IP Library Granted Patent US 7,194,100
Granted Patent B2
US 7,194,100 · App. 09/829,700 · Granted Mar 20, 2007

Method for individualizing a hearing aid

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,194,100
App. No.
09/829,700
Granted
Mar 20, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

This invention relates to a method for the individualized adaptation of a hearing aid to a person. The method consists basically of the measurement and quantification by parameters of the loudness perception of the individual, weighted by a first factor. Also weighted is a standardized normal loudness perception and its parameters by a second factor. Finally, the weighted loudness perceptions and their parameters are used for determining the optimal settings of the hearing aid for the individual concerned. The advantage of the method according to this invention lies in the fact that it permits significantly better adaptation of the hearing aid to the individual person.

Claims (53)

1. A method for individualizing a hearing aid in adaptation to a loudness perception of an individual, said method comprising the steps of:

adjusting the hearing aid using both (1) measure and qualified loudness perception parameters of the individual weighted by a first factor and (2) normal loudness perception parameters weighted by a second factor; and

adjusting compression and/or amplification in the hearing aid, for which purpose the compression and, respectively, the application are each determined as a function of frequency, wherein

for determining the compression, the loudness perception of the individual is quantified by means of LOHL factor which is determined by loudness scaling at a minimum of one frequency.

2. Method as in claim 1 , wherein the LOHL factor is modeled using the equation:

log 10 (α)= a a ×HL+b a ×log( HL )+ VP consta

where

α=gradient of the loudness function,

HL=hearing loss in dB,

a a , b a =constant function parameter, and

VP consta =the individual function parameter which adapts the LOHL factor to the data sampling points α 1 , α 2 , α 3 , . . . ,

and that VP consta is determined on the basis of a loudness scaling performed at a minimum of one frequency.

3. A method for individualizing a hearing aid in adaptation to a loudness perception of an individual, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring and quantifying loudness perception parameters of the individual, weighted by a first factor;

weighting of normal loudness perception parameters by a second factor;

combining the weighted loudness perception parameters of the individual with the weighted normal loudness perception parameters to define a weighted loudness parameter; and

using the weighted loudness parameter for adjusting the hearing aid, wherein

compression and/or amplification is/are adjusted in the hearing aid, for which purpose the compression and, respectively, the amplification are each determined as a function of frequency, and wherein,

for determining the amplification, the loudness perception of the individual is quantified by means of an HLL0 factor which is defined by loudness scaling at a minimum of one frequency.

4. The method as in claim 3 , wherein the HLL0 factor is modeled using the equation:

L 0 =a L ×HL+b L ×log( HL )+ VP constL ,

where

L 0 =level of loudness=0,

HL=hearing loss in dB,

a L , b L =constant function parameter, and

VP constL =individual function parameter which adapts the HLL0 function to the data sampling points L 01 , L 02 , L 03 , . . . ,

and that VP consta is determined on the basis of a loudness scaling performed at a minimum of one frequency.

5. A method for individualizing a hearing aid in adaptation to a loudness perception of an individual, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring and quantifying loudness perception parameters of the individual, weighted by a first factor;

weighting of normal loudness perception parameters by a second factor;

combining the weighted loudness perception parameters of the individual with the weighted normal loudness perception parameters to define a weighted loudness parameter; and

using the weighted loudness parameter for adjusting the hearing aid, wherein

compression and/or amplification is/are adjusted in the hearing aid, for which purpose the compression and, respectively, the amplification are each determined as a function of frequency, and wherein,

for determining the compression, the loudness perception of the individual is quantified by means of a LOHL factor which is determined by loudness scaling at a minimum of one frequency.

6. The method as in claim 5 , wherein the LOHL factor is modeled using the equation:

log 10 (α)= a a ×HL+b a ×log( HL )+ VP consta

where

α=gradient of the loudness function,

HL=hearing loss in dB,

a a , b a =constant function parameter, and

VP consta =the individual function parameter which adapts the LOHL factor to the data sampling points α 1 , α 2 , α 3 , . . . ,

and that VP consta is determined on the basis of a loudness scaling performed at a minimum of one frequency.

7. The method as in one of the claims 2 to 4 and 6 , wherein the hearing loss is used for determining the frequencies at which loudness scaling is performed.

8. The method as in one of the claims 1 to 4 and 5 to 6 , wherein the value of the weighted factors depends on the assumed and/or determined accuracy of the loudness scaling data.

9. The method as in claim 8 , further comprising the selection of a value of ⅓ for the first factor and/or a value of ⅔ for the second factor.

10. The method as in claim 5 , further comprising the selection of a value of ⅔ for the first factor and/or a value of ⅓ for the second factor.

11. A method for individualizing a hearing aid in adaptation to a loudness perception of an individual, said method comprising the steps of:

measuring and quantifying loudness perception parameters of the individual, weighted by a first factor;

weighting of normal loudness perception parameters by a second factor;

combining the weighted loudness perception parameters of the individual with the weighted normal loudness perception parameters to define a weighted loudness parameter; and

using the weighted loudness parameter for adjusting the hearing aid, wherein

compression and/or amplification is/are adjusted in the hearing aid, for which purpose the compression and, respectively, the amplification are each determined as a function of frequency, and wherein

for determining the amplification, the loudness perception of the individual is quantified by means of one of an HLL0 factor and an LOHL factor, which is defined by loudness scaling at a minimum of one frequency.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 24, 2015
From: PHONAK AG
To: SONOVA AG
Reel/Frame 036674/0492 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2001
From: KUHNEL, VOLKER; VON BUOL, ANDREAS
To: PHONAK AG
Reel/Frame 012144/0525 →