Threshold-Derived Fitting for Frequency Translation in Hearing Aids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing assistance devices struggle to effectively assist individuals with high-frequency dead regions, as amplification in these areas leads to distortion and feedback, and existing solutions either enable or disable frequency translation algorithms uniformly without considering individual audiometric thresholds.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a threshold-derived fitting rationale for hearing assistance devices that enables frequency translation only when both ears' audiometric thresholds meet specific criteria, setting parameters based on the audiograms to translate high-frequency information to lower frequencies, thereby improving speech intelligibility and sound quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If amplification is applied in high-frequency dead regions, then gain is provided at frequencies with hearing loss, but distortion and feedback occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts high-frequency information from the audio signal and separates it from the problematic high-frequency dead region amplification. By isolating the high-frequency components and translating them to lower frequencies, the system provides the beneficial gain effect without the harmful distortion and feedback that occur when amplifying directly in dead regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces frequency translation as an intermediary mechanism between the high-frequency input signal and the output. Instead of directly amplifying high frequencies in dead regions, the system translates these frequencies to lower regions where the user has residual hearing, acting as a mediator that preserves the information while avoiding the harmful effects of direct amplification.
2Adaptability or versatility
If frequency translation is enabled uniformly for all users, then high-frequency information is translated to lower frequencies, but unnecessary processing is applied to users without high-frequency dead regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of frequency translation enablement from a uniform setting to a conditional setting based on audiometric thresholds. By evaluating user-specific parameters (audiogram data) and adjusting the frequency translation parameter accordingly, the system applies processing only when beneficial, avoiding unnecessary complexity for users who don't require it.
3Measurement precision
If frequency translation parameters are customized based on individual audiograms, then optimal settings are provided for each user, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary evaluation of the user's audiogram data during the fitting process to determine whether frequency translation is beneficial before finalizing device settings. By conducting this assessment in advance, the system can pre-determine the appropriate frequency translation parameters or disable the feature entirely, avoiding the need for complex real-time adjustments and simplifying the overall configuration process.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for a threshold-derived fitting rationale using frequency translation for hearing assistance devices. In various method embodiments, a first audiogram is received for a first hearing assistance device for a wearer, and a second audiogram is received for a second hearing assistance device for the wearer. The first audiogram and the second audiogram are compared to audiometric thresholds to determine if frequency translation should be enabled.