METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING AID AND HEARING AID

Abstract

A method operates a hearing aid having a housing insertable into an outer auditory canal and has proximal and distal sides. The proximal side is oriented toward an eardrum and includes a proximal input transducer, and a distal input transducer is disposed on the distal side. An output transducer is disposed on the proximal side and an adjustable vent penetrates the housing. An evaluation unit is provided, and an adjustment process is carried out to adjust the vent. In the course of the adjustment process, a set of transmission functions is determined by the evaluation unit, and includes a distal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the distal input transducer, and a proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the proximal input transducer.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hearing aid having a housing configured for being inserted into an outer auditory canal and with a proximal side and a distal side opposite to the proximal side, wherein the proximal side is configured to be oriented toward an eardrum and having a proximal input transducer on the proximal side of the housing and a distal input transducer on the distal side of the housing, the hearing aid further having an output transducer on the proximal side of the housing, an adjustable vent which penetrates the housing, and a control and evaluation unit, which comprises the steps of: carrying out an adjustment process to adjust the adjustable vent and wherein in a course of the adjustment process a set of transmission functions is determined by means of the control and evaluation unit, which set includes at least two transmission functions, namely a distal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the distal input transducer, and a proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the proximal input transducer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of transmission functions includes: a first distal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the distal input transducer with the adjustable vent completely open; and a second distal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the distal input transducer with the adjustable vent completely closed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of transmission functions includes: a first proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the proximal input transducer with the adjustable vent completely open; and a second proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer to the proximal input transducer with the adjustable vent completely closed.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of transmission functions includes a distal-proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the distal input transducer to the proximal input transducer.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of transmission functions includes: a first distal-proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the distal input transducer to the proximal input transducer with the adjustable vent completely open; and a second distal-proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the distal input transducer to the proximal input transducer with the adjustable vent completely closed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: in a course of the adjustment process, a control signal is generated by means of the control and evaluation unit based on the set of transmission functions; and an adjusting device of the adjustable vent is activated by the control signal, so that at least one geometric parameter of the adjustable vent is automatically adjusted by the adjusting device.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein at least three settings are specifiable by means of the adjusting device of the adjustable vent, namely a setting in which the adjustable vent is completely open, a setting in which the adjustable vent is completely closed, and at least one setting in which the adjustable vent is partially open.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein a reference function is specified for each transmission function in the set of transmission functions and wherein the control signal is generated in the course of the adjustment process by means of the control and evaluation unit in such a way that the transmission functions approximate reference functions.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the adjustment process is configured as a regulating process.

10. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out a plurality of adjustment processes automatically and wherein time intervals between the adjustment processes are automatically adapted at a power consumption controller.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment process is manually started.

12. A hearing aid configured to execute a method according to claim 1 in at least one operating mode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0061] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, side view of a hearing aid having a main module and an earpiece; and

[0062] FIG. 2 is a partial section illustration of the earpiece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0063] Parts corresponding to one another are provided with the same reference signs in all figures.

[0064] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a hearing aid 2, which is described by way of example hereinafter, is configured as a behind-the-ear hearing aid 2, abbreviated BTE hearing aid. It includes a main module 4, which is configured to be worn behind an ear, and an earpiece 8 connected to the main module 4 via a cable 6.

[0065] The earpiece 8 is schematically shown in an illustration in partial section in FIG. 2 and includes a housing 10, which terminates the earpiece 8 to the outside and which is designed to be inserted into an outer auditory canal. The housing 10 furthermore includes a proximal side 12 and a distal side 14 opposite to the proximal side 12. The proximal side 12 is then designed to be oriented toward an eardrum and accordingly the housing 10 is typically also arranged after being inserted into an outer auditory canal in such a way that the proximal side 12 faces toward an eardrum and the distal side faces outward, thus out of the outer auditory canal.

[0066] Furthermore, the hearing aid 2 includes a proximal input transducer 16 on the proximal side 12 of the housing 10 and a distal input transducer 18 on the distal side 14 of the housing 10. Each of these input transducers is used to generate electrical input signals based on acoustic input signals which are incident on the hearing aid 2. In the exemplary embodiment, each of these input transducers includes at least one microphone. The electrical input signals generated by means of the proximal input transducer 16 are referred to hereinafter as proximal input signals and the electrical input signals generated by means of the distal input transducer 18 are referred to hereinafter as distal input signals.

[0067] Moreover, the hearing aid 2 includes an output transducer 20 on the proximal side 12 of the housing 10. This is used for generating acoustic output signals based on electrical output signals and is formed in the exemplary embodiment by a loudspeaker. The electrical output signals are referred to in short hereinafter as output signals.

[0068] Moreover, a further input transducer (not shown) having at least one microphone and a signal processing device (not explicitly shown) are arranged in the main module 4 in the exemplary embodiment. By means of the further input transducer and the signal processing device, in operation of the hearing aid 2, the input signals generated by means of the further input transducer are processed in the signal processing device, wherein output signals are generated based on these input signals. Finally, acoustic output signals are generated by the output transducer 20 based on these (electrical) output signals and emitted on the output side from the earpiece 8, in particular into an outer auditory canal of a hearing aid wearer. In this way, an amplification according to a principle known per se is then typically implemented.

[0069] Furthermore, the hearing aid 2 includes a vent 22, which penetrates the above-mentioned housing 10 of the earpiece 8. The vent 22 is configured in this case as an active or adjustable vent 22, thus as a vent 22 having changeable or adjustable geometric parameters. The opening cross section of the vent 22 is changeable in the exemplary embodiment.

[0070] In addition, the hearing aid 2 includes a control and evaluation unit 24, which is arranged in the earpiece 8. This is configured to carry out an adjustment process for adjusting the vent 22 in at least one operating mode, and for this purpose is connected for signaling to both the proximal input transducer 16 and the distal input transducer 18.

[0071] A set of transmission functions is determined in the course of the adjustment process by means of the control and evaluation unit 24, which set comprises a distal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer 20 to the distal input transducer 18, and a proximal transmission function, which maps a signal path from the output transducer 20 to the proximal input transducer 16.

[0072] The determined set of transmission functions is then further evaluated in the control and evaluation unit 24 and a suitable setting for the vent 22 is determined based on this evaluation. In dependence on the determined suitable setting for the vent 22, a control signal is generated by the control and evaluation unit 24, using which an adjusting device of the vent 22 is activated.

[0073] In the exemplary embodiment, this adjusting device includes a piezo-crystal unit 26, the extension of which is variable by an applied voltage, thus by the control signal of the control and evaluation unit 24. The piezo-crystal unit 26 protrudes at least partially into the vent 22 in this case depending on the status and thus at least partially closes the vent 22. As a result, the opening cross section of the vent 22 may be variably adjusted by a variation of the voltage. The two extremes for the adjustment of the opening cross section are indicated in FIG. 2. The dashed frame indicates a setting in which the vent 22 is completely closed, and the frame having solid lines indicates a setting in which the vent 22 is completely open. In the exemplary embodiment, multiple further settings are moreover specifiable, in which the vent 22 is partially open.

[0074] The above-described adjustment process is preferably carried out once automatically after each time the hearing aid 2 is switched on. Alternatively or additionally, the hearing aid 2 is configured for a manual start of the adjustment process. I.e., the adjustment process can be started, for example, via a button (not shown) and/or by means of a remote control (not shown) and is also started upon corresponding actuation.

[0075] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention.

TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Numerals 2 hearing aid 4 main module 6 cable 8 earpiece 10 housing 12 proximal side 14 distal side 16 proximal input transducer 18 distal input transducer 20 output transducer 22 vent 24 control and evaluation unit 26 piezo-crystal unit