Self-Fitting Hearing Test via Grace Period Response Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current hearing devices require lengthy and costly professional setups or suboptimal consumer customization, making it difficult for users to obtain accurate audiogram data for personalized fitting.

Innovation Solution

A self-administered hearing test method using hearing devices with an output transducer, wireless communication, and processing units, which emit test sounds and detect user responses to calculate audiogram data, incorporating a grace period to reduce false negatives and improve data quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If professional consultation is used for hearing device setup, then measurement precision of audiogram data is improved, but loss of time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudiogram data accuracyVSAvoidsetup time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing device performs self-diagnosis by automatically emitting test sounds and detecting user responses to generate audiogram data, eliminating the need for professional consultation while maintaining measurement precision through automated acoustic testing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of professional audiometry with an automated electronic system that uses acoustic signals and digital signal processing to obtain hearing thresholds, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining data accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If professional consultation is used for hearing device setup, then measurement precision of audiogram data is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudiogram data accuracyVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing device performs self-diagnosis by automatically emitting test sounds and detecting user responses to generate audiogram data, eliminating the need for professional consultation while maintaining measurement precision through automated acoustic testing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses inexpensive acoustic test signals and digital processing instead of expensive professional audiometry equipment and services, providing cost-effective hearing assessment through the hearing device's built-in transducers and processor

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of operation

If consumer self-customization is used for hearing devices, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision of audiogram data deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser customizationVSAvoidaudiogram data accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing device performs self-diagnosis by automatically emitting test sounds and detecting user responses to generate audiogram data, eliminating the need for professional consultation while maintaining measurement precision through automated acoustic testing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides real-time feedback to the user during the hearing test by emitting test sounds at different frequencies and volumes and detecting user responses, enabling accurate audiogram data collection while maintaining ease of use through automated guidance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Duration of action of moving object

If response timeslot does not include grace period, then test-cycle duration is reduced, but reliability of audiogram data deteriorates due to false negatives

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetest-cycle timeVSAvoidaudiogram data quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a grace period in the response timeslot to accommodate users who may hesitate or take time to process test sounds, preventing false negatives and ensuring reliable audiogram data collection without significantly extending the overall test duration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS20240259740A1Method for providing a self-fitting hearing test
Publication Date: 2024.08.01 GN HEARING 2 AS
  • US20240259740A1 patent drawing
  • US20240259740A1 patent drawing
  • US20240259740A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for providing a self-fitting hearing test performed via a hearing device adapted to be worn at an ear of a user, the hearing device comprising an output transducer, a wireless communication interface, a processing unit, and a memory unit, the method comprising the steps of: performing a test-cycle comprising an emission timeslot, where a test sound is emitted by the hearing device, the test sound having a test volume and a test frequency, a response timeslot, where a user response indicating whether the user heard the test sound is detected, wherein the response timeslot comprises a grace period following the emission timeslot, and a test-cycle end step, where cycle data indicative of the test-cycle's test volume, test frequency, and user response is added to a test data set, calculating audiogram data indicative of the user's hearing ability based on the test data set, and outputting the audiogram data.