# US 2017/0289714 A1 · Customization of bone conduction hearing devices

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- Number: US 2017/0289714 A1
- Document ID: US20170289714A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/631,805
- Filed: 2017-06-23
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2008-08-12
- Assignees: Cochlear Limited
- Inventors: Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt; Gunnar Kristian Asnes
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170289714A1

## CPC

- H04R 25/70: {Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting}
- H04R 25/505: {using digital signal processing}
- H04R 25/554: {using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils}
- H04R 25/606: {acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window}
- A61B 5/1101: {Detecting tremor}
- A61B 5/121: {evaluating hearing capacity}
- A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
- A61F 2310/00: Prostheses classified in A61F2/28 or A61F2/30 - A61F2/44 being constructed from or coated with a particular material
- H04R 2225/43: Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
- H04R 2460/13: Hearing devices using bone conduction transducers
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to recipient customization of a bone conducting hearing device. Customization of the bone conducting hearing device may include attaching the bone conducting hearing device to a recipient, establishing communication between the hearing device and an external device, generating at least one control setting with the external device, and storing the at least one control setting in a memory device in the hearing device.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-30. (canceled)

### Claim 31

A method, comprising:
placing a remote computing device into signal communication with a bone conduction device;
obtaining data based on the recipient's ability to perceive sound at a frequency with the bone conduction device operating at a given output level;
utilizing the remote computing device, generating a control setting based on the obtained data;
communicating the control setting to the bone conduction device; and
storing the communicated control setting in the bone conduction device.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein:
the remote computing device is a fitting system.

### Claim 33 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, further comprising:
attaching the bone conduction device to the recipient prior to placing the remote computing device into signal communication with the bone conduction device.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein:
the action of placing the remote computing device into signal communication with the bone conduction device is executed while the bone conduction device is attached to the recipient.

### Claim 35 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein:
the action of placing the remote computing device into signal communication with the bone conduction device includes attaching a signal cable to the bone conduction device.

### Claim 36 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein:
the action of obtaining data includes obtaining data based on the recipient's ability to perceive sound at a plurality of frequencies.

### Claim 37 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein:
the action of obtaining data includes causing the bone conduction device to vibrate to evoke a hearing percept in the recipient, the hearing percept being based on the frequency.

### Claim 38

A method, comprising:
setting a control regime for a bone conduction hearing prosthesis, including:
evoking respective hearing percepts in a recipient with the bone conduction device at respective different frequencies, wherein the bone conduction device is attached to the recipient;
obtaining data based on the evoked hearing percepts;
using the obtained data in correlation with the respective different frequencies, developing control settings for the bone conduction device hearing prosthesis; and
storing the control settings in the bone conduction hearing prosthesis.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, further comprising:
placing a remote computing device into signal communication with the bone conduction hearing prosthesis;
using the remote computing device to develop the control settings; and
using the remote computing device, communicating the developed control settings to the bone conduction hearing prosthesis so that the control settings can be stored in the bone conduction device.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, further comprising:
using the obtained data in correlation with the respective different frequencies to identify a resonance frequency of the bone conduction device when attached to the recipient, wherein the action of developing the control settings is also based on the identified resonance frequency.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, further comprising:
utilizing the bone conduction device to evoke hearing percepts based on ambient sound using the stored control settings.

### Claim 42 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, further comprising:
subsequent to the action of storing the control settings, using the bone conduction hearing prosthesis to evoke a hearing percept with the prosthesis using the stored control settings;
obtaining second data based on the action of using the bone conduction hearing prosthesis using the stored control settings; and
changing the control setting of the hearing prosthesis based on the obtained second data.

### Claim 43 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, further comprising:
subsequent to the action of storing the control settings in the bone conduction hearing prosthesis, changing the control setting of the hearing prosthesis based on subjective needs of the recipient.

### Claim 44 (depends on 38)

The method of claim 38, further comprising:
subsequent to the action of storing the control settings, using the bone conduction hearing prosthesis in the real world using the stored control settings; and
changing the control setting of the hearing prosthesis based on the use of the bone conduction hearing prosthesis in the real world.

### Claim 45

A method, comprising:
obtaining access to a bone conduction hearing prosthesis attached to a recipient;
vibrating the bone conduction hearing prosthesis at different frequency- amplitude combinations;
obtaining data indicative of the recipient's hearing threshold based on the action of vibrating; and
setting a control regime of the bone conduction hearing prosthesis based on the obtained data.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein:
the action of vibrating the bone conduction hearing prosthesis is executed by using a sine generator to perform a frequency sweep.

### Claim 47 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein:
the action of vibrating the bone conduction hearing prosthesis is executed by using a signal generator that is integral to the bone conduction device.

### Claim 48 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein:
the action of vibrating the bone conduction hearing prosthesis includes vibrating the bone conduction hearing prosthesis to obtain comfort levels of the recipient.

### Claim 49

A method, comprising:
obtaining access to a bone conduction hearing prosthesis attached to a recipient;
vibrating the bone conduction hearing prosthesis at different frequency-amplitude combinations;
obtaining data indicative of the recipient's hearing threshold based on the action of vibrating;
developing control data for the bone conduction hearing prosthesis based on the obtained data; and
storing the developed control data in a memory of the bone conduction hearing prosthesis.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The method of claim 49, further comprising:
storing data indicative of a measured level that evoked a hearing percept in the memory of the bone conduction prosthesis.

### Claim 51 (depends on 49)

The method of claim 49, further comprising:
storing data indicative of a measured threshold level that evoked a hearing percept in the memory of the bone conduction prosthesis.

### Claim 52 (depends on 49)

The method of claim 49, further comprising:
storing data indicative of a measured comfort level that evoked a hearing percept in the memory of the bone conduction prosthesis.

### Claim 53 (depends on 50)

The method of claim 50, further comprising:
connecting the bone conduction device to a computer configured to analyze the obtained data indicative of the recipient's hearing threshold based on the action of vibrating.

### Claim 54

A method, comprising:
obtaining data based on a recipient's ability to perceive sound at a frequency with a bone conduction device by operating the bone conduction device when the bone conduction device is attached to the recipient;
using the obtained data in correlation with the respective different frequencies to identify a resonance frequency of the bone conduction device when attached to the recipient,

### Claim 55 (depends on 54)

The method of claim 54, further comprising:
developing control settings for the hearing prosthesis based on the identified resonance frequency.

### Claim 56 (depends on 55)

The method of claim 55, further comprising:
loading the control settings into the hearing prosthesis, wherein the control settings reduce the effect of the resonance frequency during operation of the hearing prosthesis.

### Claim 57 (depends on 54)

The method of claim 54, further comprising:
adjusting a control system of the hearing prosthesis to function differently at the resonance frequency relative to that which is the case at other frequencies.