Hearing aid, computing device, and method for selecting a hearing aid profile

Abstract

A hearing aid includes a microphone to convert sounds into electrical signals, a transceiver configured to communicate with a computing device through a wireless communication channel, and a processor coupled to the microphone and the transceiver. The hearing aid further includes a memory accessible to the processor and configured to store a table including plurality of hearing aid profile identifiers (IDs). Each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs corresponds to a respective one of a plurality of hearing aid profiles. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to identify a hearing aid profile ID from the table based on a sound sample, retrieve a hearing aid profile from the computing device using the hearing aid profile ID, and apply the hearing aid profile to modulate an audio output signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hearing aid comprising:
 a microphone to convert sounds into electrical signals; 
 a transceiver configured to communicate with a computing device through a wireless communications channel; 
 a processor coupled to the microphone and the transceiver; 
 a memory accessible to the processor and configured to store a lookup table including a plurality of hearing aid profile identifiers (IDs) and a plurality of usability values, each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of hearing aid profiles and each of the plurality of usability values corresponding to one of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs, the memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations of:
 comparing a value related to a sound sample to a baseline value to determine a difference; 
 when the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold for a predetermined period of time, 
 identifyidentifying a hearing aid profile ID from the lookup table based on athe sound sample by comparing a parameter associated with the sound sample to at least one of the plurality of usability values to identify an approximate match;, 
 retrieveretrieving a hearing aid profile from the computing device using the hearing aid profile ID;, and 
 applyapplying the hearing aid profile instead of a previously selected hearing aid profile to modulate an audio output signal; and 
 
 when the difference is not greater than the predetermined threshold for the predetermined period of time,
 applying the previously selected hearing aid profile to modulate the audio output signal, and 
 repeating the operations performed by the processor by comparing a value related to another sound sample to the baseline value to determine the difference. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The hearing aid of  claim 1 , wherein each of the usability values includes one or more values for determining suitability of a hearing aid profile to the sound sample. 
     
     
       3. The hearing aid of  claim 1 , wherein the usability values include an average volume. 
     
     
       4. The hearing aid of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the memory includes a first plurality of hearing aid profiles; 
 the computing device includes a second plurality of hearing aid profiles; and 
 the plurality of hearing aid profiles includes the first and second pluralities of hearing aid profiles. 
 
     
     
       5. The hearing aid of  claim 1 , wherein the memory includes second instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 detect a change in an acoustic environment based on the electrical signals; and 
 identify the hearing aid profile ID from the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs in response to detecting the change. 
 
     
     
       6. The hearing aid of  claim 1 , wherein the processor stores the hearing aid profile as an active hearing aid profile in the memory in response to receiving the hearing aid profile from the computing device. 
     
     
       7. The hearing aid of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a speaker including an input coupled to the processor for receiving the audio output signal; and 
 the processor applies the hearing aid profile to the electrical signals to produce a shaped output signal, wherein the shaped output signal is reproduced as sound by the speaker. 
 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 receiving a one or more sound sample samples; 
 comparing values related to the sound samples to a baseline value until a value associated with one of the sound samples differs from the baseline value by a predetermined amount for a predetermined period of time; 
 identifying a hearing aid profile identifier (ID) from a table including a plurality of hearing aid profile identifiers (IDs) and a plurality of usability values by comparing a parameter associated with the one of the sound sample samples to at least one of the plurality of usability values to identify an approximate match, each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of hearing aid profiles and each of the plurality of usability values corresponding to one of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs; and 
 sending a request including the hearing aid profile ID to a computing device through a communication channel to retrieve a hearing aid profile that corresponds to the heating aid profile ID during operation. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving the one or more sound sample samples at a processor of a hearing aid; 
 comparing a value related to the sound sample to a baseline value to determine a first difference; and 
 when the first difference is greater than a threshold, executing instructions to compare one or more parameters of the sound sample to parameters corresponding to each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs to identify the hearing aid profile to request from the computing device. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  9  8, wherein the parameters corresponding to each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs usability values are representative of suitability of a hearing aid profile to the one of the sound sample samples. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim  9  8, wherein the parameters corresponding to each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs usability values and the hearing aid profile IDs are stored in a lookup table. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  9  8, wherein the parameters corresponding to each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs usability values include at least one frequency range. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim  9  8, wherein the parameters corresponding to each of the plurality of hearing aid profile IDs usability values include a frequency average. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein sending the request comprises:
 generating a hearing aid profile request including the hearing aid profile ID and associated instructions; and 
 sending the hearing aid profile request to the computing device through the communication channel to retrieve the hearing aid profile from a plurality of hearing aid profiles stored in a memory of the computing device. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of claim  9  8, wherein, when the hearing aid profile is not identified, the method further comprises:
 generating an alert including data related to the a sound-related signal; and 
 sending the alert to the computing device through the communication channel. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving the hearing aid profile from the computing device through the communication channel is response to sending the request; and 
 applying the hearing aid profile to the a sound-related signal using the processor of the hearing aid. 
 
     
     
       17. A hearing aid, comprising:
 at least one memory and processor;   means for receiving and converting sounds into electrical signals; and   means for wirelessly communicating with a remote computing device,   wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
 comparing values related to sound samples received by the means for receiving and converting sounds to a baseline value until a value associated with one of the sound samples differs from the baseline value by a predetermined amount for a predetermined period of time; and 
 identifying a hearing aid profile identifier (ID) from a lookup table stored in the memory by comparing a parameter associated with the one of the sound samples to one or more usability values and identifying an approximate match, wherein each usability value corresponds to a selected hearing aid profile ID; and 
 applying a hearing aid profile corresponding to the identified hearing aid profile ID to shape acoustic signals and produce a modified audio output signal for playback. 
   
     
     
       18. The hearing aid of claim 17 wherein:
 the memory is configured to store a first set of hearing aid profiles;   the remote computing device is configured to store a second set of hearing aid profiles; and   the operation of applying a hearing aid profile corresponding to the identified hearing aid profile ID comprises selectively retrieving the hearing aid profile from one of the memory of the hearing aid or a memory of the remote computing device.   
     
     
       19. The hearing aid of claim 18 wherein the remote computing device is a smart phone. 
     
     
       20. The hearing aid of claim 18 wherein the second set of hearing aid profiles includes a greater number of profiles than the first set of hearing aid profiles stored. 
     
     
       21. The hearing aid of claim 17 wherein the usability value associated with each hearing aid profile ID represents one or more characteristics associated with an acoustic environment of the one of the sound samples including frequency content range, an average amplitude range, an average background noise range, a peak amplitude, sound pressure, durational information, an average volume, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       22. The hearing aid of claim 17 wherein the hearing aid profile comprises a set of acoustic configuration settings, configured for use by the processor, to shape the acoustic signals, and wherein the acoustic configuration settings include directionality adjustments to focus the directionality of the means receiving and converting sounds. 
     
     
       23. The hearing aid of claim 17 wherein the hearing aid profile comprises a set of acoustic configuration settings, configured for use by the processor, to shape the acoustic signals, and wherein the acoustic configuration settings include noise-filtering features configured to utilize signal-to-noise ratios and/or sound pressure to shape the acoustic signals. 
     
     
       24. The hearing aid of claim 17 wherein the memory includes second instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 storing the hearing aid profile corresponding to the identified hearing aid profile ID as an active hearing aid profile in the memory of the hearing aid.   
     
     
       25. The hearing aid of claim 17 wherein the sound samples are received periodically by the means for receiving and converting sounds. 
     
     
       26. A method, comprising:
 receiving one or more sound samples, via a hearing aid, from a current acoustic environment of a user;   comparing values related to the sound samples to a baseline value until a value associated with an individual one of the sound samples differs from the baseline value by a predetermined amount for a predetermined period of time; and
 comparing a parameter associated with the individual one of the sound samples to at least one of a plurality of usability values and identifying an approximate match, wherein each usability value corresponds to a selected hearing aid profile identifier (ID) stored in a lookup table in memory of the hearing aid; 
 selectively retrieving, during operation of the hearing aid, a hearing aid profile corresponding to the identified hearing aid profile ID. 
   
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, further comprising producing a modified audio output signal for the user by applying, via a processor of the hearing aid, the hearing aid profile to a sound-related signals. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 26 wherein selectively retrieving the hearing aid profile comprises retrieving the hearing aid profile from memory of the hearing aid. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 26 wherein selectively retrieving the hearing aid profile comprises retrieving the hearing aid profile from a memory of a remote computing device. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 26 wherein selectively retrieving the hearing aid profile comprises retrieving the hearing aid profile from a memory of a smart phone. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 26 wherein selectively retrieving the hearing aid profile comprises retrieving the hearing aid profile from a memory of a mobile computing device.