METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE REQUIRED OR IDEAL LENGTH OF A CABLE IN A HEARING AID

Abstract

The use of the correct, required length of a cable in a hearing aid substantially contributes to the wearing comfort of the hearing aid. At least one ear depiction of an ear is created by a camera. An associated ear geometry is determined on the basis of the ear depiction. The required length of the cable for the hearing aid can in turn be determined by use of the ear geometry.

Claims

1. A method for determining a required length of a cable in a hearing aid being worn on an ear, which comprises the steps of: creating at least one ear depiction by means of a camera; determining an ear geometry on a basis of the at least one ear depiction; and determining the required length of the cable on a basis of the ear geometry.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises comparing the ear geometry and a geometry of the hearing aid, so that the required length of the cable is determined therefrom.

3. The method according to claim 2, which further comprises providing an algorithm that compares the ear geometry and the geometry of the hearing aid.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hearing aid is a hearing aid wearable behind the ear.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable leads from the hearing aid to an auditory canal of the ear or vice versa.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the camera creates the at least one ear depiction and a three-dimensional ear geometry is determined therefrom.

7. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises comparing a reference object having previously known geometric dimensions to the at least one ear depiction, so that the ear geometry is determined or co-determined on a basis of a comparison.

8. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises comparing the at least one ear depiction to previously stored other ear depictions, in which the ear geometry is known, so that the ear geometry is thus determined or co-determined.

9. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises displaying the at least one ear depiction and/or the ear geometry on a display device, and various dimensions or lengths of cables are placed as an optical image or as a three-dimensional graphic on a representation of the at least one ear depiction.

10. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises outputting the required length of the cable in relation to the ear geometry as a length specification on a display device.

11. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises outputting the required length of the cable in relation to the ear geometry as an indexed number on a display device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable has an electrical conductor.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable has a receiver at one end.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cable is formed as a tube with a cavity formed therein.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an embodiment of a sequence of a method according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a further embodiment of the sequence of the method according to the invention;

[0029] FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are illustrations showing various options to determine ear geometries; and

[0030] FIG. 6 is an illustration showing an exemplary camera having a lens system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown schematically the possible sequence of an embodiment of the method according to the invention. First, at least one ear depiction 6 of an ear 2 is created. This is carried out by means of a camera 4. The camera 4 can in this case be a conventional photo camera, a video camera, a film camera, or another device for recording and storing images. The ear depiction 6 is stored, for example, on a computer, smart phone 8, or similar digital device which permits the storage, display, and processing of images.

[0032] The geometry of the ear 2 is determined on the basis of the one or more ear depictions 6. This is carried out, for example, by means of various ear depictions 6 from different perspectives. It is also possible to determine the ear geometry from only one ear depiction 6. The ear depictions 6 can be compared to ear depictions stored previously in a database 10 to obtain the most accurate possible image of the ear geometry.

[0033] The ear geometry is the most detailed possible description of the ear 2. It can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Various noteworthy points and/or shapes of the ear 2 are considered to obtain the most accurate possible depiction of the ear 2 in the form of an ear geometry for the subsequent determination of the cable length.

[0034] In other words, on the basis of the ear depiction(s) 6, as much data as possible on the ear shape, ear size, dimensioning of the ear in relation to the head or other reference points are collected and evaluated. Specific reference points on the ear can also be abstracted, which are placed along components of the ear 2, for example, along the tragus, antitragus, etc. These can be related to one another to subsequently abstract the ear geometry therefrom. This will be explained on the basis of an example in FIG. 5.

[0035] Subsequently, a required length of a cable 14 can be determined on the basis of the ear geometry, which is to lead from a hearing aid 12 into the auditory canal of the ear 2. In another embodiment, the ear geometry can be compared to the previously known geometrical data of a selected hearing aid 12 and the length of a cable 14 can be determined therefrom. A so-called receiver 16, a hearing aid loudspeaker, is typically located on the ear-side end of the cable 14. The cable 14 connects hearing aid 12 and receiver 16. Because the geometries of ear 2 and hearing aid 12 are known, the ideal or required length of the cable 14 is hereby determined. Without such a procedure, the cables are often too short or too long and annoying to the user of the hearing aid 12.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the method, wherein the determination of the ear geometry is carried out on a computer or remote server 18. For example, a person photographs their ear 2 at least once by means of the camera of a smart phone. These photos represent ear depictions 6, which are sent wirelessly to a remote server 18. This server then automatically carries out the determination of the ear geometry and the subsequent determination of the required cable length as described. Additionally, or alternatively, the ear geometry can be compared to the geometry of a hearing aid 12 to achieve a higher accuracy. In other words, an ear 2 and a hearing aid 12 are thus compared in the corresponding size relationship without a hearing aid acoustician (healthcare professional) being required.

[0037] In another embodiment, an algorithm is used to determine the ideal cable length based on the method according to the invention. An algorithm determines on the basis of the ear geometry which is the ideal cable length in the respective case. The correspondingly established cable length can subsequently be displayed or indicated on a display device such as a computer. In a further embodiment, an algorithm accesses the database 10, in which prior comparisons between ear depictions and ear geometries determined therefrom having the respective matching cable lengths are stored. The algorithm compares the ear depiction 6 and/or the ear geometry here to the prior ones which are stored in the database 10. This improves the quality of the result. Additionally, or alternatively, the algorithm can compare the ear geometry to the geometry of a hearing aid 12 to achieve a higher accuracy.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows multiple ear depictions 6. Various reference objects are also located on the ear depictions 6 here. The reference objects can be real or virtual objects. A reference object is, for example, a coin 22 or a ruler 24. It can also be a specific graphic object 26. In this example, the graphic object 26 has square fields having different color tones.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment for determining the ear geometry. A virtually drawn line having starting point and end point, shown as an arrow 28 or similar illustration, of which the length or the dimensions are known, can be used as a reference object.

[0040] In a further embodiment, the ear depictions 6 are provided digitally and are processed on a computer or similar device. The reference objects are also provided as a digital depiction having real size scale in a database 10, to which the computer has access. An arbitrary reference object such as a ruler 24 can thus be placed on the ear depiction 6. The scale of the ruler 24 corresponds to the scale of the ear depiction 6. The size of the ear 2 can thus be concluded starting from the reference object. In other words, the ear geometry can thus be determined with additional aid of a reference object.

[0041] In a further embodiment, a reference object is placed in the vicinity of the ear 2 during the creation of the ear depiction 6 by means of a camera 4, so that it can also be seen on the ear depiction 6. The dimensions of the ear 2 can thus be concluded from the known dimensions of the reference object and thus its ear geometry can be determined.

[0042] In a further embodiment, based on the method according to the invention, the ear depiction 6 is compared to previously stored other ear depictions in which the ear geometry is known. These previously stored ear depictions are retrievable, for example, from a database 10. Starting from the previously known ear depictions, a comparison can be executed automatically by means of an algorithm, which subsequently selects the appropriate corresponding ear geometry.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows two different ear depictions 6, wherein a reference point system 30 is arranged on each of the ears 2. In the reference point systems 30, individual reference points 32 are linked to one another. The distances of the reference points 32 in the reference point systems 30 are known or can be approximately determined. In this embodiment of the method according to the invention, the reference points 32 have been placed at various relevant positions on the ears 2, for example, the tragus, the antitragus, etc. The pattern of the reference points 32 thus resulting, thus the reference point systems 30, is correlated with the ideal cable length. The ideal cable length can thus be determined on the basis of this relation of the reference points 32 in the reference point systems 30.

[0044] Depending on the positioning of the reference points 32 in this embodiment of the method according to the invention, the ear geometry can moreover be determined three-dimensionally. In accordance with the need for accuracy, this can be carried out approximately by means of estimated distances or only distances, which are measured on the basis of the ear depiction 6, of the positions of the reference points 32 in relation to one another.

[0045] This method can be implemented as an automated, teachable method, so-called machine learning. By frequently carrying out and storing the method, a teachable algorithm can recognize the most accurate possible placement of the reference points 32 on the ear depictions 6 therefrom and carry it out itself. The method can thus be carried out without additional human steps for the placement of the reference points 32 and the creation of the reference point system 30.

[0046] FIG. 6 shows by way of example a camera 4 having a lens system 34 made up of multiple lenses. The lenses are spaced apart from one another. Such a camera can make multiple ear depictions 6 of an ear 2 at the same time.

[0047] Each of the ear depictions 6 is thus displayed from an at least slightly offset angle. A three-dimensional ear geometry can be derived therefrom.

[0048] Depending on the camera 4 used, its respective components, for example, the lens shapes, sensor sizes, etc. are known. Additional conclusions about the distance or size of the photographed object, in this case the ear 2, can be calculated by means of different variables such as depth of field, focal length, etc. and the technical data of the components. This contributes to determining the ear geometry.

[0049] For all exemplary embodiments, the ear geometry can be at least approximately estimated depending on the quality, for example, of the ear depiction 6. An absolutely accurate determination of the ear geometry is not always necessary. It is sufficient if the required or ideal cable length of a cable 14 for a selected hearing aid 12 can be determined from the determined values. The required or ideal cable length is not necessarily a fixed variable in the form of a specific length specification. The required or ideal cable length can also be a relative length range or indexed lengths. For example, predefined lengths numbered or identified by the references such as 0 to 5. However, simple length ranges are also possible, for example, from 3.5 cm to 4 cm.

[0050] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0051] 2 ear [0052] 4 camera [0053] 6 ear depiction [0054] 8 smart phone [0055] 10 database [0056] 12 hearing aid [0057] 14 cable [0058] 16 receiver [0059] 18 remote server [0060] 22 coin [0061] 24 ruler [0062] 26 graphic object [0063] 28 arrow vector [0064] 30 reference point system [0065] 32 reference point [0066] 34 lens system