Hearing Aid Context Inference for Automatic Sound Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing devices often fail to deliver optimal sound for a particular wearer in specific situations, requiring manual intervention by the user, which can be inconvenient and may not result in a successful adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A hearing system that detects wearer interactions and contextual information to automatically or recommendedly adjust device operations, such as volume, features, and settings, based on user interactions and environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual intervention is required to adjust hearing device settings, then the device can be customized to user preference, but the operation becomes inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing device automatically detects wearer interactions (such as touching the device) and autonomously adjusts operational parameters like volume and program settings without requiring manual intervention through buttons or interfaces. The device serves itself by inferring user intent from interaction patterns and automatically applying appropriate settings changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors wearer interactions and device usage context, then uses this feedback to automatically adjust settings. The detection of touch interactions, combined with context information about the acoustic environment and usage patterns, creates a closed-loop system that adaptively modifies hearing device operation in real-time.
2Reliability
If manual adjustment is used to optimize sound quality, then hearing experience can be improved, but the process may not result in successful adjustment and requires user effort
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing device automatically determines and applies appropriate operational changes based on detected interactions and context, eliminating the need for users to manually trial different settings. The system reliably optimizes sound quality by autonomously selecting settings that match the detected context and interaction type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment (physical button presses, switches, or dials) with an automated electronic system that detects touch interactions and automatically modifies digital settings. This substitution of mechanical user action with electronic detection and automated control improves both reliability and ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If automatic adjustment is implemented based on wearer interaction, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes only the most essential interaction signals (such as touch detections on specific device surfaces) and key context parameters (acoustic environment, basic usage patterns) to trigger automatic adjustments. By focusing on extracting only the critical signals needed for adjustment decisions rather than processing all possible data, the system maintains simplicity while achieving automatic operation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If continuous monitoring of wearer interaction is performed, then adaptability to user needs improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing device monitors wearer interactions at periodic intervals rather than continuously, detecting touch interactions and contextual changes only when they occur naturally during normal device wear. This periodic monitoring approach, triggered by actual user actions or environmental changes, provides real-time adaptability while minimizing energy consumption compared to continuous active sensing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A hearing system comprises a hearing device configured to be worn by a wearer, the hearing device comprising one or more microphones, an acoustic transducer, audio circuitry coupled to the one or more microphones and the acoustic transducer, and a controller coupled to the audio circuitry. The controller is configured to detect a wearer interaction with the hearing device, determine a context of the wearer's use of the hearing device, obtain user data for groups of a population of hearing device users based on user interaction with, and context of use of, the users' hearing devices, determine an operational change to the hearing device based on the wearer interaction, the context, and the user data that corresponds to the wearer's interaction and context, and apply the operational change to the hearing device.