System and method for detecting the insertion or removal of a hearing instrument from the ear canal

An electronically-implemented method of determining whether a hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into an ear canal of a hearing instrument user, the hearing instrument being configured to occlude the ear canal, comprising:

• monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument using a microphone that is positioned to receive acoustic energy from inside of the ear canal when the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal;
• comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• determining that the hearing instrument is removed from the ear canal if the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument is less than the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument by a threshold amount;
• determining that the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal if the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument is not less than the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument by the threshold amount;
• and
• controlling power consumption or acoustic gain of the hearing instrument based on the determination of whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal or removed from the ear canal.

An electronically-implemented method of determining whether a hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into an ear canal of a hearing instrument user, the hearing instrument being configured to occlude the ear canal, comprising:

• monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument using a microphone that is positioned to receive acoustic energy from inside of the ear canal when the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal;
• comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• determining whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal or removed from the ear canal based on the comparison;
• controlling power consumption or acoustic gain of the hearing instrument based on the determination of whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal or removed from the ear canal;
• and
• reducing a gain associated with the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument upon detection that the hearing instrument is removed from the ear canal.

An electronically-implemented method of determining whether a hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into an ear canal of a hearing instrument user, the hearing instrument being configured to occlude the ear canal, comprising:

• monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument using a microphone that is positioned to receive acoustic energy from inside of the ear canal when the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal;
• comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• determining whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal or removed from the ear canal based on the comparison;
• controlling power consumption or acoustic gain of the hearing instrument based on the determination of whether the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal or removed from the ear canal;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument over a frequency band;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument when the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal;
• comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band when the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal to obtain first comparison data;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument when the hearing instrument is removed from the ear canal;
• comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band when the hearing instrument is removed from the ear canal to obtain second comparison data;
• and
• identifying stable band differentials between the first comparison data and the second comparison data for the monitoring insertion and removal events.

A hearing instrument that is configured to occlude an ear canal of a hearing instrument user, comprising:

• means for monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• a microphone that is positioned to receive acoustic energy from inside of the occluded ear canal of the hearing instrument user and to monitor the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument;
• and
• means for comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument and for determining whether the hearing instrument system is inserted into the space or removed from the space based on the comparison, wherein said determining of whether the hearing instrument system is inserted into the space or removed from the space includes concluding said hearing instrument system is removed from the space if the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument is less than the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument system by a threshold amount;
• and
• concluding that the hearing instrument system is inserted into the space if the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument is not less than the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument system by the threshold amount.

A method of determining whether a hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into a ear canal of a hearing instrument user, the hearing instrument being configured to occlude the ear canal when inserted, comprising:

• monitoring the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument over a frequency band;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument when the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal using a microphone that is positioned to receive acoustic energy from inside of the occluded ear canal;
• comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band when the hearing instrument is inserted into the ear canal to obtain first comparison data;
• monitoring the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band in response to the acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument when the hearing instrument is removed from the ear canal;
• comparing the level of acoustic energy radiated by the hearing instrument to the level of acoustic energy received by the hearing instrument over the frequency band when the hearing instrument is removed from the ear canal to obtain second comparison data;
• and
• identifying stable band differentials between the first comparison data and the second comparison data for the monitoring insertion and removal events;
• and
• controlling at least one of power consumption or acoustic gain based on the determination of whether the hearing instrument is removed from or inserted into the ear canal.

A hearing instrument system for determining a hearing instrument seal with a user's ear, comprising:

• a first acoustic transducer configured to receive a first electrical signal and in response radiate acoustic energy;
• first level detection circuitry coupled to the first acoustic transducer and operable to receive the first electrical signal and generate a first intensity signal;
• a second acoustic transducer configured to receive radiated acoustic energy and in response generate a second electrical signal the second acoustic transducer including a microphone that is positioned to receive radiated acoustic energy from inside of the user's sealed ear;
• second level detection circuitry coupled to the second acoustic transducer and operable to receive the second electrical signal and generate a second intensity signal;
• and
• signal processing circuitry coupled to the first and second level detection circuitry and operable to receive the first and second intensity signals and compare a ratio of the first and second intensity signals to a baseline ratio of the first and second intensity signals to determine whether the hearing instrument has formed an acceptable seal with the user's ear.