Patent Grant
9774965
The present invention is related to a method for fitting at least one hearing device as well as to an arrangement for fitting at least one hearing device.
Fitting a hearing device is a process of adjusting parameters in a hearing device in accordance with individual needs of a hearing device user. Conventionally, a hearing care professional—also called fitter—adjusts the parameters of the hearing device based on the individual audiogram and a so called fitting formula or prescription. If the user reports problems, particular parameters may be fine-tuned by the fitter. Only basic parameters such as volume and hearing program are normally adjusted by the user him- or herself, and usually at runtime and not during fitting. The fitting process is normally carried out in the fitter's office or practice.
In a conventional fitting of a hearing device, the fitter interrogates the hearing device user and changes the parameters of the hearing device according to the user's feedback. However, the observations of the fitter and his ensuing estimations of what the user perceives are imprecise, and the resulting parameter settings are usually suboptimal.
Furthermore, the fitting process is usually carried out locally, i.e. the hearing care professional and the hearing device user join together at the same physical location. Such face-to-face fitting sessions are however not always possible, e.g. when a hearing device user lives very far from the hearing care professional's practice, or when a hearing device user is immobile.
States of the art reflecting known teachings in the field are, for example, U.S. 2009/060214 A1, WO 2012/107085 al, U.S. 2011/044483 A1, CH 706 077 A2 and WO 2008/025858 A1.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for fitting a hearing device or a binaural hearing device, which method does at least not have one of the drawbacks mentioned above.
Throughout this description, the term “hearing device” means a single hearing device as well as a pair of hearing devices. The pair of hearing devices may than operate as a binaural hearing system. A hearing device may be used to improve the hearing of a hearing impaired person or to compensate a hearing loss as well as to improve communication in general, i.e. also between normal hearing people. Furthermore, a hearing device as described herein may also be an ear protection device that is used to protect a user from loud noise. In particular for musicians, a well fitted ear protection device is important in order that the musician may still perceive sounds undistorted and in all details. Finally, a hearing device may be of any type, such as a BTE—(Behind the ear), CIC—(Completely in the Canal), ITC—(in the canal) or may even be an implantable device.
The present invention is first directed to a method for fitting a hearing device that is at least partially inserted into an ear of a hearing device user and that has a transfer function defined by parameters and its values, the method comprises the steps of:
The method according to the present invention is very well suitable for remote fitting and therefore has the advantage that the user can select of a higher number of hearing care professionals. The interaction between fitter and user in collaborative fitting and in particular the active involvement of the user in adjusting even complex parameter sets allows to achieve an optimum individual fitting with minimum efforts and much shorter “feedback-loop” between fitter and user. As a result, the fitting is faster, the resulting settings are better, and both user and fitter are more satisfied than in conventional “interrogate and adjust” fittings. Furthermore, the fitter has full control over the fitting workflow and can support and assist the user.
Finally, the proposed “collaborative” or “user-assisted” fitting is very well suited for a remote setup because both user and fitter, each one at his site, can carry out major parts of their tasks independently from the other. Interaction takes place on a high level and not about details (e.g. about an intermediate optimum tuning determined by the user and not about step-wise adjustment of a particular parameter). Nevertheless, online communication is guaranteed and support and control of the professional is possible at any time.
An embodiment of the method according the present invention further comprises steps in-between steps a) and g), namely:
Knowledge of an adjustment task may enable the user to focus on specific sound impressions. Unnecessary information or impressions can be ignored.
Further embodiments of the method according to the present invention further comprise steps in-between steps a) and g), namely:
The further steps open up the possibility to create sound sceneries that simulate predefined acoustic situations in which the parameters must be adjusted.
In further embodiments of the method according to the present invention, the step of updating the parameters in the transfer function and the step of transmitting the adjustments made to the adjustable parameter values to the fitting system are performed in real-time.
In a real-time processing, the fitter can follow the adjustments of parameter and take over control immediately, if necessary.
Further embodiments of the method according to the present invention further comprise the steps of:
In further embodiments of the method according to the present invention, the adjustable parameters comprise at least one of:
In still further embodiments of the method according to the present invention, at least two of the parameters are adjustable parameters.
In further embodiments of the method according to the present invention, the allowed range for the adjustable parameter is limited such that no detrimental settings are possible in the at least one hearing device.
In further embodiments of the method according to the present invention, the connection is a remote connection and in case of an interruption of the connection between the hearing device and the fitting system the adjusting of the hearing device parameters is cancelled in order to return to the last stored setting. This avoids leaving the hearing device in an undefined state or with settings, which have not been approved by a professional.
The present invention is also directed to an arrangement for fitting a hearing device that is at least partially inserted into an ear of a hearing device user and that has a transfer function defined by parameters and its values. The arrangement according to the present invention comprises:
An embodiment of the arrangement according to the present invention further comprises:
Further embodiments of the arrangement according to the present invention further comprise:
Still further embodiments of the arrangement according to the present invention further comprise:
In further embodiments of the arrangement according to the present invention, the adjustable parameters comprise at least one of:
In still further embodiments of the arrangement according to the present invention, at least two of the parameters are adjustable parameters and are controlled simultaneously by the user. This is particularly important if the user interface allows multidimensional inputs. An example for such a user interface is a touch screen for 2-dimensional inputs. A further example is a user interface based on gestures. The user input might be a meta-parameter or a macro-parameter which maps a one or more dimensional gesture or a movement to a set of low level parameters.
In still further embodiments of the arrangement according to the present invention, the allowed range for the adjustable parameter is limited such that no detrimental settings are possible in the at least one hearing device.
It is pointed out that any combination of the above-mentioned embodiments is possible. Only those embodiments or combinations of embodiments are excluded that would result in a contradiction.
The present invention is further described by referring to drawings showing exemplified embodiments of the present invention.
The hearing device 2, 3 is connectable to a user interface 4 via an interconnection 8. The user interface 4 has input and display capabilities and is designed to be operate-able by the user 1, e.g. the user interface 4 is adapted to the needs of patients having no particular computer skills. The user interface 4 may, in a particular embodiment of the present invention, very well be a touch pad device or a gesture-controlled device. A wide variety of devices are readily available in the art. In particular, the user interface 4 may be a remote control, any hearing device accessory, such as a streaming device, a smart phone, a music-player, an E-Book Reader or a general electronic device, a wii console or any internet television set.
The interconnection 8 may be a wired or a wireless connection, the latter being based, for example, on a standard such as Bluetooth. Other embodiments may use RF—(Radio Frequency), HIBAN being based on magnetic induction, IR—(Infra Red), Sound or DTMF.
A hearing care professional, hereinafter called fitter 5, controls a fitting system 6, e.g. a personal computer with dedicated software. The fitting system 6 may be connected via a connection 7 to the hearing device 2, 3 and/or to the user interface 4. The connection 7 is a bi-directional fast communication link, e.g. based on TCP/IP protocol as the World Wide Web.
While the fitting system 6 is at the fitter's location, the user interface 4 is at the user's location. In general, these physical locations are far away from each other. It is therefore that the connection is called remote connection and the fitting setup is called remote setup. However, the arrangement according to the present invention may very well be operated if the locations of the user 1 and the fitter 5 are rather close, e.g. only separated by a wall. In fact, the arrangement according to the invention may also be operated if the user 1 and the fitter 5 are in the same room. This so called “in-the-office” fitting may be used for a first time instruction of the user 1 by the fitter 5, e.g. for handing over the hearing device 2, 3 and/or the user interface 4 as well as for introducing the collaborative fitting according to the present invention to the user. However, a typical use of the arrangement according to the present invention clearly is the remote setup.
In the remote setup, as already mentioned above, the user 1 of the hearing device 1, 2 and the fitter 5 are not at the same physical location during the fitting process. To allow communication between the user 1 and the fitter 5 during the remote fitting session, and to provide suitable sound environments at the location of the hearing device user 1, the connection 7 is established and preserved during the entire fitting process.
The method for fitting the hearing device 2, 3 is carried out in a collaborative way between the fitter 5 and the user 1. Thereby, the user 1 wears his hearing device 2, 3 and the fitter 5 selects a parameter or several parameters to be adjusted. These so called adjustable parameters are given a starting value and/or an allowed range within not only the starting value but any given value later on must be. The fitter 5 defines the adjustable parameters, starting values and/or allowed range via an input unit of the fitting system 6. These definitions are sent via the connection 7 to the hearing device 2, 3 and/or to the user interface 4 and are immediately effective or after a predefined delay.
The user 1 may then adjust the adjustable parameter(s) on his user interface 4. Again, the further amended values for the adjustable parameters are effective immediately on the hearing device 2, 3 of the user 1 and preferably at the same time—or with just a short delay—visible for the fitter 5 on a display unit of the fitting system 6. The fitter 5 may supervise the parameter adjustments of the user 1 at any time and provides support via the connection 7. In case of an interruption of the connection 7 the settings, i.e. the values for the adjustable parameters, are restored by loading the last saved values. In such a situation, the user 1 or the fitter 5 must again setup the connection 7 to continue the fitting process.
The method for fitting the hearing device 2, 3 is further explained in connection with a flow chart depicted in
The flow chart of
After initialization, the step of setting up a connection 7 between the fitting system 6 and the hearing device 2, 3 and/or the user interface 4.
Once the desired connection 7 is built up, the steps a) to f) representing one embodiment of the method according to the present invention can be carried out.
In step a), adjustable parameters are defined in the fitting system 6 (
In step b), specifications are defined for the adjustable parameters. The specifications comprise at least one of:
The starting values for the adjustable parameters are a first guess of the parameter values by the fitter 5 based on his general knowledge and information of the user 1, in particular of his or her audiogram. In a follow-up fitting session, where the parameters are fine-tuned, the starting values could be the actual settings of the hearing device.
The allowed ranges for the adjustable parameters are the ranges, within a corresponding adjustable parameter may be adjusted by the user 1. The adjustment by the user 1 is made via the user interface 4.
The starting values and the allowed ranges for the adjustable parameters may also be fully or partially determined automatically based on the audiogram of the user.
In step c), the parameters and the specifications are transferred to the hearing device 2, 3 or to the user interface 4. It is pointed out that in one embodiment of the present invention only adjustable parameters and its specifications are transferred to the hearing device 2, 3 or the user interface 4. In another embodiment of the present invention all parameters of the transfer function are transferred. This may be done in cases where the fitter 5 decides that another transfer function having another set of parameters must be used.
In step d), the user 1 takes influence directly on the fitting process in that he or she adjusts at least some of the values of the adjustable parameters with the aid of the user interface 4. The adjustments made to the adjustable parameters must be within the specifications the fitter 5 has provided.
In step e), the adjustments of the adjustable parameter values are transmitted to the fitting system 6 in order to allow the fitter 5 to follow up the adjustments made by the user 1. Therewith, the fitter 5 is up to date of any changes to the hearing device settings and may give advice immediately once the user 1 is not able to handle the adjustments. Furthermore, the fitter 5 may give further information as to how the transfer function will be influenced by adjusting a specific parameter. In addition, the fitter 5 may inform the user 1 of the sequence of parameter adjustments in order to obtain best results.
In step f), the adjustable parameters that have been updated by the user 1 and have been sent to the fitting system 6 are transferred to the hearing device 2, 3 in order that the adjustments immediately become effective. It is pointed out that the steps d) and e) may be carried out at the same time or that step e) is carried out before step d).
After the steps a) to f) have been carried out further adjustments to the transfer functions may be necessary because the user 1 and/or the fitter 5 came to the conclusion that an optimal adjustment has not been reached yet. In this case some or all of the steps a) to f) may be repeated in order to reach a still better setting.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, an adjustment task is defined in the fitting system 6 by the fitter 5. The adjustment task is transmitted to the hearing device 2, 3 or to the user interface 4. The user is informed what kind of adjustments task will be dealt with. For example, adjustment tasks may be:
With this information, it is easier for the user to focus and to adjust only specified parameters. Again, the fitter 5 may guide the user 1 in addition to reach fast results.
Furthermore, a sound environment can be determined or specified in the fitting system 6. Information reflecting the determined sound environment is transmitted to the user interface 4 that may activate a sound system in the vicinity of the user to create the specified sound environment. The sounds presented during the adjustment may be any of the following:
The parameter to be adjusted may be one of the following:
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/077128 | 12/18/2013 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2015/090381 | 6/25/2015 | WO | A |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 6035050 | Weinfurtner | Mar 2000 | A |
| 9107016 | Shennib | Aug 2015 | B2 |
| 9439008 | Shennib | Sep 2016 | B2 |
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| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 706 077 | Jul 2013 | CH |
| WO-9009760 | Sep 1990 | WO |
| WO-2008025858 | Mar 2008 | WO |
| WO-2009103823 | Aug 2009 | WO |
| WO-2012107085 | Aug 2012 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report and Written Opinion received in International Application No. PCT/US2013/077128, dated Aug. 29, 2014. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160337769 A1 | Nov 2016 | US |
