Method and system for self-managed sound enhancement

• US 9,468,401 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ace Communications Limited
• Original Assignee: Ace Communications Limited
• Inventors: Van Hasselt, Charles Andrew, Kam, Chi Shan Anna, Lee, Pui Tong Paul, Cheng, Ka Kui
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen D
• Application Number:
  US14/151,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20140194775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 381/56, 381/58, 381/60, 381/312, 381/314, 381/315, 381/317, 381/320, 381/321, 381/71.6, 381/98, 381/104, 735/85, 600/25, 600/559
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/121 evaluating hearing capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/123 subjective methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/128 evaluating tinnitus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/041 Adaptation of stereophonic signal reproduction for the hearing impaired
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/39 Aspects relating to automatic logging of sound environment parameters and the performance of the hearing aid during use, e.g. histogram logging, or of user selected programs or settings in the hearing aid, e.g. usage logging
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/41 Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/00 Deaf-aid sets , i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception electrical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N1/36038; optical stimulation of auditory nerves to promote the auditory function A61N5/0622
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/35 using translation techniques
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/75 Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
• 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 system and method are provided for capturing hearing characteristics from self-administered hearing tests, including loudness tolerance levels at different sound frequencies, as an individualized shaped auditory profile for automatically enhancing audio to complement and address as closely as possible an individual'"'"'s hearing deficits experienced via a particular signal pathway, the signal pathway including the audio device used to administer the test, the sound environment, and the user'"'"'s hearing capabilities. The user may self-administer a hearing test on a convenient personal apparatus, such as a smartphone. The shaped auditory profile may then be used to produce enhanced sound subsequently transmitted to the individual via the same signal pathway. In certain of its aspects, the invention is useful for any individual seeking an enhanced hearing experience, whether having hearing within normal range or hearing that is impaired.

Claims

1. A system for enhancing an individual'"'"'s hearing experience comprising:

a testing component for capturing the individual'"'"'s audio hearing characteristics for a test signal pathway, the test signal pathway comprising elements that transform an input test electronic signal into a perceived audio signal, including a transducer of a test audio device that transforms an input test electronic signal into an output test audio signal, the sound environment in which the individual hears the output test audio signal, and the individual'"'"'s hearing capabilities;

an analyzing component for analyzing a plurality of audio hearing characteristics of the individual for the test signal pathway to generate a shaped auditory profile, said audio hearing characteristics of the individual for the test signal pathway including a frequency-specific minimum audible loudness level for at least one frequency transmitted to the individual via the test signal pathway and a frequency-specific threshold uncomfortable loudness level for at least one frequency transmitted to the individual via the test signal pathway;

a pathway identification component for determining when a listening signal pathway is similar to the test signal pathway, and

an enhancement component for selectively applying at least one frequency specific gain adjustment determined by said shaped auditory profile to enhance audio perceived by an individual in response to another input electronic signal transmitted to the individual when said listening signal pathway is similar to the test signal pathway.

2. The system of claim 1, said test signal pathway further comprising the positioning and/or fit of said test audio device relative to the individual'"'"'s ear.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a component applying optional user preferences to dictate, modify or adjust said audio enhancement.

4. The system of claim 1, the enhanced audio being generated by a computerized apparatus, to compensate for frequency dependent loudness deficits in the perceived audio signal for signal pathways similar to the test signal pathway, without exceeding said frequency-specific threshold uncomfortable loudness level.

5. The system of claim 1, the shaped auditory profile further comprising a test measurement of a frequency-specific most comfortable level for at least one frequency transmitted via the test signal pathway.

6. The system of claim 1, the frequency-specific minimum audible loudness level being measured at each of a plurality of audiometric frequencies.

7. The system of claim 1, the analyzing component comprising a subsystem for producing a processed result according to gain calculations.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the gain calculations that dictate the frequency gain and compression characteristics of the processed result are frequency-dependent and input-level dependent.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a data repository for storing individualized shaped auditory profiles, the repository being configured for collecting data from any source and for storing, updating, and responding to requests for specific individualized shaped auditory profiles for use by the analyzing component.

10. The system of claim 9, the individualized shaped auditory profile further comprising optional customization settings selected by the individual to dictate, modify or adjust said audio enhancement.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a tinnitus test component for performing a tinnitus test to capture tinnitus characteristics of the individual, the tinnitus characteristics of the individual including a tinnitus location, a tinnitus pitch, a tinnitus type selected from tonal tinnitus and tinnitus perceived as noise, a minimum loudness level audible to the individual at the identified tinnitus pitch, a sensation level of the individual'"'"'s tinnitus, and a tinnitus uncomfortable loudness level of a narrow band of noise at the identified tinnitus pitch, the individualized shaped auditory profile further including said tinnitus characteristics of the individual, and the enhancement component configured to apply a frequency-specific gain adjustment to compensate for said tinnitus characteristics of the individual.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said data repository is accessible through an Internet connection.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the capturing component is a portable electronic component.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the analyzing component is a portable electronic component.

15. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a component to detect at least one element of the listening signal pathway and to alter the audio enhancement based on a difference between the listening signal pathway element and a corresponding element of the test signal pathway.

16. The system of claim 1, the pathway identification component comprising a component for automatically detecting a brand and model of an earphone.

17. The system of claim 1, the pathway identification component comprising a component for graphically displaying a list of transducers, prompting a user to select a transducer from the list, and saving the selection of the user as said transducer of the test audio device.

18. The system of claim 1, the pathway identification component comprising a transducer detection component configured to play transducer detection audio signals via the test audio device, record the transducer detection audio signals, analyze the recorded transducer detection audio signals to deduce characteristics of the transducer, and save the deduced transducer characteristics as part of the shaped audio profile.

19. A method for enhancing a hearing experience of an individual, comprising:

capturing audio hearing characteristics of the individual corresponding to a test signal pathway, the test signal pathway comprising a test audio device and a test sound environment, by administering a hearing test to the individual using the test audio device in the test sound environment to transmit to the individual an output test audio signal from an input test electronic signal;

analyzing the individual'"'"'s audio hearing characteristics for the test signal pathway to generate a shaped auditory profile;

determining when a listening audio device has similar processing characteristics to said test audio device and a listening sound environment is similar to said test sound environment, and

applying said shaped auditory profile to enhance an output audio signal transmitted to the individual by the listening audio device having similar signal processing characteristics to said test audio device in the listening sound environment similar to said test sound environment.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising detecting when at least one aspect of the listening audio device or the listening sound environment differs from a corresponding aspect of the test audio device or test sound environment and altering the audio enhancement based on the detected difference.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating at least a second shaped auditory profile for said individual, corresponding to a different test signal pathway, and storing said at least two shaped auditory profiles in a data repository to permit one of said at least two shaped auditory profiles to be selected to be applied to enhance said output audio signal.