Implantable Microphone Calibration in Bimodal Hearing Fitting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Bimodal hearing systems face challenges in accurately calibrating implantable microphones due to vibration interference from contralateral hearing aids, leading to degraded performance and sound quality, especially during fitting sessions.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced to selectively mute and unmute the contralateral hearing aid during fitting sessions to obtain calibration measurements with and without vibration interference, allowing for precise calibration of the implantable microphone.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the contralateral hearing aid is enabled during fitting sessions, then the recipient can receive audible instructions and communicate effectively, but vibration interference degrades the calibration accuracy of the implantable microphone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication effectivenessVSAvoidcalibration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fitting session is segmented into distinct phases: a communication phase where the hearing aid is enabled for instructions, and a calibration phase where the hearing aid is disabled for accurate measurements. This temporal segmentation allows both communication effectiveness and calibration accuracy to be optimized in their respective phases without mutual interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Communication and instructions are provided to the recipient before the calibration process begins. This preliminary action ensures the recipient understands the calibration procedures and can cooperate effectively, while the hearing aid is subsequently disabled during the actual calibration measurements to eliminate vibration interference.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If calibration measurements are obtained with the hearing aid enabled, then communication is maintained, but vibration-induced distortion reduces sound quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication continuityVSAvoidvibration-induced distortion

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing aid is temporarily extracted or disabled during the calibration measurement process. This removal eliminates the source of vibration-induced distortion that would otherwise contaminate the microphone calibration, while communication is restored after calibration is complete.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If the hearing aid is muted during calibration, then measurement accuracy improves, but the recipient cannot receive instructions or communicate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalibration measurement accuracyVSAvoidcommunication capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hearing aid operates in periodic cycles: enabled during communication phases for instructions and feedback, then disabled during calibration measurement phases for accuracy. This periodic switching between operational states allows both communication capability and measurement precision to be maintained at optimal levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12563355B2Hearing system fitting

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 COCHLEAR LIMITED

AI summary

Presented here are embodiments for calibrating a bimodal hearing system that includes a cochlear implant with an implantable microphone. Calibration of the implantable microphone is influenced by skull vibrations induced by a separate hearing aid of the bimodal system. Thus, two sets of calibration measurements are obtained both with and without the hearing aid unmuted. Calibration parameters such as frequency response, noise floor parameters, and vibration calibration constants can then be derived based on the two sets of measurements.