Personalized Hearing Profile Generation with Real-Time Feedback

• US 20110280409A1
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: Sound Id
• Inventors: Cohen, Ephram, Pavlovic, Caslav V., Michael, Nicholas R., Ramani, Meena
• Granted Patent: US 8,379,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/041 Adaptation of stereophonic signal reproduction for the hearing impaired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A personalized hearing profile is generated for an ear-level device comprising a memory, microphone, speaker and processor. Communication is established between the ear-level device and a companion device, having a user interface. A frame of reference in the user interface is provided, where positions in the frame of reference are associated with sound profile data. A position on the frame of reference is determined in response to user interaction with the user interface, and certain sound profile data associated with the position. Certain data is transmitted to the ear level device. Sound can be generated through the speaker based upon the audio stream data to provide real-time feedback to the user. The determining and transmitting steps are repeated until detection of an end event.

Claims

1. A method for generating a personalized hearing profile for an ear-level device of a type comprising a memory, a microphone and a speaker, each coupled to a processor, the method comprising:

establishing communication between the ear-level device and a companion device, the companion device comprising a user interface;

providing a frame of reference in the user interface where positions in the frame of reference are associated with sound profile data;

determining a position on the frame of reference, in response to user interaction with the user interface, and certain sound profile data associated with the position;

transmitting to the ear level device a chosen one of;

certain sound profile data, whereby the ear level device is capable of generating sound through the speaker based upon the certain sound profile data to provide real-time feedback to the user, or

audio stream data generated using (1) an audio stream generated by the companion device, and (2) the certain sound profile data, whereby the ear level device is capable of generating sound through the speaker based upon the audio stream data to provide real-time feedback to the user; and

repeating the determining and transmitting steps until detection of an end event.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication establishing step is carried out with a mobile phone as the companion device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication establishing step is carried out with a chosen one of a mobile phone, digital music player or computer as the companion device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the certain sound profile data to the ear level device; and

providing an audio stream for the ear level device which the ear level device can play on the speaker during execution of the sound profile program.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the audio stream providing step is carried out with the audio stream stored in and provided by the memory of the ear level device.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the audio stream providing step is carried out with the audio stream generated by the microphone of the ear level device.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the audio stream providing step is carried out with the audio stream generated by a device spaced apart from the ear level device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the audio stream is generated by the companion device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the audio stream is generated by a telephone type of companion device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication between the ear level device and the companion device is carried out by wireless communication.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position determining step comprises the user touching a touch screen type of display associated with the user interface.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting a signal to the ear-level device indicating initiation of the determining step.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a graphical user interface executed using a display associated with the user interface, and further comprising displaying a visual indicator on the display resulting from the user interaction with the graphical user interface, the visual indicator corresponding to a position on the frame of reference for the sound profile data.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising, with the exception of the visual indicator, maintaining the display free of visual indicia correlating location on the frame of reference to the sound profile data.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the rendering step is carried out with the sound profile data comprising frequency band amplitude adjustment data and dynamic range adjustment data.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the sound profile data is organized in a data structure including a plurality of entries stored in memory; and

entries in the data structure are associated with corresponding locations having coordinates in two dimensions on the frame of reference.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein changes in location on the frame of reference on a first axis are associated with changes in dynamic range compression data and changes in location on a second axis are associated with changes in frequency shaping data.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the two dimensions are represented by Cartesian coordinates or polar coordinates.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sound profile data includes a plurality of preset profiles associated with respective positions on the frame of reference, each preset profile comprising dynamic range compression data and frequency shaping data.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein changes in location on the frame of reference on a first axis are associated with changes in preset profiles related to dynamic range compression data and changes in location on a second axis are associated with changes in preset profiles related to frequency shaping data.

21. A method for generating a personalized hearing profile for an ear-level device of a type comprising a memory, a microphone and a speaker, each coupled to a processor, the method comprising:

establishing communication between the ear-level device and a companion device, the companion device comprising a user interface;

providing a frame of reference in the user interface where positions in the frame of reference are associated with sound profile data;

determining a position on the frame of reference, in response to user interaction with the user interface, and certain sound profile data associated with the position;

transmitting to the ear level device certain sound profile data;

transmitting an audio stream from the companion device to the ear level device which the ear level device can play on the speaker during execution of the sound profile program, whereby the ear level device is capable of generating sound through the speaker based upon the audio stream from the companion device and the certain sound profile data to provide real-time feedback to the user; and

repeating the determining and transmitting steps until detection of an end event.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the communication establishing step is carried out with a telephone-type companion device.

23. A method for generating a personalized hearing profile for an ear-level device of a type comprising a memory, a microphone and a speaker, each coupled to a processor, the method comprising:

establishing communication between the ear-level device and a companion device, the companion device comprising a user interface, a display associated with the user interface, the user interface including a graphical user interface executed using the display;

providing a frame of reference in the user interface where positions in the frame of reference are associated with sound profile data, the sound profile data being organized in a data structure including a plurality of entries stored in memory, the sound profile data including a plurality of preset profiles associated with respective positions on the frame of reference, each preset profile comprising dynamic range compression data and frequency shaping data;

determining a position on the frame of reference, in response to user interaction with the user interface, and certain sound profile data associated with the position, entries in the data structure being associated with corresponding locations having coordinates in two dimensions on the frame of reference;

displaying a visual indicator on the display resulting from the user interaction with the graphical user interface, the visual indicator corresponding to a position on the frame of reference for the sound profile data;

with the exception of the visual indicator, maintaining the display free of visual indicia correlating location on the frame of reference to the sound profile data;

transmitting the certain sound profile data to the ear level device, the sound profile data including a plurality of preset profiles associated with respective positions on the frame of reference, each preset profile comprising dynamic range compression data and frequency shaping data;

providing an audio stream for the ear level device which the ear level device can play on the speaker during execution of the sound profile program, to provide real-time feedback to the user; and

repeating the determining and transmitting steps until detection of an end event.