Hearing Prosthesis Feedback Path Analysis During Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fitting process for hearing prostheses is inefficient due to the time-consuming nature of feedback path measurements, which can lead to undesirable sound sensations for recipients and limit the number of fitting sessions an audiologist can conduct.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for efficiently collecting and analyzing feedback path information by identifying frequency bands with power levels above a threshold, aggregating feedback-path information for these bands, and performing concurrent feedback testing during fitting sessions, thereby reducing the duration of the fitting process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional feedback path measurements are performed during fitting sessions, then feedback mitigation can be achieved, but the fitting process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs feedback path measurements during routine fitting sessions before final configuration is completed. By conducting measurements preliminarily during the fitting process rather than as a separate post-fitting step, the feedback path information is obtained while the device is already in place and can be immediately used to optimize configuration parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where feedback path measurements are taken, analyzed to identify feedback issues, and used to adjust configuration parameters. This closed-loop approach ensures that feedback mitigation is integrated into the fitting process itself, allowing real-time optimization without extending overall fitting time.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive feedback path measurements are conducted across all frequency bands, then accurate feedback analysis is achieved, but the measurement process becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and identifies only those frequency bands where feedback is actually present or significant. Rather than measuring all frequency bands uniformly, the system selectively focuses measurement resources on problematic frequency bands, thereby maintaining measurement precision where needed while reducing overall measurement time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial feedback path measurements initially to identify problematic frequency bands, then concentrates detailed analysis only on those specific bands. This partial action approach achieves sufficient measurement precision for feedback mitigation without the excessive time cost of comprehensive full-spectrum analysis.
3Productivity
If audiologists conduct multiple fitting sessions per day, then productivity increases, but the quality of feedback analysis may be compromised due to time constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual, time-intensive feedback measurement and analysis procedures with automated electronic measurement and computational analysis. This substitution allows audiologists to conduct multiple fitting sessions while maintaining high measurement precision, as the automated system can rapidly and accurately analyze feedback paths without being constrained by human processing speed or fatigue.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses systems and methods to analyze feedback path information during a fitting session. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided and includes during a fitting session, calculating a feedback gain margin of a hearing prosthesis by causing the hearing prosthesis to receive a test signal, output an output signal based on the test signal, and receive a feedback signal based on the output of the output signal, the test signal being configured to test a different parameter of the hearing prosthesis.