EP4054207A1 - Procédé de détection d'un dysfonctionnement d'un instrument auditif et instrument auditif - Google Patents

Procédé de détection d'un dysfonctionnement d'un instrument auditif et instrument auditif Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4054207A1
EP4054207A1 EP21160928.4A EP21160928A EP4054207A1 EP 4054207 A1 EP4054207 A1 EP 4054207A1 EP 21160928 A EP21160928 A EP 21160928A EP 4054207 A1 EP4054207 A1 EP 4054207A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sound
receiver
hearing instrument
frequency response
microphone
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21160928.4A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Maxi Susanne MORITZ
Vincent Meyer
Erwin Kuipers
Christian Frei
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sonova Holding AG
Original Assignee
Sonova AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sonova AG filed Critical Sonova AG
Priority to EP21160928.4A priority Critical patent/EP4054207A1/fr
Publication of EP4054207A1 publication Critical patent/EP4054207A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/30—Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
    • H04R25/305—Self-monitoring or self-testing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/55—Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • 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
    • H04R2460/11—Aspects relating to vents, e.g. shape, orientation, acoustic properties in ear tips of hearing devices to prevent occlusion
    • 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

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for detecting a malfunction of a hearing instrument according to claim 1.
  • An active-vent receiver is a special type of receiver with a mechanism that can be activated to alter the configuration of the vent.
  • an electromagnet may be used to toggle the position of a disk between two stable mechanical positions. At one extreme, the disk obstructs the vent and closes it, while at the other extreme, the vent is left open. This allows for two types of acoustic coupling configurations that can be changed at will, depending on the current listening situation of the user.
  • the gain of the hearing instrument is adapted accordingly for delivering the best sound experience and the most helpful amplification.
  • the object is achieved by a method for detecting a malfunction of a hearing instrument according to claim 1.
  • the present invention provides a method for detecting a malfunction of a hearing instrument.
  • the hearing instrument comprises at least one microphone, a receiver, a sound processor configured to process input sound signals from the microphone and to provide output sound signals to the receiver, and an active vent adjustable to be in one of at least two states.
  • the method comprises a diagnosis comprising:
  • the defined threshold may relate to differences in the frequency peak magnitude and position.
  • the most relevant threshold values can be estimated at best with the help of a training set, but a change of 5 dB or more in magnitude and/or 100Hz in frequency can be considered as significant.
  • the specific broadband sound is a maximum length sequence signal.
  • a maximum length sequence (MLS) is a pseudorandom binary sequence with a flat frequency response that is particularly well suited for this purpose. Other sequences or signals with a flat frequency response could likewise be used.
  • the diagnosis is performed during or at the end of a charging operation of a battery of the hearing instrument.
  • an ambient sound level is measured.
  • the diagnosis is started only if the ambient sound level is below a defined threshold.
  • This defined threshold may for example be roughly -40dB sound pressure level.
  • a sound level of the played back sound is adjusted automatically depending on the ambient sound level and on the captured signal.
  • diagnosis is run repeatedly and the results thereof are averaged before comparing them to the reference.
  • diagnosis is run with the active vent switched to one of the states and run again with the active vent switched to the other one of the states.
  • the method is performed by a state machine running on a processor.
  • the processor is located in a hearing instrument or in an electronic module located in a charger or in a smartphone.
  • the user is informed of a malfunction detected by displaying information on a smartphone.
  • lowering of one or more specific regions of the frequency response is interpreted as indicating an obstruction of the at least one microphone.
  • a frequency shift of a resonance peak of the frequency response is interpreted as indicating a clogged or damaged receiver.
  • a hearing instrument comprises at least one microphone, a receiver, a sound processor configured to process input sound signals from the microphone and to provide output sound signals to the receiver, and an active vent adjustable to be in one of at least two states, wherein the hearing instrument is configured to perform the method described above.
  • the present invention proposes a solution for detecting potential malfunction risks by running an automated diagnosis procedure during the charging phase, taking place typically during the night, and informing the user in case a problem is detected.
  • the solution aims at counterbalancing the risk of active-vent receiver clogging by regularly testing the proper mechanical toggling, without disturbing the user.
  • the presented solution consists in an automated measurement procedure taking place without involving the user.
  • a hearing instrument comprises at least one microphone, a receiver which may also be referred to as a speaker, a sound processor configured to process input sound signals from the microphone and to provide output sound signals to the receiver, and an active vent which may be adjusted to be at least in one of two states, i.e. an open state and a closed state, wherein in the open state the microphone and the receiver are acoustically coupled to each other to a higher extent than in the closed state.
  • the battery may be rechargeable and a charger may be provided to receive the hearing instrument for recharging the battery.
  • the present invention proposes a solution for detecting potential malfunction risks in a hearing instrument by running an automated diagnosis procedure during the charging phase, taking place typically during the night, and informing the user in case a problem is detected.
  • the method could for example wait for the end of a battery charging operation as a trigger for starting a self-test. That would typically correspond to a few hours after a user puts the hearing instruments in a charger for the night, a timeframe where the acoustic environment is more likely to be quiet.
  • the background sound environment may not always be appropriate.
  • one user could have the hearing instruments in the bathroom during the night, next to a washing machine which may be in its tumbling cycle at the moment the charge stops. Therefore, it may be desirable to measure an ambient sound level before starting the test.
  • a first reference measurement may be made to compare against in later measurements.
  • the reference measurement can occur for example at the hearing care professional's office or at the user's home during the first days after he/she has received his/her hearing instruments, before any degradation has had time to occur.
  • the measurement itself may comprise the following aspects:
  • Figure 1 is a schematic view of a maximum length sequence signal (MLS).
  • Figure 2 is a schematic view of a typical frequency response of the input sound signals from a front microphone when playing back an MLS signal by the receiver.
  • the diagram shows sound level SL over frequency f.
  • Curve C1 shows a reference frequency response for a clean front microphone and curve C2 shows a frequency response for a dirty front microphone.
  • Figure 3 is a schematic view of a typical frequency response of the input sound signals from a back microphone when playing back an MLS signal by the receiver.
  • Curve C3 shows a reference frequency response for a clean front microphone and curve C4 shows a frequency response for a dirty front microphone.
  • the results of the test can be communicated to an app on the user's smartphone and in case any issue is detected, an information or warning can be shown to the user.
  • test procedure involves playing a sound through the receiver of the hearing instrument in both active-vent states and capturing the signal through by the hearing instrument's microphone
  • the test is sensitive to alterations and degradations in each and every element of the electroacoustic chain, namely the receiver, all of the microphones and the active vent including a toggling mechanism thereof.
  • Figure 4 is a schematic view of a typical frequency response of the input sound signals from the front microphone when playing back an MLS signal by the receiver while the receiver is at least partially occluded. Detecting frequency shifts of the resonance peaks of the frequency response would indicate a clogged or damaged receiver.
  • Curve C5 shows a reference frequency response for a clean receiver and curve C6 shows a frequency response for a clogged receiver.
  • Figure 5 is a schematic view of a typical frequency response of the input sound signals from the back microphone when playing back an MLS signal by the receiver while the receiver is at least partially occluded.
  • Curve C7 shows a reference frequency response for a clean receiver and curve C8 shows a frequency response for a dirty receiver.

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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)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
EP21160928.4A 2021-03-05 2021-03-05 Procédé de détection d'un dysfonctionnement d'un instrument auditif et instrument auditif Pending EP4054207A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21160928.4A EP4054207A1 (fr) 2021-03-05 2021-03-05 Procédé de détection d'un dysfonctionnement d'un instrument auditif et instrument auditif

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21160928.4A EP4054207A1 (fr) 2021-03-05 2021-03-05 Procédé de détection d'un dysfonctionnement d'un instrument auditif et instrument auditif

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4054207A1 true EP4054207A1 (fr) 2022-09-07

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP21160928.4A Pending EP4054207A1 (fr) 2021-03-05 2021-03-05 Procédé de détection d'un dysfonctionnement d'un instrument auditif et instrument auditif

Country Status (1)

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EP (1) EP4054207A1 (fr)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5729612A (en) * 1994-08-05 1998-03-17 Aureal Semiconductor Inc. Method and apparatus for measuring head-related transfer functions
US20160127845A1 (en) * 2014-10-29 2016-05-05 Invensense, Inc. Blockage detection for a microelectromechanical systems sensor
EP3675524A1 (fr) * 2018-12-28 2020-07-01 GN Hearing A/S Procédé de détermination d'un état d'un trajet de rétroaction acoustique d'un dispositif auditif portable sur la tête et dispositif auditif portable sur la tête

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5729612A (en) * 1994-08-05 1998-03-17 Aureal Semiconductor Inc. Method and apparatus for measuring head-related transfer functions
US20160127845A1 (en) * 2014-10-29 2016-05-05 Invensense, Inc. Blockage detection for a microelectromechanical systems sensor
EP3675524A1 (fr) * 2018-12-28 2020-07-01 GN Hearing A/S Procédé de détermination d'un état d'un trajet de rétroaction acoustique d'un dispositif auditif portable sur la tête et dispositif auditif portable sur la tête

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