US 12,108,213 B2
Self-check protocol for use by ear-wearable electronic devices
Brian Dahl, Minnetrista, MN (US); Zac Jensen, Norwood Young America, MN (US); Joshua Braband, Minneapolis, MN (US); Denise Klokow, Faribault, MN (US); Brantly Sturgeon, Burnsville, MN (US); and Jaymin Baroda, Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Assigned to STARKEY LABORATORIES, INC., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Filed by STARKEY LABORATORIES, INC., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Filed on Jun. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/834,306.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/212,244, filed on Jun. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0408199 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 25/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); G01J 1/44 (2006.01); G01K 15/00 (2006.01); H01Q 1/27 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H04R 1/10 (2006.01); H04R 29/00 (2006.01)
CPC H04R 25/305 (2013.01) [A61B 5/0059 (2013.01); A61B 5/6815 (2013.01); H02J 7/0044 (2013.01); H04R 25/554 (2013.01); H04R 25/604 (2013.01); H04R 25/609 (2019.05); G01J 1/44 (2013.01); G01J 2001/444 (2013.01); G01K 15/005 (2013.01); H01Q 1/273 (2013.01); H04R 2225/31 (2013.01); H04R 2225/51 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
initiating, with first and second hearing devices present in a charging case, a self-check protocol by at least one of the first and second hearing devices, the self-check protocol comprising:
wirelessly coupling the first and second hearing devices;
activating a first microphone of the first hearing device and generating an acoustic test stimulus by a second acoustic transducer of the second hearing device;
assessing performance of the first microphone in response to the acoustic test stimulus by:
comparing a response of the first microphone to a pre-established profile representative of nominal microphone performance; and
detecting sub-optimal performance of the first microphone in response to measuring a specified deviation from the pre-established profile;
activating a second microphone of the second hearing device and generating an acoustic test stimulus by a first acoustic transducer of the first hearing device;
assessing performance of the second microphone in response to the acoustic test stimulus by:
comparing a response of the second microphone to the pre-established profile; and
detecting sub-optimal performance of the second microphone in response to measuring a specified deviation from the pre-established profile; and
storing results of the performance assessment in a memory;
wherein the self-check protocol is repeated over time, and the method further comprises:
tracking changes in performance of the first and second microphones over time; and
determining or predicting when performance of the first or second microphone becomes sub-optimal using the tracked performance changes.