EP3576432A1 - Adjusting of hearing aid parameters using ultrasound transmitters - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for adapting parameters in a hearing aid (4). To carry out the method, a sensor for receiving ultrasound signals (8) and a signal processing device are set up to process the ultrasound signals (8). Based on the processing of the ultrasound signals (8), parameters for adapting the hearing aid (4) are changed. The source of the ultrasonic signals (8) is a signal generator (6) which is set up to output sound signals of different frequencies. The signal transmitter is positioned independently of the hearing device (4) and the user (2) of the hearing device (4) and outputs the ultrasound signals (8) independently of the user (2) of the hearing device (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for adapting parameters in a hearing aid, as well as to a hearing aid for use with this method. In addition, the invention relates to a system with a hearing aid and an external device, which has a data connection with the hearing aid, for use of the method.

Hearing aids are portable hearing aids that are used, among other things, to care for the hearing impaired. To meet the numerous individual needs, different types of hearing aids such as behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE), hearing aid with external handset (RIC: receiver in the canal) and in-the-ear hearing aids (IDO), z. B. Concha hearing aids or channel hearing aids (ITE, CIC) provided. The hearing aids listed by way of example are worn on the outer ear or in the ear canal.

Hearing aids have in principle as essential components an input transducer, an amplifier and an output transducer. The input transducer is usually a sound receiver, z. As a microphone, and / or an electromagnetic receiver, for. B. an induction coil. The output transducer is usually used as an electroacoustic transducer, z. As miniature speaker, or as an electromechanical transducer, z. B. bone conduction, realized. In hearing aids, an electroacoustic output transducer is often called a receiver. The amplifier is usually integrated in a signal processing unit. Such a signal processing unit is also referred to as a circuit, circuit device or hybrid circuit.

The use characteristics of a hearing aid are influenced by various settings that can be made on the hearing aid. In part, these settings can be changed and adjusted by the user, e.g. Parameter settings such as volume or a specific program. Another possibility is that the hearing aid makes certain settings automatically.

Out EP 1 753 264 B1 For example, a hearing aid and a method for adjusting it are known. The hearing aid comprises a first sound output device for sonicating a user and a second sound output device, which differs from the first sound output device. The hearing aid further comprises a receiving device. By means of the second sound output device, a test sound is generated in the ultrasonic range and output to a room in which the hearing aid is located. By means of the receiving device, a response to the test sound is received from the room. Depending on the received response, information about a room acoustics is determined by means of the analysis device, on the basis of which a signal processing device of the hearing device is set.

Hearing aids are technically now capable, even e.g. analyze the environment and then change certain parameters. Such a process is called in hearing aids classification or environmental classification. The setting parameters, which are adapted or changed are, for example, a directional setting of the microphones (beamforming) to focus on a particular speaker you want to listen to or hiding certain noise such as engine noise when driving.

Furthermore, parameters in hearing aids can also be adjusted based on the information of external signals. A classic example is the parameter adjustment by means of a remote control or a mobile phone communicatively connected to the hearing device, which functions as a hearing aid remote control by means of an additional function.

However, the automatic adjustment options are not always reliable. It sometimes happens that some parameters are set incorrectly because the environment was or could not be analyzed correctly. This can lead to unpleasant effects for the hearing device user. For example, focusing on the microphones may fail and you hear in a direction you do not want to hear.

To overcome these disadvantages, the following is suggested.

A method for adjusting parameters in a hearing aid, wherein a sensor for receiving ultrasonic signals and a signal processing means is arranged to process the ultrasonic signals. Based on the processing of the ultrasonic signals, one or more parameters for adapting the hearing aid are changed. The source of the ultrasonic signals is a signal generator which is adapted to output sound signals of different frequencies. Depending on the language, such a signal generator is also referred to as a beacon or ultrasound beacon. In principle, the signal generator is suitable for outputting ultrasonic signals and non-ultrasound signals, that is to say audio signals audible by humans, for example. The signal generator is positioned locally stationary independently of the hearing device and by the user of the hearing device and outputs the sound signals independently of the user of the hearing device.

A simple example of such a signal generator is a loudspeaker that is installed at a certain location. This speaker is at least able to output ultrasonic signals. A hearing aid user, who is in acoustic proximity to the signal transmitter or passes it, receives the ultrasonic signals, for example by means of the hearing aid. The hearing device user has no direct influence on the ultrasound signals that the signal generator outputs.

The ultrasound range in the acoustic frequency spectrum is generally above the audible sound range for humans. Sound frequencies from approx. 16 kHz up to 1 GHz can be called ultrasound. In addition, the areas vary, they can vary from person to person.

The signal generator is often referred to by the English term Beacon or Ultrasonic Beacon. These may, for example, be TV sets, cinemas or loudspeakers which are capable of outputting ultrasonic signals. Basically, anything that is capable of outputting ultrasound signals can be a signal generator in this sense.

In a further embodiment, the sensor is set up in the hearing device. For example as a microphone.

In another embodiment, an external device is communicatively connected to the hearing aid by means of a data connection. The sensor is set up in the external device. For example, the sensor is a microphone.

In a further embodiment, the signal processing device is set up in the hearing device.

In a further embodiment, an external device is communicatively connected to the hearing aid by means of a data connection and the signal processing device is set up in the external device.

In a further embodiment, the ultrasound signals include data for setting parameters of the receiving hearing device. Parameters of a hearing aid are, for example: the general volume settings or special volume settings for certain frequency ranges; the acoustic gain in general or for certain frequency ranges; Settings for classifying the environment, for example, terms such as forest, car, cocktail party, noisy environment, quiet environment or the like is called; Adjustments to the directivity of the microphones, also referred to as beamforming; Filter characteristics for certain frequencies; the choice of certain pre-set programs; Etc.

In a further embodiment, the ultrasonic signals emitted by the signal generator contain data for determining the position and / or the surroundings of the signal generator. In addition to information about the location or the surroundings of the signal generator, this data can also contain further data on the location of the surroundings, for example coordinates of a global positioning system such as GPS coordinates, Glonass coordinates or Galileo coordinates. Based on this data, the parameters of the hearing aid can be adjusted or adjusted. For example, the data includes the information that the signaler is located in a shopping mall. Thereafter, parameters of the hearing aid can be adjusted using this data. In this example, one could assume that in the shopping center many people are in a dense space. Such crowds can produce a lot of noise. Thus, for example, the parameter that controls the sensitivity of the hearing aid microphone or omnidirectionality could be adjusted accordingly.

In a further embodiment, the data are transmitted in coded form in the ultrasound signal. Examples may here be various modulations, such as amplitude, phase or frequency modulation. But other coding types and methods are possible. These data can then be decoded in a decoder. The decoding device may, for example, be part of the signal processing device and arranged in the hearing device. However, the decoding device can also be accommodated in an external device which communicatively communicates with the hearing device. In this case, the decoding is performed in the decoder of the external device. For example, this may be a mobile phone which is connected to the hearing aid by means of a wireless connection.

In a further embodiment, the signal transmitter transmits the ultrasound signal simultaneously with an audio signal in the audible frequency range for humans. In other words, sound signals from the human audible and inaudible frequency spectrum can be emitted simultaneously. This makes it possible, for example, possible music or acoustic advertising and simultaneously output the above-mentioned ultrasound signals via the signal generator. The signal generator can be, for example, a loudspeaker, which is suitable for generating additional ultrasound signals.

In a further embodiment, the ultrasonic signals are in a frequency range greater than or equal to 18 kHz. In a further embodiment, the ultrasonic signals are in a frequency range of 18 kHz-20 kHz. In a further embodiment, the ultrasonic signals are in a frequency range of 18.7 kHz - 19.2 kHz. The areas mentioned are technically particularly well suited to receive ultrasonic signals by means of small electronic devices such as hearing aids or mobile phones.

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens, bei dem bei einem Hörgeräteträger basierend auf seiner Umgebung die Parameter seines Hörgerätes angepasst werden;
• Fig. 2 eine erweiterte Ausführungsform des Verfahrens aus Fig. 1; und
• Fig. 3 weitere mögliche schematische Darstellungen von Ausführungsformen des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

Further advantageous developments emerge from the dependent claims and the following explanation of embodiments in the accompanying drawings. The drawings show:

• Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a method according to the invention, in which the parameters of his hearing aid are adapted to a hearing aid wearer based on its environment;
• Fig. 2 an extended embodiment of the method Fig. 1 ; and
• Fig. 3 other possible schematic representations of embodiments of the method according to the invention.

In the following, various embodiments will be described. This expressly does not represent a conclusive limitation of the invention to the described embodiments. There are still further, within the scope of the invention, various embodiments possible.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a hearing aid wearer (2) with his hearing aid (4), which he wears on one of his ears. In addition shows Fig. 1 a shop (10), which may be located, for example, in the pedestrian zone of a city or in a shopping center. Inside or outside the store (10) a signal transmitter (6) is placed. The signal generator (6) can be, for example, a loudspeaker which is suitable for humans to emit audible sound, as well as sound that is not or very difficult to hear for people in the ultrasonic range. This includes approximately a frequency range of about 20 Hz to about 20,000 Hz. The signal generator (6) thus outputs different sound signals of different frequency ranges or wavelengths, including an ultrasonic signal (8). The hearing aid (4) is set up so that it can receive and process the ultrasound signal (8).

In the concrete case example, the hearing aid wearer (2) now walks past a shop (10). The loudspeaker designed as a loudspeaker (6) emits in addition to acoustically audible advertising messages in addition an acoustically inaudible ultrasonic signal (8). This ultrasonic signal (8) contains e.g. Information or data relating to the location of the signaling device (6). These data can be transmitted coded in the ultrasonic signal (8). Depending on the position of the signal generator (6) and the hearing device (4) or the hearing aid wearer (2), the hearing aid (4) receives the ultrasonic signal (8). In other words, the hearing aid (4) must be in acoustic range of the ultrasonic signal (8) to receive it.

The hearing aid (4) is set up in such a way that, upon receipt of the ultrasound signal (8), it evaluates and, if necessary, implements its transmitted information. That is, the signal processing in the hearing aid (4) receives in the present example, inter alia, data with information on the location of the signal generator (6), which is located for example in a shopping center. With this information, for example, the classification of the hearing aid (4) can be adjusted. In the present case, the noise filtering could be adjusted or the volume increased, since it is assumed that in a shopping center a high density of people and thus many noise prevail. Alternatively, for example, the focus area of the microphone alignment can be aligned appropriately.

Further examples of data or information transmitted by the ultrasound signal (8) are: accurate geo-localization data, e.g. GPS coordinates, which can take place, for example, a comparison with a parallel-running local classification of the hearing aid itself. Cameras in the environment can capture or calculate a human density as a value which is transmitted by means of the signal transmitter (6), whereby hearing aids (4) adjust their parameters according to the human density, for example parameters for noise filtering.

Another embodiment according to Fig. 1 is the sending of advertising-specific information or data of the shop (10) by means of the signal generator (6). In advance, there is the idea of subsidizing hearing aids financially. In return for this subsidy, for example, these hearing aids are programmed or tuned to enhance certain acoustic advertising messages, or to focus on a retail store (10) as soon as appropriate data is received from an associated signal generator (6). In this case, data are sent to the hearing aid (4) by means of the method described above, which cause hearing aid parameters to be adjusted such that the advertising messages additionally emitted by the signal generator (6) in the acoustically audible range for the hearing aid wearer (2) are amplified or in the acoustic foreground that he perceives these messages rather than the other acoustic environment. This embodiment of the werbesensibilisierte hearing aids is a way to provide by appropriate subsidies cheaper hearing aids.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative of the embodiments according to Fig. 1 , Here, the hearing aid wearer (2) next to his hearing aid (4) another mobile device (12). This mobile device (12) represents a demanding external device (12). This is, for example, a mobile phone in the form of a smartphone. The mobile device (12) is communicatively connected to the hearing aid (4). By communicatively means, for example, the hearing aid (4) and the mobile device (12) can exchange data bidirectionally. Or one of the devices can send data unidirectionally to the other, eg the mobile device (12) to the hearing aid (4). On Such data exchange takes place, for example, by means of a radio connection, also known as an RF connection, between the hearing aid (4) and the mobile device (12).

In this embodiment, the ultrasonic signal (8) is received by the mobile device (12) and initially processed there. Alternatively, the data of the ultrasound signal (8) can be forwarded by means of the communicative connection to the hearing aid (4) and processed there.

As in the previous embodiments, a hearing device wearer (2) with his hearing aid (4) and the mobile device (12) comes close to the signal generator (6). The ultrasound signal (8) emitted by the signal generator (6) is received by the mobile device (12) in this case. For example, in the mobile device (12) a special sensor or a special microphone installed to receive ultrasound. If the mobile device (12) is, for example, a conventional smartphone, the usual microphones used for use in such telephones may be used, depending on the design.

In a first variant of this embodiment, data of the received ultrasound signal (8) in the mobile device (12) is converted so that they can be forwarded by the communicative connection directly to the hearing aid (4), where it then used to set or change the parameters thereof become.

In a further variant of this embodiment, the transmitted data of the ultrasound signal (8) are processed in a corresponding signal or data processing device of the mobile device (12). As a result of this signal processing, settings or parameters for the hearing aid (4) arise. These are forwarded by means of the communicative connection to the hearing aid (4) and can then adjust or change the current settings and parameters of the hearing aid (4) accordingly.

The external device (12) may also be a non-illustrated device other than a mobile phone. For example, intercommunication devices in the form of collars are used for wireless communication between hearing aids and other devices. In such collars electronics is installed, which is used for wireless communication between hearing aids and other wireless devices that can not communicate directly with each other wirelessly due to technicalities.

Fig. 3 shows further embodiments of the method according to the invention. One embodiment relates to the use of a TV set (14) on which an ultrasonic signal generator (4) is arranged or which performs the function of an ultrasonic signal generator (6) by means of a built-in loudspeaker. The hearing device user (2) watches using his hearing aid (4). Even without the intervention of the hearing device user (2), the contents of the TV program change. For example, in a movie loud scenes with many people speaking and shortly after quiet scenes with few people speaking. On the basis of these changes in content, the signal transmitter (6) of the TV set (14) can emit ultrasound signals (8) which contain data which, in turn, adjust parameters of the hearing aid (4) accordingly to the scenes shown. Thus, the listening experience for the respective moment is continuously optimized.

As in the previous embodiments, the ultrasound signals (8) can be received by the transducer (6) of the TV set (14) either from the hearing aid (4) or from an external device (12), in the latter case the external device communicatively as described above is connected to the hearing aid (4).

Another embodiment of the Fig. 3 is the use of a computer device (16) from the hearing aid wearer (2). In this case, an ultrasonic signal generator (4) is arranged on the computer device (16) or the function of an ultrasonic signal generator (6) is carried out by means of a built-in loudspeaker. For example, the computer device (16) is set such that its signal generator (6) emits an ultrasound signal (8) with data for the parameter change of the hearing device (4), which transmits the Hearing aid (4) on receipt causes the sensitivity of the microphones for certain frequencies, eg predefined voice frequencies, lowers. In this way, the hearing device user (2) can work more concentratedly with the computing device (16) and is less distracted by speech in his environment since the ambient speech is then picked up by the microphones with less sensitivity. In other words, the environment language is attenuated or simply made quieter. Alternatively, the parameter change in the hearing aid can cause these respective frequencies to be temporarily filtered out in the signal processing or the gain of certain frequencies is temporarily reduced.

As in the previous embodiments, the ultrasound signals (8) can be received by the transducer (6) of the computing device (16) either from the hearing aid (4) or from an external device (12), in the latter case the external device communicating with it as described above the hearing aid (4) is connected.

The described embodiments represent only some of the possible application examples of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

hearing aid

4

hearing Aid

6

signaler

8th

ultrasonic signal

10

retail store

12

External device / mobile device

14

TV device

16

computing device

Claims (18)

Method for adapting parameters in a hearing aid (4),
wherein a sensor is arranged for receiving ultrasound signals (8), wherein a signal processing device is set up to process the ultrasound signals (8),
wherein, based on the processing of the ultrasound signals (8), parameters for adapting the hearing device (4) are changed,
wherein the source of the ultrasonic signals (8) is a signal generator (6) which is adapted to output sound signals of different frequencies, the signal generator is positioned independently of the hearing aid (4) and the user (2) of the hearing aid (4), and
the signal generator (6) outputs the ultrasound signals (8) independently of the user (2) of the hearing device (4). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor in the hearing aid (4) is arranged. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that an external device (12) has a data connection with the hearing aid (4), and that the sensor in the external device (12) is established. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the signal processing device in the hearing aid (4) is set up. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an external device (12) has a data connection with the hearing aid (4), and that the signal processing means in the external device (12) is established. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the ultrasound signals (8) contain data for setting parameters of the receiving hearing device (4). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the ultrasound signals (8) emitted by the signal generator (6) contain data for determining the position and / or the surroundings of the signal generator (6). A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the signal processing device based on the data for determining the position and / or the environment of the signal generator (6) adjusts or adjusts the parameters of the hearing aid (4). Method according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the data in coded form in the ultrasonic signal (8) are transmitted. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the data is decoded in a decoder. Method according to one of the claims 10, characterized in that an external device (12) with a decoding device has a data connection with the hearing device (4) and the decoding takes place in the decoding device of the external device (12). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the signal transmitter (6) emits the ultrasound signal (8) simultaneously with an audio signal in the audible frequency range for humans. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the ultrasonic signals (8) in a frequency range greater than or equal to 18 kHz. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the ultrasonic signals (8) are in a frequency range of 18 kHz - 20 kHz. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the ultrasonic signals (8) are in a frequency range of 18.7 kHz-19.2 kHz. Method according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the sensor is a microphone. Hearing aid (4) for use with a method of claims 1 to 16. A system comprising a hearing aid (4) and an external device (12) having a data connection to the hearing aid (4) for use with a method of claims 1 to 16.

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