Spatialization for hearing evaluation
US6167138A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 5, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 26, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 5, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04R29/001
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A hearing evaluation and hearing aid fitting system provides a fully immersive three-dimensional acoustic environment to evaluate unaided, simulated aided, and aided hearing function of an individual. Digital filtering of signal sources representing speech and other sound stimuli according to selected models and signal processing parameters, such as audio sources, spatializing coordinates, acoustic boundaries, hearing aid simulations, and individualized transfer functions synthesizes a simulated acoustic condition for presentation to an individual for objective and subjective hearing evaluation. An intra-canal prosthesis incorporating a microphone probe is positioned in the ear canal to measure in-the-ear-canal responses at a common reference point near the tympanum during unaided, simulated aided, and aided hearing evaluation to provide measurements that directly correlate across all phases of hearing assessment during hearing aid fitting. A virtual electroacoustic audiometer computes hearing aid prescription based on unaided audiometric evaluation results and various reference measurements including in-the-ear canal responses to acoustic stimuli. The system synthesizes signals re…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.