearing threshold level;
selecting a maximum output level for the auditory nerve compressor;
from a range between 30 and 50 dB SL if an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified for both medium-spontaneous rate and low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers;
orfrom a range between 50 and 80 dB SL if an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified only for low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers,defining a minimum input signal level and a maximum input signal level;
operating the auditory nerve compressor according to a compression characteristic wherein the minimum input signal level is mapped onto the minimum output level of the auditory nerve compressor, and wherein the maximum input signal level is mapped onto the maximum output level of the auditory nerve compressor; and
using an output signal derived from the auditory nerve compressor output signal to drive an electrical-acoustical output transducer of the hearing aid system.
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Abstract
A method (300) of operating a hearing aid system wherein the acoustical output signal intensity levels are confined to a range that primarily high-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibres respond to, hereby providing sound processing that may benefit individuals with an auditory neurodegeneration, a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed carries out the method, a hearing aid system (100, 200) adapted to carry out the method and a method of fitting a hearing aid system.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of operating a hearing aid system comprising the steps of:
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providing an input signal representing an acoustical signal from an input transducer of the hearing aid system; providing the input signal to an auditory nerve compressor; selecting a minimum output level for the auditory nerve compressor, wherein the minimum output level represents a hearing threshold level; selecting a maximum output level for the auditory nerve compressor; from a range between 30 and 50 dB SL if an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified for both medium-spontaneous rate and low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers;
orfrom a range between 50 and 80 dB SL if an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified only for low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers, defining a minimum input signal level and a maximum input signal level; operating the auditory nerve compressor according to a compression characteristic wherein the minimum input signal level is mapped onto the minimum output level of the auditory nerve compressor, and wherein the maximum input signal level is mapped onto the maximum output level of the auditory nerve compressor; and using an output signal derived from the auditory nerve compressor output signal to drive an electrical-acoustical output transducer of the hearing aid system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A hearing aid system comprising:
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an input transducer adapted to provide an input signal; an auditory nerve compressor configured to process the input signal and hereby provide an output signal, wherein the output signal from the auditory nerve compressor represents an acoustical output signal having intensity levels confined within a range beginning at 0 dB SL and extending up to between 30 and 50 dB SL if an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified for both medium-spontaneous rate and low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers, or confined within a range of acoustical output intensity levels beginning at 0 dB SL and extending up to between 50 and 80 dB SL if an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified only for low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers, whereby the activity of low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers is decreased relative to the activity of high-spontaneous rate and/or medium-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers when exposed to sound provided by the hearing aid system; and an output transducer adapted for providing an acoustical output signal based on the output signal from the auditory nerve compressor. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A method of fitting a hearing aid system comprising the steps of:
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identifying an auditory neurodegeneration; configuring a hearing aid system compressor by; selecting a minimum output level that represents a hearing threshold level; selecting a maximum output level from a range between 30 and 50 dB SL in case an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified for both medium-spontaneous rate and low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers; selecting a maximum output level from a range between 50 and 80 dB SL in case an auditory neurodegeneration has been identified only for low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers; and defining a minimum input signal level and a maximum input signal level; and
wherein the compressor further comprises a compression characteristic wherein the minimum input signal level is mapped onto the minimum output level and wherein the maximum input signal level is mapped onto the maximum output level.
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Specification