Hearing Device Semi-Automatic Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing devices lack the ability to effectively account for subjective user perception when adjusting parameters, often resulting in compromises that either fail to improve sound quality or introduce undesirable artifacts, as they rely on objective features and mid-setting parameters.
Innovation Solution
A semi-automatic method and device that automatically analyzes the hearing situation to set signal processing parameters within a first range where artifacts are imperceptible, allowing manual adjustment to a second range where artifacts are acceptable, enabling individualized matching of performance features to user needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If automatic parameter adjustment is used based on objective features, then the system can operate adaptively to hearing situations, but the subjective user perception is not taken into account resulting in compromised settings
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between automatic and manual adjustment modes. The automatic mode provides adaptive operation based on objective hearing situation analysis, while the manual mode allows subjective user perception input. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction by enabling both adaptive operation and subjective consideration at different times.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the adjustable parameter range with artifact threshold) that mediates between automatic system control and manual user adjustment. This intermediary allows the system to operate adaptively while providing a pathway for users to override settings when subjective perception differs from objective measurements.
2Reliability
If strong algorithm effects are applied to improve sound quality and speech intelligibility, then hearing aid performance is enhanced, but undesirable artifacts are generated that may outweigh benefits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter range available for adjustment. By allowing users to access a second parameter range beyond the automatically determined first range, the system enables stronger algorithm effects that improve sound quality while accepting that artifacts may exceed the automatically calculated threshold. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by allowing users to choose higher performance settings with acceptable artifact levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action in automatic mode (staying within artifact thresholds) but allows excessive action in manual mode (exceeding thresholds when users accept artifacts for improved performance). This partial/excessive action approach resolves the contradiction by enabling strong algorithm effects when users are willing to tolerate associated artifacts.
3Ease of operation
If mid parameter settings are provided as compromise solutions, then both automatic operation and user acceptance are maintained, but the full bandwidth of performance features cannot be exploited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically expands the available parameter range from the restricted first range to the broader second range when users activate manual adjustment. This dynamic range expansion allows exploitation of the full bandwidth of performance features while maintaining user acceptance through voluntary override of automatic settings.
Data Source
AI summary
The object is to take better account of subjective perceptions when setting a hearing device or a communication system, especially a hearing aid. Therefore, an automatic setting of the hearing device by automatically analyzing the hearing situation in which the hearing device is located, and automatic setting of a parameter of the signal processing device of the hearing device relative to the hearing situation in a first parameter range is provided. In addition, manual setting of the parameter of the signal processing device to a value in a second parameter range outside the first parameter range takes place, with the automatic setting in the first parameter range being ended by this. With this semi-automatic control, the user can find an individual compromise between effectiveness and artifacts of a signal processing.