Automated assessment and adjustment of tinnitus-masker impact on speech intelligibility during use
AssigneeStarkey Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsChristophe D. Micheyl, Sridhar Kalluri
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Abstract
Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for automated assessment and adjustment of tinnitus-masker impact on speech intelligibility during use of the tinnitus-masker. In various embodiments, a method of fitting a tinnitus-masker device for a patient is provided. The method includes using a speech intelligibility model to predict impact of therapy provided by the tinnitus-maker device on speech understanding of the patient. A parameter of the tinnitus-masker device is automatically adjusted during use to reduce the impact of the therapy provided by the tinnitus-maker device on speech understanding of the patient, according to various embodiments.
Claims20
A method of using a tinnitus-masker device for a patient, the method comprising:
- using a speech intelligibility model to compute a first speech intelligibility score without a tinnitus-masking therapy provided by the device and a second speech intelligibility score with the tinnitus masking therapy;
- computing a difference between the first and second speech intelligibility scores;
- and
- if the difference exceeds a programmable threshold, automatically adjusting a parameter of the tinnitus-masker device during use of the device to reduce the impact of the therapy provided by the tinnitus-masker device on speech understanding of the patient.
A tinnitus masking hearing device for a patient, the device comprising:
- a sound generator configured to provide tinnitus masking therapy;
- and
- a processor connected to the sound generator, the processor programmed with instructions to perform:
- using a speech intelligibility model to compute a first speech intelligibility score for speech without a tinnitus masking therapy provided by the tinnitus masking hearing device;
- using the speech intelligibility model to compute a second speech intelligibility score for speech with the tinnitus masking therapy provided by the tinnitus masking hearing device;
- computing a difference between the first speech intelligibility score and the second speech intelligibility score;
- and
- if the difference exceeds a programmable threshold, adjusting a parameter of the tinnitus-masker device to reduce the impact of the therapy provided by the tinnitus-masker device on speech understanding of the patient.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by processing circuitry of a tinnitus masking hearing device for a patient, the operations including:
- using a speech intelligibility model to compute a first speech intelligibility score for speech without a tinnitus masking therapy provided by the tinnitus masking hearing device;
- using the speech intelligibility model to compute a second speech intelligibility score for speech with the tinnitus masking therapy provided by the tinnitus masking hearing device;
- computing a difference between the first speech intelligibility score and the second speech intelligibility score;
- and
- if the difference exceeds a programmable threshold, adjusting a parameter of the tinnitus-masker device to reduce the impact of the therapy provided by the tinnitus-masker device on speech understanding of the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.