Hearing Test Noise Compensation via Perception Model
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing tests struggle to accurately generate a hearing profile in uncontrolled environments with stochastic sounds and background noise, leading to inaccurate compensation for audio playback equipment.
Innovation Solution
A method that compensates for noise by generating test tones of various frequencies, evaluating noise levels, determining a noise perception model, and adjusting test tones or results using this model, which includes calculating a noise power spectrum and accounting for off-frequency masking, to ensure accurate hearing profile generation regardless of the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hearing test is performed in an uncontrolled environment with background noise, then the hearing test can be conducted in real-world conditions, but the accuracy of the hearing profile measurement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of background noise into a beneficial measurement by detecting the noise floor and using it to adjust test tone levels. The noise perception model transforms environmental interference into compensation data, allowing accurate hearing threshold measurement even in noisy conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes test parameters (tone levels, frequencies) based on the detected noise floor and noise perception model. By adjusting test tone levels relative to the measured noise floor and applying off-frequency masking compensation, the system maintains measurement accuracy across varying environmental conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If test tone levels are increased to overcome background noise, then the test can be heard in noisy environments, but the test may mask the user's actual hearing threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the noise floor measurement as a reference point to calculate appropriate test tone levels. Rather than simply increasing levels to overcome noise, the system calculates levels that are appropriately elevated above the noise floor while accounting for off-frequency masking effects, thus maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the measured noise floor and user responses are used to adjust subsequent test tone levels. The noise perception model continuously adapts based on measured data, allowing the system to optimize test parameters in real-time based on environmental conditions and individual user characteristics.
3Measurement precision
If off-frequency masking is accounted for in the noise perception model, then the hearing profile accuracy is improved, but the computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates off-frequency masking compensation by adjusting test tone levels based on the noise perception model that accounts for masking effects at different frequencies. This parameter adjustment approach maintains computational efficiency while improving measurement accuracy through physics-based corrections.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for noise compensating a hearing test performed in an uncontrolled environment is being performed by generating one or more test tones of a number of test tone frequencies, presenting, using an audio speaker, said test tones to a user, receiving user input indicative of the users perception of the test tones such that a test result comprising intensity levels of hearing for the number of test tone frequencies is provided, and generating a hearing profile based on the test result. The method comprises evaluating (510) a noise level received from a microphone, determining (520) a noise perception model based on said noise level, and compensating (530) at least one of the test result or said one or more test tones using the noise perception model.