Method and hearing device for tuning a hearing aid from recorded data

• US 9,549,268 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (WS Audiology A/S)
• Original Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd. (WS Audiology A/S)
• Inventors: Barthel, Roland, Steinbuss, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Phan
• Application Number:
  US12/684,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20100195839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,566 Days
• Field of Search: 381/23.1, 381/60, 381/312, 381/314, 381/315
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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

A hearing device and an associated method for tuning a hearing aid include at least one hearing aid and at least one external unit. The device includes the following: a memory unit in the hearing aid which stores the times and the listening situations for which at least one predefinable algorithm for signal processing is activated; an output unit in the hearing aid and/or in the external unit which outputs and/or displays the stored times, listening situations and the activated algorithm; an input unit in the hearing aid or in the external unit for inputting an assessment rating which expresses the hearing aid wearer'"'"'s satisfaction with the algorithm activated, and a change unit in the hearing aid for changing at least one parameter of the algorithm as a function of the assessment rating. Even algorithms of very short duration, such as an MPO, for example, are trainable.

Claims

1. A method of tuning a hearing aid, the method which comprises the following steps:

wearing the hearing aid by a hearing aid user;

while the hearing aid is being worn by the hearing aid user and the hearing aid is in an operational mode, storing times and listening situations in the hearing aid for which at least one predefined signal processing algorithm is activated;

subsequently switching the hearing aid to learning mode;

outputting the stored times and listening situations and the respective signal processing algorithm that was activated while the hearing aid was in the operational mode;

inputting an assessment rating representing the hearing aid wearer'"'"'s satisfaction with the signal processing algorithm that was activated while the hearing aid was in the operational mode; and

changing at least one parameter of the algorithm as a function of the assessment rating.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises identifying and describing the listening situation by at least one of the following:

a situation recognition, at least one level measurement, and at least one algorithm.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the outputting step comprises audibly outputting the information and/or visually displaying the information.

4. The method according to claim 1, which comprises performing the outputting step and inputting the assessment rating with a hearing aid remote control.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprises performing the outputting step and inputting the assessment rating via a personal computer.

6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises providing audible output with the hearing aid.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storing and outputting steps comprise replaying recordings of hearing aid microphone signals.

8. A hearing device assembly for hearing aid adjustment, comprising:

at least one hearing aid and at least one external unit;

a memory unit in said hearing aid, said memory unit , while said hearing aid is disconnected from said at least one external unit, storing times and listening situations for which at least one predefinable signal processing algorithm is activated;

an output unit in at least one of said hearing aid and said external unit for outputting and/or displaying the times, the listening situations, and the signal processing algorithm respectively activated and stored in said memory unit;

an input unit in at least one of said hearing aid and said external unit for inputting an assessment rating representing a hearing aid wearer'"'"'s satisfaction with the algorithm activated; and

a change unit in said hearing aid for changing at least one parameter of the algorithm as a function of the assessment rating.

9. The hearing device according to claim 8, which further comprises a situation recognition unit and/or at least one level meter configured to detect and determine the listening situation.

10. The hearing device according to claim 8, wherein said external unit is a remote control or a personal computer.

11. The hearing device according to claim 8, wherein said output unit comprises a display unit.

12. The hearing device according to claim 8, wherein said memory unit stores recordings of hearing aid microphone signals.

13. The hearing device according to claim 12, wherein said output unit outputs the stored recordings of hearing aid microphone signals.