Digital hearing aid and method

• US 4,471,171 A
• Filed: 02/16/1983
• Issued: 09/11/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ascom Audiosys AG
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Wiener, Peter, Maas, Rainer, Eggert, Albert, G/o/ tze, Gerd-Wolfgang, K/o/ pke, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubinson, G. Z.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schroeder, L. C.
• Application Number:
  US06/466,840
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 179/107 R, 179/107 FD, 381/68
• US Class Current: 381/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/12 Audiometering
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/70 Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Abstract

To match the operation of a digital hearing aid directly to user requirements, and to reprogram the hearing aid as the hearing aid and/or user response characteristics change, a digital data processing element (12) processing digitized audio signals is connected to a programmable memory such as an EEPROM or an EARAM which stores predetermined frequency vs. amplitude transfer functions in accordance with user requirements or preference and/or hearing aid operation. Additionally, a memory (ROM 17) is provided storing a test program which causes the digital processor to generate test frequencies or tones at varying amplitudes, so that the transfer function in the programmable memory (15) can be changed or modified by operation of a switch (19) which can be manually user-operated or automatically, for example by measuring stapedius reflexes. After setting or changing the transfer function in the programmable memory (15), the normal program of the digital data processor--which can be of standard construction--is engaged by switch-over by a user-controlled transfer switch (18).

Claims

1. Hearing aid having

a microphone (10) to receive audio input;

an analog/digital converter (11) connected to the microphone and digitizing received audio input and providing audio digital data;

a digital/analog converter (13) receiving digital audio data and converting the digital data into analog audio output;

an earphone or earplug (14) connected to receive the analog audio output from the digital/analog converter;

means (15) storing a predetermined frequency/analog transfer function; and

a digital data processor (12) connected to said storage means (15) for receiving said function, and processing the digital data received from the analog/digital converter (11), in digital form, for obtaining derived data in which the received data are amplified in accordance with a predetermined frequency vs. amplitude transfer function derived from said storage means;

and comprising, in accordance with the invention,

correction means (15, 19, 17, 18,

     12) connected to and selectively (18,

     19) controlling the storage means (15) which controls the transfer function of the digital data processor including

means (17) for generating a series of test data representative of standard test tones or frequencies, for transmission to the earphone (14);

said storage means (15) having the characteristic of being reprogrammable to change the frequency vs. amplitude transfer function stored therein;

and user reaction controlled switch means (19) connected to the storage means (15) to modify the frequency vs. amplitude transfer function in accordance with a preference of the user.

2. Hearing aid according to claim 1, including a control memory (16) controlling the operation of said digital data processor (12);

and wherein the correction means includes a test memory (17) storing data controlling the digital data processor to provide a test tone or test program;

and user-operated selective switch means (18,

     19) selectively operable to place either the control memory or the test memory in operative connection with said digital data processor.

3. Hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the user reaction controlled switch means (19) comprises a Stapedius reflex operated switch.

4. Hearing aid according to claim 3, wherein said switch comprises a pressure switch adapted for association with the eardrum of the user.

5. Hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the user reaction controlled switch means (19) comprises a manually controlled user-operable switch.

6. Hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the digital data processor (12) includes means generating a plurality of tones of varying frequency connectable to said earphone or earplug under control of said test program, said tones varying in amplitude;

and wherein said user reaction controlled switch means (19) is connected to said reporgrammable storage means (15) to store a frequency vs. amplitude transfer function under control of the user upon operation of said reaction controlled switch means (19).

7. Hearing aid according to claim 6, wherein the user reaction controlled switch means (19) comprises a manually controlled user-operable switch.

8. Hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said reprogrammable storage means (15) comprises an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (15).

9. Hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein said reprogrammable storage means comprises an electronically addressable random access memory (EARAM).

10. Hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein said reprogrammable storage means (15) comprises at least one of:

an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM);

an electronically addressable random access memory (EARAM).

11. Hearing aid according to claim 6, wherein said reprogrammable storage means (15) comprises at least one of:

an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM);

an electronically addressable random access memory (EARAM).

12. Method of matching the response of a hearing aid to individual requirements of a user, comprising

providing a digital data processor (12) processing digital audio data and providing an output for conversion to analog audio signals, for application to an ear of the user and comprising the steps of

generating, within the earphone, a series of test tones of respectively different frequency, and of varying amplitude;

providing a user-reaction controlled switch (19);

providing a control memory (17) controlling generation of said frequencies at the varying amplitudes;

connecting said control memory, selectively, under control of the user, to the digital data processor to cause the digital data processor to provide said respective frequencies of varying amplitude, and storing the frequency/amplitude relationship in a reprogrammable memory (15) in accordance with the preference of the user based on reaction of the user to specific frequencies at specific amplitudes;

and then connecting a second control memory (16) to the digital data processor for processing of random received audio signals therein in accordance with the frequency vs. amplitude transfer function stored in the programmable memory based on the reaction and the preference of the user.