A Method For Hearing Performance Assessment and Hearing System

Abstract

Provided is a method for hearing performance assessment of a user wearing a hearing system (10) comprising at least one hearing aid. Said method comprises the steps of picking up (12; 12, 12) sound from the environment thus providing a signal, processing (16; 16, 16) the signal thus obtaining a processed signal, and presenting (14; 14, 14) the processed signal to the user by a speaker of the bearing aid. Said processing comprises applying at least one type of modulation to the signal.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A method for performing a hearing device assessment, the method comprising: receiving, via the hearing device, a sound signal from a real life environment; modulating, via the hearing device, the received sound signals; providing, via a hearing aid device, the received sound signal to a user; providing, via the hearing aid device, the modulated sound signal to the user; and determining whether the user hears a difference between the received sound signal and the modulated sound signal based on receiving feedback from the user indicating the user heard a modulation difference.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein modulating includes at least one of the following: modulated of an amplitude of the sound signal; modulation of center frequencies of the sound signal; and modulation of a phase difference; or any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the hearing aid device is a right hearing aid device, and wherein the method further comprises: providing, via a left hearing device, the received sound signal to the user; providing, via a left hearing device, the modulated sound signal to a user; and determining whether the user hears a difference between the received sound signal and the modulated sound signal based on receiving feedback from the user indicating the user heard the difference in either the left or right hearing device.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program comprises a method for performing a hearing device assessment, the computer readable program comprises: receiving, via the hearing device, a sound signal from a real life environment; modulating, via the hearing device, the received sound signals; providing, via a hearing aid device, the received sound signal to a user; providing, via the hearing aid device, the modulated sound signal to the user; and determining whether the user hears a difference between the received sound signal and the modulated sound signal based on receiving feedback from the user indicating the user heard a modulation difference.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein modulating includes at least one of the following: modulated of an amplitude of the sound signal; modulation of center frequencies of the sound signal; and modulation of a phase difference; or any combination thereof.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the hearing aid device is a right hearing aid device, and the computer readable program further comprises: providing, via a left hearing device, the received sound signal to the user; providing, via a left hearing device, the modulated sound signal to a user; and determining whether the user hears a difference between the received sound signal and the modulated sound signal based on receiving feedback from the user indicating the user heard the difference in either the left or right hearing device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings jointly illustrating various exemplary embodiments which are to be considered in connection with the following detailed description. What is shown in the figures is the following:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between spectral levels and frequency in the case of applying amplitude modulation and center frequency modulation, each modulation applied to distinct frequency ranges of the input signal;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between spectral levels and frequency in the case of applying amplitude modulations, each modulation applied to two frequency ranges of the input signal separated from each other;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating modulation detection threshold values recorded at a plurality of spectral levels;

[0034] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating spatial modulation, and

[0035] FIGS. 5A,B are schematic diagrams representing binaural and monaural hearing systems, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship of spectral levels versus frequency in the case of applying amplitude modulation and center frequency modulation, each modulation applied to distinct frequency ranges of the input signal separated from each other. In a frequency range indicated by reference sign 1, amplitude modulation of the input signal is performed. In a different frequency range indicated by reference sign 2, center frequency modulation of the input signal is performed. Both modulations refer to spectral audibility and spectral discriminability of sounds. Spectral audibility (refer to frequency range 1) is measured by successively applying a short amplitude modulation during a short time interval, for example one second. The user is prompted to listen to this modulation and to indicate whether this modulation is audible or not. The spectral distinguishability (refer to frequency range 2) is measured the same way as spectral audibility, however, instead of amplitude modulation, spectral peak modulation is applied with its center frequency being varied.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship of spectral levels versus frequency in the case of applying amplitude modulations, each modulation applied to distinct frequency ranges of the input signal. Contrary to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. 1, solely amplitude modulations of spectral components (refer to frequency ranges 1 and 2) of the input signal are performed, which frequency ranges are spaced apart from each other and may be different in bandwidth. In particular, frequency range 1 is smaller in bandwidth than frequency range 2. While not shown, amplitude modulation can also be applied to the complete frequency bandwidth of the hearing aid.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating plots showing values of modulation detection thresholds recorded at different spectral levels. In this diagram, the plot of hearing system user data is indicated by cycles, wherein the plot of normal hearing reference data is indicated by crosses. The modulation detection thresholds depend on input levels. According to the invention, modulation detection thresholds of the user wearing the hearing system are each measured based on several input levels or input level ranges. The normal hearing reference data is used for calculating real life disability in modulation detection.

[0039] The modulation detection thresholds, which are part of the described hearing performance testing assessment principle, depend on acoustic properties of the signal being processed by the hearing aid. Said acoustic properties of the signal comprise spectral levels and modulation spectrum of the spectral bands of the signal, especially of that part which is selected for the modulation detection assessment.

[0040] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing spatial modulation. In this diagram, the upper part of the figure, indicated by reference sign 3, shows modulation of relative delay of left and right hearing aids. Further, the lower part of the figure, indicated by reference sign 4, shows modulation of relative level of the left and right hearing aids. The modulation types both refer to discriminability of spatial hearing. According to an aspect of the invention, the hearing system is capable to apply both types of modulation, wherein the parameters thereof are set differently. Parameters of the modulation can comprise depths of the modulation and the frequency or period of the modulation.

[0041] FIG. 5A shows a schematic configuration of the signal processing path of a binaural hearing system 10 comprising two hearing aids, illustrating the signal path between microphones and receivers. A sound to signal conversion step 12, 12 is performed by microphones. The signal processing within the hearing system 10 comprises a hearing loss compensation step 16, 16. Finally, a signal to sound conversion step 14, 14 is performed by the receivers. According to an aspect of the invention, the at least one type of modulation of the signal can be applied before the hearing loss compensation step 16, 16, i.e. in a location of the signal path indicated by reference sign A. As an alternative, the at least one type of modulation of the one or more acoustic properties of input signals can be applied subsequent to hearing loss compensation means 16, 16, i.e. in a location of the signal path indicated by a reference sign B. Hence, the inventive hearing performance testing measurement schemes can be applied to the unprocessed signal (location A) or to the processed signal (location B). The first application variant allows to determine if different processing schemes do affect discrimination abilities of the user differently. The second application variant allows to determine the users aided discrimination abilities for auditory signals.

[0042] While these variants have been described for a binaural hearing system, the concept of applying a modulation prior or after the step of hearing loss compensation can be used also within a single hearing aid or rather monaural hearing system 10 as shown in FIG. 5B. In particular, FIG. 5B shows a schematic configuration of the signal processing path of a monaural hearing system 10 comprising one hearing aid, illustrating the signal path between microphones and receivers. A sound to signal conversion step 12 is performed by microphones. The signal processing within the monaural hearing system 10 comprises a hearing loss compensation step 16. Finally, a signal to sound conversion step 14 is performed by the receivers. According to an aspect of the invention, the at least one type of modulation of the signal can be applied before the hearing loss compensation step 16, i.e. in a location of the signal path indicated by reference sign A. As an alternative, the at least one type of modulation of the one or more acoustic properties of input signals can be applied subsequent to hearing loss compensation means 16, i.e. in a location of the signal path indicated by a reference sign B.

[0043] An exemplary application of the inventive functionality can be as follows:

1) The user is in a soundscape comprising sound properties, i.e. spectral levels and modulation spectrum, allowing the inventive hearing system to recognize them as one of its acoustic cases where to check modulation sensibility of the user.
2) In a next step, the hearing system prompts the user by means of a signal which the user has learnt to be indicating that now an audible or inaudible modification to the sound is applied, for example a jingle.
3) Afterwards, during a subsequent short time period, for example 3 seconds, the user listens and checks whether he hears a modification or not.
4) Afterwards, the user notifies the hearing system via an input means if he has heard a sound modification or not.

[0044] An additional application of the exemplary functionality can be as follows: The user is introduced to different kinds of sound modifications, wherein the modifications are applied strongly, i.e. a large modulation depth at highly perceivable modulation rates, to sounds with which the user can easily perceive the modulations, for example white noise for amplitude modulation and spatial modulation, for example synthesized stationary vowels, for formant modulation.

[0045] The inventive method as well as the inventive hearing system enable users and hearing aid fitters as well as respective experts or developers to perform highly specific hearing performance analysis in real life. Advantageously, modulation detection testing can be executed for different acoustic properties of different parts or kinds of input signals. Real life testing involves a large advantage over laboratory testing, since the sounds, involving the material for discrimination testing, are the ones which the hearing impaired user lives with. Therefore, compared to the prior art, there are remarkably less validity questions to be answered. Hence, everyday life hearing performance can be checked easily in everyday's situation. The invention provides a method and a hearing system allowing increased valid real life assessments of hearing or fitting solutions. In other words, hearing performance assessment can be executed with examples of relevant sounds taken from real life or directly in real life.