EP3413588A1 - Procédé de caractérisation d'une haut-parleur dans un dispositif auditif, dispositif auditif et dispositif d'essai pour un dispositif auditif - Google Patents

Procédé de caractérisation d'une haut-parleur dans un dispositif auditif, dispositif auditif et dispositif d'essai pour un dispositif auditif Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3413588A1
EP3413588A1 EP18171328.0A EP18171328A EP3413588A1 EP 3413588 A1 EP3413588 A1 EP 3413588A1 EP 18171328 A EP18171328 A EP 18171328A EP 3413588 A1 EP3413588 A1 EP 3413588A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
magnetic field
listener
response
hearing aid
response behavior
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Granted
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EP18171328.0A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP3413588B1 (fr
Inventor
Bernd Meister
Tom Männel
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Sivantos Pte Ltd
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Sivantos Pte Ltd
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Publication of EP3413588A1 publication Critical patent/EP3413588A1/fr
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    • 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
    • H04R25/50—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
    • H04R25/30—Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
    • 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
    • H04R2225/025—In the ear hearing aids [ITE] hearing aids
    • 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
    • H04R2225/31—Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
    • 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
    • H04R2430/00—Signal processing covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
    • H04R2430/01—Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
    • 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
    • H04R2460/03—Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
    • 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
    • H04R25/554—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 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
    • 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
    • H04R25/60—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles
    • H04R25/604—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers
    • H04R25/606—Mounting or interconnection of hearing aid parts, e.g. inside tips, housings or to ossicles of acoustic or vibrational transducers acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window
    • 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
    • H04R25/70—Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for characterizing a listener in a hearing aid, wherein the listener is embedded in an environment and has a response behavior, which is influenced by the environment. Furthermore, the invention relates to a hearing aid and a test device for a hearing aid.
  • a hearing aid is used to supply a user who is usually hearing impaired.
  • the hearing device has a microphone for recording sound signals in the environment and for converting these sound signals into electrical audio signals.
  • These electrical audio signals are processed by means of a control unit, usually amplified, and forwarded to a listener, which converts the processed electrical audio signals into sound signals and outputs them to the user.
  • the listener uses a magnetic field to convert electricity into motion.
  • the handset is therefore also referred to as an electro-acoustic transducer.
  • the listener sits in or on the ear of the user.
  • a BTE device which is worn behind the ear
  • the handset sits in a housing of the hearing aid and the sound signals are routed via a sound tube from the listener into the ear.
  • the earpiece is inserted into the ear, for example by means of an otoplastic, whereas the rest of the hearing aid is worn predominantly outside the ear.
  • An ITE device is fully inserted into the ear. Examples of ITE devices are ITC and CIC devices, which are worn in the ear canal or completely in the ear canal.
  • the output characteristic indicates, in particular, how exactly an incoming sound signal is modified in order to obtain an outgoing sound signal with a specific output power, in short power, or power characteristic, which is then output to the user. For example, only certain frequency bands are to be amplified, other frequency ranges not.
  • an audiogram is usually created, in the knowledge of which the hearing aid is then suitably adjusted in a fitting session in order to achieve the desired output and to ensure optimal care.
  • the control unit must therefore be configured so that it modifies the electrical audio signals exactly so that the desired output is achieved.
  • the problem is that the listener as an additional link between the control unit and the user's ear causes a further change, which must be considered accordingly.
  • the listener provides an additional transfer function.
  • This transfer function defines the listener's response, i. How the listener converts a given audio signal into a sound signal. Further changes and transfer functions along the signal path result in particular from the individual dimensioning of the sound tube, a degree of contamination of an ear piece, e.g. an earmold or the specific embodiment of the ear piece or a combination thereof.
  • the response behavior is initially logically dependent on the audio signal. Usually, e.g. an increase in the amplitude of the audio signal also to a louder sound signal. This dependence on the audio signal is primarily used in hearing aids to achieve a certain output by shaping the audio signal by means of the control unit.
  • the response of the listener is typically also dependent on the specific installation and / or use situation of the listener, so that an individual Characterization of the response is desirable.
  • the invention accordingly has the object of specifying a method for the most individual characterization of a listener in a hearing aid.
  • the process should be as simple and as accurate as possible.
  • it is an object to provide a hearing aid and a test device which are suitable for carrying out the method.
  • the method is used to characterize a listener in a hearing aid.
  • the method is used to characterize a listener who is installed in a hearing aid.
  • the handset is thus a best part of the hearing aid.
  • the characterization is carried out especially in the built-in state of the listener.
  • the listener is therefore preferably not removed for characterization.
  • the handset is used to convert electrical audio signals into sound signals and to output these sound signals to a user of the hearing aid.
  • the electrical audio signals are also referred to as audio signals.
  • the hearing aid is preferably a hearing aid, which serves to supply a particular hearing-impaired user with amplified sound signals.
  • a hearing aid is also referred to as a hearing aid.
  • the hearing device on a microphone, for receiving a sound signal from the environment and for converting this sound signal into an electrical audio signal.
  • the hearing device has a data connection, via which an electrical audio signal is transmitted from an external source to the hearing aid.
  • the external source is eg a telephone, a television, a music system or the like.
  • the data connection is eg a Bluetooth receiver, for receiving signals from a Bluetooth transmitter of the external source.
  • the electrical audio signal is conditioned by means of a control unit, usually amplified, but at least modified, and forwarded to the listener, which converts the processed audio signal into a sound signal and outputs this to the user.
  • the invention is in principle not limited to such hearing aids. Rather, the method is advantageously used in a variant for characterizing a listener in a hearing aid, which is generally designed for the output of sound signals, that is not necessarily a microphone and not necessary for the care of a hearing impaired user.
  • the listener is also referred to as a speaker.
  • the hearing aid is then generally a hearing system, which serves at least the sound output and in which the response of the listener is potentially at risk to be influenced by its environment.
  • the hearing aid is a headphone or a smartphone or generally a communication device, in particular a mobile communication device or a so-called "hearable". Even with such hearing aids, for example, there is a risk that the listener clogged and thereby changes the response.
  • Such a hearing aid also expediently has a control unit as described above and below.
  • the listener has a certain response behavior.
  • the response behavior is defined in particular by the ratio of the audio signal, that is to say an input signal of the listener, to the sound signal, that is to say an output signal of the listener. More specifically, the response is defined by the ratio of the powers of the input signal and the output signal. The response thus indicates what output the listener has for a given input power.
  • the response behavior is particularly frequency-dependent, ie audio signals of the same strength but different frequency are possibly converted into different-strength sound signals.
  • the listener converts an electrical audio signal, referred to simply as an audio signal or as an electrical signal, into a sound signal, i. an acoustic signal to.
  • a magnetic field is generated.
  • the listener is therefore a listener who uses a magnetic field to convert electricity into motion. Since the electrical signal represents an alternating electric field, that is to say a time-varying current, a magnetic field is also generated in this case. The strength of this magnetic field is dependent on the magnitude of the change in current, and this in turn on the load of the listener.
  • the generated magnetic field is measured by means of a magnetic field sensor.
  • the magnetic field sensor then outputs a measurement signal.
  • the measuring signal is for example a voltage which is proportional to the magnetic field, more precisely to the strength of the magnetic field.
  • the measurement signal is a digital measurement signal.
  • the measurement signal is not proportional to the magnetic field and in particular a preprocessed measurement signal.
  • a magnetic field sensor basically any sensor is suitable, which is designed to measure a magnetic field and to output a corresponding measurement signal, for example, a Hall sensor or a simple conductor loop.
  • the listener is now characterized by determining the response of the listener based on the measured magnetic field.
  • the response behavior of the listener is determined on the basis of the magnetic field, more precisely on the basis of the measurement signal of the magnetic field sensor.
  • a total of a characterization of the listener by measuring a magnetic field, which is generated during operation of the listener.
  • the characterization of the listener is not an isolated characterization of the listener as a single component, but rather a comprehensive characterization of the listener in his concrete installation and / or usage situation.
  • the response behavior of the listener is influenced by its particular immediate surroundings.
  • the listener is embedded in an environment in which a number of elements are arranged, which in particular are mechanically connected or coupled to the listener and thereby influence the operation of the listener. This also influences the answering behavior of the listener accordingly.
  • the environment of the listener is also referred to as the listener environment.
  • the elements of the environment are regularly other components of the hearing device, such as a sound tube, an earmold, a dome or a housing of the hearing aid.
  • the handset is in particular a component of a component complex, in which the handset is connected to a number of other components of the hearing aid.
  • the elements of the environment need not necessarily be parts of the hearing aid, but alternatively or additionally, for example, the auditory canal of the user or cerumen, which has accumulated in the vicinity of the listener. Even such elements influence the answering behavior of the listener. All elements thus have in common that they are coupled to the listener in such a way that these elements influence the response behavior of the listener.
  • a listener influenced in this way which is embedded in a corresponding environment, is also referred to as a handset with coupling. The coupling decisively determines the change of the response behavior.
  • the characterization of the listener is thus in particular a characterization of the listener and its coupling, ie the listener, who is embedded in a specific environment which influences the response behavior of the listener. Accordingly, the method more specifically serves to characterize the response of a listener embedded in an environment containing a number of elements that influence the listener's response. As already mentioned, this does not necessarily mean an isolated characterization of the listener alone, but rather a characterization of the listener, in particular as part of the hearing aid, ie in a concrete installation situation, or in a concrete usage situation or both. The result is the process ie for the individual characterization of the listener and for the individual determination of the answering behavior of a listener in a concrete installation and / or usage situation.
  • the response behavior is expediently determined by concluding the response behavior using a suitable model of a particularly acoustic coupling of the surroundings to the listener from the measurement signal.
  • the model is in particular an electro-magneto-mechano-acoustic model.
  • the model expediently takes into account a previously known environment, i. What kind of hearing aid is concerned and how generally the hearing aid and especially the handset are worn.
  • a control unit selects suitable algorithms in order to conclude the response behavior starting from the measurement signal.
  • the invention is initially based on the observation that the response behavior of a listener, in addition to the dependence on the input signal, generally also depends on the specific environment in which the listener is located. Especially with a hearing aid, the response behavior is usually initially dependent on the installation situation, ie how and where the handset is mounted in the hearing aid and with which other components the handset is connected. In particular, in the case of a sound tube, which is connected to the handset for sound transmission into the ear, determine the nature and length of the often individually adapted sound tube response. Furthermore, the response behavior is typically also dependent on the specific use of the hearing device by a user, in particular on the individual method of wearing and the likewise individual degree of coupling between the user's ear and ear, ie on the specific usage situation.
  • the response behavior is also time-dependent in that the environment and the installation and / or use situation can change over time, for example, by a progressive blockage of the earpiece with cerumen or by an exchange of the sound tube.
  • the response is therefore dependent of a variety of particular individual factors, which may be unknown in the production of the handset and / or in the design and manufacture of the entire hearing aid or which may change over time or even both.
  • An essential advantage of the invention now lies in the fact that by means of the measurement of the magnetic field, corresponding changes in the response behavior are detected in a particularly simple manner.
  • such individual or time-dependent changes are advantageously recognized, which are not taken into account in the production of the hearing device or in the context of a fitting session, or can not be taken into account.
  • Such a change is, for example, progressive clogging with cerumen or replacement or modification of a sound tube or earmold or dome of the hearing aid.
  • An essential aspect is in particular that the answering behavior of the listener is currently not isolated or at least not exclusively isolated and in an ideal state. Rather, the response is advantageously determined in a particular installation or use situation or both.
  • a reference situation e.g. an ideal state
  • the method is based in particular on the knowledge that the magnetic field generated by the listener also reflects the response behavior of the listener, since the response behavior is significantly defined by the output power and this power and the magnetic field are each directly dependent on the current, which is supplied to the listener.
  • the magnetic field can thus be profitably used to determine just this response behavior and is also used in accordance with the present invention.
  • the response behavior can be determined thereby and the listener characterized by, for example, using a test signal of known strength as the audio signal and the strength of the signal generated therefrom Sound signal is measured. This is done for example via an impedance measurement, which ultimately measures the current through the handset and thus is a measure of the output power, ie for the strength of the sound signal.
  • the relationship is given here by a particular model whose knowledge allows a conclusion based on the impedance measurement.
  • the frequency-dependent response is then performed in accordance with multiple test signals of different frequency. Other measuring methods and test methods are also possible.
  • a so-called vibration measurement is also possible.
  • a magnetic field measurement now has the particular advantage that such is significantly more accurate compared to an impedance or vibration measurement.
  • the magnetic field itself is disturbed to a very limited extent by the environment, whereas an impedance or a vibration measurement by additional electrical or mechanical connections with other components or components may be severely faulty.
  • a measurement signal is also generated with a particularly large amplitude, whereby even the smallest changes are still reliably detected and thus the response can be determined accordingly with very high accuracy.
  • the environment is determined by an installation situation of the listener and the environment has an element which is a component of the hearing aid.
  • the component is connected to the handset and in particular mechanically coupled to the handset and influences its response behavior. By determining the response behavior, the influence of the installation situation on the response behavior is then automatically taken into account.
  • the element more specifically the component, is preferably selected from a set of elements, including but not limited to: a sound tube, an earmold, a dome, a housing of the hearing aid.
  • the environment is preferably determined by a usage situation of the listener.
  • the usage situation is selected from a set of situations, including but not limited to: a wearing style of the hearing aid, a degree of coupling between the listener and an ear of the user, a degree of clogging in particular of the earpiece by cerumen.
  • the environment also contains a number of elements in the usage situation, which in particular are mechanically coupled to the listener and thereby influence the response behavior.
  • these elements are not components of the hearing aid, but external elements, in particular the ear canal of the user, his ear or cerumen.
  • the knowledge of the response advantageously allows a response to a change in the same.
  • the response behavior is expediently determined and compared as an actual response behavior with a desired response behavior.
  • a difference is then determined between the actual response behavior and the desired response behavior and the hearing device is adjusted as a function of the difference.
  • set is meant in particular that the hearing aid is controlled in such a way that the response behavior of the listener is changed in order to reduce the difference and preferably to completely eliminate it.
  • the response behavior is preferably adapted to the desired response behavior, particularly preferably such that the response behavior corresponds to the desired response behavior.
  • the hearing device is adjusted by the audio signal being modified by means of the control unit such that the difference is at least partially, preferably completely, compensated. In this way, an adaptation of the response behavior to the desired response behavior is achieved in particular.
  • the knowledge of the response behavior is used to output a warning signal.
  • the response behavior is likewise determined for this purpose and compared as an actual response behavior with a desired response behavior. Between the actual response behavior and the target response behavior a difference is determined and depending on the difference a warning signal is issued. In other words, if there is a difference or if there is a difference which is greater than a predefined threshold value, a warning signal is output.
  • the warning signal is for example output acoustically via the receiver, transmitted visually, by means of an LED or to a remote control or base station for the hearing aid, in particular for local output or storage.
  • the design with the warning signal to indicate at a certain degree of clogging of the listener with Cerumen on just that blockage and thereby advantageously cause the user to clean.
  • the warning design is used alternatively or additionally to detect if a particular sound tube has been mounted on the hearing aid and, if another sound tube has been mounted, to indicate that the wrong sound tube has been mounted or that an adaptation of the response is necessary.
  • a defect is a distortion in the output of a sound signal due to a mechanical defect, e.g. by a push or a fall. Such distortion is also called total harmonic distortion, short THD.
  • the defect is a failure or breakage of an electrical line.
  • the defect is a wedging of several in particular internal components, i. Components of the handset.
  • the desired response behavior is expediently determined by means of a calibration measurement.
  • the calibration measurement is preferably carried out in a state in which there is an ideal response, for example in the context of a first initialization during production, in particular because at this time the acoustic coupling of the listener is known and a number of model parameters of the listener extracted and preferably also stored , The model parameters indicate in particular the coupling.
  • the calibration measurement takes place during a fitting session or directly after or after cleaning the hearing aid or immediately after a new sound tube or earmold has been fitted.
  • the calibration measurement takes place at or at the end of the production of the hearing device and before its delivery to the user. This is based in particular on the consideration of using a state of delivery of the hearing aid as a basis for comparison for later changes in the response behavior. This is advantageous, for example, to detect damage or malfunction of the listener.
  • a plurality of desired response behaviors are determined, for example for different environments in which the hearing aid is worn, for different users of the hearing aid, for different operating modes of the hearing aid, for different sound tubes or for different earmolds or for a combination thereof.
  • a suitable nominal response behavior is then selected with which the measured response behavior is compared.
  • the target response is determined in the calibration measurement in a suitable embodiment in the same way as the response in general, i. in the present case by a measurement of the magnetic field.
  • an initial magnetic field measurement is carried out.
  • the response behavior ie the transfer function of the listener is parameterized by means of an adaptive filter by the magnetic field is measured and a measurement signal is generated in response, which is supplied to the filter as a filter input signal.
  • the measurement signal is generated by the magnetic field sensor and is for example a voltage.
  • the filter is in a suitable embodiment a Wiener filter.
  • the filter has a filter function which is parameterized by a number of filter parameters. The filter is then supplied with the measurement signal as a filter input signal, whereupon the filter adapts the filter function automatically to the filter input signal in order to image it.
  • the filter parameters are changed accordingly.
  • the filter operates autonomously and does not require a separate setting from the outside, thus automatically carrying out the adaptation and modification of the filter parameters.
  • the filter parameters thus change with a change in the magnetic field, i. also with a change of the response behavior, so that the response behavior is advantageously parameterized by means of the filter parameters and thereby also determined. So instead of measuring the response behavior in detail, only the filter parameters are used to determine the response behavior.
  • the use of an adaptive filter has the particular advantage that such a filter adapts very quickly to changes and therefore changes in the response behavior are detected and determined particularly quickly.
  • An adaptation of the response behavior is not necessarily an object of the filter, i. the filter does not necessarily set the response behavior; rather, the filter serves primarily and in particular exclusively for the parameterization of the response behavior in that the filter follows it.
  • the magnetic field falls with increasing distance to the hearing aid. Therefore, the magnetic field is expediently measured as close as possible to or in the hearing aid, i.
  • the magnetic field sensor is arranged as close to or in the hearing aid.
  • the magnetic field can be measured particularly well around the hearing aid within a distance which is of the order of magnitude of a dimension of the hearing aid.
  • Conventional hearing aids have a size of about 0.5 to 5 cm, accordingly, the magnetic field at a distance of up to a few centimeters can be measured particularly effectively and is therefore preferably also measured in this area.
  • the magnetic field sensor is located directly on the listener, i. in particular at a distance of at most 3 cm, preferably at most 5 mm to the listener, particularly preferably directly on or even in the receiver.
  • the magnetic field is thus measured directly at the listener and thus where the magnetic field is particularly strong, so that the measurement is correspondingly accurate.
  • the hearing aid has a power supply, in particular a battery, which by means of a power supply line with the Handset is connected to the power supply of the handset, and the magnetic field sensor is disposed directly on the power supply line, ie in particular at a distance of at most 3cm, preferably at most 5mm to the power supply line, more preferably directly to or even in the power supply line.
  • the abovementioned values are particularly suitable for a hearing device which is designed as a hearing aid device for a hearing-impaired user. Larger values are also suitable for other hearing aids, in particular if the energy supply is stronger, ie, provides more power than in a hearing aid. The magnetic field is thus measured directly on the power supply line.
  • This refinement is based, in particular, on the knowledge that the receiver produces an alternating load during operation and thus draws a time-variable current from the power supply, which in turn generates a magnetic field.
  • the listener thus generates a magnetic field not only in its immediate vicinity, but also along the power supply line, which extends from the power supply to the listener, as well as on just that energy supply.
  • the magnetic field is therefore advantageously measured on the power supply line or on the power supply itself.
  • a magnetic field measurement in the vicinity of the power supply line or the power supply is advantageous in that they are usually located outside of the user's ear.
  • the space around the handset is naturally severely limited, so that an additional magnetic field sensor on the handset may not be feasible.
  • the magnetic field is then measured elsewhere and outside the ear, preferably as described in the vicinity of the power supply line or the power supply. Due to further components of the hearing device, which are connected to the power supply, a measurement on the power supply itself may be too inaccurate, which is why a magnetic field measurement on the power supply line is preferred.
  • the power supply line serves in particular solely to supply the listener, ie by means of the power supply line no other components or consumers are connected to the power supply. In this way it is ensured that the measured Magnetic field is mainly and in particular solely caused by the operation of the listener.
  • the magnetic field sensor is integrated into the hearing device, that is to say a component of the hearing device.
  • the hearing device then has a receiver for converting an electrical audio signal into a sound signal to generate a magnetic field, and a magnetic field sensor, and additionally a control unit which is designed such that the magnetic field is measured by means of the magnetic field sensor, the receiver is characterized. in that the response behavior of the listener is determined on the basis of the measured magnetic field.
  • the hearing aid in particular automatically determines the response behavior of the listener, preferably continuously, alternatively, for example, only in a test mode.
  • the hearing aid expediently adjusts automatically as a function of the response behavior, in particular in order to set a specific desired response behavior, as already described above.
  • the user is informed about the measurement or how the hearing aid adjusts or both. The user is informed, for example, by means of a warning signal as already described above.
  • the method is preferably carried out in a normal operating mode of the hearing device, ie, in particular, not during a fitting session or during the production of the hearing device. Rather, the characterization takes place during normal operation, while the hearing aid is worn or used by the user.
  • a normal operating mode an electric audio signal is modified by means of a control unit and then output by the listener as a sound signal.
  • the electrical audio signal itself is generated in particular by means of a microphone, which converts a sound signal from the environment into the audio signal.
  • the audio signal is supplied from an external source.
  • An external source is, for example, a streaming signal, for example of a wireless system, ie a wireless system.
  • the hearing aid has a telecoil and this is the magnetic field sensor, ie the telecoil is used as a magnetic field sensor.
  • the hearing device has a telecoil, which is placed or arranged such that it can be used as a magnetic field sensor and is also used.
  • an accurate positioning of the telecoil is important to measure the magnetic field as effectively as possible.
  • the telecoil is also called Telecoil or T-Coil. This is based on the consideration that the telecoil is naturally already designed for the measurement of magnetic fields and therefore profitably for the measurement of the magnetic field described here, which is generated by the listener can be used.
  • the telecoil is a coil, eg a conductor loop, which receives signals by induction.
  • a transmitter eg a telephone with an electrodynamically operating transducer or an inductive hearing aid, emits an alternating magnetic field, which is received by the telecoil and which is then converted in particular into an audio signal.
  • This is also advantageous in comparison to the recording by means of microphone trouble-free, since noise is usually not transmitted.
  • mistrouble-free is meant in particular "largely trouble-free”.
  • the telecoil in such frequency ranges which are relevant for the magnetic field measurement, is trouble-free, whereas, for example, the mains voltage at 50Hz and their harmonics may be detected by the telecoil.
  • the telecoil is also arranged in particular already in a suitable proximity to the listener.
  • the concept of magnetic field measurement is advantageously not limited to a hearing aid with an integrated magnetic field sensor.
  • the magnetic field sensor in a second preferred embodiment is part of a test arrangement for a hearing aid.
  • the test arrangement has a control unit and a test device which has a magnetic field sensor.
  • the test arrangement is designed for testing a hearing device, more precisely for characterizing a receiver of the hearing device.
  • the hearing aid accordingly has a handset for converting an electrical audio signal into a sound signal while generating a magnetic field.
  • the control unit is designed such that the magnetic field is measured by means of the magnetic field sensor, the listener is characterized by determining the response behavior of the listener on the basis of the measured magnetic field.
  • the magnetic field sensor is thus arranged outside the hearing device, namely in or on the test device, which forms the test arrangement together with the control unit.
  • the magnetic field sensor and the control unit are each a part of a test device, i. the test device is identical to the test arrangement.
  • the magnetic field sensor and the control unit are arranged separately from one another. The magnetic field sensor is then part of a test device, while the control unit is not.
  • the control unit is, for example, a control unit of the hearing device or a control unit of an additional external device.
  • the measurement itself does not differ fundamentally from the measurement with a magnetic field sensor in the hearing aid.
  • the hearing aid is brought into the vicinity of the test arrangement, more precisely the test apparatus, and then a magnetic field measurement is started.
  • Such a test arrangement is also particularly suitable for use with an audiologist, e.g. as part of a fitting session.
  • test device which is identical to the test arrangement are a charging station or a base station for the hearing device or a remote control.
  • a smartphone as a test device, which is expediently equipped with appropriate software to perform the magnetic field measurement and the determination of the response behavior.
  • test device is an audio shoe, which is connected in particular as an additional sensor with the hearing aid.
  • the audio shoe is placed on the hearing aid, more precisely on the housing, and is worn by the user together with the hearing aid.
  • the test device is designed as an adapter.
  • the test device is designed as a stand-alone module and has a wireless system, i. i.e. a wireless system, to communicate with the hearing aid.
  • test device is a telephone coil shoe, which is placed as an adapter on the hearing aid, and in which the magnetic field sensor is a telecoil - in particular as described above - which is arranged in the telecoil shoe.
  • the control unit is in this case preferably arranged outside the telephone coil shoe, so no part of this.
  • control unit is a control unit of the hearing aid.
  • the telecoil shoe is designed in particular similar to the audio shoe described above as an adapter, which subsequently equips the hearing aid with a telecoil.
  • the telecoil shoe is worn by the user in particular during normal operation of the hearing aid.
  • a hearing aid 2 which serves to supply a hearing-impaired user.
  • the hearing device 2 has a number of two microphones 4 here, by means of which sound signals from the environment are recorded and converted into electrical audio signals A.
  • the audio signals A are forwarded to a control unit 6 and modified there according to the needs of the user, usually amplified.
  • the modified audio signals A are forwarded by the control unit 6 to a receiver 8, which converts the audio signals A back into sound signals S and outputs.
  • the hearing device 2 is presently a BTE hearing aid, with a housing 10, which is worn behind the ear by the user, and with a sound tube 12, via which the sound signals S are directed from the handset 8, starting to the ear.
  • the hearing aid 2 is a RIC hearing aid, in which the housing 10 is also worn behind the ear, but the earpiece 8 is inserted into the ear and the sound tube 12 is then replaced by a cable.
  • the hearing aid 2 is an ITE hearing aid which is fully inserted into the ear. Further alternative embodiments for the hearing device 2 are also suitable.
  • a magnetic field M is generated, which in Fig. 1 for the purpose of visualization only sketchy is drawn.
  • the magnetic field M results from the general mode of operation of the receiver 8, during operation of which a time-varying alternating electric field results, which corresponds to a time-varying current, which in turn generates the magnetic field M.
  • the generated magnetic field M is measured by means of a magnetic field sensor 14. This then outputs a measurement signal U, U ', for example, a voltage which is proportional to the magnetic field M.
  • the measurement signal U Based on the measured magnetic field M, thus, by means of the measurement signal U, a response V, V 'of the handset 8 is determined and this characterized or it is issued a warning or both.
  • the measurement signal U, U ' is evaluated, for example, by the control unit 6.
  • Fig. 1 the magnetic field M in the vicinity of the listener 8 is measured. However, this is not mandatory. Since each alternating electric field naturally also generates a magnetic field M, a corresponding magnetic field M is also generated along a power supply line 16 and in the vicinity of a power supply 18. On an explicit representation of this effect in Fig. 1 was omitted for clarity.
  • the power supply 18 is in Fig. 1 a battery. This is connected to the handset 8 via the power supply line 16 to provide the handset 8 with energy. Instead of arranging the magnetic field sensor 14 in the vicinity of the handset 8, the magnetic field sensor 14 is then arranged in the vicinity of the power supply line 16 in an alternative, not shown.
  • the magnetic field sensor 14 is in Fig. 1
  • a Hall sensor or a simple conductor loop In an alternative, not shown, a telecoil is used as the magnetic field sensor 14, which is integrated into the hearing device 2.
  • Fig. 1 the magnetic field sensor 14 is integrated into the hearing device 2.
  • Fig. 2 a variant in which the magnetic field sensor 14 is arranged outside of the hearing aid 2, namely in a test device 20, which here is a charging station or a base station for the hearing aid 2 and at the same time forms a test arrangement for the hearing aid 2.
  • the test device 20 has a control unit 6, to which the magnetic field sensor 14 is connected.
  • the measurement per se does not differ fundamentally from the measurement with a magnetic field sensor 14 in the hearing device 2.
  • the hearing device 2 is brought into the vicinity of the test device 20, eg as in FIG Fig. 2 shown loaded via the handset 8 a sound signal S and then started a magnetic field measurement.
  • the characterization of the handset 8 is based on the knowledge that the magnetic field M generated by the handset 8 also reflects the response behavior V, V 'of the handset 8.
  • the response V, V ' is significantly defined by the output power and this power and the magnetic field M are each directly dependent on the current which is supplied to the handset 8.
  • the response V, V ' is also dependent on the specific environment in which the handset 8 is located, especially on the installation situation, i. how and where the handset 8 is mounted in the hearing aid 2 and with which other components of the handset 8 is connected.
  • the type and length of the sound tube 12 determine the response V, V '.
  • the response behavior V, V ' is also dependent on the specific use of the hearing device 2 by a user, in particular on the individual method of wearing and also the degree of individual coupling between the earpiece 2 and the user's ear.
  • the response behavior V, V ' is also time-dependent in that the environment and installation situation may change over time, for example, by progressive obstruction of the earphone 8 or the sound tube 12 with cerumen or by replacement of the sound tube 12 or by others effects.
  • Fig. 3 two responses V, V 'are shown by way of example.
  • the respective response behavior V, V ' is defined by the ratio of the powers of the audio signal A and the resulting sound signal S.
  • the response V, V' thus indicates which output power the listener 8 has for a given input power.
  • the response V, V ' is frequency-dependent, ie audio signals A equal strength but different frequency are possibly converted into different strong sound signals S.
  • Fig. 3 was the respective response V, V 'determined by the fact that audio signals A with the same power but different frequencies were converted by means of the handset 8 and the power of each resulting sound signal S was plotted on the Y-axis against the frequency on the X-axis.
  • the two graphs have been generated for different lengths of acoustic tubes 12.
  • the length of the sound tube 12 has the response V, V ' changes. In Fig. 3 this is especially evident from the local maxima. As a result, the response behavior V 'is changed from the response behavior V, some of the local maxima are shifted significantly towards higher frequencies. If, for example, the response behavior V leads to a specific and desired output characteristic of the hearing device 2 as a whole, then it becomes clear that the changed response behavior V 'must lead to a correspondingly changed output characteristic with the same control of the handset 8 by the control unit 6. Therefore, the desired response behavior V at the beginning, for example, in a fitting session, set as target response and compared during normal operation of the hearing then or in another fitting session with the then present and possibly different response behavior V '. With knowledge of both responses V, V 'then their difference is determined and the control of the handset 8 changed such that the resulting response V corresponds to the desired response. A change is brought about, for example, by additional modification of the audio signals A by means of the control unit 6.
  • Fig. 4 is a simulation of the measurement signal U, U 'for the respective magnetic field M of the two responses V, V' off Fig. 3 .
  • the hearing aid 2 has a telecoil, which is used as a magnetic field sensor 14, and Fig. 4 shows the measurement signals U, U ', which are generated by the magnetic field sensor 14.
  • the measurement signals U, U 'each represent the first derivative of the respective response behavior V, V'.
  • Fig. 5 a simulation of impedance measurements I, I 'to the two responses V, V' from Fig. 3 shown. It can be clearly seen that the signal strength, which is plotted on the Y-axis, in Fig. 4 is significantly larger. The dynamics of the measurement signals U, U 'is therefore significantly greater than the dynamics of the impedance measurements I, I'. The magnetic field measurement thus leads to a much more accurate result, even the smallest changes can still be reliably measured.
  • the response V, V ' is parameterized by means of an adaptive filter which, for example, is a component of the control unit 6.
  • the magnetic field M is measured and in response a measurement signal U, U 'is generated, which is supplied to the filter as a filter input signal.
  • the filter has a filter function which is parameterized by a number of filter parameters.
  • the filter is now the measurement signal U, U 'supplied as a filter input signal, after which the filter automatically adapts the filter function to the filter input signal to map this.
  • the filter parameters are changed accordingly.
  • the filter will automatically adjust and change the filter parameters.
  • the filter parameters thus change with a change of the magnetic field M, ie also with a change of the response behavior V, V ', so that the response behavior V, V' is advantageously parameterized by means of the filter parameters and thereby also determined.
  • the filter parameters are used to determine the response V, V'.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
EP18171328.0A 2017-06-09 2018-05-08 Procédé de caractérisation d'une haut-parleur dans un dispositif auditif, dispositif auditif et dispositif d'essai pour un dispositif auditif Active EP3413588B1 (fr)

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DE102017209816.3A DE102017209816B3 (de) 2017-06-09 2017-06-09 Verfahren zur Charakterisierung eines Hörers in einem Hörgerät, Hörgerät und Testvorrichtung für ein Hörgerät

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DE102018209720B3 (de) 2018-06-15 2019-07-04 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Verfahren zur Identifikation eines Hörers, Hörsystem und Hörerset
WO2021216474A1 (fr) 2020-04-19 2021-10-28 Alpaca Group Holdings, LLC Systèmes et méthodes pour l'administration à distance de tests auditifs

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JP6657307B2 (ja) 2020-03-04
DE102017209816B3 (de) 2018-07-26
AU2018203365A1 (en) 2019-01-03
CN109040930A (zh) 2018-12-18
CN109040930B (zh) 2021-04-20
US10575105B2 (en) 2020-02-25
DK3413588T3 (da) 2021-12-13
US20180359573A1 (en) 2018-12-13
EP3413588B1 (fr) 2021-09-22

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