EP3116237B1 - Method for operating a hearing aid system and hearing aid system - Google Patents

Method for operating a hearing aid system and hearing aid system Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3116237B1
EP3116237B1 EP16174598.9A EP16174598A EP3116237B1 EP 3116237 B1 EP3116237 B1 EP 3116237B1 EP 16174598 A EP16174598 A EP 16174598A EP 3116237 B1 EP3116237 B1 EP 3116237B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
hearing device
hearing
database system
parameter set
hearing aid
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EP16174598.9A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP3116237A1 (en
Inventor
Robert BÄUML
Matthias Fröhlich
Simon Hüttinger
Bernd TESSENDORF
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Sivantos Pte Ltd
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Sivantos Pte Ltd
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Publication of EP3116237A1 publication Critical patent/EP3116237A1/en
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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/50—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
    • H04R25/505—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics using digital signal processing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/41—Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/43—Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/55—Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2460/00—Details of hearing devices, i.e. of ear- or headphones covered by H04R1/10 or H04R5/033 but not provided for in any of their subgroups, or of hearing aids covered by H04R25/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2460/07—Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
    • H04R25/558—Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for operating a hearing aid system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a hearing aid system.
  • hearing aid is usually understood to mean devices which serve to output audio signals to the hearing center of a user of the corresponding device (also referred to as “hearing device wearer”). In particular, fall under this term hearing aids. Hearing aids are intended to help people with hearing loss to at least partially compensate for hearing loss resulting from this hearing loss. Usually, hearing aids have at least one microphone for detecting an acoustic (ambient) sound and converting it into an electrical microphone signal. Furthermore, such hearing aid devices regularly have a signal processing unit which is set up to analyze the microphone signal for interference components (eg noise, environmental noise and the like), to filter and / or attenuate these interference components and to determine the remaining ("useful" signal components).
  • interference components eg noise, environmental noise and the like
  • hearing aids usually have a loudspeaker (also referred to as a receiver or “receiver”) by means of which the processed microphone signal is converted into an acoustic sound signal and output to the ear of the hearing device wearer.
  • hearing aids have a cochlear or bone conduction implant for outputting the sound signal in electrical or mechanical form to the hearing center.
  • hearing aid also includes so-called tinnitus maskers, which often output a user-specific noise to the hearing center, or other devices for sound output, such.
  • headsets headphones
  • hearing aid settings Device-specific, comparatively complex algorithms for signal processing of the microphone signals, which are also referred to below as “hearing aid settings”, are usually stored in signal processing units of hearing aids. In order to be able to individually adapt the respective hearing aid device to a hearing aid wearer, these algorithms are based on variable parameters, the limits of which are predetermined in a wearer-specific manner when the hearing aid wearer adjusts to the hearing aid wearer's hearing loss.
  • hearing aids In order to be able to easily adapt the output characteristic (sound characteristic) of the hearing device and in particular the intelligibility of speech or other "desired” useful signals also to different noise situations, hearing aids usually have a so-called classifier. This is set up to close on the basis of the microphone signal to a specific noise situation (in particular as “hearing situation”). For this purpose, different listening situations, between which differentiates the classifier, stored in a memory unit of the hearing aid (eg. "Talk of the hearing aid wearer with a second person at rest”, “conversation in ambient noise", “stay in nature”, “stay in a public place ").
  • the invention has for its object to enable a high degree of flexibility for the signal processing of a hearing aid.
  • the method according to the invention serves to operate a hearing device system that includes a hearing device and a database system separate from the hearing device.
  • the database system is set up to communicate with the hearing aid.
  • the hearing device and the database system are preferably set up for communication with one another (ie for bidirectional communication).
  • a location information for the current location of the hearing aid is determined. This location information is then transmitted to the database system.
  • the database system determines whether an electronic device separate from the hearing device and assigned to a user different to a wearer of the hearing device (in short: hearing device wearer) (in short: device user) is located at a predetermined spatial distance from the hearing aid.
  • a parameter set containing a number of parameters for signal processing of acoustic signals in the hearing aid is created by the database system as a function of the (preferably simultaneous) presence of the separate device within the predetermined spatial distance (this parameter set is hereinafter referred to as "new parameter set ").
  • This new set of parameters is - preferably in response to the transmission of the location information of the hearing aid - transmitted from the database system to the hearing aid.
  • the new parameter set from the hearing aid for signal processing used is used.
  • current parameters that specify values for the signal processing in algorithms which are fixedly specified in the hearing aid specifically hereinafter referred to as “hearing aid settings" are overwritten with the "new" parameters of the transmitted, new parameter set.
  • the database system is preferably one that is accessible, in particular, to a plurality of different (set up for communication with the database system) hearing aids.
  • the database system thus forms in particular a "central" (addressable) database system accessible, for example, via a network connection (mobile Internet, WLAN and the like), which is operated, for example, by a manufacturer of the hearing aids.
  • a network connection mobile Internet, WLAN and the like
  • the database system is set up to communicate with such a device.
  • the location information about the current location of the hearing device is preferably determined by means of a satellite-supported position determination system. Alternatively, the location information by means of a position determination against ("land-based") radio stations, such. As “mobile masts", local access points to the Internet (“hotspots”) and the like determined.
  • the location information is preferably determined directly by the hearing device by resorting to a (satellite or radio-aided) position determination system integrated in the hearing aid.
  • the location information is indirectly determined by the hearing aid.
  • the hearing aid is signal transmission technology connected to a separate control unit, in which the corresponding position determination system is integrated.
  • This control unit is, for example, a smartphone or a comparable multimedia device, on which a hearing aid control software is installed, or a hearing aid-specific remote control.
  • the location information is, in particular, the coordinates (for example, latitude and latitude) of the location.
  • the location of the hearing device is in particular also the location of the hearing device wearer currently using the hearing device.
  • the separate electronic device is a device that is set up and provided for transmitting location information (to a server or the like).
  • the separate device is a smartphone, a personal fitness monitoring device or a comparable device, or in particular a hearing device of a second hearing device wearer, which is likewise set up for communication with the database system.
  • the database system advantageously has information about the location of the hearing device anyway.
  • the database system preferably accesses a server on which location information of the separate electronic devices described above is stored.
  • the database system preferably fetches permission from the device user to access its location information.
  • the predetermined spatial distance is determined by a comparison of both location information (that is to say the location information of the hearing device and the location information of the separate device).
  • An advantage of the invention is in particular that additional information about a current hearing situation, namely in particular the presence of the separate device, are taken into account.
  • the adaptability of the signal processing of the hearing device to the respectively current hearing situation and thus the flexibility of the signal processing can advantageously be increased.
  • a personal (individual) hearing characteristic of the hearing device wearer is taken into account when creating the new parameter set (by the database system).
  • This hearing characteristic is transmitted, for example, from the hearing aid (directly or indirectly via the control unit) to the database system in addition to the location information.
  • the hearing characteristic is transmitted to the database system during a (first) adaptation of the hearing device - which takes place, in particular, by a hearing aid acoustician - and stored in a data memory assigned to the database system.
  • an identification data record for example a unique "marker”
  • the database system identifies and reads out the stored hearing characteristics assigned to the hearing device from the data memory.
  • the hearing characteristic preferably contains specifications for the hearing loss of the hearing aid wearer dependent, in particular also frequency-dependent attenuation and amplification of sound signals.
  • the hearing characteristic thus represents, in particular, a (carrier-specific) "basic setting" of the hearing device for signal processing tailored to the hearing loss of the hearing aid wearer. In the hearing device settings, this limits (frequency-dependent) limits within which new parameters may vary in a choice of different hearing programs. By considering the individual hearing characteristics, it is advantageously achieved that the parameters contained in the new parameter set are also compliant with the hearing aid wearer's hearing loss.
  • a personal relationship between the hearing device wearer and device user is determined (in particular before the new parameter set is created). This personal relationship is taken into account when creating the new parameter set. This means that the new parameter set is created in particular depending on this personal relationship.
  • personal relationship is here and below understood in particular that the hearing aid wearer with the device user is known (ie that know both). For example, a degree of acquaintance such. As “colleagues", "friends” and the like determined.
  • the database system preferably creates the new parameter set in such a way that the signal processing of the hearing device is aligned to a conversation.
  • the personal relationship is determined on the basis of a frequency in which the hearing device and the separate device are arranged within a predetermined distance from one another.
  • a location history for the hearing aid and the separate device are created and compared.
  • the database system preferably determines a course of the transmitted location information of the hearing device (which in particular is stored in the data memory) and a history of the locations of the separate device. In the event that the hearing aid and the separate device within a predetermined period (eg 4 weeks) for a predetermined number (for example, 5 times) at the same time - d. H.
  • the database system additionally determines information about the respective location (location) at which the hearing device wearer and the device user are often within the predetermined distance from one another. If this location is a public place, a restaurant or the like, for example, it is concluded that the hearing device wearer and the device user are friends. In particular, if this location represents an office building or the like, the database system concludes that it is a colleague.
  • additional information about the current location is also determined and taken into account when creating the new parameter set.
  • the new parameter set is created in particular such that the signal processing is adapted by means of the new parameter set, for example, to a conversation at a plurality of ambient noise.
  • the signal processing of the hearing aid is advantageously adapted by means of the new parameter set to a conversation without ambient noise (or at least with only negligible ambient noise).
  • the personal relationship is determined based on information provided by the hearing device wearer and the device user, respectively.
  • the database system transmits a request to the hearing device or to its possibly assigned control unit and / or to the separate device. This request is directed in particular to whether the hearing device wearer knows the device user and / or vice versa or is currently in conversation with the device user. In the former case, the database system advantageously stores the respective answer in the data memory, so that this information is also available in the future.
  • the database system accesses a social network, preferably by obtaining access permission from the hearing device wearer and the device user, and retrieves therefrom information relating to their personal relationship. In such a social network, a large number of users of the social network advantageously already frequently use information about their personal relationship with other users and possibly about their type (eg "known", “friends", “colleagues", ”) "and the like) deposited.
  • a voice profile of the device user is determined and taken into account when creating the new parameter set.
  • the new parameter set is expediently created in such a way that the voice of the user of the device is particularly well understood by means of the hearing device.
  • the voice profile of the device user is determined in particular by means of a possibly arranged on the separate electronic device microphone.
  • a sample ie a comparatively short recording
  • the voice profile of the device user is preferably transmitted to the database system already during the (initial) setup of this (second) hearing device.
  • the new parameter set is dependent on a spatial distance of the separate device to the hearing aid, i. H. a distance between these, created.
  • the new parameter set at a distance of, for example, 2 meters and less created to the effect that the signal processing is particularly adapted to a single conversation between the hearing aid wearer and the device user, whereas at a distance greater than 2 meters, the signal processing by means of the new parameter set adapted to a conversation between several participants in the conversation.
  • a confirmation by the hearing aid wearer is requested for adaptation of the hearing aid settings stored in the hearing aid by means of the new parameter set, ie before the new parameter set is transferred to the hearing device settings.
  • the hearing aid wearer is hereby requested to directly confirm the transfer of the parameter set, in particular to the possibly present control unit or the hearing aid, for example by pressing a key.
  • the hearing aid wearer is preferably informed as to which hearing situation the new parameter set is aligned, so that the hearing aid wearer can easily judge whether he is actually in this hearing situation.
  • the hearing aid wearer (preferably) is acoustically prompted for confirmation by pressing a button.
  • the acquisition of the new parameter set is rejected without confirmation after expiry of a waiting period of, for example, 3 to 10 seconds.
  • additional time-variant additional information about this current location is further determined to take into account the additional information about the current location of the hearing device and taken into account in the creation of the new parameter set.
  • the database system accesses several, respectively different locations specifically associated parameter sets back, which are stored in particular in the possibly existing data storage of the database system. From these stored parameter sets, the database system preferably selects the parameter set specific to the current location of the hearing device. This selected new parameter set is then adapted in particular by the database system as a function of the time-variant additional information, ie in particular to the current (ie, time of day-dependent) present at this location listening situation. This time-variant additional information is preferably retrieved by the database system, in particular via the Internet.
  • time-variant additional information is public transport timetables (whereby, for example, a disturbing noise of a passing train or the like can be damped in a simple manner), event dates (eg concerts) or the like.
  • An optionally occurring conversation between the hearing device user and the device user can be reproduced particularly well by the hearing device by adapting the hearing device settings to the current (acoustic) environmental conditions (the current "background noise"). For example, it is recognized that in a stadium during an event (eg concert, sports event, etc.) to expect different soundscapes than when the stadium is "unused".
  • the adjustment of the new parameter set depending on the presence of the separate device also omitted.
  • the hearing device system comprises the database system described above and at least one hearing device of the type described above.
  • the hearing device (also regarded as an independent invention) is set up to determine the location information for the current location of the hearing device (or the hearing device wearer) and this location information to the database system.
  • the hearing device preferably has a (satellite or radio-aided) position determination system which is optionally integrated in the hearing device or otherwise in the control unit specifically assigned to the hearing aid.
  • the (also regarded as an independent invention) database system is set up to determine whether the separate from the hearing aid electronic device - d. H. preferably its device user - located in the predetermined spatial distance to the hearing aid.
  • the database system is set up to create the new parameter set for the hearing device as a function of the presence of the separate device within this predetermined spatial distance and then to transmit the new parameter set to the hearing aid.
  • the hearing device is in turn configured to adjust the stored hearing device settings by means of the parameter set transmitted by the database system.
  • the hearing aid and the database system are set up and provided to carry out the above-described method for operating the hearing aid system (jointly).
  • the hearing aid system 1 comprises a hearing aid 2 and a database system 3.
  • the hearing aid 2 has two microphones 4 for the detection of an acoustic noise, and a signal processing unit 5 for the frequency-dependent filtering, attenuation and amplification of the sound signals contained in the noise.
  • the hearing aid 2 on a speaker 6.
  • the hearing device 2 also has a (not shown) position determination system, which is adapted to determine the location of the hearing aid 2 satellite-based.
  • the hearing device 2 is set up by means of an antenna 7 for wireless (bidirectional) communication with the database system 3.
  • Device-specific fixed algorithms for processing the detected noise as a function of the hearing loss of the hearing device wearer are stored in the signal processing unit 5.
  • hearing aid settings several parameters are variably adjustable in order to be able to adapt the signal processing of the hearing device 2 to the hearing aid wearer's hearing loss and within carrier-specific limits - which are stored as "basic settings" when the hearing device 2 adapts to the hearing aid wearer - to different hearing situations.
  • the signal processing unit 5 also different (concrete four) parameter sets are stored to adapt to a small number of different listening situations, which can be loaded automatically or manually. In this case, the parameters currently used in the hearing aid settings are overwritten with the parameters of the newly loaded parameter set.
  • a hearing situation for example, a conversation of the hearing aid wearer with a second person without background noise, the stay of the hearing aid wearer in traffic, in nature or in a room "filled” with various conversations.
  • the database system 3 comprises (in a manner not shown) a number of servers for realizing a memory unit and a platform on which a control program of the database system 3 is implemented executable.
  • the database system 3 is also for (bidirectional) communication with the hearing aid 2 and with other (separate from the hearing aid 2) electronic devices such.
  • the smartphone 8 is assigned to a user different from the hearing device wearer of the hearing device 2, which is referred to below as a smartphone user.
  • the hearing aid system 1 is set up in the following with reference to FIG Fig. 2 perform method described in more detail.
  • the location of the hearing device 2 is first determined by the hearing device 2 in a method step 20 by means of the position determination system and transmitted to the database system 3 as location information (cf. Fig. 1 , dot-dashed arrow 10).
  • the database system 3 determines in a method step 30 whether any electronic device separate from the hearing device 2 and carried by a user is within a predetermined range of less than 6 meters from the hearing device 2.
  • the database system 3 determines a location of the smartphone 8 (see dashed arrow 12) and deduces from this location whether the smartphone 8 is located in the predetermined area around the hearing device 2, ie whether the hearing device wearer and the smartphone user are close to each other ,
  • the database system 3 creates a new parameter set for the signal processing unit 5 of the hearing device 3 in a method step 40.
  • the database system 3 takes into account the distance between the hearing device 2 and the hearing aid 2 Smartphone 8 as well as a voice profile of the Smartphone user, which was transmitted from the smartphone 8 to the database system 3.
  • the database system 3 determines a personal relationship between the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user, specifically, whether the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user know each other. This is determined by the database system 3 based on a query, which is transmitted to the hearing aid wearer. In an alternative embodiment, the personal relationship is determined based on a history of the location data of the hearing device 2 and the smartphone 8.
  • the database system 3 if the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user have a corresponding release, queries a personal relationship of the two persons from a social network.
  • the release for this can be done in this embodiment, for example, by a confirmation when creating a user account for the social network or when registering the hearing aid 2 and optionally the smartphone 8 in the database system 3.
  • the database system 3 Based on the personal relationship, specifically, when the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user know each other, the database system 3 derives at a distance of the smartphone 8 to the hearing aid 2 of less than 3 meters, that the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user are in a conversation. Using the voice profile of the smartphone user, the database system 3 then creates the new parameter set in method step 40 in such a way that the hearing device wearer is allowed a particularly high degree of perceptibility and intelligibility of the smartphone user's voice in his conversation with the smartphone user.
  • the database system 3 transmits the new parameter set to the hearing device 2. This fetches from the hearing device wearer a confirmation for the transfer of the current parameters of the hearing device settings with those of the transmitted, new parameter set. Upon confirmation, the signal processing is adjusted by means of the new parameters.
  • the hearing aid system 1 comprises two similar hearing aids 2, which are each assigned to a different hearing aid wearer.
  • One of the two hearing aids 2 forms the separate from the other hearing aid 2 electronic device.
  • the procedure performed in this case differs from that in Fig. 2 described method only in that the database system 3 receives the locations of both hearing aids 2 in step 20, and that then for each hearing aid 2, a new parameter set is created.
  • the voice profile of the other hearing aid wearer is taken into account in each case - if the two hearing aid wearers are within the predetermined distance from each other.
  • the respective voice profile was determined in this case already during the adaptation of the respective hearing device 2 to the corresponding hearing device wearer and transmitted to the database system 3.
  • Hearing aid wearers with similar hearing aids (in accordance with the above description), which are in conversation with each other, thus a particularly high mutual speech intelligibility is possible.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
  • Information Retrieval, Db Structures And Fs Structures Therefor (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
  • Telephone Function (AREA)

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zum Betrieb eines Hörgerätesystems. Des Weiteren betrifft die Erfindung ein Hörgerätesystem.The invention relates to a method for operating a hearing aid system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a hearing aid system.

Unter dem Begriff "Hörgerät" werden üblicherweise Geräte verstanden, die zur Ausgabe von Tonsignalen an das Hörzentrum eines Nutzers des entsprechenden Geräts (auch als "Hörgeräteträger" bezeichnet) dienen. Insbesondere fallen unter diesen Begriff Hörhilfegeräte. Hörhilfegeräte dienen Personen mit einer Hörminderung dazu, einen aus dieser Hörminderung resultierenden Hörverlust wenigstens teilweise auszugleichen. Üblicherweise weisen Hörhilfegeräte dazu mindestens ein Mikrophon zur Detektion eines akustischen (Umgebungs-)Geräuschs und Wandlung dessen in ein elektrisches Mikrophonsignal auf. Des Weiteren weisen solche Hörhilfegeräte regelmäßig eine Signalverarbeitungseinheit auf, die dazu eingerichtet ist, das Mikrophonsignal auf Störanteile (z. B. Rauschen, Umgebungslärm und dergleichen) zu analysieren, diese Störanteile zu filtern und/ oder zu dämpfen und die verbleibenden ("Nutz"-) Signalanteile (wie insbesondere Sprache und/oder Musik) zu verstärken. Zur Ausgabe des derart verarbeiteten Mikrophonsignals an das Hörzentrum weisen Hörhilfegeräte meist einen (auch als Hörer oder "Receiver" bezeichneten) Lautsprecher auf, mittels dessen das verarbeitete Mikrophonsignal in ein akustisches Tonsignal gewandelt und an das Ohr des Hörgeräteträgers ausgegeben wird. Alternativ weisen Hörhilfegeräte ein Cochlea- oder ein Knochenleitungsimplantat zur Ausgabe des Tonsignals in elektrischer oder mechanischer Form an das Hörzentrum auf.The term "hearing aid" is usually understood to mean devices which serve to output audio signals to the hearing center of a user of the corresponding device (also referred to as "hearing device wearer"). In particular, fall under this term hearing aids. Hearing aids are intended to help people with hearing loss to at least partially compensate for hearing loss resulting from this hearing loss. Usually, hearing aids have at least one microphone for detecting an acoustic (ambient) sound and converting it into an electrical microphone signal. Furthermore, such hearing aid devices regularly have a signal processing unit which is set up to analyze the microphone signal for interference components (eg noise, environmental noise and the like), to filter and / or attenuate these interference components and to determine the remaining ("useful" signal components). ) Signal components (such as in particular language and / or music) to reinforce. To output the microphone signal processed in this way to the hearing center, hearing aids usually have a loudspeaker (also referred to as a receiver or "receiver") by means of which the processed microphone signal is converted into an acoustic sound signal and output to the ear of the hearing device wearer. Alternatively, hearing aids have a cochlear or bone conduction implant for outputting the sound signal in electrical or mechanical form to the hearing center.

Unter den Begriff "Hörgerät" fallen allerdings auch sogenannte Tinnitus-Masker, die häufig ein nutzerspezifisches Rauschen an das Hörzentrum ausgeben, oder andere Geräte zur Tonausgabe, wie z. B. Headsets ("Kopfhörer") und dergleichen.However, the term "hearing aid" also includes so-called tinnitus maskers, which often output a user-specific noise to the hearing center, or other devices for sound output, such. As headsets ("headphones") and the like.

Insbesondere in Signalverarbeitungseinheiten von Hörhilfegeräten sind meist gerätespezifische, vergleichsweise komplexe Algorithmen zur Signalverarbeitung der Mikrophonsignale hinterlegt, die im Folgenden auch als "Hörgeräteeinstellungen" bezeichnet werden. Um das jeweilige Hörhilfegerät auf einen Hörgeräteträger individuell anpassen zu können, werden diesen Algorithmen variable Parameter zugrunde gelegt, deren Grenzen bei einer Anpassung des Hörhilfegeräts auf die Hörminderung des Hörgeräteträgers trägerspezifisch vorgegeben werden.Device-specific, comparatively complex algorithms for signal processing of the microphone signals, which are also referred to below as "hearing aid settings", are usually stored in signal processing units of hearing aids. In order to be able to individually adapt the respective hearing aid device to a hearing aid wearer, these algorithms are based on variable parameters, the limits of which are predetermined in a wearer-specific manner when the hearing aid wearer adjusts to the hearing aid wearer's hearing loss.

Um die Ausgabecharakteristik (Klangcharakteristik) des Hörgeräts und insbesondere die Verständlichkeit von Sprache oder anderen "gewünschten" Nutzsignalen auf einfache Weise auch an unterschiedliche Geräuschsituationen anpassen zu können, weisen Hörgeräte meist einen sogenannten Klassifikator auf. Dieser ist dazu eingerichtet, anhand des Mikrophonsignals auf eine spezielle Geräuschsituation (insbesondere als "Hörsituation" bezeichnet) zu schließen. Hierzu sind verschiedene Hörsituationen, zwischen denen der Klassifikator unterscheidet, in einer Speichereinheit des Hörgeräts hinterlegt (bspw. "Gespräch des Hörgeräteträgers mit einer zweiten Person in Ruhe", "Gespräch bei Umgebungslärm", "Aufenthalt in Natur", "Aufenthalt an einem öffentlichen Platz"). Für diese Hörsituationen werden meist bei der Anpassung des Hörhilfegeräts auf den jeweiligen Hörgeräteträger spezifische Parametersätze (sogenannte "Hörprogramme") in der Speichereinheit hinterlegt, mit denen je nach Ausgabesignal des Klassifikators aktuelle Parameter der Hörgeräteeinstellungen überschrieben werden - d. h. das jeweilige der Hörsituation entsprechende Hörprogramm wird "geladen". Die Parametersätze sind dabei an die jeweilige Hörsituation und an die Hörminderung des Hörgeräteträgers angepasst, so dass stets z. B. Sprache oder andere in der jeweiligen Hörsituation gewünschte Nutzsignale möglichst gut verständlich an das Hörzentrum ausgegeben werden. Aus EP 2 876 899 A1 ist beispielsweise bekannt, Hörsituationen aufgrund von Ortsinformationen bezüglich des Hörgeräteträgers (bspw. ob sich dieser an einer Sportstätte befindet) auszuwählen und entsprechende Parametersätze zu laden. Aus EP 2 876 899 A1 ist ferner auch bekannt, bei einem Telefonat mit bspw. einer bekannten Person eine Spracherkennung auf dieser Person zugeordnete Charakteristika auszurichten.In order to be able to easily adapt the output characteristic (sound characteristic) of the hearing device and in particular the intelligibility of speech or other "desired" useful signals also to different noise situations, hearing aids usually have a so-called classifier. This is set up to close on the basis of the microphone signal to a specific noise situation (in particular as "hearing situation"). For this purpose, different listening situations, between which differentiates the classifier, stored in a memory unit of the hearing aid (eg. "Talk of the hearing aid wearer with a second person at rest", "conversation in ambient noise", "stay in nature", "stay in a public place "). For these hearing situations, specific parameter sets (so-called "hearing programs") are usually stored in the memory unit when the hearing aid is adapted to the respective hearing aid wearer, with which current parameters of the hearing aid settings are overwritten depending on the output signal of the classifier - ie the respective hearing program corresponding to the hearing situation is " loaded ". The parameter sets are adapted to the particular hearing situation and to the hearing loss of the hearing aid wearer, so that always z. As speech or other desired in the respective listening situation desired signals as well as understandable be issued to the hearing center. Out EP 2 876 899 A1 For example, it is known to select listening situations based on location information regarding the hearing device wearer (for example, whether this is located at a sports facility) and corresponding parameter sets to load. Out EP 2 876 899 A1 Furthermore, it is also known to align a speech recognition on a character associated with this person in a telephone call with, for example, a known person.

Der Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, eine hohe Flexibilität für die Signalverarbeitung eines Hörgeräts zu ermöglichen.The invention has for its object to enable a high degree of flexibility for the signal processing of a hearing aid.

Diese Aufgabe wird erfindungsgemäß gelöst durch ein Verfahren zum Betrieb eines Hörgerätesystems mit den Merkmalen das Anspruchs 1. Hinsichtlich eines Hörgerätesystems wird die Aufgabe erfindungsgemäß gelöst durch die Merkmale des Anspruchs 9. Vorteilhafte und teils für sich erfinderische Ausführungsformen und Weiterentwicklungen der Erfindung sind in den Unteransprüchen sowie der nachfolgenden Beschreibung dargelegt.This object is achieved by a method for operating a hearing aid system having the features of claim 1. With respect to a hearing aid system, the object is achieved by the features of claim 9. Advantageous and partly inventive embodiments and developments of the invention are in the dependent claims set out in the description below.

Das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren dient zum Betrieb eines Hörgerätesystems, das ein Hörgerät sowie ein von dem Hörgerät separates Datenbanksystem umfasst. Das Datenbanksystem ist zur Kommunikation mit dem Hörgerät eingerichtet. Vorzugsweise sind dabei das Hörgerät und das Datenbanksystem zur Kommunikation untereinander (d. h. zur bidirektionalen Kommunikation) eingerichtet. Verfahrensgemäß wird eine Ortsinformation für den aktuellen Standort des Hörgeräts ermittelt. Diese Ortsinformation wird anschließend an das Datenbanksystem übermittelt. Von dem Datenbanksystem wird ermittelt, ob sich ein von dem Hörgerät separates elektronisches Gerät, das einem zu einem Träger des Hörgeräts (kurz: Hörgeräteträger) unterschiedlichen Nutzer (kurz: Gerätenutzer) zugeordnet ist, in einer vorgegebenen räumlichen Distanz zu dem Hörgerät befindet. Des Weiteren wird von dem Datenbanksystem in Abhängigkeit von der (vorzugsweise zeitgleichen) Anwesenheit des separaten Geräts innerhalb der vorgegebenen räumlichen Distanz ein Parametersatz, der eine Anzahl von Parametern zur Signalverarbeitung von akustischen Signalen in dem Hörgerät enthält, erstellt (dieser Parametersatz wird im Folgenden als "neuer Parametersatz" bezeichnet). Dieser neue Parametersatz wird - vorzugsweise als Antwort auf die Übermittlung der Ortsinformation des Hörgeräts - von dem Datenbanksystem an das Hörgerät übermittelt. Anschließend wird der neue Parametersatz von dem Hörgerät zur Signalverarbeitung herangezogen. Das heißt, dass in dem Hörgerät aktuelle Parameter, die in hörgerätespezifisch fest vorgebebenen Algorithmen (im Folgenden kurz als "Hörgeräteeinstellungen" bezeichnet) Werte für die Signalverarbeitung vorgeben, mit den "neuen" Parametern des übermittelten, neuen Parametersatzes überschrieben werden.The method according to the invention serves to operate a hearing device system that includes a hearing device and a database system separate from the hearing device. The database system is set up to communicate with the hearing aid. In this case, the hearing device and the database system are preferably set up for communication with one another (ie for bidirectional communication). According to the method, a location information for the current location of the hearing aid is determined. This location information is then transmitted to the database system. The database system determines whether an electronic device separate from the hearing device and assigned to a user different to a wearer of the hearing device (in short: hearing device wearer) (in short: device user) is located at a predetermined spatial distance from the hearing aid. Furthermore, a parameter set containing a number of parameters for signal processing of acoustic signals in the hearing aid is created by the database system as a function of the (preferably simultaneous) presence of the separate device within the predetermined spatial distance (this parameter set is hereinafter referred to as " new parameter set "). This new set of parameters is - preferably in response to the transmission of the location information of the hearing aid - transmitted from the database system to the hearing aid. Subsequently, the new parameter set from the hearing aid for signal processing used. This means that in the hearing aid, current parameters that specify values for the signal processing in algorithms which are fixedly specified in the hearing aid specifically (hereinafter referred to as "hearing aid settings") are overwritten with the "new" parameters of the transmitted, new parameter set.

Bei dem Datenbanksystem handelt es sich vorzugsweise um ein solches, das insbesondere einer Mehrzahl von verschiedenen (zur Kommunikation mit dem Datenbanksystem eingerichteten) Hörgeräten zugänglich ist. Das Datenbanksystem bildet somit insbesondere ein "zentrales", beispielsweise über eine Netzwerkverbindung (mobiles Internet, WLAN und dergleichen) zugängliches (adressierbares) Datenbanksystem, das beispielsweise von einem Hersteller der Hörgeräte betrieben wird. Zur Ermittlung, ob sich das separate elektronische Gerät in der vorgegebenen Distanz zu dem Hörgerät befindet, ist das Datenbanksystem dazu eingerichtet, mit einem derartigen Gerät zu kommunizieren.The database system is preferably one that is accessible, in particular, to a plurality of different (set up for communication with the database system) hearing aids. The database system thus forms in particular a "central" (addressable) database system accessible, for example, via a network connection (mobile Internet, WLAN and the like), which is operated, for example, by a manufacturer of the hearing aids. In order to determine whether the separate electronic device is at the predetermined distance from the hearing aid, the database system is set up to communicate with such a device.

Die Ortsinformation zu dem aktuellen Standort des Hörgeräts wird vorzugsweise mittels eines satellitengestützten Positionsbestimmungssystems ermittelt. Alternativ wird die Ortsinformation mittels einer Positionsbestimmung gegenüber ("landgestützten") Funkstationen, wie z. B. "Mobilfunkmasten", lokalen Zugangspunkten zum Internet ("Hotspots") und dergleichen ermittelt. Bevorzugt wird die Ortsinformation dabei unmittelbar durch das Hörgerät ermittelt, indem auf ein in das Hörgerät integriertes (satelliten- oder funkgestütztes) Positionsbestimmungssystem zurückgegriffen wird. Alternativ wird die Ortsinformation mittelbar von dem Hörgerät ermittelt. In diesem Fall ist das Hörgerät signalübertragungstechnisch mit einer separaten Steuereinheit verbunden, in die das entsprechende Positionsbestimmungssystem integriert ist. Bei dieser Steuereinheit handelt es sich beispielsweise um ein Smartphone oder ein vergleichbares Multimediagerät, auf dem eine Steuerungssoftware für das Hörgerät installiert ist, oder um eine hörgerätespezifische Fernbedienung. Bei der Ortsinformation handelt es sich insbesondere um die Koordinaten (bspw. Längen- und Breitenangaben) des Standorts. Bei dem Standort des Hörgeräts handelt es sich insbesondere auch um den Standort des das Hörgerät (aktuell) nutzenden Hörgeräteträgers.The location information about the current location of the hearing device is preferably determined by means of a satellite-supported position determination system. Alternatively, the location information by means of a position determination against ("land-based") radio stations, such. As "mobile masts", local access points to the Internet ("hotspots") and the like determined. In this case, the location information is preferably determined directly by the hearing device by resorting to a (satellite or radio-aided) position determination system integrated in the hearing aid. Alternatively, the location information is indirectly determined by the hearing aid. In this case, the hearing aid is signal transmission technology connected to a separate control unit, in which the corresponding position determination system is integrated. This control unit is, for example, a smartphone or a comparable multimedia device, on which a hearing aid control software is installed, or a hearing aid-specific remote control. The location information is, in particular, the coordinates (for example, latitude and latitude) of the location. The location of the hearing device is in particular also the location of the hearing device wearer currently using the hearing device.

Bei dem separaten elektronischen Gerät handelt es sich um ein Gerät, das zur Übermittlung von Standortinformationen (an einen Server oder dergleichen) eingerichtet und vorgesehen ist. Beispielsweise handelt es sich bei dem separaten Gerät um ein Smartphone, ein persönliches Fitnessüberwachungsgerät oder ein vergleichbares Gerät, oder insbesondere um ein Hörgerät eines zweiten Hörgeräteträgers, das ebenfalls zur Kommunikation mit dem Datenbanksystem eingerichtet ist. In letzterem Fall liegt dem Datenbanksystem eine Information zu dem Standort des Hörgeräts vorteilhafterweise ohnehin vor. In ersterem Fall greift das Datenbanksystem vorzugsweise auf einen Server zu, auf dem Standortinformationen der vorstehend beschriebenen separaten elektronischen Geräte hinterlegt sind. In diesem Fall holt das Datenbanksystem von dem Gerätenutzer vorzugsweise eine Erlaubnis zum Zugriff auf dessen Standortinformationen ein. Die vorgegebene räumliche Distanz wird durch einen Abgleich beider Standortinformationen (d. h. der Ortsinformation des Hörgerät sowie der Standortinformation des separaten Geräts) ermittelt.The separate electronic device is a device that is set up and provided for transmitting location information (to a server or the like). By way of example, the separate device is a smartphone, a personal fitness monitoring device or a comparable device, or in particular a hearing device of a second hearing device wearer, which is likewise set up for communication with the database system. In the latter case, the database system advantageously has information about the location of the hearing device anyway. In the former case, the database system preferably accesses a server on which location information of the separate electronic devices described above is stored. In this case, the database system preferably fetches permission from the device user to access its location information. The predetermined spatial distance is determined by a comparison of both location information (that is to say the location information of the hearing device and the location information of the separate device).

Als vorgegebene räumliche Distanz zu dem Hörgerät wird vorzugsweise ein Bereich von bis zu 10 Metern, insbesondere von 0 bis 6 Metern um das Hörgerät verstanden.As a given spatial distance to the hearing aid is preferably understood a range of up to 10 meters, in particular from 0 to 6 meters to the hearing aid.

Ein Vorteil der Erfindung liegt insbesondere darin, dass zusätzliche Informationen zu einer aktuellen Hörsituation, nämlich insbesondere die Anwesenheit des separaten Geräts, berücksichtigt werden. Dadurch kann auf vorteilhafte Weise die Anpassbarkeit der Signalverarbeitung des Hörgeräts an die jeweils aktuelle Hörsituation und somit die Flexibilität der Signalverarbeitung gesteigert werden. Dadurch, dass dem Hörgerät der neue Parametersatz von extern zur Verfügung gestellt wird, können vorteilhafterweise aufwendige Rechenoperationen zur Ermittlung dieses Parametersatzes - in einer dem Hörgerät spezifisch zugeordneten (unmittelbar im Hörgerät oder in der Steuereinheit integrierten) Recheneinheit - entfallen und somit eine Verringerung der Laufzeit einer bei Hörgeräten bauraumbedingt ohnehin meist kleinen Batterie vermieden werden.An advantage of the invention is in particular that additional information about a current hearing situation, namely in particular the presence of the separate device, are taken into account. As a result, the adaptability of the signal processing of the hearing device to the respectively current hearing situation and thus the flexibility of the signal processing can advantageously be increased. By providing the hearing aid with the new parameter set from an external point of view, costly arithmetic operations for determining this parameter set can be dispensed with - in an arithmetic unit specifically assigned to the hearing aid (integrated directly in the hearing device or in the control unit) in case of hearing aid due to space constraints anyway usually small battery can be avoided.

In einer zweckmäßigen Ausführung des Verfahrens wird bei der Erstellung des neuen Parametersatzes (durch das Datenbanksystem) eine persönliche (individuelle) Hörcharakteristik des Hörgeräteträgers berücksichtigt. Diese Hörcharakteristik wird beispielsweise von dem Hörgerät (unmittelbar oder mittelbar über die Steuereinheit) zusätzlich zu der Ortsinformation an das Datenbanksystem übermittelt. Alternativ wird die Hörcharakteristik bei einer (Erst-)Anpassung des Hörgeräts - die insbesondere durch einen Hörgeräteakustiker erfolgt - an das Datenbanksystem übermittelt und in einem dem Datenbanksystem zugeordneten Datenspeicher abgelegt. Neben der Ortsinformation wird in diesem Fall vorzugsweise ein Identifikationsdatensatz (bspw. ein eindeutiger "Marker") an das Datenbanksystem übermittelt, mittels dessen das Datenbanksystem die hinterlegte, dem Hörgerät zugeordnete Hörcharakteristik aus dem Datenspeicher identifiziert und ausliest. Die Hörcharakteristik beinhaltet vorzugsweise Vorgaben für von der Hörminderung des Hörgeräteträgers abhängigen, insbesondere auch frequenzabhängigen Dämpfung und Verstärkung von Tonsignalen. Die Hörcharakteristik stellt somit insbesondere eine individuell auf die Hörminderung des Hörgeräteträgers abgestimmte (trägerspezifische) "Grundeinstellung" des Hörgeräts zur Signalverarbeitung dar. Diese setzt in den Hörgeräteeinstellungen insbesondere (frequenzabhängig) Grenzen, innerhalb derer bei einer Wahl verschiedener Hörprogramme neue Parameter variieren können. Durch die Berücksichtigung der individuellen Hörcharakteristik wird vorteilhafterweise erreicht, dass die in dem neuen Parametersatz enthaltenen Parameter auch zur Hörminderung des Hörgeräteträgers konform sind.In an expedient embodiment of the method, a personal (individual) hearing characteristic of the hearing device wearer is taken into account when creating the new parameter set (by the database system). This hearing characteristic is transmitted, for example, from the hearing aid (directly or indirectly via the control unit) to the database system in addition to the location information. Alternatively, the hearing characteristic is transmitted to the database system during a (first) adaptation of the hearing device - which takes place, in particular, by a hearing aid acoustician - and stored in a data memory assigned to the database system. In addition to the location information, in this case preferably an identification data record (for example a unique "marker") is transmitted to the database system, by means of which the database system identifies and reads out the stored hearing characteristics assigned to the hearing device from the data memory. The hearing characteristic preferably contains specifications for the hearing loss of the hearing aid wearer dependent, in particular also frequency-dependent attenuation and amplification of sound signals. The hearing characteristic thus represents, in particular, a (carrier-specific) "basic setting" of the hearing device for signal processing tailored to the hearing loss of the hearing aid wearer. In the hearing device settings, this limits (frequency-dependent) limits within which new parameters may vary in a choice of different hearing programs. By considering the individual hearing characteristics, it is advantageously achieved that the parameters contained in the new parameter set are also compliant with the hearing aid wearer's hearing loss.

In einer bevorzugten Ausführung des Verfahrens wird (insbesondere vor Erstellung des neuen Parametersatzes) eine persönliche Beziehung zwischen dem Hörgeräteträger und Gerätenutzer ermittelt. Diese persönliche Beziehung wird bei der Erstellung des neuen Parametersatzes berücksichtigt. Das heißt, dass der neue Parametersatz insbesondere in Abhängigkeit von dieser persönlichen Beziehung erstellt wird. Unter persönlicher Beziehung wird hier und im Folgenden insbesondere verstanden, dass der Hörgeräteträger mit dem Gerätenutzer bekannt ist (d. h. dass sich beide kennen). Beispielsweise wird auch ein Bekanntschaftsgrad wie z. B. "Kollegen", "Freunde" und dergleichen ermittelt. Für den Fall, dass das Vorliegen der persönlichen Beziehung ermittelt wird, wird bei Anwesenheit des separaten Geräts beispielsweise eine Schlussfolgerung abgeleitet, dass sich der Hörgeräteträger und der Gerätenutzer unterhalten. In diesem Fall erstellt das Datenbanksystem den neuen Parametersatz vorzugsweise derart, dass die Signalverarbeitung des Hörgeräts auf ein Gespräch ausgerichtet ist.In a preferred embodiment of the method, a personal relationship between the hearing device wearer and device user is determined (in particular before the new parameter set is created). This personal relationship is taken into account when creating the new parameter set. This means that the new parameter set is created in particular depending on this personal relationship. By personal relationship is here and below understood in particular that the hearing aid wearer with the device user is known (ie that know both). For example, a degree of acquaintance such. As "colleagues", "friends" and the like determined. For For example, in the case where the existence of the personal relationship is detected, in the presence of the separate device, a conclusion is derived that the hearing device wearer and the device user are conversing. In this case, the database system preferably creates the new parameter set in such a way that the signal processing of the hearing device is aligned to a conversation.

In einer zweckmäßigen Ausführung des Verfahrens wird die persönliche Beziehung anhand einer Häufigkeit ermittelt, in der das Hörgerät und das separate Gerät innerhalb einer vorgegebenen Entfernung zueinander angeordnet sind. Das heißt, dass jeweils eine Ortshistorie für das Hörgerät und das separate Gerät erstellt und diese verglichen werden. Dazu ermittelt das Datenbanksystem vorzugsweise einen Verlauf der übermittelten Ortsinformationen des Hörgeräts (die insbesondere in dem Datenspeicher hinterlegt sind) sowie einen Verlauf der Standorte des separaten Geräts. Für den Fall, dass das Hörgerät und das separate Gerät innerhalb eines vorgegebenen Zeitraums (bspw. 4 Wochen) für eine vorgegebene Anzahl (bspw. 5 Mal) zeitgleich an dem gleichen Ort - d. h. innerhalb der vorgegebenen Distanz zueinander - angeordnet waren, wird insbesondere darauf geschlossen, dass sich der Hörgeräteträger und der Gerätenutzer zumindest kennen. Sind das Hörgerät und das separate Gerät täglich mehrfach gemeinsam an dem gleichen Ort angeordnet, wird beispielsweise darauf geschlossen, dass der Hörgeräteträger und der Gerätenutzer Kollegen sind. Optional ermittelt das Datenbanksystem zusätzlich eine Information über den jeweiligen Ort (Standort), an dem sich der Hörgeräteträger und der Gerätenutzer häufig innerhalb der vorgegebenen Entfernung zueinander befinden. Handelt es sich bei diesem Standort um einen öffentlichen Platz, ein Restaurant oder dergleichen, wird beispielsweise darauf geschlossen, dass es sich bei dem Hörgeräteträger und dem Gerätenutzer um Freunde handelt. Stellt dieser Standort ein Bürogebäude oder dergleichen dar, schließt das Datenbanksystem insbesondere darauf, dass es sich um Kollegen handelt.In an expedient embodiment of the method, the personal relationship is determined on the basis of a frequency in which the hearing device and the separate device are arranged within a predetermined distance from one another. This means that in each case a location history for the hearing aid and the separate device are created and compared. For this purpose, the database system preferably determines a course of the transmitted location information of the hearing device (which in particular is stored in the data memory) and a history of the locations of the separate device. In the event that the hearing aid and the separate device within a predetermined period (eg 4 weeks) for a predetermined number (for example, 5 times) at the same time - d. H. Within the predetermined distance to each other - were arranged, it is in particular concluded that at least know the hearing aid wearer and the device user. If the hearing device and the separate device are arranged several times a day together in the same place, it is concluded, for example, that the hearing device wearer and the device user are colleagues. Optionally, the database system additionally determines information about the respective location (location) at which the hearing device wearer and the device user are often within the predetermined distance from one another. If this location is a public place, a restaurant or the like, for example, it is concluded that the hearing device wearer and the device user are friends. In particular, if this location represents an office building or the like, the database system concludes that it is a colleague.

In einer bevorzugten Ausführung des Verfahrens wird auch eine zusätzliche Information zu dem aktuellen Standort ermittelt und bei der Erstellung des neuen Parametersatzes berücksichtigt. Handelt es sich um einen öffentlichen Platz oder dergleichen, wird der neue Parametersatz insbesondere derart erstellt, dass die Signalverarbeitung mittels des neuen Parametersatzes beispielsweise auf ein Gespräch bei einer Mehrzahl von Umgebungsgeräuschen angepasst wird. Für den Fall, dass es sich bei dem aktuellen Standort des Hörgeräteträgers und des Gerätenutzers um ein Bürogebäude, insbesondere einen Besprechungsraum handelt, wird vorteilhafterweise die Signalverarbeitung des Hörgeräts mittels des neuen Parametersatzes auf ein Gespräch ohne Umgebungsgeräusche (oder zumindest mit nur vernachlässigbaren Umgebungsgeräuschen) angepasst.In a preferred embodiment of the method, additional information about the current location is also determined and taken into account when creating the new parameter set. Is it a public place or Like, the new parameter set is created in particular such that the signal processing is adapted by means of the new parameter set, for example, to a conversation at a plurality of ambient noise. In the event that the current location of the hearing aid wearer and the user of the equipment is an office building, in particular a meeting room, the signal processing of the hearing aid is advantageously adapted by means of the new parameter set to a conversation without ambient noise (or at least with only negligible ambient noise).

In einer zusätzlichen oder alternativen Ausführung des Verfahrens wird die persönliche Beziehung anhand von Informationen ermittelt, die jeweils durch den Hörgerätträger und den Gerätenutzer bereitgestellt werden. Beispielsweise übermittelt das Datenbanksystem eine Anfrage an das Hörgerät oder an dessen ggf. zugeordnete Steuereinheit und/oder an das separate Gerät. Diese Anfrage ist insbesondere darauf gerichtet, ob der Hörgeräteträger den Gerätenutzer und/oder umgekehrt kennt oder sich gerade mit diesem in einem Gespräch befindet. In ersterem Fall speichert das Datenbanksystem vorteilhafterweise die jeweilige Antwort in dem Datenspeicher, so dass diese Information auch zukünftig zur Verfügung steht. In einer optionalen Ausführung des Verfahrens greift das Datenbanksystem - vorzugsweise unter Einholung einer Zugriffserlaubnis von dem Hörgeräteträger und dem Gerätenutzer - auf ein soziales Netzwerk zu und ruft aus diesem eine Information zu deren persönlicher Beziehung ab. In einem solchen sozialen Netzwerk sind von einer Vielzahl von Nutzern des sozialen Netzwerks vorteilhafterweise häufig bereits Informationen über deren persönliche Beziehung zu anderen Nutzern sowie ggf. über deren Art (z. B. "bekannt", "Freunde", "Kollegen", "verwandt" und dergleichen) hinterlegt.In an additional or alternative embodiment of the method, the personal relationship is determined based on information provided by the hearing device wearer and the device user, respectively. For example, the database system transmits a request to the hearing device or to its possibly assigned control unit and / or to the separate device. This request is directed in particular to whether the hearing device wearer knows the device user and / or vice versa or is currently in conversation with the device user. In the former case, the database system advantageously stores the respective answer in the data memory, so that this information is also available in the future. In an optional embodiment of the method, the database system accesses a social network, preferably by obtaining access permission from the hearing device wearer and the device user, and retrieves therefrom information relating to their personal relationship. In such a social network, a large number of users of the social network advantageously already frequently use information about their personal relationship with other users and possibly about their type (eg "known", "friends", "colleagues", ") "and the like) deposited.

In einer bevorzugten Ausführung des Verfahrens wird ein Stimmprofil des Gerätenutzers ermittelt und bei der Erstellung des neuen Parametersatzes berücksichtigt. Dabei wird der neue Parametersatz zweckmäßigerweise derart erstellt, dass die Stimme des Gerätenutzers mittels des Hörgeräts besonders gut verständlich ist. Somit ist eine besonders hohe individuelle Anpassung der Signalverarbeitung des Hörgeräts an die aktuelle Hörsituation bei zugleich niedrigem Rechenaufwand in dem Hörgerät möglich. Das Stimmprofil des Gerätnutzers wird dabei insbesondere mittels eines gegebenenfalls an dem separaten elektronischen Gerät angeordneten Mikrophons ermittelt. In diesem Fall wird zweckmäßigerweise (und vorzugsweise auf eine Freigabe durch den Gerätenutzer hin) ein Sample (d. h. eine vergleichsweise kurze Aufnahme) der Stimme des Gerätenutzers erstellt und zur Auswertung an das Datenbanksystem übermittelt. Für den Fall, dass es sich bei dem separaten Gerät ebenfalls um ein zur Kommunikation mit dem Datenbanksystem eingerichtetes Hörgerät handelt, wird das Stimmprofil des Gerätenutzers vorzugsweise bereits bei der (Erst-)Einrichtung dieses (zweiten) Hörgeräts an das Datenbanksystem übermittelt.In a preferred embodiment of the method, a voice profile of the device user is determined and taken into account when creating the new parameter set. In this case, the new parameter set is expediently created in such a way that the voice of the user of the device is particularly well understood by means of the hearing device. Thus, a particularly high individual adaptation of the signal processing of the hearing device to the current hearing situation at the same time low computational effort possible in the hearing aid. The voice profile of the device user is determined in particular by means of a possibly arranged on the separate electronic device microphone. In this case, expediently (and preferably upon approval by the device user) a sample (ie a comparatively short recording) of the device user's voice is created and transmitted to the database system for evaluation. In the event that the separate device is likewise a hearing device set up for communication with the database system, the voice profile of the device user is preferably transmitted to the database system already during the (initial) setup of this (second) hearing device.

In einer zweckmäßigen Ausführung des Verfahrens wird der neue Parametersatz in Abhängigkeit von einer räumlichen Entfernung des separaten Geräts zu dem Hörgerät, d. h. einem Abstand zwischen diesen, erstellt. Insbesondere wird der neue Parametersatz bei einem Abstand von beispielsweise 2 Meter und weniger dahingehend erstellt, dass die Signalverarbeitung insbesondere auf ein Einzel-Gespräch zwischen dem Hörgeräteträger und dem Gerätenutzer angepasst wird, wohingegen bei einem Abstand von größer als 2 Meter die Signalverarbeitung mittels des neuen Parametersatzes auf ein Gespräch zwischen mehreren Gesprächsteilnehmern angepasst wird.In an expedient embodiment of the method, the new parameter set is dependent on a spatial distance of the separate device to the hearing aid, i. H. a distance between these, created. In particular, the new parameter set at a distance of, for example, 2 meters and less created to the effect that the signal processing is particularly adapted to a single conversation between the hearing aid wearer and the device user, whereas at a distance greater than 2 meters, the signal processing by means of the new parameter set adapted to a conversation between several participants in the conversation.

In einer besonders zweckmäßigen Ausführung des Verfahrens wird zur Anpassung der in dem Hörgerät hinterlegten Hörgeräteeinstellungen mittels des neuen Parametersatzes, d. h. vor der Übernahme des neuen Parametersatzes in die Hörgeräteeinstellungen, eine Bestätigung durch den Hörgeräteträger angefordert. Dadurch wird eine ungewünschte Anpassung der Hörgeräteeinstellungen aufgrund einer Fehlinterpretation der aktuellen Hörsituation verhindert. Der Hörgeräteträger wird dabei aufgefordert, insbesondere an der ggf. vorhandenen Steuereinheit oder am Hörgerät direkt die Übernahme des Parametersatzes zu bestätigen, bspw. durch Drücken einer Taste. Vorzugsweise wird dem Hörgeräteträger dabei mitgeteilt, auf welche Hörsituation der neue Parametersatz ausgerichtet ist, so dass der Hörgeräteträger auf einfache Weise beurteilen kann, ob er sich tatsächlich in dieser Hörsituation befindet. Insbesondere für den Fall, dass die Bestätigung der Übernahme des Parametersatzes direkt am Hörgerät zu erfolgen hat, kann es im Rahmen der Erfindung vorgesehen sein, dass der Hörgeräteträger (vorzugsweise) akustisch zur Bestätigung mittels eines Knopfdrucks aufgefordert wird. Beispielsweise wird hierbei die Übernahme des neuen Parametersatzes ohne erfolgte Bestätigung nach Ablauf einer Wartezeit von bspw. 3 bis 10 Sekunden verworfen.In a particularly expedient embodiment of the method, a confirmation by the hearing aid wearer is requested for adaptation of the hearing aid settings stored in the hearing aid by means of the new parameter set, ie before the new parameter set is transferred to the hearing device settings. This prevents undesired adaptation of the hearing device settings due to a misinterpretation of the current hearing situation. The hearing aid wearer is hereby requested to directly confirm the transfer of the parameter set, in particular to the possibly present control unit or the hearing aid, for example by pressing a key. In this case, the hearing aid wearer is preferably informed as to which hearing situation the new parameter set is aligned, so that the hearing aid wearer can easily judge whether he is actually in this hearing situation. Especially in the event that the confirmation the acquisition of the parameter set has to be made directly on the hearing aid, it may be provided in the context of the invention that the hearing aid wearer (preferably) is acoustically prompted for confirmation by pressing a button. For example, the acquisition of the new parameter set is rejected without confirmation after expiry of a waiting period of, for example, 3 to 10 seconds.

In einer weiteren zweckmäßigen Ausführung des Verfahrens werden weiterführend zur Berücksichtigung der zusätzlichen Information zu dem aktuellen Standort des Hörgeräts auch zeitvariante Zusatzinformationen zu diesem aktuellen Standort ermittelt und bei der Erstellung des neuen Parametersatzes berücksichtigt. Beispielsweise greift das Datenbanksystem dazu auf mehrere, jeweils verschiedenen Standorten spezifisch zugeordnete Parametersätze zurück, die insbesondere in dem gegebenenfalls vorhandenen Datenspeicher des Datenbanksystems hinterlegt sind. Aus diesen hinterlegten Parametersätzen wählt das Datenbanksystem vorzugsweise den für den aktuellen Standort des Hörgeräts spezifischen Parametersatz aus. Dieser ausgewählte neue Parametersatz wird anschließend insbesondere von dem Datenbanksystem in Abhängigkeit der zeitvarianten Zusatzinformationen angepasst, d. h. insbesondere an die aktuell (d. h. tageszeitabhängig) an diesem Ort vorliegende Hörsituation. Diese zeitvarianten Zusatzinformationen werden dabei vorzugsweise von dem Datenbanksystem insbesondere über das Internet abgerufen. Beispielsweise handelt es sich bei derartigen zeitvarianten Zusatzinformationen um Fahrpläne öffentlicher Verkehrsmittel (wodurch bspw. ein störendes Geräusch eines vorbeifahrenden Zugs oder dergleichen auf einfache Weise gedämpft werden kann), Veranstaltungstermine (z. B. Konzerte) oder dergleichen. Eine gegebenenfalls stattfindende Unterhaltung zwischen dem Hörgeräteträger und dem Gerätenutzer kann durch die Anpassung der Hörgeräteeinstellungen an die aktuellen (akustischen) Umgebungsbedingungen (die aktuelle "Geräuschkulisse") besonders gut durch das Hörgerät wiedergegeben werden. Denn beispielsweise ist erkanntermaßen in einem Stadion während einer Veranstaltung (z. B. Konzert, Sportevent etc.) mit anderen Geräuschkulissen zu rechnen, als wenn das Stadion "ungenutzt" ist. Im Rahmen dieser Ausführung des Verfahrens kann die Anpassung des neuen Parametersatzes in Abhängigkeit von der Anwesenheit des separaten Geräts auch entfallen.In a further expedient embodiment of the method, additional time-variant additional information about this current location is further determined to take into account the additional information about the current location of the hearing device and taken into account in the creation of the new parameter set. For example, the database system accesses several, respectively different locations specifically associated parameter sets back, which are stored in particular in the possibly existing data storage of the database system. From these stored parameter sets, the database system preferably selects the parameter set specific to the current location of the hearing device. This selected new parameter set is then adapted in particular by the database system as a function of the time-variant additional information, ie in particular to the current (ie, time of day-dependent) present at this location listening situation. This time-variant additional information is preferably retrieved by the database system, in particular via the Internet. For example, such time-variant additional information is public transport timetables (whereby, for example, a disturbing noise of a passing train or the like can be damped in a simple manner), event dates (eg concerts) or the like. An optionally occurring conversation between the hearing device user and the device user can be reproduced particularly well by the hearing device by adapting the hearing device settings to the current (acoustic) environmental conditions (the current "background noise"). For example, it is recognized that in a stadium during an event (eg concert, sports event, etc.) to expect different soundscapes than when the stadium is "unused". As part of this embodiment of the Method, the adjustment of the new parameter set depending on the presence of the separate device also omitted.

Das erfindungsgemäße Hörgerätesystem umfasst das vorstehend beschriebene Datenbanksystem sowie wenigstens ein Hörgerät der vorstehend beschriebenen Art. Das (auch als eigenständige Erfindung angesehene) Hörgerät ist dabei dazu eingerichtet, die Ortsinformation für den aktuellen Standort des Hörgeräts (bzw. des Hörgeräteträgers) zu ermitteln und diese Ortsinformation an das Datenbanksystem zu übermitteln. Dazu weist das Hörgerät vorzugsweise ein (satelliten- oder funkgestütztes) Positionsbestimmungssystem auf, das optional in dem Hörgerät oder anderenfalls in der dem Hörgerät spezifisch zugeordneten Steuereinheit integriert ist. Das (ebenfalls als eigenständige Erfindung angesehene) Datenbanksystem ist dazu eingerichtet, zu ermitteln, ob sich das von dem Hörgerät separate elektronische Gerät - d. h. vorzugsweise dessen Gerätenutzer - in der vorgegebenen räumlichen Distanz zu dem Hörgerät befindet. Des Weiteren ist das Datenbanksystem dazu eingerichtet, den neuen Parametersatz für das Hörgerät in Abhängigkeit von der Anwesenheit des separaten Geräts innerhalb dieser vorgegebenen räumlichen Distanz zu erstellen und den neuen Parametersatz anschließend an das Hörgerät zu übermitteln. Das Hörgerät ist wiederum dazu eingerichtet, die hinterlegten Hörgeräteeinstellungen mittels des von dem Datenbanksystem übermittelten Parametersatzes anzupassen. Mit anderen Worten sind das Hörgerät und das Datenbanksystem dazu eingerichtet und vorgesehen, das vorstehend beschriebene Verfahren zum Betrieb des Hörgerätesystems (gemeinsam) durchzuführen.The hearing device system according to the invention comprises the database system described above and at least one hearing device of the type described above. The hearing device (also regarded as an independent invention) is set up to determine the location information for the current location of the hearing device (or the hearing device wearer) and this location information to the database system. For this purpose, the hearing device preferably has a (satellite or radio-aided) position determination system which is optionally integrated in the hearing device or otherwise in the control unit specifically assigned to the hearing aid. The (also regarded as an independent invention) database system is set up to determine whether the separate from the hearing aid electronic device - d. H. preferably its device user - located in the predetermined spatial distance to the hearing aid. Furthermore, the database system is set up to create the new parameter set for the hearing device as a function of the presence of the separate device within this predetermined spatial distance and then to transmit the new parameter set to the hearing aid. The hearing device is in turn configured to adjust the stored hearing device settings by means of the parameter set transmitted by the database system. In other words, the hearing aid and the database system are set up and provided to carry out the above-described method for operating the hearing aid system (jointly).

Nachfolgend werden Ausführungsbeispiele der Erfindung anhand einer Zeichnung näher erläutert. Darin zeigen:

Fig. 1
in schematischer Darstellung ein Hörgerätesystem, das ein Hörgerät und ein Datenbanksystem umfasst,
Fig. 2
in einem schematischen Ablaufdiagramm ein Verfahren zum Betrieb des Hörgerätesystems, und
Fig. 3
in Ansicht gemäß Fig. 1 ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel des Hörgerätesystems.
Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Show:
Fig. 1
a schematic representation of a hearing aid system comprising a hearing aid and a database system,
Fig. 2
in a schematic flow diagram, a method for operating the hearing aid system, and
Fig. 3
in view according to Fig. 1 a further embodiment of the hearing aid system.

Einander entsprechende Teile sind in allen Figuren stets mit gleichen Bezugszeichen versehen.Corresponding parts are always provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

In Fig. 1 ist ein Hörgerätesystem 1 dargestellt. Das Hörgerätesystem 1 umfasst ein Hörgerät 2 sowie ein Datenbanksystem 3. Das Hörgerät 2 weist zwei Mikrophone 4 zur Detektion eines akustischen Geräuschs auf, sowie eine Signalverarbeitungseinheit 5 zur frequenzabhängigen Filterung, Dämpfung und Verstärkung der in dem Geräusch enthaltenen Tonsignale. Zur Ausgabe eines in der Signalverarbeitungseinheit 5 aus den Tonsignalen des detektierten Geräuschs erzeugten Ausgangssignals in akustischer Form an ein Ohr eines das Hörgerät 2 tragenden Hörgeräteträgers weist das Hörgerät 2 einen Lautsprecher 6 auf. Das Hörgerät 2 weist außerdem ein (nicht näher dargestelltes) Positionsbestimmungssystem auf, das dazu eingerichtet ist, den Standort des Hörgeräts 2 satellitengestützt zu ermitteln. Ferner ist das Hörgerät 2 mittels einer Antenne 7 zur drahtlosen (bidirektionalen) Kommunikation mit dem Datenbanksystem 3 eingerichtet.In Fig. 1 a hearing aid system 1 is shown. The hearing aid system 1 comprises a hearing aid 2 and a database system 3. The hearing aid 2 has two microphones 4 for the detection of an acoustic noise, and a signal processing unit 5 for the frequency-dependent filtering, attenuation and amplification of the sound signals contained in the noise. To output a generated in the signal processing unit 5 from the sound signals of the detected sound output signal in an acoustic form to an ear of the hearing aid 2 wearing the hearing aid wearer, the hearing aid 2 on a speaker 6. The hearing device 2 also has a (not shown) position determination system, which is adapted to determine the location of the hearing aid 2 satellite-based. Furthermore, the hearing device 2 is set up by means of an antenna 7 for wireless (bidirectional) communication with the database system 3.

In der Signalverarbeitungseinheit 5 sind gerätespezifisch fest vorgegebene Algorithmen (sogenannte Hörgeräteeinstellungen) zur Verarbeitung des detektierten Geräuschs in Abhängigkeit von der Hörminderung des Hörgeräteträgers hinterlegt. In diesen Hörgeräteeinstellungen sind jedoch mehrere Parameter variabel anpassbar, um die Signalverarbeitung des Hörgeräts 2 an die Hörminderung des Hörgeräteträgers und innerhalb trägerspezifischer Grenzen - die als "Grundeinstellungen" bei einer Anpassung des Hörgeräts 2 an den Hörgeräteträger hinterlegt werden - auf unterschiedliche Hörsituationen anpassen zu können. In der Signalverarbeitungseinheit 5 sind außerdem zur Anpassung an eine geringe Anzahl von unterschiedlichen Hörsituationen verschiedene (konkret vier) Parametersätze hinterlegt, die automatisch oder manuell geladen werden können. Hierbei werden die in den Hörgeräteeinstellungen aktuell verwendeten Parameter mit den Parametern des neu geladenen Parametersatzes überschrieben. Als Hörsituation wird beispielsweise ein Gespräch des Hörgeräteträgers mit einer zweiten Person ohne Hintergrundgeräusche, der Aufenthalt des Hörgeräteträgers im Straßenverkehr, in der Natur oder in einem mit verschiedenen Gesprächen "gefüllten" Raum aufgefasst.Device-specific fixed algorithms (so-called hearing device settings) for processing the detected noise as a function of the hearing loss of the hearing device wearer are stored in the signal processing unit 5. In these hearing aid settings, however, several parameters are variably adjustable in order to be able to adapt the signal processing of the hearing device 2 to the hearing aid wearer's hearing loss and within carrier-specific limits - which are stored as "basic settings" when the hearing device 2 adapts to the hearing aid wearer - to different hearing situations. In the signal processing unit 5 also different (concrete four) parameter sets are stored to adapt to a small number of different listening situations, which can be loaded automatically or manually. In this case, the parameters currently used in the hearing aid settings are overwritten with the parameters of the newly loaded parameter set. As a hearing situation, for example, a conversation of the hearing aid wearer with a second person without background noise, the stay of the hearing aid wearer in traffic, in nature or in a room "filled" with various conversations.

Das Datenbanksystem 3 umfasst (in nicht näher dargestellter Weise) eine Anzahl von Servern zur Realisierung einer Speichereinheit und einer Plattform, auf der ein Steuerprogramm des Datenbanksystems 3 lauffähig implementiert ist. Das Datenbanksystem 3 ist außerdem zur (bidirektionalen) Kommunikation mit dem Hörgerät 2 sowie mit anderen (von dem Hörgerät 2 separaten) elektronischen Geräten, wie z. B. einem in Fig. 1 dargestellten Smartphone 8 eingerichtet. Das Smartphone 8 ist im dargestellten Ausführungsbeispiel einem von dem Hörgeräteträger des Hörgeräts 2 unterschiedlichen Nutzer zugeordnet, der im Folgenden als Smartphonenutzer bezeichnet wird.The database system 3 comprises (in a manner not shown) a number of servers for realizing a memory unit and a platform on which a control program of the database system 3 is implemented executable. The database system 3 is also for (bidirectional) communication with the hearing aid 2 and with other (separate from the hearing aid 2) electronic devices such. B. a in Fig. 1 shown smartphone 8 set up. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the smartphone 8 is assigned to a user different from the hearing device wearer of the hearing device 2, which is referred to below as a smartphone user.

Das Hörgerätesystem 1 ist dazu eingerichtet, ein im Folgenden anhand Fig. 2 näher beschriebenes Verfahren durchzuführen. Dazu wird zunächst in einem Verfahrensschritt 20 von dem Hörgerät 2 mittels des Positionsbestimmungssystems der Standort des Hörgeräts 2 ermittelt und dieser als Ortsinformation an das Datenbanksystem 3 übermittelt (vgl. Fig. 1, strichpunktierter Pfeil 10). Das Datenbanksystem 3 ermittelt in einem Verfahrensschritt 30, ob sich irgendein von dem Hörgerät 2 separates elektronisches Gerät, das von einem Nutzer getragen wird, innerhalb eines vorgegebenen Bereichs von unter 6 Metern zu dem Hörgerät 2 befindet. Im Ausführungsbeispiel gemäß Fig. 1 ermittelt das Datenbanksystem 3 konkret einen Standort des Smartphones 8 (vgl. strichlinierter Pfeil 12) und leitet aus diesem Standort ab, ob sich das Smartphone 8 in dem vorgegebenen Bereich um das Hörgerät 2 befindet, d. h. ob sich der Hörgeräteträger und der Smartphonenutzer nahe beieinander befinden.The hearing aid system 1 is set up in the following with reference to FIG Fig. 2 perform method described in more detail. For this purpose, the location of the hearing device 2 is first determined by the hearing device 2 in a method step 20 by means of the position determination system and transmitted to the database system 3 as location information (cf. Fig. 1 , dot-dashed arrow 10). The database system 3 determines in a method step 30 whether any electronic device separate from the hearing device 2 and carried by a user is within a predetermined range of less than 6 meters from the hearing device 2. In the embodiment according to Fig. 1 Specifically, the database system 3 determines a location of the smartphone 8 (see dashed arrow 12) and deduces from this location whether the smartphone 8 is located in the predetermined area around the hearing device 2, ie whether the hearing device wearer and the smartphone user are close to each other ,

Befindet sich das Smartphone 8 in diesem Bereich um das Hörgerät 2, erstellt das Datenbanksystem 3 in einem Verfahrensschritt 40 einen neuen Parametersatz für die Signalverarbeitungseinheit 5 des Hörgeräts 3. Bei der Erstellung des neuen Parametersatzes berücksichtigt das Datenbanksystem 3 den Abstand zwischen dem Hörgerät 2 und dem Smartphone 8 sowie ein Stimmprofil des Smartphonenutzers, das von dem Smartphone 8 an das Datenbanksystem 3 übermittelt wurde. Außerdem ermittelt das Datenbanksystem 3 eine persönliche Beziehung zwischen dem Hörgeräteträger und dem Smartphonenutzer, konkret, ob sich der Hörgeräteträger und der Smartphonenutzer kennen. Dies ermittelt das Datenbanksystem 3 anhand einer Abfrage, die dem Hörgeräteträger übermittelt wird. In einem alternativen Ausführungsbeispiel wird die persönliche Beziehung anhand einer Historie der Standortdaten des Hörgeräts 2 und des Smartphones 8 ermittelt. In einem wiederum alternativen Ausführungsbeispiel fragt das Datenbanksystem 3, sofern von dem Hörgeräteträger und dem Smartphonenutzer eine entsprechende Freigabe vorliegt, eine persönliche Beziehung der beiden Personen aus einem sozialen Netzwerk ab. Die Freigabe hierfür kann in diesem Ausführungsbeispiel beispielsweise durch eine Bestätigung bei der Erstellung eines Nutzerkontos für das soziale Netzwerk oder bei einer Registrierung des Hörgeräts 2 und gegebenenfalls des Smartphones 8 in dem Datenbanksystem 3 erfolgen.If the smartphone 8 is located in this area around the hearing device 2, the database system 3 creates a new parameter set for the signal processing unit 5 of the hearing device 3 in a method step 40. When the new parameter set is created, the database system 3 takes into account the distance between the hearing device 2 and the hearing aid 2 Smartphone 8 as well as a voice profile of the Smartphone user, which was transmitted from the smartphone 8 to the database system 3. In addition, the database system 3 determines a personal relationship between the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user, specifically, whether the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user know each other. This is determined by the database system 3 based on a query, which is transmitted to the hearing aid wearer. In an alternative embodiment, the personal relationship is determined based on a history of the location data of the hearing device 2 and the smartphone 8. In yet another alternative embodiment, the database system 3, if the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user have a corresponding release, queries a personal relationship of the two persons from a social network. The release for this can be done in this embodiment, for example, by a confirmation when creating a user account for the social network or when registering the hearing aid 2 and optionally the smartphone 8 in the database system 3.

Anhand der persönlichen Beziehung, konkret, wenn sich der Hörgeräteträger und der Smartphonenutzer kennen, leitet das Datenbanksystem 3 bei einem Abstand des Smartphones 8 zu dem Hörgerät 2 von unter 3 Metern ab, dass sich der Hörgeräteträger und der Smartphonenutzer in einem Gespräch befinden. Unter Ausnutzung des Stimmprofils des Smartphonenutzers erstellt das Datenbanksystem 3 im Verfahrensschritt 40 den neuen Parametersatz anschließend derart, dass dem Hörgeräteträger in seinem Gespräch mit dem Smartphonenutzer eine besonders hohe Wahrnehmbarkeit und Verständlichkeit der Stimme des Smartphonenutzers ermöglicht wird.Based on the personal relationship, specifically, when the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user know each other, the database system 3 derives at a distance of the smartphone 8 to the hearing aid 2 of less than 3 meters, that the hearing aid wearer and the smartphone user are in a conversation. Using the voice profile of the smartphone user, the database system 3 then creates the new parameter set in method step 40 in such a way that the hearing device wearer is allowed a particularly high degree of perceptibility and intelligibility of the smartphone user's voice in his conversation with the smartphone user.

In einem weiteren Verfahrensschritt 50 übermittelt das Datenbanksystem 3 den neuen Parametersatz an das Hörgerät 2. Dieses holt von dem Hörgeräteträger eine Bestätigung zur Überspielung der aktuellen Parameter der Hörgeräteeinstellungen mit denen des übermittelten, neuen Parametersatzes ein. Auf die Bestätigung hin wird die Signalverarbeitung mittels der neuen Parameter angepasst. Durch dieses Verfahren wird eine hohe individuelle Anpassbarkeit des Hörgeräts 2 an die vorliegende Hörsituation, im vorliegenden Ausführungsbeispiel also an das Gespräch des Hörgeräteträgers mit dem Smartphonenutzer erreicht.In a further method step 50, the database system 3 transmits the new parameter set to the hearing device 2. This fetches from the hearing device wearer a confirmation for the transfer of the current parameters of the hearing device settings with those of the transmitted, new parameter set. Upon confirmation, the signal processing is adjusted by means of the new parameters. By this method, a high individual adaptability of the hearing device 2 to the present hearing situation, in the present embodiment, that is achieved on the conversation of the hearing aid wearer with the smartphone user.

In einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel gemäß Fig. 3 umfasst das Hörgerätesystem 1 zwei gleichartige Hörgeräte 2, die jeweils einem anderen Hörgeräteträger zugeordnet sind. Eines der beiden Hörgeräte 2 bildet dabei das von dem jeweils anderen Hörgerät 2 separate elektronische Gerät. Das in diesem Fall durchgeführte Verfahren unterscheidet sich von dem in Fig. 2 beschriebenen Verfahren lediglich dadurch, dass das Datenbanksystem 3 im Verfahrensschritt 20 die Standorte beider Hörgeräte 2 erhält, und dass daraufhin für jedes Hörgerät 2 ein neuer Parametersatz erstellt wird. Hierbei wird jeweils das Stimmprofil des anderen Hörgeräteträgers berücksichtigt - sofern die beiden Hörgeräteträger sich innerhalb der vorgegebenen Distanz zueinander befinden. Das jeweilige Stimmprofil wurde in diesem Fall bereits bei der Anpassung des jeweiligen Hörgeräts 2 auf den entsprechenden Hörgeräteträger ermittelt und an das Datenbanksystem 3 übermittelt. Hörgeräteträgern mit gleichartigen Hörgeräten (gemäß vorstehender Beschreibung), die sich im Gespräch miteinander befinden, wird somit eine besonders hohe gegenseitige Sprachverständlichkeit ermöglicht.In a further embodiment according to Fig. 3 The hearing aid system 1 comprises two similar hearing aids 2, which are each assigned to a different hearing aid wearer. One of the two hearing aids 2 forms the separate from the other hearing aid 2 electronic device. The procedure performed in this case differs from that in Fig. 2 described method only in that the database system 3 receives the locations of both hearing aids 2 in step 20, and that then for each hearing aid 2, a new parameter set is created. Here, the voice profile of the other hearing aid wearer is taken into account in each case - if the two hearing aid wearers are within the predetermined distance from each other. The respective voice profile was determined in this case already during the adaptation of the respective hearing device 2 to the corresponding hearing device wearer and transmitted to the database system 3. Hearing aid wearers with similar hearing aids (in accordance with the above description), which are in conversation with each other, thus a particularly high mutual speech intelligibility is possible.

Der Gegenstand der Erfindung wird durch die Ansprüche definiert und ist nicht auf die vorstehend beschriebenen Ausführungsbeispiele beschränkt. Vielmehr können weitere Ausführungsformen der Erfindung von dem Fachmann aus der vorstehenden Beschreibung abgeleitet werden. Insbesondere können die anhand der verschiedenen Ausführungsbeispiele beschriebenen Einzelmerkmale der Erfindung und deren Ausgestaltungsvarianten auch in anderer Weise miteinander kombiniert werden.The object of the invention is defined by the claims and is not limited to the embodiments described above. Rather, other embodiments of the invention may be derived by those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. In particular, the individual features of the invention described with reference to the various exemplary embodiments and their design variants can also be combined with one another in a different manner.

Claims (9)

  1. Method for operating a hearing device system (1) that comprises a hearing device (2) and a database system (3), which is separate from the hearing device (2) and set up for communication with the hearing device (2), wherein the method involves
    - a piece of location information being ascertained for the current position of the hearing device (2),
    - the location information being transmitted to the database system (3),
    - the database system (3) ascertaining whether an electronic device (8) that is separate from the hearing device (2), that is set up for transmitting position information and that is associated with a different user from a wearer of the hearing device (2) is situated at a prescribed physical distance from the hearing device (2), wherein the prescribed physical distance from the hearing device (2) is ascertained by collating the location information of the hearing device (2) and the position information of the separate device (8),
    - the database system (3) taking the presence of the separate device (8) within the prescribed physical distance as a basis for creating for the hearing device (2) a parameter set that contains a number of parameters for the signal processing of audible signals in the hearing device (2),
    - the database system (3) transmitting the parameter set created to the hearing device (2), and
    - the parameter set transmitted by the database system (3) being used by the hearing device (2) for the purpose of signal processing.
  2. Method according to Claim 1,
    wherein creation of the parameter set involves a personal aural characteristic of the wearer of the hearing device (2) being taken into account.
  3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2,
    wherein a personal relationship between a wearer of the hearing device (2) and a user of the separate device (8) is ascertained, and wherein the parameter set is created on the basis of the personal relationship.
  4. Method according to Claim 3,
    wherein the personal relationship is ascertained on the basis of a frequency with which the hearing device (2) and the separate device (8) are arranged within a prescribed distance from one another.
  5. Method according to Claim 3 or 4,
    wherein the personal relationship is ascertained on the basis of pieces of information that are each provided by the wearer of the hearing device (2) and the user of the separate device (8).
  6. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5,
    wherein a voice profile of the user of the separate device (8) is ascertained, and wherein the voice profile is taken into account for creation of the parameter set.
  7. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6,
    wherein the parameter set is created on the basis of a distance of the separate device (8) from the hearing device (2).
  8. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7,
    wherein a confirmation from the wearer of the hearing device (2) is requested for adaptation of hearing device settings stored in the hearing device (2) by using the transmitted parameter set.
  9. Hearing device system (1) having a database system (3) and at least one hearing device (2),
    - wherein the hearing device (2) is set up to ascertain a piece of location information for the current position of the hearing device (2) and to transmit the location information to the database system (3),
    - wherein the database system (3) is set up to ascertain whether an electronic device (8) that is separate from the hearing device (2), that is set up for transmitting position information and that is associated with a different user from a wearer of the hearing device (2) is situated at a prescribed physical distance from the hearing device (2), in that the prescribed physical distance from the hearing device (2) is ascertained by collating the location information of the hearing device (2) and the position information of the separate device (8), to take the presence of the separate device (8) within the prescribed physical distance as a basis for creating for the hearing device (2) a parameter set that contains parameters pertaining to the signal processing of audible signals in the hearing device (2) and to transmit the parameter set created to the hearing device (2), and
    - wherein the hearing device (2) is set up to use the parameter set transmitted by the database system (3) for the purpose of signal processing.
EP16174598.9A 2015-07-06 2016-06-15 Method for operating a hearing aid system and hearing aid system Active EP3116237B1 (en)

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JP2017017713A (en) 2017-01-19
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DE102015212613B3 (en) 2016-12-08
JP6308533B2 (en) 2018-04-11
US9866974B2 (en) 2018-01-09
US20170013370A1 (en) 2017-01-12
EP3116237A1 (en) 2017-01-11
AU2016204671B2 (en) 2018-02-15
CN106341765A (en) 2017-01-18

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