HEARING DEVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING A TEST OF A HEARING DEVICE USER'S HEARING CAPABILITIES

Abstract

A hearing device system for testing a user's hearing capability, comprises: a processing unit configured to determine a plurality of tones and an order of the tones; an acoustic output transducer configured to output audio signals; a tone generator configured to output the tones, where a first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user; and a user interface or a communication unit configured to receive an indication from the user indicating an audible tone being perceived; wherein one of the tones comprises a new tone, and wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the new tone based on: whether a predefined number of preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user, and an estimated probability of whether the new tone will be audible or inaudible to the user.

Claims

1. A hearing device system for testing a hearing capability of a user, the hearing device system comprising: a processing unit configured to determine a plurality of tones, and determine an order of the plurality of tones; a tone generator configured to output the plurality of tones, where a first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user; an acoustic output transducer coupled to the tone generator, the acoustic output transducer configured to output audio signals for the user; and a user interface or a communication unit configured to receive an indication from the user indicating a perception of an audible tone by the user; wherein one of the tones comprises a new tone, and wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the new tone based on: whether a predefined number of preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user, and an estimated probability of whether the new tone will be audible or inaudible to the user.

2. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the new tone by selecting a probable audible tone based on 1-5 preceding tones being inaudible to the user.

3. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the new tone by selecting a probable inaudible tone based on 2-8 preceding tones being audible to the user.

4. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the estimated probability of whether the new tone is audible to the user is between 75% and 95%.

5. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the estimated probability of whether the new tone is inaudible to the user is between 5% and 25%.

6. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tones comprises audiometric frequencies in a range from 200 Hz to 10 kHz.

7. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tones comprises at least 10 tones having audiometric frequencies relating to speech.

8. The hearing device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tones is in a range from 1 kHz to 4 kHz.

9. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tones is for a complete test, and is dependent of a predetermined confidence interval of the test.

10. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the hearing device system is configured to determine a hearing threshold curve representing the hearing capability of the user.

11. The hearing device system according to claim 10, wherein the hearing device system is configured to determine the hearing threshold curve by Bayesian pure tone audiometry (BPTA).

12. The hearing device system according to claim 11, wherein the Bayesian pure tone audiometry (BPTA) comprises a probabilistic approach to estimate a hearing threshold of the user based on a weighted combination of Gaussian process components, wherein underlying weights of the Gaussian process components are based on an age of the user and a gender of the user.

13. The hearing device system according to claim 10, wherein the hearing threshold curve comprises a continuous function of frequency versus hearing threshold.

14. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the plurality of tones by adaptively determining the plurality of tones.

15. The hearing device system according to claim 14, wherein the processing unit is configured to adaptively determine the plurality of tones by adaptively selecting the plurality of tones.

16. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the order of the plurality of tones by adaptively determining the order of the plurality of tones.

17. The hearing device system according to claim 16, wherein the processing unit is configured to adaptively determine the order of the plurality of tones by adaptively selecting the order of the plurality of tones.

18. The hearing device system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tones comprises at least 20 tones.

19. A hearing device for compensating for a hearing loss of a user, the hearing device is configured to be worn at an ear of the user, wherein the hearing device is configured for testing a hearing capability of the user, the hearing device comprising: a processing unit is configured to determine a plurality of tones, and to determine an order of the plurality of tones; a tone generator configured to output the plurality of tones, where a first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user, and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user; an acoustic output transducer coupled to the tone generator, the acoustic output transducer configured to output audio signals for the user; and a user interface or a communication unit configured to receive an indication from the user indicating a perception of an audible tone by the user; wherein one of the tones comprises a new tone, and wherein the processing unit is configured to determine the new tone based on: whether a predefined number of preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user, and an estimated probability of whether the new tone will be audible or inaudible to the user.

20. A method for testing a hearing capability of a user of a hearing device, the method comprising: determining, by a processing unit, a plurality of tones and an order of the plurality of tones; outputting, by a tone generator, the plurality of tones, wherein a first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user; outputting, by an acoustic output transducer, audio signals for the user; and receiving an indication from the user indicating a perception of an audible tone by the user; wherein one of the plurality of tones comprises a new tone, and wherein the new tone is determined by the processing unit based on: whether a predefined number of preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user, and an estimated probability of whether the new tone will be audible or inaudible to the user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0128] The above and other features and advantages will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art by the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0129] FIG. 1a schematically illustrates an exemplary hearing device system 2.

[0130] FIG. 1b schematically illustrates an exemplary hearing device 20 for compensating for a hearing loss of a user 4.

[0131] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an exemplary method 100 for testing a user's hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities for use in a hearing device for the user.

[0132] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an exemplary “Bayesian pure-tone audiometry” method for determining a user's hearing threshold (HT).

[0133] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an exemplary simulation of estimation of a hearing threshold curve.

[0134] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an exemplary flowchart for a method according to the present disclosure.

[0135] FIG. 6 shows the accuracy of the BPTA method as a function of iterations in audiogram space and gain space without taking the improved user experience into account (dark curve) and taken the user experience into account (bright curve).

[0136] FIG. 7 shows the consecutive number of non-heard tones, percentage of less than 4 consecutive non-heard tones, as a function of number of iterations, simply a measure of waiting time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0137] Various embodiments are described hereinafter with reference to the figures. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Like elements will, thus, not be described in detail with respect to the description of each figure. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the claimed invention or as a limitation on the scope of the claimed invention. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described.

[0138] FIG. 1a schematically illustrates an exemplary hearing device system 2. The hearing device system 2 is for performing a test of a hearing device user's 4 hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's 4 hearing capabilities to be used for compensating for a hearing loss of the user 4. The hearing device system 2 comprises an acoustic output transducer 6 for outputting audio signals 8 in the ear of the user 4. The hearing device system 2 comprises a tone generator 10 for outputting a plurality of tones in the acoustic output transducer 6. A first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user 4 and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user 4. The hearing device system 2 comprises a user interface 12 configured for receiving an indication from the user 4 when a tone is audible. The hearing device system 2 comprises a processing unit 14 configured for: adaptively selecting the plurality of tones, and adaptively selecting an order of the plurality of tones. The adaptive selection of a new tone of the plurality of tones is based on: whether a predefined number of the preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user 4, and an estimated probability of whether the new tone is audible or inaudible to the user 4.

[0139] FIG. 1b schematically illustrates an exemplary hearing device 20 for compensating for a hearing loss of a user 4. The hearing device 20 is configured to be worn in an ear of the user 4. The hearing device 20 is further configured for performing a test of the user's 4 hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's 4 hearing capabilities to be used for the hearing compensation. The hearing device 20 comprises an acoustic output transducer 6 for outputting audio signals 8 in the ear of the user 4. The hearing device 20 comprises a tone generator 10 for outputting a plurality of tones in the acoustic output transducer 6. A first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user 4 and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user 4. The hearing device 20 comprises a user interface 12 and/or or a communication unit 16 for receiving an indication from the user 4 when a tone is audible. The hearing device 20 comprises a processing unit 14 configured for: adaptively selecting the plurality of tones, and adaptively selecting an order of the plurality of tones. The adaptive selection of a new tone of the plurality of tones is based on: whether a predefined number of the preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user 4, and an estimated probability of whether the new tone is audible or inaudible to the user 4.

[0140] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an exemplary method 100 for testing a user's hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities for use in a hearing device for the user. The method being performed in the hearing device system. The hearing device system comprises an acoustic output transducer for outputting audio signals in the ear of the user. The hearing device system comprises a tone generator for outputting a plurality of tones in the acoustic output transducer. A first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user. The hearing device system comprises a user interface configured for receiving an indication from the user when a tone is audible. The hearing device system comprises a processing unit configured for: adaptively selecting the plurality of tones, and adaptively selecting an order of the plurality of tones. The method comprises performing 102 an adaptive selection of a new tone of the plurality of tones based on: whether 104 a predefined number of the preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user, and an estimated probability 106 of whether the new tone is audible or inaudible to the user.

[0141] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an exemplary “Bayesian pure-tone audiometry” method for determining a user's hearing threshold (HT). The present embodiment takes a probabilistic approach to the pure-tone hearing threshold estimation problem. One can view the threshold estimation problem as a probabilistic inference problem. To that end, we put a Gaussian process prior on the hearing threshold curve. Moreover, according to the present disclosure, the user's responses to stimuli may be modelled by a probabilistic response model. This model describes how the user response depends on their hearing threshold and the presented test tone. Given the response model, approximate Bayesian inference techniques may be applied to approximate the posterior distribution of the hearing threshold. This may result in a “Bayesian pure-tone audiometry” method illustrated by FIG. 3. The Bayesian pure-tone audiometry method may incrementally decrease the uncertainty about the users hearing threshold curve by repeating the following steps: [0142] 1. Use the current (uncertain) estimate of the HT curve to determine the ‘optimal’ (most informative) next test tone. This tone may or may not be restricted to a set of standard frequencies. [0143] 2. Play the test tone and collect the user's 4 binary response: audible or non-audible. [0144] 3. Update the probabilistic estimate of the HT curve (i.e. approximate the posterior GP) based on the data collected so far.

[0145] These steps may be repeated until the uncertainty about the hearing threshold is sufficiently small. The fully probabilistic treatment of the estimation problem has some favourable properties:

[0146] An objective, information-theoretic criterion can be used to pick test tones such that the uncertainty is decreased as fast as possible. This minimizes the required number of trials to reach the desired accuracy.

[0147] Prior knowledge about the user's hearing threshold—for example based on age or medical history—can be leveraged to further decrease the number of required trials.

[0148] The complete threshold curve is inferred directly, instead of only inferring the thresholds at a set of standard frequencies.

[0149] The stopping criterium can be defined in an objective manner.

[0150] The method can be combined with other threshold estimation methods that take a probabilistic HT estimate as input.

[0151] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an exemplary simulation of estimation of a hearing threshold curve. Simulations have been performed in which it is shown to estimate an artificial hearing threshold curve. FIG. 4 depicts an example of the resulting ‘probabilistic’ audiograms after 7 (4b), 14 (4c), and 21 (4d) trials. FIG. 4a shows an audiogram based on a prior hearing threshold (HT) estimate. The narrow grey curve depicts the ‘true’ hearing threshold curve and the grey area covers 2 standard deviations of the user's response noise. The dark plusses and grey crosses represent test tones that were labelled as either audible (dark) or non-audible (grey). The grey line is the HT estimate based on the data so far, and the grey area depicts 2 standard deviations of the estimate uncertainty. The rate of convergence may obviously depend on the amount of noise in the response model. However, the method is robust in the sense that if the response model is sufficiently accurate, it will converge to the true hearing threshold curve in a minimum number of steps.

[0152] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an exemplary flowchart for a method according to some embodiments.

[0153] The method in FIG. 5 may be termed a “BPTA method” and it is intelligent in the way that it may always choose the frequency and sound intensity that will provide the most information regarding converging to the true hearing threshold curve of the person under test based on all previous trials.

[0154] The ‘standard audiometric frequencies’ may be a set of standardized frequencies that are common in audiometric use, hence: 125, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000 and 8000 Hz. A subset of these frequencies may be selected prior to performing the BPTA method.

[0155] The first task of the BPTA method may be to adjust the probability that a tone will be audible given the estimate of the hearing threshold, which affects the intensity of the suggested tones. By default, this may be set to ‘0’, which indicates to use intensities that match the estimated hearing threshold, the estimate being derived, e.g., from an audiogram taken prior to performing the BPTA method.

[0156] There may be two parts of the BPTA process, and these are described in the following. The first part may address the ‘housekeeping tasks’, e.g. ensuring that the user types in information related to age and gender prior to the audiometric process. This may provide the starting point of the audiometric process. A corresponding audiogram may be chosen based on age and gender if a personal audiogram is not available. This information may be extracted from a Gaussian modelling process on a large database, such as comprising about 80000 audiograms. The second part may address probabilities of the hearing thresholds for each of the subset of standardized frequencies. By default, the BPTA method may always propose a signal level near the expected hearing threshold of that person under test for a certain frequency. However, with the present improved user experience (UX) method, different probabilities can be selected. If the probability is set low, the algorithm may skew the suggested signal level towards the inaudible part of the hearing threshold. If the probability is set high, it may skew the suggested signal level towards the audible part of the hearing threshold. Note that the BPTA method may gain more new information the closer to the hearing threshold tones are tested. Therefore, there may always be the trade-off to consider of gaining new information with new tones but at the same time maintaining a good user experience, hence a good balance between heard and non-heard tones. Such trade-off was empirically evaluated by the applicant and led to the examples of numbers below.

[0157] The recommended settings for a specific hearing device may be: [0158] x=10, [0159] y1=z1=5 and a corresponding audibility probability of 15%, [0160] y2=z2=2 and a corresponding audibility probability of 85%.

[0161] The different ways of manipulating these mechanisms may be referred to as ‘mode-switching’. Three strategies for this have been implemented in applications used for pilot testing by the applicant and can be applied at the same time:

[0162] The modes may be defined in the five variables x, y1, z1, y2 and z2. In general, the modes may refer to:

[0163] Default mode, i.e., BPTA may be working as described in the original reference of the method described in Cox, M. and de Vries, B. 2016.

[0164] Improved UX mode, i.e., one or more of the three strategies may be active with the goal to improve user experience without compromising on accuracy.

[0165] A first mode-switching strategy may cover variable x:

For the first x tones the focus may be on those frequencies important for speech, e.g 1000-4000 Hz. This restriction may be released at the x+1st tone.

[0166] Hence, the algorithms may only select the frequencies 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 or 4000 Hz. As stated, the purpose may be to start with frequencies that are the most important for speech perception.

[0167] A second mode-switching strategy may cover the variables y1 and z1 and may address the situation where there are too many consecutive audible tones:

[0168] In order to “try to force an inaudible tone”, the audibility probability of the proposed tones may be adjusted to 15% after y1 consecutive, audible tones, and the subset of frequencies which the method is allowed to propose may be reduced to only those frequencies for which an inaudible response has not yet been observed after z1 consecutive audible tones.

[0169] A third mode-switching strategy may cover the variables y2 and z2 and may address the situation when there are too many consecutive inaudible tones:

[0170] In order to “try to force an audible tone”, the audibility probability of the proposed tones may be adjusted to 85% after y2 consecutive, inaudible tones, and the subset of frequencies which the method is allowed to propose may be reduced to those frequencies for which an audible response has not yet been observed after z2 consecutive inaudible tones.

[0171] For the first x tones the focus may be on those frequencies important for speech, e.g. 1000-4000 Hz. This restriction may be released at the x+1st tone.

[0172] The term ‘focus’ may imply that “the first x tones has to have a frequency in the range 1000-4000 Hz”. Thus, the BPTA system may be required to propose tones with frequencies in the range 1000-4000 Hz in the first x steps. After x tones, this requirement may be lifted so tones with lower or higher frequencies are also allowed. This requirement ensures that the hearing threshold level may be first estimated at the frequencies that are important for speech.

[0173] After y1 number of audible tones, all frequencies may be removed from the set allowed for frequency selection for which no inaudible responses have been recorded. The frequency set may, however, be restored to all frequencies configured for the process after an inaudible response has been obtained.

[0174] The value of the parameter y1 may be independent of the method description. For a specific hearing device, the recommended value of y1=5 may be based on empirical optimization through a set of simulations. The applicant found that setting y1=5 yielded the best performance in the simulations. During the simulations, this value provided a good trade-off between triggering the method when it was beneficial while not triggering it too often.

[0175] Frequencies may be removed from the set if no inaudible responses have been recorded. The main reason being that since those frequencies can be heard by the user it is unnecessary to repeat them, thus saving time. In this context, “the set” may relate to the set of frequencies that BPTA to choose from to propose the next test tone. The method may keep track of a set of frequencies that BPTA can choose from when proposing the next tone to test. If a frequency is removed from the set, BPTA may not propose tones with that frequency.

[0176] By default, the frequency set, i.e. the set of frequencies that BPTA can choose from when proposing tones, may contain the standard audiometric frequencies. However, the various mechanisms in the described method may adaptively add or remove frequencies from this set. If the frequency set is restored, it may be set back to the default (=standard audiometric frequencies).

[0177] After y2 number of inaudible tones all frequencies may be removed from the set allowed for frequency selection for which no audible responses have been recorded. The main reason being that since those frequencies cannot be heard by the user it is unnecessary to repeat them, thus saving time. The frequency set may be restored to all frequencies configured for the process after an audible response has been obtained.

[0178] The parameter y2 may be chosen in a manner similar to y1, through empirical optimization by simulations. In general, the parameters can be chosen by hand, optimized through simulations, or optimized through real-world experiments.

[0179] After z1 number of audible tones, the ‘audibility probability’ may be reduced closer to 0%, but not at 0%, to try and force an inaudible response. Once an inaudible response has been obtained, the audibility probability may be reset to the default selected for the process.

[0180] Both values of parameters z1 and z2 may be obtained through empirical optimization. They do not need to be equal, but testing has revealed that setting them to the same value provides the best performance. This is expected since both parameters determine when a mechanism is triggered to “force” an audible or inaudible tone.

[0181] After z2 number of inaudible tones, the ‘audibility probability’ may be increased closer to 100% to try and force an audible response. Once an audible response has been obtained, the audibility probability may be reset to the default probability selected for the process. This is also empirically determined. The audibility probabilities related to “inaudible” and “audible” tones are informed choices to increase the likelihood of the tone being evaluated at the desired audibility while still providing information to the system. Setting these to, say, 1% and 100% respectively, would make it very unlikely for the system to learn. The default setting of “the estimated threshold”, may be the “most informative”. The further evaluated tones deviate from this value, the less “informative” they may be.

[0182] The method is a tradeoff between accuracy and user experience given a fixed budget of stimuli, i.e., how many stimuli is a user willing to evaluate during a session. Typically, the same accuracy can also be acquired by extending the budget. However, that may arguably decrease the user experience as the procedure requires more investment from the user regarding time, attention, and patience. These methods are specifically designed for automated procedures in situations where a limited time investment is targeted to be required from an end-user, but where the completion of the procedure is a necessity for accurate functioning of systems further down the pipeline, e.g. the determination of compressor settings in a hearing instrument. In user trials, the applicant has observed people to get bored/disinterested when they don't hear enough variation in the tones, e.g. they always hear a tone, or they start doubting whether the system even works because they never hear a tone.

[0183] With the present method it is an aim to have a good balance between heard and non-heard tones such that the user has a satisfying experience, e.g. not too long pauses, and at the same time not compromising accuracy in the method itself. The improvement can be explained by a plot. Consider FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0184] FIG. 6 shows the accuracy of the BPTA method as a function of iterations in audiogram space (left column) and gain space (right column), without taking the improved user experience into account (red curve) and taken the user experience into account (bright curve). The accuracy is unaltered in both ways.

[0185] FIG. 6 shows accuracy as a function of iterations in audiogram space (left column) and gain space (right column) for simulations (top row) and a listening study (called TRL3) being an in silence listening study (bottom row).

[0186] Top left: Accuracy simulated in audiogram space as a function of iterations. Current settings of BPTA are reflected by the bright curve. The settings include the mode-switch and mid-frequency trials to improve the user-experience (UX). The dark curve represents performance when the UX improvements are disabled. The UX improvements do not impair the overall accuracy.

[0187] Top Right: Accuracy simulated in gain space as a function of iterations. Above 20 iterations the UX improvements do not impair the accuracy performance, but slight drawbacks are observed below 20 iterations.

[0188] Bottom left: Analysis of audiogram space for 11 participants in the TRL3 in silence study. Here 30 iterations are needed to have 90% of the audiograms within the success-criterium.

[0189] Bottom right: Analysis of gain space for 11 participants in the TRL3 in silence study. Here 20 iterations are needed to have 100% of the audiograms within the success-criterium of +−5 dB difference in gain.

[0190] FIG. 7 shows that the user experience is significantly improved. FIG. 7 shows the consecutive number of non-heard tones, percentage of less than 4 consecutive non-heard tones, as a function of number of iterations, simply a measure of waiting time. A higher value is desirable here, ensuring that there are not too long pauses due to non-heard tones. Here the bright curve, being the user experience improvement, overrules the dark curve, being neglecting the user experience, suggesting that the present method provides the desired user experience.

[0191] FIG. 7 shows consecutive number of non-heard tones (percentage of less than 4 consecutive non-heard tones) as a function of number of iterations. A higher value is desirable here ensuring that there are not too long pauses of non-heard tones.

[0192] Left: Simulation-based analysis. The bright line shows the effectiveness of having less non-heard tones compared to when this feature is turned off (dark line).

[0193] Right: TRL3 in silence study results match well the predicted performance from simulations.

[0194] Although particular features have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the claimed invention, and it will be made obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. The claimed invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

[0195] Items: [0196] 1. A hearing device system for performing a test of a hearing device user's hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities to be used for compensating for a hearing loss of the user, where the hearing device system comprises: [0197] an acoustic output transducer for outputting audio signals in the ear of the user; [0198] a tone generator for outputting a plurality of tones in the acoustic output transducer; where a first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user; [0199] a user interface configured for receiving an indication from the user when a tone is audible; [0200] a processing unit configured for: [0201] adaptively selecting the plurality of tones; and [0202] adaptively selecting an order of the plurality of tones; [0203] wherein the adaptive selection of a new tone of the plurality of tones is based on: [0204] whether a predefined number of the preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user; and [0205] an estimated probability of whether the new tone is audible or inaudible to the user. [0206] 2. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the adaptive selection of a new tone is based on between one and five preceding tones, preferably two preceding tones, being inaudible to the user before a probable audible tone is selected. [0207] 3. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the adaptive selection of a new tone is based on between two and eight preceding tones, preferably five preceding tones, being audible to the user before a probable inaudible tone is selected. [0208] 4. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the estimated probability of whether the new tone is audible to the user is between about 75% and about 95%, preferably about 85%, probability. [0209] 5. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the estimated probability of whether the new tone is inaudible to the user is between about 5% and about 25%, preferably about 15% probability. [0210] 6. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the plurality of tones are selected from a set of audiometric frequencies in a range from about 200 Hz to about 10 kHz, preferably including the frequencies 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 750 Hz, 1000 Hz, 1500 Hz, 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz, 4000 Hz, 6000 Hz, and 8000 Hz. [0211] 7. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the plurality of tones in a mid-frequency trial of the test are 10 tones selected from a subset of audiometric frequencies important for speech in the range from about 1 kHz to about 4 kHz, preferably including the frequencies 1000 Hz, 1500 Hz, 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz, 4000 Hz. [0212] 8. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the plurality of tones in the complete test is dependent of a predetermined confidence interval of the test, preferably at least 20 tones. [0213] 9. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities is estimated by Bayesian pure tone audiometry (BPTA). [0214] 10. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the Bayesian pure tone audiometry (BPTA) comprises a probabilistic approach to estimate the hearing threshold of the user based on a probabilistic model of the hearing threshold curve, consisting of a weighted combination of Gaussian process components that represent typical hearing threshold curves, the components being trained on a database of hearing threshold curves, where information including the user's age and gender is used to compute the underlying weights of the components, and where the BPTA estimates the user's hearing threshold curves as a smooth continuous function of frequency versus hearing threshold. [0215] 11. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the hearing device system is configured for performing the test of the user's hearing capabilities for providing the hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities by initiation from the user and without assistance from a hearing care professional. [0216] 12. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the processing unit is configured for generating the hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities to be used for the hearing compensation when the plurality of tones has been outputted according to the adaptive selection. [0217] 13. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the hearing device system comprises a hearing device configured to be worn in an ear of the user for compensating for the hearing loss of the user, and wherein the hearing device comprises the acoustic output transducer for outputting audio signals in the ear of the user. [0218] 14. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the processing unit is a first processing unit of the hearing device or a second processing unit of an electronic device. [0219] 15. The hearing device system according to any of the preceding items, wherein the user interface is provided at the hearing device, at an auxiliary device, and/or at an electronic device comprising a communication unit for communicating with a hearing device system communication unit. [0220] 16. A hearing device for compensating for a hearing loss of a user, the hearing device is configured to be worn in an ear of the user, where the hearing device is further configured for performing a test of the user's hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities to be used for the hearing compensation, where the hearing device comprises: [0221] an acoustic output transducer for outputting audio signals in the ear of the user; [0222] a tone generator for outputting a plurality of tones in the acoustic output transducer; where a first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user; [0223] a user interface or a communication unit for receiving an indication from the user when a tone is audible; [0224] a processing unit configured for: [0225] adaptively selecting the plurality of tones; and [0226] adaptively selecting an order of the plurality of tones; [0227] wherein the adaptive selection of a new tone of the plurality of tones is based on: [0228] whether a predefined number of the preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user; and [0229] an estimated probability of whether the new tone is audible or inaudible to the user. [0230] 17. A method for testing a user's hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities for use in a hearing device for the user, the method being performed in the hearing device system comprising: [0231] an acoustic output transducer for outputting audio signals in the ear of the user, [0232] a tone generator for outputting a plurality of tones in the acoustic output transducer; where a first set of the plurality of tones will be audible to the user and a second set of the plurality of tones will be inaudible to the user; [0233] a user interface configured for receiving an indication from the user when a tone is audible; [0234] a processing unit configured for: [0235] adaptively selecting the plurality of tones; and [0236] adaptively selecting an order of the plurality of tones; [0237] wherein the method comprises: [0238] performing an adaptive selection of a new tone of the plurality of tones based on: [0239] whether a predefined number of the preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user; and [0240] an estimated probability of whether the new tone is audible or inaudible to the user.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0241] 2 hearing device system [0242] 4 user [0243] 6 acoustic output transducer [0244] 8 audio signals [0245] tone generator [0246] 12 user interface [0247] 14 processing unit [0248] 20 hearing device [0249] 100 method for testing a user's hearing capabilities for providing a hearing threshold curve representing the user's hearing capabilities for use in a hearing device for the user; [0250] 201 method step of performing an adaptive selection of a new tone of the plurality of tones based on: whether 104 a predefined number of the preceding tones were audible or inaudible to the user, and an estimated probability 106 of whether the new tone is audible or inaudible to the user.