Hearing Aid Fitting Interface for Visual Device Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing device fitting processes require users to make a hearing effort to identify the activated device, often through emission of identification tones, adding complexity and potential errors, especially in noisy environments.
Innovation Solution
A fitting device and system that utilize control signals from activated hearing devices to provide intuitive visual representations on an interface, allowing quick identification of the activated device without the need for additional identification elements like receivers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hearing devices emit identification tones for user identification, then the activated device can be identified, but the device complexity increases due to additional receivers and control signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a fitting device as an intermediary between multiple hearing devices and the user. The fitting device receives control signals from activated hearing devices and displays visual representations to identify the activated device, eliminating the need for hearing devices to have built-in identification tone emission capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the acoustic identification mechanism (identification tones emitted by hearing devices) with a visual display system on the fitting device. This substitution eliminates the need for complex acoustic transmission and reception components in the hearing devices themselves.
2Reliability
If hearing devices emit identification tones, then the activated device can be identified, but the identification process becomes difficult in noisy environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the acoustic identification mechanism with a visual display system. The fitting device displays visual representations of hearing devices and their activation status, which is not affected by environmental noise, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of noisy environments on identification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the identification process from the acoustic domain to the visual domain. Instead of using sound waves that are susceptible to noise interference, the system uses visual displays that operate in a different dimension (electromagnetic spectrum) where environmental noise does not interfere.
3Reliability
If users make hearing efforts to identify activated devices, then the activated device can be identified, but the ease of operation decreases due to additional user effort
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting device serves as a mediator that handles the identification process automatically. It receives control signals from hearing devices, processes the information, and presents visual representations to the user, eliminating the need for users to make active hearing efforts to identify the activated device.
Solution Approach 2:
The hearing devices automatically transmit control signals when activated, and the fitting device automatically processes and displays this information. The system performs the identification process autonomously without requiring active user participation in terms of hearing and comparing identification tones.
Data Source
AI summary
A fitting device for fitting a hearing device. The fitting device comprising a fitting device interface and a fitting device processing unit. The fitting device processing unit is configured to obtain a list of hearing devices; output an initial discovery representation on the fitting device interface based on the list of hearing devices; receive a first control signal from an activated hearing device from the list of hearing devices, the first control signal being indicative of a user activation of the activated hearing device; determine a first discovery representation based on the first control signal; and output the first discovery representation on the fitting device interface.