(19)
(11) EP 1 705 950 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
24.01.2007 Bulletin 2007/04

(43) Date of publication A2:
27.09.2006 Bulletin 2006/39

(21) Application number: 06006023.3

(22) Date of filing: 23.03.2006
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
H04R 25/00(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA HR MK YU

(71) Applicant: Phonak AG
8712 Stäfa (CH)

(72) Inventors:
  • Boretzki, Michael, Dr.
    8630 Rüti (CH)
  • Kühnel, Volker
    8708 Männerdorf (CH)
  • von Buol, Andreas
    8044 Zürich (CH)
  • Zbindne, Paul, Dr.
    8634 Hombrechtikon (CH)

(74) Representative: Schwan - Schwan - Schorer 
Patentanwälte Bauerstrasse 22
80796 München
80796 München (DE)

   


(54) Method for individually fitting a hearing instrument


(57) The invention relates to a method for individually fitting a hearing instrument (10, 12) to a user, comprising at least one microphone (20) for generating an input audio signal from ambient sound, an audio signal processing unit (26) for processing the input audio signal into a processed output audio signal, and a transducer for stimulation of the human auditory system according to the processed output audio signal as input to said transducer, the method comprising: providing the user with the hearing instrument and starting operation of the hearing instrument; pre-defining a desired target loudness function, wherein loudness perception of a stimulus by the user when using the hearing instrument is defined as function of frequency and input sound pressure level at the microphone; measuring for a given measurement parameter set of perceived loudness levels and frequencies or frequency bands the respective transducer input audio signal level to be applied to the transducer input in order to achieve the respective perceived loudness level at the respective frequency or frequency band, said measurement parameter set comprising at least a low loudness level, an intermediate loudness level and a high loudness level, and said intermediate loudness level being measured for a larger number of frequencies or frequency bands and with a finer frequency resolution than said low and high loudness levels; calculating an individual gain function to be implemented in the audio signal processing unit in order to achieve the predefined target loudness function by taking into account the measured transducer input audio signal levels; and operating the hearing instrument with the individual gain function.







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