Calibrating Personal Sound Delivery Systems via Remote Command Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sound delivery systems, such as hearing aids and headphones, require expensive and cumbersome testing equipment for calibration, which is inconvenient and not easily customizable for individual auditory responses, especially as hearing abilities change with age or due to exposure to loud sounds.
Innovation Solution
A method for calibrating sound delivery systems using a remote user interface device to transmit command codes for test sounds, measuring their characteristics, and adjusting sound delivery parameters based on user responses, allowing for automatic hearing tests and customizable sound settings through a processing assembly and audio transducers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional hearing aid calibration methods are used with expensive and cumbersome test equipment, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a reference meter to measure the actual sound output of the audio transducer and creates a mapping between commanded sound levels and actual sound levels. This copying approach allows the system to characterize its own output without requiring complex external test equipment, thereby maintaining measurement precision while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The sound delivery system performs self-calibration by using its own processing assembly to generate test sounds, measure them with an integrated reference meter, and automatically create correction mappings. This eliminates the need for external audiologists and expensive test equipment, making the system self-sufficient while maintaining calibration accuracy
2Measurement precision
If traditional hearing aid calibration methods are used requiring audiologist testing, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation and loss of time worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to perform their own hearing tests and calibration at home using the automated process. The user interface device allows users to initiate tests, and the system automatically presents test sounds, records responses, and generates personalized sound delivery mappings without requiring audiologist intervention, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining hearing test accuracy through the reference meter measurements
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calibration by creating a mapping of commanded sound levels to actual sound levels output by the transducer before conducting the hearing test. This preliminary characterization of the sound delivery system ensures accurate test presentation and response interpretation, maintaining measurement precision while enabling convenient at-home operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If sound delivery systems are customized for individual auditory responses, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system customizes sound delivery by adjusting sound pressure levels across different frequency bands based on individual user responses. The processing assembly modifies audio parameters dynamically according to the user's hearing thresholds and preferences, enabling high adaptability while the automated calibration process manages the complexity of these adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from user responses to test sounds to automatically adjust and personalize sound delivery parameters. The user interface device collects response data, and the processing assembly uses this feedback to generate customized sound delivery mappings, achieving adaptability while the automated feedback loop manages configuration complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method (100) for calibrating a sound delivery system (1) having a processing assembly, a data communications assembly (9) coupled to the processing assembly, and at least one audio transducer (21a, 21b) mounted with at least one processor (11) of the processing assembly and responsive thereto for delivering sound to a user (3), the method including the steps of: transmitting from a remote user interface device (6) for the sound delivery system, a sequence of command codes for specifying predetermined characteristics of test sounds; receiving the command code sequence at the communications assembly of the sound delivery system; providing the command code sequence to the processing assembly of the sound delivery system; reproducing by a selected at least one audio transducer, the predetermined test sounds under control of said at least one processor according to the command code sequence; measuring with a reference SPL meter (70) proximate to the audio transducer, characteristics of test sounds reproduced by the sound delivery system; comparing the measured characteristics of the reproduced sounds with the predetermined characteristics of the test sounds; producing a mapping of specified test sounds to sounds reproduced by said at least one audio transducer; and storing the mapping in an electronic memory (12, 82) associated with the processing assembly or remote interface device (6).