Portable Audio System With Integral Hearing Test
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing aids often require professional audiologist intervention and reprogramming as hearing loss progresses, and they may not effectively enhance speech comprehension in noisy environments or with simple devices like telephone handsets or portable electronics, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A portable electronic device, such as a cell phone, equipped with multiple filter circuits and a processor that conducts an integral hearing test to determine user-specific audio frequency gains, allowing for automatic adjustment and storage of gains for improved speech comprehension without the need for an audiologist, and compatibility with various audio sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional hearing aids amplify the entire bandwidth from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, then the overall volume is increased, but midrange frequencies from 1 kHz to 4 kHz overpower higher frequencies that assist in speech comprehension
Solution Approach 1:
The audio frequency spectrum is divided into multiple frequency bands (e.g., 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz, 8 kHz) with individual filter circuits for each band. This segmentation allows independent gain control for each frequency range, preventing midrange frequencies from overpowering higher speech-comprehension frequencies while maintaining overall volume amplification.
Solution Approach 2:
Different gain values are applied to different frequency bands based on the user's specific hearing loss profile. The processor determines individual gain requirements for each frequency band through a hearing test, and the filter circuits apply these localized adjustments. This ensures that each frequency range is amplified according to the user's actual needs rather than applying uniform amplification across the entire spectrum.
2Ease of operation
If programmable hearing aids are designed to selectively amplify frequency bands corresponding to individual hearing loss, then hearing and speech comprehension are improved, but they require an audiogram from a trained audiologist and reprogramming as hearing is further diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing aid enables users to perform their own hearing tests and programming without requiring a trained audiologist. The device includes a built-in hearing test function that guides users through frequency-by-frequency threshold determination, automatically generates an audiogram, and configures the filter circuits accordingly. This self-service capability eliminates the need for professional intervention and repeated reprogramming visits.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs a comprehensive hearing test and configures all frequency band gains in advance during an initial setup process. The processor stores the determined gain values for each frequency band and automatically applies them when normal operation begins. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for subsequent reprogramming as hearing loss progresses.
3Adaptability or versatility
If many hearing aids are designed to work with simple devices such as telephone handsets or portable electronic devices, then compatibility is improved, but simply increasing the volume produces feedback resulting in a loud squeal
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing the volume across all frequencies, the filter circuits selectively amplify only the frequency bands where the user has hearing loss. This segmented approach increases the volume of relevant speech frequencies without amplifying the full bandwidth, thereby preventing feedback squeals that occur when the entire frequency spectrum is amplified in telephone and portable device applications.
4Measurement precision
If conventional hearing aids require professional audiologist intervention for programming, then accurate hearing assessment is achieved, but significant time and cost overhead is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a self-testing mechanism where users independently complete frequency threshold measurements by responding to tone presentations at different levels. The processor automatically analyzes the user's responses, generates an audiogram, and configures the filter circuits without requiring an audiologist's presence. This maintains measurement precision through structured testing protocols while eliminating professional intervention and associated time and cost overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable audio system with an integral hearing test is disclosed. The device includes a plurality of filter circuits. A processor applies a respective audio frequency to each filter circuit in a test mode to determine a respective gain based on a user input and applies the respective gain to each filter circuit in a normal mode. A switch circuit selects an audio signal from a plurality of sources in the normal mode. An analog-to-digital converter converts the selected audio signal to a digital signal and applies the digital signal to the plurality of filter circuits. A sum circuit receives a digital output signal from each of the plurality of filter circuits and produces a combined signal. A digital-to-analog converter converts the combined signal to an analog output signal.