EP3582512B1 - Method for the identification of an earpiece, hearing system and earpiece set - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for identifying a listener, a hearing system and a receiver set.

A hearing system has one or two hearing aids which are worn by a user in or on the ear. A hearing system with two hearing aids, which are then worn in or on the ears on different sides of the head, is also known as a binaural hearing system. A hearing aid has a receiver for sound output which, depending on the type of hearing aid, is either inserted into the ear or worn outside the ear, the sound signals then being fed into the ear, e.g. via a sound tube. A binaural hearing system therefore has two listeners. Hearing aid types are, for example, BTE, ITE, or RIC hearing aids.

A hearing system is generally used to output sound signals and often specifically to improve the hearing ability of the user. Typically, the user has limited hearing and the hearing system is then generally used to amplify sound signals from the environment, with the aim of compensating for deficient hearing. A respective hearing system is usually individually adapted and set to the respective user in order to do justice to his or her individual hearing ability and to compensate for the individual hearing impairment as optimally as possible. For this purpose, the hearing ability of the user is often specifically determined as part of an adjustment and the hearing system is then adjusted accordingly, possibly differently for both ears. A hearing system can also generally be headphones.

An essential component of a hearing system is the receiver, which is used to output sound and which is available in a large number of variants in systems with an external or a modular receiver unit. Depending on the hearing ability, an appropriately suitable listener is then selected and used in the hearing system. For example, different earphones differ in their performance class, i.e. in the maximum possible output of the sound signal output and the maximum possible amplification that can be achieved with the hearing system during operation. If the hearing loss is more severe, then a listener of a higher performance class should be selected in order to be able to compensate for the hearing loss accordingly. The hearing system is usually parameterized in such a way that its transmission behavior is adapted to the connected listener.

The problem is that, in principle, different earphones can be used in a hearing system, or that both sides are set differently or both and therefore there is a risk of confusion. The hearing system is typically designed in such a way that various receivers of different types of receivers can be connected as required. If several different types of earphones are now available, it must be ensured when assembling the hearing system, ie when connecting a receiver to the hearing system, that the correct receiver type is also used. If a handset set with earphones of different performance classes is available and a handset of a certain performance class is to be used, there is a risk that a handset of the wrong performance class is accidentally picked up and used. When cleaning a hearing system, for example, there is also the risk that it will first be dismantled into several parts for cleaning and then put together incorrectly. This is particularly problematic in the case of binaural hearing systems, since, due to the principle involved, there are two listeners which, due to different hearing abilities, can differ accordingly on the two sides, that is to say they can belong to different types of listeners. If the two earphones are accidentally swapped, the earpiece intended for the left is used on the right and vice versa. In general, the use of the wrong receiver results in a considerable safety risk for the User, especially if a power class that is too high is accidentally used.

The EP 2 166 781 A1 describes a hearing aid system with a side recognition device for automatic recognition of which of two hearing aid devices is worn on the left and which on the right ear of the user.

The US 2003/235311 A1 describes a method for increasing the quality of a stereo audio reproduction in a multi-listener environment. Each listening station of several listening stations of an audio system has a receiver interface for connection to a receiver device. In the method, test signals that are received by the handset interface are monitored in order to identify an error.

To distinguish between listeners with different characteristics, the US 8,433,072 B2 proposed to use and measure the electrical resistance of a listener as a characteristic parameter. It is also proposed to provide a listener with an identification mark, for example an RFID mark, and then to read this out in order to determine the characteristics of the listener.

Against this background, it is an object of the invention to improve the identification of a listener. For this purpose, a suitable method, a suitable hearing system and a suitable handset set should be specified. In general, different types of earphones should be recognized as reliably as possible. In particular, the risk of harm to the user by inserting and operating the wrong receiver is to be reduced.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a method with the features according to claim 1. The object is also achieved by a hearing system with the features according to claim 13 and by a receiver set with the features according to claim 14. Advantageous embodiments, developments and variants are the subject of the subclaims. The statements relating to the method also apply accordingly to the hearing system and to the earphone set and vice versa.

The method is used to identify a listener of a binaural hearing system and is expediently also used for this purpose. The method is preferably used to identify the listener in the hearing system, ie while the listener is connected to the hearing system, ie is connected to it. The identification is thus carried out in situ, so to speak, that is to say during the intended use, and is preferably carried out by the hearing system itself and precisely not decoupled from the hearing system. The hearing system has, in particular, a control unit which is designed in such a way that it carries out the method. Suitable but is also a variant in which the listener is alternatively or additionally identified outside the hearing system and independently of it, for example in a separate test procedure at the audiologist. As an alternative or in addition, the control unit is integrated in an external device, for example in a smartphone or a computer.

The listener belongs to one of several, in particular, different types of listeners. The listener is now identified by assigning it to one of the several types of receiver. The terms “identification” and “identify” in connection with a listener are understood to mean that it is not only recognized whether a receiver is connected, but rather what kind of receiver is connected. In other words: the type of listener is specifically determined and not just the presence of any listener, so that different, that is to say at least two different types of listeners, can and are distinguished from one another.

An electrical input signal, or simply an input signal, is fed to the listener for sound output. The listener converts the input signal into an acoustic sound signal, in short just a sound signal, and outputs this. So there is a sound output. The input signal is generally a primary signal and, based on the sound output, a secondary signal is now generated which is dependent on the input signal. The secondary signal is not necessarily the sound signal itself. A large number of different signals can be considered as the secondary signal; it is particularly important that the secondary signal is causally related to the input signal.

The secondary signal is then detected by a sensor which, as a function of the secondary signal, generates an electrical sensor signal, in short just a sensor signal. The secondary signal is therefore measured by the sensor. The sensor signal is therefore dependent on the input signal. The dependency of the sensor signal on the input signal is determined in particular by a transfer function which does not necessarily have to be known. The transfer function describes in particular the change that the input signal undergoes during the conversion into the sensor signal along a transfer path.

A phase measurement is also carried out by determining a phase difference between the input signal and the sensor signal. The phase measurement is therefore in particular an electrical comparison measurement in which two electrical signals, namely the input signal and the sensor signal, are compared with one another and their phase is determined relative to one another. The listener is then identified by assigning it to one of the plurality of receiver types on the basis of the phase difference.

In the method, the receiver is connected to a receiver connection, preferably to a receiver connection of the hearing system. The input signal is provided to the handset via the handset connection. The invention is now based in particular on the idea of identifying a listener in that listeners of different types of headphones are designed in such a way that they produce different phase responses and thus phase differences for the same input signal and then to recognize these phase differences in order to be able to easily and reliable way to make a corresponding assignment of the listener to one of the listener types. In short: the listeners of different types of listeners differ in that they result in different phase differences when measuring the phase. Different listeners of the same type of receiver, on the other hand, expediently also result in the same phase difference. An earphone set according to the invention therefore has at least two earphones which belong to different types of earphones and which are designed in such a way that they can be appropriately differentiated by the phase measurement described.

In order to generate the phase difference for the purpose of identifying the listener, the receiver and the sensor are advantageously designed in such a way that, in their interaction, they produce the phase difference as a whole. Due to the principle, a so-called transfer phase difference arises possibly due to the transfer function between the input signal and the sensor signal. To identify the listener, however, in addition to the transfer phase difference depending on the receiver type, an identification phase difference, or ID phase difference for short, is now added. Overall, there are then also different phase differences for different types of earphones with a transfer path that remains the same or is only slightly changed. An additional phase for identification, that is to say an identification phase or ID phase, is thus impressed along the transfer path, which is then present in the sensor signal in addition to a possible transfer phase difference due to the transfer path itself. The transfer phase difference is then suitably taken into account as an offset in the phase measurement and for this purpose is preferably estimated or measured in advance, for example.

A core idea of the invention therefore consists in particular in designing a hearing system or a receiver for such or both in such a way that a receiver of an incorrect receiver type that cannot be used results in a recognizable phase difference during the phase measurement, i.e. an actual phase difference which is recognizable from deviates from an expected phase difference which a listener of a correct listener type would produce. An essential aspect here is the phase measurement, which can be implemented in a particularly simple manner and enables a particularly compact design. A particular advantage of phase measurement is that initially no special or additional components such as resistors or RFID tags are required to identify the listener. Correspondingly, the sensor used is a sensor which is already built into the hearing system and which is then also used for other purposes, in particular when the hearing system is operated as intended. Another particular advantage is, in particular, that the earphone initially only needs two signal contacts to connect to the hearing system and a third contact, which is designed as an identification contact and in particular solely for identifying the earphone, is not required. Such a third contact is therefore preferably dispensed with and installation space is correspondingly saved.

When the listener is identified, it is therefore known in particular which receiver type generates which phase difference. For this purpose, an assignment rule, in particular an assignment table, is expediently stored in a memory, in particular of the hearing system. The assignment rule assigns a specific phase difference to each receiver type, so that the receiver type can then be determined via the assignment table during the phase measurement and is expediently also determined. The memory is in particular a part of the control unit.

The method can be used particularly advantageously to determine whether a receiver is also connected to a respective side of a binaural hearing system which belongs to a receiver type which is also provided for this side. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the hearing system is therefore binaural and a first of the several types of earphones is a left earphone, which is provided for use on the left side of the hearing system, and a second of the several earphone types is a right earphone, which is intended for use on the right Side of the hearing aid. The hearing system thus has a left hearing aid and a right hearing aid. The left hearing aid is used to supply the left ear of a user and is worn on the left side when used as intended, the right hearing aid is used analogously to supply the user's right ear and is worn on the right side when used as intended. A mix-up is not provided and should rather be prevented, since the user may have different hearing abilities on both sides and therefore the two hearing aids are expediently individually adapted to supply the corresponding side. As part of the method, side recognition is then carried out in that the listener is identified as a left listener or as a right listener on the basis of the phase difference. The phase measurement is therefore preferably used for side recognition and in particular to differentiate between exactly two types of receiver. The two types of earphones then generate phase differences which differ by 180 ° and are therefore particularly easy to discriminate, that is to say are distinguishable. Using the side recognition a user is then advantageously prevented from mistakenly using the two earphones of a binaural hearing system in an interchanged manner.

In principle, however, an embodiment is also possible and suitable in such a way that more than two types of earphones are differentiated by means of the phase measurement, in that the earphone types generate correspondingly more than two different phase differences and these are recognized.

The generation of different phase differences by listeners of different types of listeners can be implemented in different ways, as will be explained in more detail below.

In the present case, the receiver has two signal contacts and the receiver can be connected and preferably also connected to a hearing aid of the hearing system by means of the signal contacts so that it is protected against polarity reversal. The receiver and especially the two signal contacts are thus designed to be protected against polarity reversal. A first receiver type and a second receiver type of the several receiver types now differ from one another in that they are designed so that they are protected against polarity reversal, so that the two phase differences generated by a receiver of the first receiver type and a receiver of the second receiver type differ by 180 ° distinguish. The signal contacts of the two types of earphones are thus designed to be protected against polarity reversal opposite to one another. One of the two types of earphones means that when the input signal is converted to the sensor signal, an additional phase of 180 ° is impressed, so that there is a corresponding phase difference relative to the other type of earphone. In a suitable embodiment, the first type of receiver is provided for the left side of a binaural hearing system and the second type of receiver is intended for the right side. If one of the two earphones is now incorrectly connected to the other side, a phase difference is measured as part of a side detection which deviates by 180 ° from an expected phase difference, the expected phase difference being the phase difference that would be generated by the other earpiece.

In detail, this concept is preferably implemented as follows with two types of earphone that are designed to be protected against polarity reversal opposite to one another: the earphone has a signal interface for connection to a hearing aid of the hearing system. The signal interface has a first signal contact and a second signal contact. The signal contacts are each associated in particular with a specific pole of the listener, the first signal contact is then always a positive pole and the second signal contact is always a negative pole. The hearing aid has, in particular, a correspondingly complementary hearing aid signal interface which has two poles for connecting the signal contacts, one pole per signal contact. The signal interface is now designed so that it is protected against polarity reversal such that one of the signal contacts can only be connected to a first pole of the hearing aid and the other of the signal contact can only be connected to a second pole of the hearing aid and not vice versa. This is implemented, for example, by different geometries of the individual signal contacts and poles or by a corresponding plug-in contour. A first receiver type and a second receiver type of the several receiver types then differ from one another in particular in that, in the first receiver type, the first signal contact can only be connected to the first pole and the second signal contact can only be connected to the second pole, whereas the second receiver type compared to the first receiver type the polarity is reversed in such a way that, conversely, the first signal contact can only be connected to the second pole and the second signal contact can only be connected to the first pole. In one type of receiver, the positive pole is also connected to a positive pole on the hearing aid and, accordingly, a negative pole on the receiver is connected to a negative pole on the hearing aid and, conversely, in the other type of receiver, a respective negative pole is connected to a positive pole. In general, this advantageously means that the two phase differences that are generated by the two types of earphones differ by 180 ° when they are connected on the same side, that is to say on the same hearing aid signal interface.

In a first suitable variant, the electrical input signal is fed to the receiver via the signal contacts and the sensor is arranged outside the receiver and independently of the receiver. The polarity reversal is realized by that the transmission of the input signal to the listener is designed with reverse polarity, so that in principle the secondary signal that is generated by a listener of the first receiver type has an opposite sign with respect to the secondary signal that is produced by a receiver of the second receiver type. The phase difference for identifying the listener is thus generated in particular when the input signal is passed to the listener, ie the ID phase is impressed when the input signal is passed to the listener and thus at the beginning of the transfer path. The sensor then generates a corresponding sensor signal depending on the secondary signal. In this variant, the earphones themselves are designed with opposite polarity to one another.

For optimum listening comfort, especially in the first variant, in normal listening mode, or listening mode for short, the input signal is preferably passed to the listener on one side with the opposite sign, so that the secondary signals on both sides are then no longer opposed, but in particular are in phase. To identify the listener, the original input signal is then expediently used in order to be able to generate correspondingly antiphase secondary signals so that the two types of receiver can then be distinguished and also differentiated.

In a second suitable variant, on the other hand, it is not the earphones themselves that are reversed with regard to the input signal, but rather the sensors on both sides of the hearing system. The sensor is expediently integrated into the receiver and firmly connected to it, so that the sensor and the receiver together form, in particular, an inseparable assembly. This applies correspondingly to both sides of a binaural hearing system, with a binaural hearing system also generally having two sensors, namely one for each of the two listeners. In the second variant, the sensor signal is transmitted via the signal contacts and not the input signal. The above statements regarding the first variant, however, also apply mutatis mutandis to the second variant, in which the input signals and also the secondary signals are now basically in phase, but in which the sensor signals are in phase opposition. The phase difference for the identification of the listener is thus when the sensor signal is generated, more precisely generated when the sensor signal is transferred to the control unit, ie the ID phase is impressed on the sensor signal and thus at the end of the transfer path. This offers the particular advantage that the input signal does not need to be manipulated for normal listening mode.

In the second variant, the receiver has in particular two signal interfaces, a signal interface with reversed polarity for the sensor signal and a further, non-polarized signal interface for the input signal. In contrast, the receiver in the second variant has only one signal interface, namely for the input signal, and otherwise no further signal interfaces.

In the second variant in particular, the sensor is connected to the receiver in such a way that it cannot be disconnected if handled properly. The sensor is thus permanently and clearly assigned to the listener. The sensor is therefore designed in particular as a component part of the receiver. This ensures that the correct sensor is always connected to the associated receiver, since identification of the receiver is not possible solely on the basis of the receiver. The sensor and, more precisely, its special polarity reversal are used for this. To integrate the sensor into the receiver, the sensor is attached to the receiver, e.g. glued to it, cast into a receiver housing or a component part of the receiver itself.

In principle, a large number of different concepts are suitable for phase measurement. An essential point here is in particular that a sensor signal is generated which is connected to the input signal via a transfer function and that an additional phase difference is added when the sensor signal is generated from the input signal, i.e. an additional phase is impressed which or which then used to identify the listener. As already described above, this phase is therefore referred to as the ID phase. In principle, however, any types of secondary signals and a wide variety of sensors are suitable for their measurement. Some preferred combinations of secondary signal and sensor are explained in detail below. The variants mentioned can also be combined with one another.

In a preferred embodiment, the secondary signal is a sound signal which is generated by the listener when the sound is output, and the sensor is a microphone which picks up the sound signal. A microphone of the hearing system is advantageously used as the sensor, in particular a microphone which is part of a hearing aid of the hearing system and which is used in a listening mode to pick up noises from the environment in order to subsequently amplify them and output them via the receiver of the hearing aid. However, for example, a microphone worn by the user in the ear canal during intended use is also suitable, in particular a structure-borne sound microphone, or alternatively an additional microphone. The secondary signal is, in particular, a sound signal that is already generated for output to the user. This is usually further modified by reflections, eigenmodes and inflections in the user's ear canal before it is picked up by the sensor.

In a further preferred embodiment, the secondary signal is a magnetic field which is generated by the listener when the sound is output, and the sensor is a magnetic field sensor which measures the magnetic field. This variant is based on the consideration that a listener generates a magnetic field when outputting sound, which is dependent on the electrical input signal, so that an additional phase difference can be seen particularly well when compared with the input signal. The sensor is suitably a Hall sensor, a coil or a telephone coil already present in a hearing aid of the hearing system, also referred to as a T-coil.

In a further preferred embodiment, the secondary signal is a vibration, which is in particular generated at least indirectly by the listener when the sound is output, and the sensor is a vibration or acceleration sensor which picks up the vibration. A vibration sensor differs from a microphone in particular in that a vibration sensor is not excited directly by a sound signal, but rather a vibration, ie a mechanical acceleration, in particular of the surrounding environment or the surrounding components or both. For example, the sensor measures then during the sound output a vibration of the listener or, more precisely, of a housing of the listener. In a suitable embodiment, a vibration or acceleration sensor comprises an oscillating test mass which is stimulated accordingly by sound or vibration or both, so that the vibration or acceleration sensor then generates a sensor signal that is dependent on the input signal.

In particular, it must be ensured that a suitable sampling rate is used for the sensor in order to measure the phase difference as reliably as possible. The input signal usually has a frequency spectrum in the audible range for normal hearing people of in particular 20 Hz to 20 kHz, so that the secondary signal is also correspondingly in this frequency range. The sampling rate for the sensor is therefore expediently selected in such a way that the sensor signal also maps such frequencies. When used as intended, an acceleration sensor in particular is typically operated with a sampling rate of only a few measured values per second, i.e. well below 20 Hz. To measure the secondary signal, a sampling rate between 40 Hz and 40 kHz is expediently selected for the sensor.

In principle, any signal can be used as the input signal, in particular also any sound signal from the surroundings that is recorded and converted during listening operation or, alternatively or additionally, an electrical audio signal. However, in order to identify the listener as early as possible and advantageously outside of regular listening mode, the electrical input signal is, in an expedient embodiment, a start signal which is played when the hearing system is switched on, i.e. when the hearing system is put into operation. As a result, the listener is identified before the actual listening operation. The start signal is preferably a start melody which is played when the hearing system is switched on and for the acoustic indication of the start-up.

Alternatively or additionally, the listener is advantageously identified as part of an open-loop gain measurement of the hearing system. This open loop gain measurement is also referred to as a calibration operation and, more precisely, is a calibration operation for calibrating a maximum amplification of the hearing aid, which usually depends on the specific existing and possibly changing environmental conditions. In this case, the hearing system thus has a gain control which is calibrated in the calibration mode by using a test signal as the input signal, whereby a calibration signal is generated in order to set the maximum gain of the hearing system. The calibration signal is, in particular, a microphone signal, so the test signal is output and resumed in order to characterize the environment. In combination with the test signal, the calibration signal then serves in particular to determine the transfer function from the listener of the hearing system to the eardrum of the user, in particular to estimate it, and to set the maximum gain as a function thereof. The calibration signal is now advantageously used at the same time as a sensor signal, ie the calibration signal is the sensor signal. In this respect, this configuration is similar to the configuration described above with the sound signal as the secondary signal and the microphone as the sensor. The listener is then advantageously identified in parallel to the open-loop gain measurement, so that the outlay in terms of apparatus and control technology for identifying the listener is minimal, since the same calibration signal is used for both purposes. In addition, the measurement described is not restricted to a special calibration operation, but rather is carried out in an advantageous embodiment during operation, in particular during normal operation. The measurement is preferably carried out adaptively. The phase is then advantageously determined continuously during the runtime of the hearing system, that is to say recurrently. For this purpose, the sensor is connected in particular to a suitable signal processing block which estimates the transfer function. The signal processing block is preferably part of the control unit.

In addition to identifying the listener by means of the phase measurement, a performance class of the receiver is preferably also determined by means of an amplitude measurement, the amplitude measurement preferably being carried out with the sensor. The amplitude measurement is, in particular, a measurement of an amplitude frequency response. The listener thus has a performance class which by an additional amplitude measurement is determined, which is carried out in particular at the same time as the phase measurement. The performance class is suitably defined by a transmission behavior of the listener, ie in particular by an amplitude frequency response which is assigned to a specific performance class. As a result, the performance class of the listener is then determined by measuring the amplitude, that is to say by measuring the amplitude.

Alternatively or additionally, in a suitable embodiment, in addition to identifying the listener by means of the phase measurement, a performance class of the receiver is also determined by means of an impedance measurement. The receiver therefore has a performance class which is determined by an additional impedance measurement, which is carried out in particular at the same time as the phase measurement. The performance class is suitably defined by an electrical resistance of the handset, i.e. an electrical resistance is integrated into the handset, which has a certain resistance value which is assigned to a certain performance class. The performance class of the handset is then determined by measuring the resistance.

Particularly advantageous in the performance class recognition as described above is an embodiment in which the phase measurement is used for side recognition, so that a listener is then assigned to a performance class on the one hand by an amplitude or resistance measurement and, on the other hand, additionally by a phase measurement of one side of the hearing system. The listener is then identified, so to speak, in two dimensions, namely once with regard to the performance class and once with regard to the side. In this respect, a receiver type is characterized by two parameters, namely by a first parameter “performance class” and a second parameter “side”.

A particular advantage when determining the power class is that the phase difference can also be measured with the same measurement, also referred to as the measurement routine, ie the phase measurement is generally part of the measurement routine, so that the power class and the Side can be determined at the same time with a single measurement and expediently also be determined.

The phase measurement is preferably carried out at a frequency of at most 500 Hz. This is based in particular on the observation that the phase difference can be determined better at low frequencies than at high frequencies, since signals at high frequencies are more susceptible to interference. At higher frequencies, for example, there is an increasing number of interfering influences due to, for example, the individual geometry of the user's ear or the selected length of a sound tube of a hearing aid in the hearing system. In principle, the entire acoustic frequency range can be used for measurement, but low frequencies, i.e. frequencies of at most 500 Hz, enable particularly reliable measurements. However, the phase measurement is preferably carried out at least at a frequency of 20 Hz. The sampling rate of the sensor is expediently adapted to the frequency and preferably corresponds to at least twice the frequency.

A hearing system according to the invention is designed to carry out the method described above and has a control unit for this purpose. In a suitable embodiment, the control unit is integrated into a hearing aid of the hearing system.

Fig. 1

ein binaurales Hörsystem

Fig. 2

eine schematisierte Darstellung des Hörsystems aus Fig. 1,

Fig. 3a, 3b

eine erste Variante eines Hörsystems,

Fig. 4a, 4b

eine zweite Variante eines Hörsystems,

Fig. 5a, 5b

eine dritte Variante eines Hörsystems.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. They each show schematically:

Fig. 1

a binaural hearing aid

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of the hearing system Fig. 1 ,

Figures 3a, 3b

a first variant of a hearing system,

Figures 4a, 4b

a second variant of a hearing system,

Figures 5a, 5b

a third variant of a hearing system.

In the Fig. 1 a binaural hearing system 2 is shown, with or two hearing aids 4, which are each worn by a user in or on the ear. However, the following explanations can also be applied to a hearing system 2 with only one hearing aid 4. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a respective hearing aid 4 for sound output has a receiver 6 which, depending on the type of hearing aid, is either inserted into the ear or worn outside the ear. In the present case, a so-called RIC hearing aid is shown, in which the receiver 6 is worn in the ear and is connected to the rest of the hearing aid 4 via an electrical connection 8.

The hearing system 2 shown is generally used to amplify sound signals from the environment, with the aim of compensating for a deficient hearing ability of the user. For this purpose, the hearing system 2 is individually adapted and set to the user in order to do justice to his or her individual hearing ability and to compensate for the individual hearing impairment. In a variant not shown, the hearing system 2 is generally headphones.

An essential component of a hearing system 2 is the earpiece 6, which is used for sound output and is available in a large number of variants. Depending on the hearing ability, a suitable earphone 6 is selected and used in the hearing system 2. The hearing system 2 is now designed in such a way that the risk of confusing the receiver 6 is reduced, i.e. the risk of incorrectly using a receiver 6 of a receiver type which is not intended for the user. For this purpose, a method is carried out by means of which the receiver 6 is identified, i.e. is assigned to one of several receiver types. In the present case, the method is carried out by a control unit 10, which is part of the hearing system 2 and is accommodated in one of the hearing aids 4.

The procedure is based on Fig. 2 explained in more detail in which one of the hearing aids 4 from Fig. 1 is shown in a highly schematic manner as a circuit diagram. Basically is the hearing system 2 is initially designed in such a way that a microphone 12 picks up sound signals 100 from the environment and converts them into a microphone signal 102. This is forwarded to the control unit 10 and amplified there. The control unit 10 thus generates an amplified microphone signal, which is an electrical input signal 104, which is transferred to the earpiece 6 for output. The earpiece 6 converts the input signal 104 in the context of a sound output into a sound signal 106, which is output to the user. In the present case, the receiver 6 also generates a magnetic field 108 due to its principle. The sound signal 106 and the magnetic field 108 are therefore dependent on the input signal 104, which is also referred to as the primary signal 110. The sound signal 106 and the magnetic field 108 are therefore also referred to as the secondary signal 112. Other secondary signals 112, not shown, are, for example, a vibration generated during the sound output or an acceleration.

The method now serves to identify the listener 6 who belongs to one of several different types of receiver. At least one of the secondary signals 112 is now detected by a sensor 14, which generates an electrical sensor signal 114 as a function of the secondary signal 112. The dependence of the sensor signal 114 on the input signal 112 is determined in particular by a transfer function T, which does not necessarily have to be known and which describes the change that the input signal 104 undergoes during the conversion into the sensor signal 114 along a transfer path. Accordingly, in Fig. 2 two transfer functions T for the two transfer paths indicated by arrows, namely once from the receiver 6 to the sensor 14 and once from the receiver 6 to the microphone 12, which can also be used as sensor 14. Furthermore, in the present case, the control unit 10 carries out a phase measurement by determining a phase difference between the input signal 104 and the sensor signal 114. The receiver 6 is then assigned to one of the several receiver types on the basis of the phase difference and is thereby identified.

The receiver 6 is connected to a receiver connection 16 of the hearing system 2, the input signal 104 being transferred to the receiver 6 via the receiver connection 16 becomes. The earphones 6 of different earphone types are now designed in such a way that they produce different phase differences at the same earphone connection 16 and for the same input signal 104. When measuring the phase, there are therefore different phase differences for different types of earphones. In contrast, different listeners 6 of the same type of receiver also result in the same phase difference. Due to the principle, a so-called transfer phase difference possibly already arises due to the transfer function T between the input signal 104 and the sensor signal 114. To identify the receiver 6, an identification phase difference, ID phase difference for short, is now added to the transfer phase difference depending on the receiver type . Overall, there are then also different phase differences for different types of earphones with the transfer path remaining the same. An additional phase for identification, that is to say an identification phase or ID phase, is thus impressed along the transfer path T, which is then present in the sensor signal 114 in addition to a possible transfer phase difference due to the transfer path T itself. The ID phase can generally be impressed at different points along the transfer path.

In Fig. 1 a variant is shown in which the secondary signal 112 is a sound signal 106 which is generated by the listener 6 during the sound output. The sensor 14 is here the microphone 12, which is used in a listening mode to pick up noises from the environment in order to subsequently amplify them and output them via the receiver 6 of the hearing aid 4. Alternatively, another microphone is used.

Also in Fig. 1 A variant is shown in which the secondary signal 112 is a magnetic field 108 which is generated by the listener 6 when the sound is output. The sensor 14 is a magnetic field sensor which measures the magnetic field 108. The sensor 14 is, for example, a Hall sensor, a coil or a telephone coil of the hearing aid 4, also referred to as a T-coil.

Another variant is not shown, in which the secondary signal 112 is a vibration, which in particular is at least indirectly from the receiver 6 in the Sound output is generated, in which case the sensor 14 is a vibration sensor which picks up the vibration. Also not shown is a variant in which the secondary signal 112 is an acceleration which is generated at least indirectly by the sound output, in which case the sensor 14 is an acceleration sensor which measures the acceleration.

The mentioned variants shown and not shown can also be used individually or combined as desired.

The method is used in the present case to determine whether a receiver 6 is also connected to a respective side of the binaural hearing system 2, which receiver belongs to a receiver type which is also intended for use on this side. A first of the plurality of receiver types is then a left receiver, which is provided for use on the left side of the hearing system 2, and a second of the several receiver types is a right receiver, which is provided for use on the right side of the hearing system 2. As part of the method, side recognition is then carried out in that the listener 6 is identified as a left listener or as a right listener on the basis of the phase difference.

In the Figures 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b it is made clear how the generation of different phase differences by listeners 6 of different types of listeners can be realized. They show Figures 3a and 3b a first variant, the Figures 4a and 4b a second variant and the Figures 5a and 5b a third variant. In all variants, the receiver 6 can be connected to a hearing aid 4 of the hearing system 2 so as to be protected against polarity reversal and is thus configured to be protected against polarity reversal. The first type of listener, each in the Figures 3a, 4a and 5a shown, and the second type of handset, each in the Figures 3b, 4b and 5b shown, differ from one another in that they are designed to be reverse polarity protected, so that the two phase differences generated by a receiver 6 of the first receiver type and a receiver 6 of the second receiver type differ by 180 °. One of the two types of earphones thus results in an additional phase of 180 ° being impressed upon the conversion of the input signal 104 to the sensor signal 114 so that there is a corresponding phase difference relative to the other type of receiver. In the present case, the first type of receiver is provided for the left side of the binaural hearing system 2 and the second type of receiver is provided for the right side by way of example only. If one of the two earphones 6 is now incorrectly connected to the other side, a phase difference is measured as part of a side detection which deviates by 180 ° from an expected phase difference, the expected phase difference being the phase difference generated by the other earphone 6 would.

In the exemplary embodiments shown, this concept is implemented with two opposite polarity-proof earphone types, for example, as follows: the earphone 6 has a signal interface 18 for connecting to one of the hearing aids 4, more precisely to the earphone connection 16, which therefore has a correspondingly complementary hearing aid signal interface is. The signal interface 18 has a first signal contact 20 and a second signal contact 22. The hearing aid 4, more precisely the receiver connection 16, now has two poles 24, 26 for connecting the signal contacts 20, 22. The signal interface 18 is now designed so that it is protected against polarity reversal, that one of the signal contacts 20, 22 can only be connected to a first pole 24 of the hearing aid and the other of the signal contacts 20, 22 can only be connected to a second pole 26 and not vice versa. For example, this is as in the Figures 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b , 5a, 5b shown by different geometries of the individual signal contacts 20, 22 and poles 24, 26 realized. The first type of receiver and the second type of receiver then differ from one another in that, in the first type of receiver, the first signal contact 20 can only be connected to the first pole 24 and the second signal contact 22 only to the second pole 26, whereas the second type of receiver compared to the first type of receiver The polarity is reversed in such a way that, conversely, the first signal contact 20 can only be connected to the second pole 26 and the second signal contact 22 can only be connected to the first pole 24 to differ by 180 ° if these are connected on the same side, that is to say at the same hearing aid signal interface 18.

For one type of listener in Figures 3a, 4a and 5a the first signal contact 20 is a positive pole and can be connected to the first pole 24, which is also a positive pole. The second signal contact 22 is a negative pole and can be connected to the second pole 26, which is also a negative pole. The in Figures 3b, 4b and 5b The other handset type shown, the first signal contact 20 is also a positive pole but vice versa Figures 3a, 4a and 5a connectable to the second pole 26, which is now a negative pole. The second signal contact 22 is then a negative pole and can be connected to the first pole 24, which is now a positive pole. The listeners 6 the Figures 3a and 3b are therefore designed with reversed polarity. The two in the Figures 3a and 3b Handset 6 shown together also form a handset set. Both also apply accordingly to the two listeners 6 of the Figures 4a and 4b as well as for the two listeners 6 of the Figures 5a and 5b .

The variant of the Figures 3a, 3b is now characterized in that the electrical input signal 104 is fed to the receiver 6 via the signal contacts 20, 22 and that the sensor 14 is arranged outside the receiver 6 and independently of it, here as part of the hearing aid 4. The polarity reversal is thus thereby realized that the transmission of the input signal 104 to the receiver 6 is designed with reverse polarity, so that then, due to the principle, the secondary signal 112, which is transmitted by the receiver 6 of the first receiver type in Fig. 3a is generated, with respect to the secondary signal 112, which is generated by a handset 6 of the second handset type in Figure 3b is generated has an opposite sign. The phase difference for the identification of the listener 6 is thus generated when the input signal 104 is transferred to the receiver 6 and thus at the beginning of the transfer path.

In contrast, in the second variant of the Figures 4a, 4b not the earphones 6 reversed polarity with regard to the input signal 104 itself, but the sensors 14 on both sides of the hearing system 2. The respective sensor 14 is integrated in the respective earphone 6 and firmly connected to it and forms an inseparable assembly with it as shown. The sensor signal 114 is now transmitted via the signal contacts 20, 22 and not the input signal 104. The phase difference for identifying the receiver 6 is therefore when the sensor signal 114 is generated, more precisely when the sensor signal 114 is transmitted to the control unit 10 generated, ie at the end of the transfer path. The input signal 104 is transmitted separately to the receiver 6 via an additional signal line with correspondingly two additional signal contacts 28, 30. These signal contacts 28, 30 for the input signal 104 are then not reversed in polarity in the case of different types of earphones. Different types of earphones are therefore always connected in the correct phase with regard to the input signal 104 and, in particular, always connected in the correct phase regardless of the side. Overall, the receiver 6, especially its signal interface 18, points into the Figures 4a, 4b thus four signal contacts 20, 22, 28, 30 on, two signal contacts 28, 30 for the input signal 104 and two further signal contacts 20, 22 for the sensor signal 114.

The Figures 5a and 5b now show a combination of the two variants of the Figures 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b . In the Figures 5a, 5b the two types of earphones are designed with reverse polarity with regard to the input signal 104, ie as in the variant of FIG Figures 3a and 3b educated. In contrast to the variant of the Figures 3a, 3b is however with the variant of the Figures 5a, 5b the sensor 14 is each integrated into the receiver 6, as in the variant of FIG Figures 4a, 4b . With regard to the sensor signal 114, the receiver types are according to the variant Figures 5a, 5b However, the polarity is not reversed, but always in the correct phase. The variant of the Figures 5a, 5b is based on the variant of the Figures 3a, 3b , the sensor 14 now being integrated into the respective earpiece 6.

In principle, any signal can be used as the input signal 104, e.g. an electrical audio signal can also be used as an alternative or in addition to the amplified microphone signal 102. In a variant not shown, a start signal is used as the input signal 104, which is played when the hearing system 4 is switched on, i.e. when the hearing system 4 is put into operation and, for example, is generated by the control unit 10 or is stored in it. As a result, the listener 6 is identified even before the actual listening operation.

In a variant, likewise not shown, the earpiece 6 is identified in the context of an open-loop gain measurement of the hearing system 4. This open-loop gain measurement is also referred to as a calibration mode and, more precisely, is a calibration mode for calibrating a maximum gain of the hearing aid 4, which is usually based on what is actually present and possibly depending on changing environmental conditions. The hearing system 2 thus has a gain control which is calibrated in the calibration mode in that a test signal is used as the input signal 104, whereby a calibration signal is generated in order to set the maximum gain of the hearing system 4. In combination with the test signal, the calibration signal is used in particular to determine the transfer function from the earpiece 6 of the hearing system 4 to the eardrum of the user and to set the maximum gain as a function thereof. The calibration signal is then used at the same time as sensor signal 114. As an alternative or in addition, the described measurement takes place adaptively during operation and not, or not exclusively, during calibration operation.

In a variant not shown, in addition to the identification of the receiver 6 by means of the phase measurement described, a power class of the receiver 6 is also determined by means of an impedance measurement or an amplitude measurement or both. The performance class is defined, for example, by an electrical resistance of the receiver 6, ie an electrical resistance is integrated into the receiver 6, for example similar to the sensor 4 in the Figures 4a, 4b . The resistor has a specific resistance value which is assigned to a specific performance class, so that the performance class of the earpiece 6 is determined by measuring the resistance.

List of reference symbols

2

Hearing aid

4th

Hearing aid

6th

Listener

8th

connection

10

Control unit

12th

microphone

14th

sensor

16

Handset connection

18th

Signal interface

20, 22

Signal contact

24, 26

pole

28, 30

Signal contact

100

Sound signal

102

Microphone signal

104

Input signal

106

Sound signal

108

Magnetic field

110

Primary signal

112

Secondary signal

114

Sensor signal

T

Transfer function

Claims (14)

1. Method for identifying a receiver (6) of a hearing system (2), said hearing system (2) comprising a hearing aid (4) and the receiver (6),
   wherein the receiver (6) belongs to one of a plurality of receiver types, wherein the receiver (6) comprises two signal contacts (20, 22),
   wherein the hearing aid (4) comprises two poles (24, 26) that can be connected to the signal contacts (20, 22) of the receiver (6),
   wherein the receiver (6) can be connected to the poles (24, 26) of the hearing aid (4) of the hearing system (2) by means of the signal contacts (20, 22) in a manner protected against reverse polarity,
   wherein an electrical input signal (104) is supplied to the receiver (6) for sound output,
   wherein the input signal (104) is a primary signal (110) and a secondary signal (112) is generated on the basis of the sound output, said secondary signal (122) being dependent on the input signal (104),
   wherein the secondary signal (112) is captured by a sensor (14), which generates an electrical sensor signal (114) in dependence on the secondary signal (112),
   wherein a phase measurement is carried out by determining a phase difference between the input signal (104) and the sensor signal (114), wherein the receiver (6) is identified by assigning the receiver (6) to one of the plurality of receiver types based on the phase difference,
   wherein a first receiver type and a second receiver type of the plurality of receiver types differ from each other in such that they are designed to be protected against reverse polarity in the opposite direction to each other, so that the two phase differences generated by a receiver (6) of the first receiver type and by a receiver (6) of the second receiver type differ by 180°.
2. Method according to claim 1,
   wherein the hearing system (2) is binaural,
   wherein a first of the plurality of receiver types is a left receiver which is provided for use on the left side of the hearing system (2),
   wherein a second of the plurality of receiver types is a right receiver provided for use on the right side of the hearing system (2),
   wherein a side recognition is carried out by identifying the receiver (6) as a left receiver or as a right receiver based on the phase difference.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   wherein the receiver (6) is supplied with the electrical input signal (104) via the signal contacts (20, 22),
   wherein the sensor (14) is arranged outside the receiver (6) and independent of the receiver (6).
4. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   wherein the sensor (14) is integrated in the receiver (6) and is fixedly connected thereto,
   wherein the sensor signal (114) is transmitted via the signal contacts (20, 22).
5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4,
   wherein the secondary signal (112) is a sound signal (106), which is generated by the receiver (6) during sound output,
   wherein the sensor (14) is a microphone (12) that picks up the sound signal (106).
6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4,
   wherein the secondary signal (112) is a magnetic field (108) generated by the receiver (6) during sound output,
   wherein the sensor (14) is a magnetic field sensor that measures the magnetic field (108).
7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4,
   wherein the secondary signal (112) is a vibration generated by the receiver (6) during sound output,
   wherein the sensor (14) is a vibration sensor or an acceleration sensor that picks up the vibration.
8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7,
   wherein the electrical input signal (104) is a start signal being played when the hearing system (4) is switched on.
9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8,
   wherein the hearing system (2) comprises an amplification control being calibrated in a calibration mode by using a test signal as the input signal (104), thereby generating a calibration signal to set a maximum amplification of the hearing system (2),
   wherein the calibration signal is also used as the sensor signal (114).
10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9,
    wherein the receiver (6) has a power class, which is determined by an additional amplitude measurement with the sensor (14), which is carried out in particular simultaneously with the phase measurement.
11. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10,
    wherein the receiver (6) has a power class which is determined by an additional impedance measurement, which is carried out in particular simultaneously with the phase measurement.
12. Method according to one of claims 1 to 11,
    wherein the phase measurement is carried out at a frequency of at most 500 Hz.
13. Hearing system (2), which comprises a hearing aid (4), a receiver (6), a sensor (14) and a control unit (10), which is designed to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 12.
14. Set of receivers designed for use in a method carried out by means of a control unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 12 and comprising at least two receivers (6), which belong to different receiver types and which are designed in such a way that they can be identified by the phase measurement.

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