Bimodal Hearing Aid System for Aligned Auditory Perception

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current bimodal hearing aid systems face challenges in aligning loudness and ensuring undistorted binaural cue transmission due to differences in loudness growth functions, place mismatch, electric and acoustic compression, temporal asynchrony, and individual variations, leading to sub-optimal performance and decreased wearing comfort.

Innovation Solution

A hearing aid system that processes related parameter values from both auditory units, such as cochlear implants and hearing aids, to achieve aligned auditory perceptions through relative adjustments, using a common or different working principles like electrical, acoustic, or hybrid stimulation, and includes a remote control for user input and signal processing to optimize binaural loudness balance and cue transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If auditory units are fitted separately by different professionals at different clinics, then individual unit optimization is achieved, but binaural loudness balance and cue transmission alignment deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveEase of fittingVSAvoidBinaural alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges separate fitting procedures into a coordinated binaural fitting process. The system combines parameter data from both auditory units and automatically adjusts parameters to achieve aligned auditory perception, replacing the traditional separate fitting approach with a unified fitting methodology that ensures binaural consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the second auditory unit receives parameter adjustments based on perceived auditory alignment. The user provides feedback on perceived loudness and spatial perception, and the system automatically modifies parameters of the second auditory unit to achieve optimal binaural alignment, creating a closed-loop fitting process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If auditory units are independently adjusted based on individual hearing characteristics, then individual ear optimization is achieved, but combined system performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAdaptability to individual hearingVSAvoidSystem performance reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that receives parameter data from both auditory units and calculates coordinated adjustments. This intermediary component translates individual hearing characteristics into unified parameter settings that ensure both individual ear optimization and binaural system reliability through automated parameter coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If different compression algorithms are used in electric and acoustic paths, then individual path optimization is achieved, but temporal asynchrony increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveEase of implementationVSAvoidTemporal asynchrony

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurements of temporal characteristics in different acoustic environments before final parameter optimization. By pre-characterizing the temporal behavior of electric and acoustic paths across various conditions, the system can proactively compensate for temporal asynchrony and prevent it from degrading localization performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If static fitting parameters are used, then fitting simplicity is maintained, but performance changes over time due to brain plasticity

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveFitting simplicityVSAvoidAdaptability to brain plasticity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static fitting parameters to dynamic, adaptive parameters that automatically adjust based on environmental conditions and usage patterns. The system continuously optimizes parameters for different acoustic scenarios while maintaining overall binaural alignment, adapting to brain plasticity without requiring repeated manual refitting sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10555099B2Hearing aid system with an aligned auditory perception

Publication Date: 2020.02.04 COCHLEAR LIMITED

AI summary

A hearing aid system includes a first unit producing first perception and second auditory unit producing second perception. The units are configured to provide a first and second auditory perceptions respectively. The system also includes a first processor comprised within the first auditory unit and/or a second processor comprised within the second auditory unit and/or a remote processor comprised within a remote control that is configured to communicative couple with at least one of the first auditory unit and/or the second auditory unit. The at least one of the first processor, second processor or remote processor is configured to access, for a scenario, a stored related parameter value for a parameter from a memory, and process the accessed related parameter value such that an aligned auditory perception between the first auditory perception and the second auditory perception is obtained.