Apparatus and method for estimation of eardrum sound pressure based on secondary path measurement

US11558703B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Starkey Laboratories, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Wenyu Jin · Munich, DE
• Henning Schepker · Oldenburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 30, 2021
• Grant date: Jan 17, 2023
• Expiry date: Sep 30, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04R2460/05
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Secondary path measurements and associated acoustic transducer-to-eardrum responses are obtained from test subjects. Both a least squares estimate and a reduced dimensionality estimate are determined that both estimate a relative transfer function between the secondary path measurements and the associated acoustic transducer-to-eardrum responses. An individual secondary path measurement for a user is performed based on a test signal transmitted via a hearing device into an ear canal of the user. An individual cutoff frequency for the individual secondary path measurement is determined. First and second acoustic transducer-to-eardrum responses below and above the cutoff frequency are determined using the individual secondary path measurement and the least squares estimate. A sound pressure level at an eardrum of the user can be predicted using the first and second receiver-to-eardrum responses.