JP6167313B2 - hearing aid - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for preventing erroneous fitting when fitting a hearing aid.

  When fitting a hearing aid, first measure the hearing ability of the hearing impaired person, then input the fitting data calculated based on this hearing ability into the hearing aid, and then attach the hearing aid to the hearing impaired person to make fine adjustments. It was. The fine adjustment is to let the hearing-impaired person wearing the hearing aid hear the sound and sound for evaluation and fine-tune the fitting data so as to eliminate the dissatisfaction with the hearing method. Since experience is required, it was difficult for the adjuster who has little experience in fitting work.

  Therefore, a remote fitting system is disclosed in which a specialist otolaryngologist performs fitting and centrally manages the results at a fitting center to improve aftercare (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2000-125396 A

  According to the prior art, an expert otolaryngologist makes an appropriate adjustment by performing fitting and subsequent fine adjustment.

  However, the number of people with hearing loss is far greater than the number of specialist otolaryngologists, and when specialist otolaryngologists make such fittings and subsequent fine adjustments, the hearing aids that are developed one after another It is also necessary to understand the function, and realistically, a specialist otolaryngologist cannot perform fitting and subsequent fine adjustment for all hearing-impaired people.

  Therefore, such fitting and subsequent fine adjustment are often performed at a hearing aid dealer, and in this case, a salesclerk who has no sufficient knowledge and experience of fitting performs these fitting and fine adjustment. Sometimes.

  In such a case, even if fitting data, discomfort level, etc. were set by a specialist otolaryngologist, a sales clerk who did not fully understand their significance exceeded, for example, the discomfort level. In some cases, settings were made, that is, adjustment within an appropriate range could not be performed.

  In addition, the hearing aid could not be used until fitting by a specialist otolaryngologist.

  Therefore, the present invention has an object to enable adjustment within an appropriate range even if a person who has never enough knowledge and experience of fitting makes fine adjustments, and can easily use a hearing aid until the fitting is performed. It is what.

  In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a sound input unit that collects sound, a hearing aid processing unit that performs hearing aid processing on sound data input from the sound input unit, and an input that inputs data from an external device A first memory for storing a hearing certificate including hearing data based on a doctor's diagnosis, input from the input control unit, and a second memory for storing general-purpose data for functioning as a sound collector; A third memory for storing adjustment data after the fitting process based on the hearing certificate, and general-purpose data stored in the second memory or the third memory at the time of the hearing aid processing of the hearing aid processor A control unit for controlling which of the adjusted data to be used, and when the hearing certificate is not stored in the first memory, the control unit stores the second data in the hearing aid processing unit. To perform hearing aid processing using a general-purpose data stored in the memory, it provides a hearing aid, characterized in that.

  As described above, the present invention is a retailer-side fitting device that performs a fitting operation on a hearing aid, a server that is connected to the fitting device so as to be able to transmit and receive, and a server that is capable of transmitting and receiving. A client device on the hospital side, the client device transmits hearing data of the hearing impaired person to a server, the server stores the hearing data from the client device as a hearing certificate, and the hearing The prescription number data corresponding to the certificate is generated and returned to the client device, and the fitting device transmits the prescription number data received by the client device to the server to the server. Corresponding to the prescription number data transmitted from the fitting device. Returns the hearing certificate to the fitting device, the first client device to store the hearing certificate to the hearing aid, in which a structure for limiting the fitting range of the hearing data.

  For this reason, even if a person who has no knowledge and experience of fitting makes fine adjustments, adjustments can be made within the range of appropriate hearing data measured by doctors having specialized skills.

  In addition, the hearing aid process is performed by selecting fitting data and a default adjustment value based on the hearing certificate stored in the memory of the hearing aid.

  For this reason, the hearing aid can be used as a sound collector even before the fitting work is performed.

Configuration diagram of hearing aid fitting system of the present invention Diagram showing the format of the hearing certificate Block diagram between hospital and server Flow chart on the hospital side Block diagram between dealer and server Flow chart on the dealer side Hearing aid operation flowchart

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a hearing aid fitting system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
First, the general flow of the hearing aid fitting system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  A hearing-impaired person whose hearing has declined will first go to an otolaryngology department to be diagnosed. At this time, in the hospital 1, the doctor 2 diagnoses the deaf person 3 who visited the hospital 1 and measures the hearing ability of the deaf person 3. The hearing data 4 obtained as a result is input using a client device 5 installed in the hospital 1 and stored in a server 6 installed in a remote place using a communication line such as a network. At this time, the server 6 issues a prescription number 7 to the transmitted hearing data 4 and transmits it to the client device 5. The prescription number 7 is displayed on the screen of the client device 5 (display unit 15 in FIG. 3) and is transmitted to the hearing impaired person 3. At this time, not only the prescription number 7 is displayed on the screen but also it may be printed on paper by a printer (not shown) and handed to the hearing impaired person 3.

  The hearing data 4 is, for example, UCL (uncomfortable loudness level), MCL (comfort comfortable loudness level) as a comfortable level, and the minimum audible level HTL obtained from the result of measuring the hearing ability of the deaf person 3, for example. (Healing threshold level).

  In order to manage the received hearing data 4, the server 6 stores information such as “Hearing Aid ID”, “Prescription Number”, “Effective Date”, “UCL”, “HTL”, “MCL” as shown in FIG. , Will manage as a database. Hereinafter, these pieces of information are collectively referred to as a hearing certificate 4A. At the stage where the doctor 2 sends the hearing data 4 of the deaf person 3 to the server 6, the server 6 sends the hearing data 4 to “UCL”, “HTL”, “MCL”, and the prescription number issued by the server 6 itself. 7 is stored in this database as “Prescription Number” and the date when the hearing data 4 is received is “Effective Date”.

  The hearing-impaired person 3 who has completed the diagnosis of the doctor 2 purchases the hearing aid 9 at the hearing aid store 8 and performs fitting work so that the hearing aid 9 matches the hearing ability of the hearing-impaired person 3.

  The hearing aid store 8 is provided with a fitting device 10 and a connection box 11 for connecting the fitting device 10 and the hearing aid 9. The fitting device 10 uses a communication line such as a network, It is connected to a server 6 installed at a remote location.

  Now, after the deaf person 3 selects his / her favorite hearing aid 9 at the hearing aid store 8, the adjuster 12 starts fitting work so that the hearing aid 9 matches the hearing ability of the deaf person 3.

  First, the adjuster 12 connects the hearing aid 9 to the connection box 11. Thereafter, the prescription number 7 and the hearing aid ID 13 notified from the doctor 2 are transmitted from the fitting device 10 to the server 6. The hearing aid ID 13 is a number for identifying a hearing aid individual. For example, a serial number or the like is stored as data in the hearing aid body in advance, so that the fitting device 10 can automatically read the data from the hearing aid 9 or the body of the hearing aid 9. Can be input from an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse connected to the fitting device 10.

  Upon receiving the prescription number 7 and the hearing aid ID 13, the server 6 searches for a “prescription number” managed in the database, and searches for a prescription number 7 that matches the prescription number 7. If the search is successful, the hearing aid ID 13 is stored in “Hearing Aid ID” in the database, and then the hearing data 4 such as “UCL”, “HTL”, “MCL”, etc. in the database is transmitted to the fitting device 10.

  When the hearing data 4 is received by the fitting device 10, it is stored in the hearing aid 9 via the connection box 11.

  After the flow so far, detailed fitting work by the adjuster 12 is started.

(Hospital flow)
Here, the system and work flow on the hospital side will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the hospital 1 and the server 6. A general personal computer is used for the client device 5, and an input unit 14 such as a keyboard and a display unit 15 such as a display are connected to the client device 5. The client device 5 has a control unit 16 such as a CPU for performing various information processing.

  Connected to the server 6 are a control unit 17 that performs various types of information processing such as a CPU, and a storage device 18 that stores various types of data such as a hard disk.

  The client device 5 and the server 6 are connected via a network and communicate information.

  Next, the flow when the hearing impaired person 3 receives a diagnosis in the hospital 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The hearing-impaired person 3 goes to the hospital 1 and is diagnosed by the doctor 2. For the diagnosis, an inquiry for confirming the symptoms and an actual hearing measurement of the deaf person 3 are performed. Although not shown in the figure, a dedicated measuring device is used for the hearing measurement, and UCL (uncomfortable level) that feels uncomfortable with louder sound, HTL (minimum audible level) that cannot be heard with louder sound, and An MCL (comfort level) representing an appropriate volume level is measured.

  The doctor 2 logs in to the client device 5 (S1), and then inputs the hearing data 4 such as UCL, HTL, MCL, etc. measured previously from the input unit 14 (S2). After making a prescription issuance request (S3) to the server 6, the control unit 16 transmits the hearing data 4 input earlier to the server 6 (S4).

  As a movement of the server 6, when a prescription issuance request is received (S5), a new prescription number 7 is generated by the control unit 17 (S6), and the received hearing data 4 is stored in the storage device 18 as a certificate database ( S7). Then, the prescription number 7 is returned to the client device 5 (S8).

The client device 5 displays the received prescription number 7 on the display unit 15 (S9).
The hearing-impaired person 3 carries out the selection and fitting work of the hearing aid at the hearing aid dealer with the prescription number 7.

(Flow on the store side)
Here, the system and work flow on the store side will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the hearing aid store 8 and the server 6. A general personal computer is used for the fitting device 10, and an input unit 20 such as a keyboard and a display unit 21 such as a display are connected to the fitting device 10. The fitting device 10 includes a control unit 19 that performs various types of information processing related to fitting, and the control unit is connected to a fitting data memory 22 that stores fitting data and an hearing certificate memory 23 that stores the hearing certificate 4A. Has been.

  The fitting device 10 and the server 6 are connected via a network and communicate various information.

  A hearing aid 9 is connected to the fitting device 10 via a connection box 11. The connection box 11 includes a hearing aid writing unit 24 that writes various information such as fitting data to the hearing aid 9 and a hearing aid reading unit 25 that reads various information such as fitting data from the hearing aid 9.

  The hearing aid 9 includes a control unit 26 that performs various communications and control with the fitting device 10 via the connection box 11, a hearing aid ID memory 27 that stores the hearing aid ID 13 connected to the control unit 26, and a hearing certificate. A hearing certificate memory 28 for storing the certificate 4A, a fitting data memory 29 for storing fitting data, and a default adjustment value memory 30 for storing default adjustment values are connected.

  In addition, a microphone 31 that collects ambient sounds, an A / D converter 32 that converts an analog audio signal input from the microphone 31 into a digital audio signal, and a hearing aid process that performs hearing aid processing on the digital audio signal A digital audio signal that has been subjected to hearing aid processing, and a receiver 35 that converts the analog audio signal into air vibration, which is sound. Then, the hearing aid processing unit 33 and the control unit 26 are connected. When the hearing aid processing unit 33 performs the hearing aid processing, either the fitting data memory 29 or the default adjustment value memory 30 is read and the hearing aid processing unit 33 reads the data. Hearing aid processing will be performed.

  Next, the flow when the hearing impaired person 3 performs hearing aid fitting at the hearing aid dealer 8 will be described with reference to FIG.

  After the hearing-impaired person 3 selects the hearing aid 9 at the hearing aid store 8, fitting work is performed with the hearing aid 9.

  The adjuster 12 logs in to the fitting device 10 (S10), and then connects the hearing aid 9 to the connection box 11 (S11). Then, the hearing aid ID 13 is read from the hearing aid ID memory 27 of the hearing aid 9 into the fitting device 10 via the hearing aid reading unit 25. Thereafter, the prescription number 7 that the hearing-impaired person 3 has heard at the hospital 1 is input from the input unit 20 (S13). Then, the fitting device 10 requests the server 6 to issue a certificate (S14), and sends the prescription number 7 and the hearing aid ID 13 (S15).

  When the server 6 accepts the certificate issuance request, the prescription number 7 and the hearing aid ID 13 (S16), the server 6 confirms whether the prescription number 7 is associated with another hearing aid ID (S17). Therefore, if another hearing aid ID has already been recorded, the hearing certificate 4A is not sent, and the process ends. That is, this hearing certificate 4A has already been used by another hearing-impaired person, and is a safety measure for preventing accidental use of other person's hearing data. At this time, an error message such as “Prescription number cannot be used” may be displayed on the display unit 21 of the fitting apparatus 10.

  If no other hearing aid ID is associated with the prescription number 7, the hearing certificate 4A is created (S18). Specifically, the hearing aid ID 13 is recorded in the database of the prescription number 7 corresponding to the hearing data managed in the database of the storage device 18 of the server 6 (see FIG. 2).

  Thereafter, the server 6 sends the hearing certificate 4A associated with the prescription number 7 to the fitting device 10 (S19).

  Receiving the hearing certificate 4A (S20), the fitting device 10 temporarily stores it in the hearing certificate memory 23 of the fitting device 10, and then stores it in the hearing certificate memory 28 of the hearing aid 9 via the hearing aid writing unit 24. The hearing certificate 4A is written (S21).

  Thereafter, a fitting operation is performed so as to suit the hearing-impaired person 3 (S22).

  In this fitting operation, based on the UCL of the hearing certificate 4A stored in the hearing certificate memory 23, the fitting operation is limited so that the fitting exceeding the UCL cannot be performed. Thereby, even if the fitting technique of the adjuster 12 is insufficient, a safe fitting can be performed so as to be within the hearing level measured by the doctor 2 having the specialized technique.

  The fitting data obtained as a result of the fitting is written in the fitting data memory 29 of the hearing aid 9 via the hearing aid writing unit 24 (S23), whereby the whole fitting flow is completed.

  On the other hand, once the prescription number 7 and the hearing aid ID 13 are associated with each other as described above, the prescription number 7 cannot be used when the deaf person 3 wants to change to another hearing aid. Therefore, in order to cancel the prescription number 7 and the hearing aid ID 13 once associated with each other, for example, “0000” is assigned in advance as the release prescription number 7 and the release prescription number and the hearing aid ID 13 are transmitted to the server 6. Thus, the prescription number 7 associated with the hearing aid ID 13 may be canceled. As a result, the hearing aid being fitted or actually used can be replaced with another hearing aid.

(Hearing aid body movement)
The operation of the hearing aid 9 will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the hearing impaired person 3 turns on the power of the hearing aid 9, the control unit 26 of the hearing aid 9 determines whether or not the hearing certificate 4A is stored in the hearing certificate memory 28 (S24). Therefore, if it is determined that the hearing certificate 4A is not stored, the hearing aid processing used by the hearing aid processing unit 33 is set to use the data stored in the default adjustment value memory 30 (S25). If it is determined that the hearing certificate 4A is stored, the hearing aid processing used by the hearing aid processor 33 is set to use the data stored in the fitting data memory 29 (S26).

  Thereafter, the hearing aid processing unit 33 performs the hearing aid processing with the selected data (S27). When the hearing impaired person 3 finishes using the hearing aid 9, the power is turned off (S28) and the process is terminated.

  The default adjustment value here is a setting for operating the hearing aid 9 not as a hearing aid but as a sound collector. As an example of the setting value of the default adjustment value, it is a setting value that can be used for general purposes so that the frequency band from about 500 Hz to 2 kHz is increased by about 30 dB and the other frequencies are decreased by about 15 dB.

  In this way, even if the hearing impaired person 3 purchases a hearing aid at the hearing aid store 8 before the diagnosis at the hospital 1, the diagnosis by the doctor 2 and the fitting work at the hearing aid store 8 are completed. During this period, the hearing aid can be used as a sound collector.

  In the present embodiment, “based on the UCL of the hearing certificate 4 </ b> A stored in the hearing certificate memory 23, it is limited so that fitting beyond the UCL cannot be performed”, but the UCL itself. Instead, it is also possible to explicitly specify the volume upper limit value in order to ensure safety. In addition, a method of giving a margin more than UCL and limiting the output value to, for example, 10 dB lower than the value of UCL is also effective. As a result, it is possible to reduce the burden on the ear due to listening at a large volume for a long time, and it is possible to perform fitting with more safety.

  In the present embodiment, the hearing data is sent from the hospital to the server. However, not only the hearing data but also fitting data can be sent to the server. The dealer can apply the fitting data first and then make fine adjustments. Even in this case, it is possible to make a fine adjustment at the store based on the limit value based on the UCL stored in the hearing data.

  In this embodiment, the hearing data is sent from the hospital to the server, and the certificate is obtained from the server at the store. However, the gist of the present invention is that a doctor or the like with specialized technology can fit the fitting range. If there is a qualified person such as a language auditor at the dealer, the hearing data is sent to the server and a prescription is issued, and then a certificate is obtained based on the prescription and the device ID. It is also possible to take a configuration such as.

  As described above, in the present invention, a dealer-side fitting device that performs a fitting operation on a hearing aid, a server that is connected to the fitting device so as to be able to transmit and receive, and a server that is capable of transmitting and receiving data. A client device on the hospital side, the client device transmits hearing data of the hearing impaired person to a server, the server stores the hearing data from the client device as a hearing certificate, and the hearing The prescription number data corresponding to the certificate is generated and returned to the client device, and the fitting device transmits the prescription number data received by the client device to the server to the server. In the prescription number data transmitted from the fitting device The corresponding hearing certificate is returned to the fitting device, and the first client device causes the hearing aid to store the hearing certificate, limiting the fitting within the range of the hearing data, thereby providing knowledge of the fitting Even if a person with no experience makes fine adjustments, adjustments can be made within the range of appropriate hearing data measured by doctors with specialized skills.

  In addition, based on the hearing certificate stored in the hearing aid memory, the fitting data and default adjustment values are selected and the hearing aid processing is executed, so that the sound collector can be used even before the fitting work is performed. It can be used.

  Therefore, utilization as a hearing aid and a hearing aid fitting system is expected.

1 Hospital 2 Doctor 3 Hearing Deaf 4 Hearing Data 5 Client Device 6 Server 7 Prescription Number 8 Hearing Aid Store 9 Hearing Aid 10 Fitting Device 11 Connection Box 12 Adjuster 13 Hearing Aid ID
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 Input part 15 Display part 16 Control part 17 Control part 18 Memory | storage device 19 Control part 20 Input part 21 Display part 22 Fitting data memory 23 Hearing certificate memory 24 Hearing aid writing part 25 Hearing aid reading part 26 Control part 27 Hearing aid ID memory 28 Hearing ability Certificate memory 29 Fitting data memory 30 Default adjustment value memory 31 Microphone 32 A / D converter 33 Hearing aid processor 34 D / A converter 35 Receiver

Claims (4)

A sound input unit for collecting sounds;
A hearing aid processing unit for performing hearing aid processing on the sound data input from the sound input unit;
Input from an external device and an input control unit for inputting data from the input controller, a first memory for storing a hearing certificate including hearing data based on the measurement of the physician,
A second memory for storing general-purpose data to function as a sound collector;
A third memory for storing adjustment data after the fitting process based on the hearing certificate;
A control unit for controlling which of the general-purpose data stored in the second memory or the adjustment data stored in the third memory is to be used during the hearing processing of the hearing aid processing unit;
With
When the hearing certificate is not stored in the first memory, the control unit causes the hearing aid processing unit to perform hearing aid processing using general-purpose data stored in the second memory. Hearing aid.   The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the general-purpose data causes the hearing aid processing unit to process a volume of a predetermined frequency band including 1 kHz to be higher than a volume of other bands.   3. The hearing aid according to claim 2, wherein the general-purpose data causes the hearing aid processing unit to process the volume of a predetermined frequency band including 1 kHz to be increased and the volume of other bands to be decreased. The hearing aid according to claim 1, wherein the general-purpose data is obtained by causing the hearing aid processing unit to process a frequency band from 500 kHz to 2 kHz by 30 dB and reducing other frequencies by 15 dB.

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