METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING DEVICE, HEARING DEVICE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

Abstract

A method operates a hearing device, in which an adaptation to the hearing device by a hearing device wearer is determined. An ambient situation is detected, and a value is assigned to the ambient situation. The value is used as a degree of adaptation. A hearing device includes a microphone for detecting the ambient situation and a hearing device system includes a hearing device, as well as the use of a hearing device and a computer program product.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hearing device, in which an adaptation to the hearing device by a hearing device wearer is determined, which comprises the steps of: detecting an ambient situation; assigning a value to the ambient situation; and using the value as a degree of adaptation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein during an assignment of the value to the ambient situation, a temporally preceding value which was assigned to a temporally preceding ambient situation is considered.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein during the assignment of the value to the ambient situation, a time interval from the temporally preceding value is considered.

4. The method according to claim 2, which further comprises comparing the value to the temporally preceding value.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises outputting the value by means of an output device or is transmitted to the output device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in that a hearing device wearer's speech and/or participation in a conversation is used as the ambient situation.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using a measure of background noise as the ambient situation.

8. A hearing device, comprising: a microphone for detecting an ambient situation; a signal processor connected to said microphone and programmed to: receive the ambient situation; assign a value to the ambient situation; and use the value as a degree of adaptation.

9. A hearing device system, comprising: a hearing device having a microphone for detecting an ambient situation and a signal processor programmed to receive the ambient situation, assign a value to the ambient situation, and use the value as a degree of adaptation; and a smart phone having an output device, said hearing device and said smart phone are coupled via signaling technology, and the value generated by hearing device is output by means of said output device of said smart phone.

10. A computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code, the computer-readable program code containing instructions for carrying out a method for determining an adaptation to a hearing device by a hearing device wearer, the method including the steps of: detecting an ambient situation; assigning a value to the ambient situation; and using the value as a degree of adaptation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a hearing device;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting a method for operating the hearing device according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a hearing device system including the hearing device and a smart phone; and

[0032] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the smart phone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0034] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a hearing device system 2 including a hearing aid device 4, which is provided and configured to be worn behind the ear of a hearing device wearer. In other words, it relates to a behind-the-ear hearing aid device which has a sound tube which is not depicted and which is inserted into the ear. The hearing aid device 4 contains a housing 6 which is made of a plastic. A microphone 8 having two electromechanical sound transducers 10 is arranged inside the housing 6. The two electromechanical sound transducers 10 make it possible to change a directional characteristic of the microphone 8, in that a time offset between the acoustic signals detected by the respective electromechanical sound transducer 10 is changed. The two electromechanical sound transducers 10 are coupled via signaling technology with a signal processing unit 12 which contains an amplifier circuit. The signal processing unit 12 is formed by circuit elements, for example, electrical and/or electronic components.

[0035] Furthermore, a loudspeaker 14 is coupled via signaling technology with the signal processing unit 12, by means of the loudspeaker the audio signals picked up via the microphone 8 and/or processed by the signal processing unit 12 are output as sound signals. These sound signals are conducted by a sound tube, which is not depicted in greater detail, into the ear of the hearing device wearer of the hearing device system 2. The hearing aid device furthermore includes a communication device 16 by which an exchange of data signals 18 takes place. The exchange takes place, for example, by radio or inductively.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a method 20 for operating the hearing aid device 4 and the hearing device system 2, in which an adaptation to the hearing aid device 4 by the hearing device wearer is determined. In a first process step 22, an ambient situation 24 is detected, for which purpose the microphone 8 and the signal processing unit 12 are used. For this purpose, an audio signal is detected by the microphone 8, and the ambient situation 24 is identified within the audio signal by the signal processing unit 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the ambient situation 24 is classified, namely, on the one hand, as to whether the ambient situation 24 is a measure of background noise 26. For this purpose, the audio signal is initially analyzed to determine whether background noise is present, i.e., as to whether background noise exists qualitatively. Furthermore, the background noise is quantitatively evaluated. In this case, the background noise is, for example, caused by traffic or by a musical piece. On the other hand, classification is used to determine whether the audio signal is a conversation 28, and in this case, whether the hearing device wearer's own speech 30 is involved. For this purpose, the voice of the hearing device wearer is determined within the audio signal, and the time duration of the speech is measured. Furthermore, during the conversation 28, participation 32 by the hearing device wearer in the conversation 28 is determined and is used as an ambient situation 24. The extent to which the hearing device wearer actively participates in the conversation 28 is evaluated by percentage.

[0037] In a second process step 34, a value 36 is assigned to the ambient situation 24 by the signal processing unit 12. For example, a characteristic map having multiple parameters is used, wherein one of the parameters is the ambient situation 24 itself. In this case, the value 36 is stored in the characteristic map as a degree of adaptation, wherein the parameters are carried out for determining the value 36 or the degree of adaptation. In other words, the value 36 is used as the degree of adaptation. Another parameter is a temporally preceding value 38. The temporally preceding value 38 was determined during a preceding execution of the method 20 as a value 36. During initialization of the hearing device 4, the temporally preceding value 38 is, for example, zero. Furthermore, the time interval between the value 36 and the temporally preceding value 38 is used as a parameter, i.e., the amount of time which has elapsed since the temporally preceding ambient situation 24 was detected. In particular, during the assignment of the value 36 to the ambient situation 24, a plurality of preceding values 38 is used, the values, and consequently their respective corresponding ambient situation, differing based on the distance from the ambient situation 24.

[0038] In a subsequent, third process step 40, the value 36 is transmitted by a data signal 18 to a smart phone 42 which is coupled via signaling technology to the hearing device 4 and is a component of the hearing device system 2. Furthermore, by means of the data signal 18, all temporally preceding values 38, or at least a number, for example, four, of such temporally preceding values 38, or temporally preceding values 38 which have a particular, in particular constant, time interval from the value 36, are transmitted to the smart phone 42. After the value 36 has been assigned and transmitted to the smart phone 42, it is used as the directly temporally preceding value 38.

[0039] As depicted in FIG. 4, the value 36 and the temporally preceding values 38 are output, or a number of such temporally preceding values 38 are output, by means of an output device 44 of the smart phone 42 such as a display, wherein the temporally preceding value 38 is compared to the value 36. Based on the comparison, the hearing device wearer is able to comprehend an improvement in the degree of adaptation, so that information with respect to the wearer's adaptation to the hearing device 4, and consequently to the wearer's “hearing fitness,” is provided to the hearing device wearer by the output device 44.

[0040] Based on the use of statistical data when ascertaining the value 36, and based on the detection of the ambient situation 24, and based on the comparison with temporally preceding values 38, the hearing device wearer obtains positive feedback in order to adapt to the hearing device 4, and as a result, to be able to comprehend whether there is a renewed improvement in hearing. This increases acceptance of the hearing device system 2. In particular, due to changes in the brain, hearing may be impaired even if the amplified audio signals are provided, in particular if the hearing device wearer begins using the hearing device system 2 only after the hearing impairment is already relatively highly advanced. The degree of adaptation is estimated by means of the method 20, wherein a direct connection between improved hearing, and consequently an increased degree of adaptation, and interaction with other people is assumed. Thus, there is an increased adaptation in the case of a higher level of participation in conversations 28, both actively and passively.

[0041] The method 20 also assumes that the hearing device wearer seeks out environments having an increased level of background noise 26, for example, concerts, which are audiologically challenging. In summary, in particular based on the parameters, the value 36 is calculated for how often the voice activity of the hearing device wearer is measured, i.e., how often the wearer actively participates in a conversation 28. The situation of the conversation 28 is also classified, i.e., how often the hearing device wearer is involved in the conversation 28, i.e., the wearer's participation 32. Furthermore, for determining the degree of adaptation, it is considered how often the hearing device wearer seeks out acoustically challenging situations or is situated in them. The value 36 and the temporally preceding values 38 therefore form a score, which thus reflects the performance of the hearing device wearer, and thus represents the wearer's degree of adaptation in a qualitatively and quantitatively comprehensible manner. As a result, the hearing device wearer is more strongly motivated, and acceptance of the hearing device 4 and of the hearing device system 2 by the wearer is improved.

[0042] The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, other variants of the present invention may be derived from them by those skilled in the art, without departing from the subject matter of the present invention. In particular, all individual features described in connection with the exemplary embodiment may furthermore also be combined with one other in a different manner without departing from the subject matter of the present invention.

[0043] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0044] 2 Hearing device system [0045] 4 Hearing aid device [0046] 6 Housing [0047] 8 Microphone [0048] 10 Sound transducer [0049] 12 Signal processing unit [0050] 14 Loudspeaker [0051] 16 Communication device [0052] 18 Data signal [0053] 20 Method [0054] 22 process step [0055] 24 Ambient situation [0056] 26 Level of background noise [0057] 28 Conversation [0058] 30 Speech [0059] 32 Participation [0060] 34 Second process step [0061] 36 Value [0062] 38 Temporally preceding value [0063] 40 Third process step [0064] 42 Smartphone [0065] 44 Output device