Virtual electroacoustic audiometry for unaided simulated aided, and aided hearing evaluation
First Claim
1. A system for assessment of the hearing function in humans, comprising:
- a virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising;
an audiometric module comprising means for selective syntheses of acoustic signals for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting; and
an intracanal prostheses that emulates a hearing aid prostheses, said intracanal prostheses containing;
a receiver coupled to said audiometric module for delivering said acoustic signals in-the-ear-canal near the tympanic membrane; and
means for measuring in-the-ear-canal acoustic response to said acoustic signals near the tympanic membrane during hearing evaluation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hearing evaluation and hearing aid fitting system provides a fully immersive three-dimensional acoustic environment to evaluate unaided, simulated aided, and aided hearing function of an individual. Digital filtering of signal sources representing speech and other sound stimuli according to selected models and signal processing parameters, such as audio sources, spatializing coordinates, acoustic boundaries, hearing aid simulations, and individualized transfer functions synthesizes a simulated acoustic condition for presentation to an individual for objective and subjective hearing evaluation. An intra-canal prosthesis incorporating a microphone probe is positioned in the ear canal to measure in-the-ear-canal responses at a common reference point near the tympanum during unaided, simulated aided, and aided hearing evaluation to provide measurements that directly correlate across all phases of hearing assessment during hearing aid fitting. A virtual electroacoustic audiometer computes hearing aid prescription based on unaided evaluation results and various reference measurements including in-the-ear canal responses to acoustic stimuli. The system synthesizes signals reflecting the combination of an audio signal model, spatialization model, and acoustic boundary model, as well as hearing aid model in the case of simulated aided condition. Once an optimal simulated hearing aid model is selected, based on a number of criteria including optimal performance, sound, restoration, listening preference, type, size, controls, and life-style factors, a detailed hearing aid specification is derived and provided to the dispenser/manufacturer for assembly. A modular hearing aid according to the results of such hearing assessment is also provided that includes highly configurable electroacoustic and electronic signal processing elements.
113 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system for assessment of the hearing function in humans, comprising:
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a virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising; an audiometric module comprising means for selective syntheses of acoustic signals for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting; and an intracanal prostheses that emulates a hearing aid prostheses, said intracanal prostheses containing; a receiver coupled to said audiometric module for delivering said acoustic signals in-the-ear-canal near the tympanic membrane; and means for measuring in-the-ear-canal acoustic response to said acoustic signals near the tympanic membrane during hearing evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for assessment of the hearing function in humans, comprising:
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an intracanal prostheses that emulates a hearing aid prostheses, said intracanal prostheses containing; a receiver coupled to an audiometric module for delivering acoustic signals generated by said audiometric module in-the-ear-canal near the tympanic membrane; and means for measuring in-the-ear-canal acoustic response to said acoustic signals near the tympanic membrane during hearing evaluation; and a virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising said audiometric module, said audiometric module comprising means for synthesis of acoustic signals representative of realistic listening environments in a multi-dimensional space for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting, said virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising; a digital audio synthesis module for generating said acoustic signals; means for performing hearing aid simulation, said means for performing hearing aid simulation comprising means for incorporating electroacoustic transfer functions into the digital synthesis of an acoustic signal for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting; and a virtual acoustic space measurement module for generating at least one acoustic transfer function for synthesizing spatialized acoustic signals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for assessment of the hearing function in humans, comprising:
a virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising; an audiometric module comprising means for selective synthesis of acoustic signals that are representative of realistic listening environments in a multi-dimensional space for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting, said virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising; a digital audio synthesis module comprising means for generating said acoustic signals; means for performing hearing aid simulation, said means for performing hearing aid simulation comprising means for incorporating electroacoustic transfer functions into the digital synthesis of an acoustic signal for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting; and a virtual acoustic space measurement module for generating at least one acoustic transfer function for synthesizing spatialized acoustic signals. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A system for assessment of the hearing function in humans, comprising:
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a virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising; an audiometric module comprising means for selective syntheses of acoustic signals representative of realistic listening environments in a multi-dimensional space for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting; and an intracanal prostheses that emulates a hearing aid prostheses, said intracanal prostheses containing; a receiver coupled to said audiometric module for delivering said acoustic signals in-the-ear-canal near the tympanic membrane; and
;means for measuring in-the-ear-canal acoustic response to said acoustic signals near the tympanic membrane during hearing evaluation; wherein said system provides simultaneous signal delivery and measurement within the ear canal near the tympanic membrane. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method for in situ simulation of at least one hearing aid prostheses, comprising the steps of:
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selectively simulating electroacoustic parameters of hearing aid prostheses with a virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising an audiometric module, said electroacoustic parameters including; a. signal processing parameters, including gain, frequency response, filtering, and signal adaptation to incoming sound; and b. acoustic parameters, including venting effects, insertion depth effects, oscillatory feedback potential, and occlusion effects; and simulating physical parameters of a hearing aid including hearing aid fit and comfort with an intracanal prostheses that is coupled to said audiometric module, and positioning said intracanal prostheses in-the-ear-canal near the tympanic membrane; and emulating a hearing aid prostheses with said intracanal prostheses.
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20. A method for assessment of the hearing function in humans, comprising the steps of:
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synthesizing acoustic signals with a virtual electroacoustic audiometer comprising an audiometric module for hearing diagnostics, hearing aid prescription, hearing aid simulation, and hearing aid fitting; and delivering said acoustic signals and measuring in-the-ear-canal acoustic response near the tympanic membrane with an intracanal prostheses that emulates a hearing aid prostheses, said intracanal prostheses containing a receiver coupled to an audiometric module for delivering said acoustic signals in-the-ear-canal near the tympanic membrane. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for estimating the occlusion effect of a simulated hearing aid, comprising the steps of:
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measuring acoustic response in the ear canal near the tympanic membrane of an individual, where said ear canal is occluded by an intracanal prosthesis that is coupled to an audiometric module and that emulates said simulated hearing aid; and subtracting an unoccluded ear canal reference measurement therefrom, wherein an objective measure for occlusion effect is calculated.
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Specification