Method for fitting a hearing aid device with active occlusion control to a user

1. A method comprising the steps of:

inserting a part of a hearing device ( 3 ) into the ear canal ( 2 ) of a user ( 31 ), the hearing device ( 3 ) including an outside microphone ( 4 ), a receiver ( 7 ) for emitting sound into the ear canal ( 2 ), a canal microphone ( 8 ), and an occlusion control compensator filter ( 9 ) arranged in a feedback loop and configurable by a compensator filter dataset (C), and having a fitting mode and an operation mode;

establishing a communication connection ( 26 , 27 , 28 ) between the hearing device ( 3 ) and a fitting device ( 12 );

switching the hearing device ( 3 ) into the fitting mode;

obtaining a complex frequency-dependent plant transfer function (P) that represents the relation between an input to the receiver ( 7 ) to an output from the canal microphone ( 8 ) by sending a plant stimulus signal to the receiver ( 7 ) while a part of the hearing device ( 3 ) is in the ear canal ( 2 ) of the user ( 31 ) and analyzing a resulting sound that is sensed in the ear canal ( 2 ) by the canal microphone ( 8 );

producing a reference sound with the user's ( 31 ) voice while the hearing aid receiver ( 7 ) is switched off;

obtaining an objective frequency-dependent occlusion effect function (OE, 10 E 1 ) and/or the at least one property of it, while the user's ( 31 ) voice is producing the reference sound, the receiver ( 7 ) is switched off and a part of the hearing device ( 3 ) is in the ear canal ( 2 ) of the user ( 31 ), by analyzing a canal sound in the ear canal ( 2 ) that is sensed by the canal microphone ( 8 ) in conjunction with the reference sound that is sensed by the outside microphone ( 4 );

using the complex frequency-dependent plant transfer function (P) and the objective frequency-dependent occlusion effect function (OE, 10 E 1 ) and/or the at least one property of it, to determine the compensator filter dataset (C); and

configuring the occlusion control compensator filter ( 9 ) with the compensator filter dataset (C) with the fitting device ( 12 ).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compensator filter dataset (C) is determined by selecting a raw compensator filter dataset (CRAW, C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , . . . , CA, CB, CC, . . . ) from a plurality of stored raw compensator filter dataset candidates ({C 1 , C 2 , C 3 . . . }) for further processing or for direct use as the compensator filter dataset (C).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the further processing comprises scaling the raw compensator filter dataset (CRAW, C 1 , C 2 , C 3 , . . . , CA, CB, CC, . . . ) with a scaling factor (g, g 1 , g 2 , g 3 . . . , gA, gB, gC . . . ) to obtain the compensator filter dataset (C) or a candidate compensator filter dataset (CA*gB, CA*gB, CA*gB, . . . ).

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the compensator filter dataset (C) is determined by applying a selection criterion (K) or a set of selection criteria ({K 1 , K 2 , . . . }) to each candidate of the set of raw compensator dataset candidates ({C 1 , C 2 , C 3 . . . }) to identify a raw compensator dataset candidate (CRAW) and/or a set of raw compensator dataset candidates ({CA, CB, CC, . . . }).

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the selection criterion (K) is applied by

temporarily configuring the hearing aid device ( 3 ) based on a first candidate of the set of raw compensator dataset candidates ({CA, CB, CC, . . . });

temporarily configuring the hearing aid device ( 3 ) based on a second candidate of the set of raw compensator dataset candidates ({CA, CB, CC, . . . });

obtaining an absolute or relative evaluation information in regard to one or more candidates from the user ( 31 ); and

determining a configuration based on the evaluation information from raw compensator dataset candidate (CRAW) that was selected from the set of raw compensator dataset candidates ({CA, CB, CC, . . . }).

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

using a frequency-dependent vent effect and/or leakage function (VE, |VE|) of an earpiece of the hearing aid device ( 3 ) or a cutoff frequency (fVE) of a high-pass filter approximation of such a function to determine the compensator filter dataset (C);

wherein the a frequency-dependent vent effect and/or leakage function (VE, |VE|) of an earpiece of the hearing aid device ( 3 ) or a cutoff frequency (fVE) of a high-pass filter approximation of such a function is one or more of (a) entered and stored, (b) measured and (c) derived from the complex frequency-dependent plant transfer function (P) by analyzing a low frequency roll-off of the complex frequency-dependent plant transfer function (P) and/or by applying a low-frequency fitting method of a filter in regard to the complex frequency-dependent plant transfer function (P).

7. The method of one of claim 1 , further comprising the step of

using a fundamental frequency (F 0 ) and/or a fundamental frequency range ({F 0 min, F 0 max}) of the user's ( 31 ) voice to determine the compensator filter dataset (C);

wherein the fundamental frequency (F 0 ) and/or fundamental frequency range ({F 0 min, F 0 max}) of the user's ( 31 ) voice is one of (a) entered, (b) estimated based on data relating to the user's ( 31 ) gender and/or age, and (c) measured by the outside microphone ( 4 ) and/or the canal microphone ( 8 ) while the hearing aid device ( 3 ) is muted and the user's voice ( 31 ) voice is active.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the fundamental frequency (F 0 ) and/or fundamental frequency range ({F 0 min, F 0 max}) of the user's ( 31 ) voice is measured together with the objective frequency-dependent occlusion effect function (OE, |OE|) and/or the at least one property of it by acquiring sound data with the outside microphone ( 4 ) and the canal microphone ( 8 ) while the hearing aid device ( 3 ) is muted and by using the sound data for both measurements.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

performing an automatic benefit assessment that determines whether or not a benefit can be provided to the user ( 31 ) by the canal microphone ( 8 ) and the occlusion control compensator filter ( 9 ) and, if the benefit cannot be provided, outputting a corresponding acoustic and/or visual message;

wherein the automatic benefit assessment involves one or more of the following:

(a) analyzing the user's hearing loss and/or audiogram to determine whether hearing loss is less than 40 dB at a set of frequencies that includes 125 Hz, 250 Hz and/or 500 Hz;

(b) analyzing the complex frequency-dependent plant transfer function (P);

(c) analyzing the objective frequency-dependent occlusion effect function (OE, |OE|) and/or the at least one property of it;

(d) analyzing a frequency-dependent vent effect and/or leakage function (VE, |VE|) or a cutoff frequency (fVE) of a high-pass filter approximation of such a function;

(e) analyzing a fundamental frequency (F 0 ) or a fundamental frequency range ({F 0 min, F 0 max});

(f) analyzing an occlusion modification achievable with the canal microphone ( 8 ) and the occlusion control compensator filter ( 9 );

(g) performing an automatic benefit assessment more than one;

(h) performing an automatic benefit assessment prior to inserting the hearing aid device ( 3 ) into the ear canal ( 2 ) or prior to obtaining the complex frequency-dependent plant transfer function (P);

(i) performing an automatic benefit assessment each time new relevant data becomes available; and

(j) performing an automatic benefit assessment after one, more than one, or all acoustic measurements of the fitting method.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant stimulus comprises a recorded real life sound, a combination of a recorded real life sound with an artificial sound, and/or a processed or unprocessed environment sound.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining an objective frequency-dependent occlusion effect function (OE, |OE|) and/or at least one property of it includes one or more of the following steps:

(a) temporarily closing a vent ( 10 ) of the hearing aid device ( 3 ) while measuring the objective frequency-dependent occlusion effect function (OE, |OE|) and/or the at least one property of it;

(b) temporarily muting the hearing aid device ( 3 ) while measuring the objective frequency-dependent occlusion effect function (OE, |OE|) and/or the at least one property of it;

(c) instructing the user ( 31 ) to speak freely, read a text, repeat a word or a sentence, ask a question, sweep a vowel and/or speak different vowels and/or consonants;

(d) vibrating the user's body;

(e) applying an open ear gain compensation to the canal sound or to the reference sound;

(f) calculating a difference of a logarithmic frequency domain representation of the canal sound;

(g) calculating a quotient of a frequency domain representation of the canal sound.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compensator filter dataset (C) is comprises one or more of the following:

(a) a set of scalar filter coefficients of a numerator polynomial in z and coefficients of a denominator polynomial in z;

(b) data defining a filter of nth order;

(c) data defining a complex frequency-dependent filter function;

(d) a complex vector having a predefined dimension;

(e) data defining a filter having a frequency resolution of a third octave;

(f) data defining a frequency-discrete or a frequency-continuous filter;

(g) data defining a time-discrete or a time-continuous filter;

(h) data being compressed and/or reduced to a data size of less than 100 bytes;

(i) a result of combining a raw filter (CRAW) with a scaling factor;

(j) data stored in and/or derived from data stored in a database ( 22 );

(k) data used in a processor of the fitting device ( 12 );

(l) data stored in a non-volatile memory of the hearing aid device ( 3 );

(m) data used in a signal processor of the hearing aid device ( 3 ).

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hearing aid device ( 3 ) is one or more of the following:

(a) a hearing aid configured to compensate for a hearing loss of the user ( 31 );

(b) a hearing protection device configured for hearing in noisy environments;

(c) an ITE or in-the-ear hearing aid device;

(d) a modular hearing aid device having an in-the-ear module that includes both the receiver ( 7 ) and the canal microphone ( 8 ) and a behind-the-ear module, the behind-the-ear module and the in-the-ear module being electrically connected to each other;

(e) a hearing aid device configured for self-fitting by the user ( 31 );

(f) a hearing aid device with an earpiece that includes a vent ( 10 ) with a diameter in a range from 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the fitting device ( 12 ) comprises one or more of the following:

(a) a device or system equipped with memory, a processor, and fitting software stored in the memory and executable by the processor;

(b) a personal computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, notebook, sub-notebook or workstation;

(c) a smartphone;

(d) a hearing aid device remote control;

(e) an assisted living device;

(f) a unit integrated in the hearing aid device ( 3 );

(g) a device or system configured for remote fitting;

(h) a device configured for self-fitting.