Hearing Instrument Context Statistics for Stable Output Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing instruments struggle with accurately transitioning between output settings due to sensitivity or insensitivity to environmental and activity changes, leading to reduced user satisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A processing system determines current context parameters and updates statistics on context transitions to accurately switch output settings based on time spent in each context, using sensors and classifiers to define contexts with multiple parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the hearing instrument uses simple context transition rules, then the device complexity is reduced, but the accuracy of context detection and output setting transitions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the context detection system into multiple independent classifiers, each responsible for detecting specific context parameters (e.g., acoustic environment, user activity, device state). These classifiers operate independently and their outputs are combined to determine overall context, allowing each classifier to remain simple while the system achieves high detection accuracy through the integration of multiple specialized detectors.
2Speed
If the hearing instrument transitions quickly between output settings, then the responsiveness to environmental changes is improved, but the user satisfaction deteriorates due to undesired frequent transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring context parameters and preparing potential output setting transitions in advance. Before actually switching settings, the system evaluates whether the transition is desirable based on multiple factors including the duration of the current context, the significance of the change, and historical transition patterns. This preliminary evaluation prevents unnecessary transitions while maintaining readiness for legitimate context changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system monitors user responses to context transitions and uses this information to adjust future transition behavior. If transitions are detected that do not align with user preferences or cause dissatisfaction, the system learns from this feedback and modifies its transition criteria, reducing the frequency of undesired transitions while maintaining appropriate responsiveness to genuine environmental changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the hearing instrument uses multiple context parameters, then the adaptability to different situations is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and classifiers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by designing sensors and processing components that serve multiple purposes. For example, the same sensor array used for acoustic environment detection also contributes to user activity recognition and device state monitoring. The classifier system is designed to process multiple context parameters simultaneously using shared computational resources and algorithms, allowing the system to achieve high adaptability across multiple context dimensions without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises determining, based on signals from sensors of hearing instruments, current values of context parameters; determining, based on the current values of the context parameters, that a current context of the hearing instruments has changed or is likely to change from a first to a second context of a plurality of contexts, wherein each of the contexts corresponds to a different unique combination of potential values of the context parameters; updating statistics of the contexts, wherein for each of the contexts, the statistics of the context include statistics with respect to time the hearing instruments spent in the context; and based on the determination that the current context of the hearing instruments has changed or is likely to change from the first context to the second context, initiating, based on the statistics of at least one of the first or second contexts, one or more actions.