Abstract:
System and method for diagnosing hearing loss in an individual using a self-executable, interactive electronic hearing loss diagnosis apparatus including a data storage media and a media player for accessing data on the media. The diagnostic apparatus provides hearing loss diagnostic data to the individual in the form of coded data. A hearing loss professional can use the coded data to further diagnose the hearing loss of the individual.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/579,369 filed Jun. 14, 2004, assigned to the assignee of this application and incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to hearing aid testing systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to administering a hearing-aid test on a low-cost, standardized device such as a compact disk (CD) or videotape that is playable on a standard CD/VHS player. The CD/videotape is programmed with a set of tests including frequencies at various amplitudes on different tracks. Each track has verbal instructions that guide the person being tested (the user) to other preprogrammed tracks based upon the user&#39;s hearing response to the current track. In so doing, the user ends up in a unique track that then guides him or her to take a related action based upon the test results, for instance, to seek a further test. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    More than 25 million Americans have hearing loss, including one out of four people older than 65. Hearing loss may come from infections, strokes, head injuries, some medicines, tumors, other medical problems, or even excessive earwax. It can also result from repeated exposure to very loud noise, such as music, power tools, or jet engines. Changes in the way the ear works as a person ages can also affect hearing. 
         [0004]    For most people who have a hearing loss, there are ways to correct or compensate for the problem. If an individual has trouble hearing, that individual can visit a doctor or hearing health care professional to find out if he or she has a hearing loss and, if so, to determine a remedy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and similar governing bodies in other countries have rules to ensure that treatments for hearing loss—medicines, hearing aids, and other medical devices—are tried and tested. 
         [0005]    However, most people do not even know that they have a hearing loss. Typical indications that an individual has hearing loss include: (1) shouting when talking to others, (2) needing the TV or radio turned up louder than other people do, (3) often having to ask people to repeat what they say because the individual cannot quite hear them, especially in groups or when there is background noise, (4) not being able to hear a noise when not facing the direction it is coming from, (5) seeming to hear better out of one ear than the other, (6) having to strain to hear, (7) hearing a persistent hissing or ringing background noise, and (8) not being able to hear a dripping faucet or the high notes of a violin. If an individual experiences one of more of the above indications, the individual should see his or her doctor or hearing health care professional for further testing for potential hearing loss. 
         [0006]    To find out what kind of hearing loss the individual has and whether all the parts of the individual&#39;s ear are functioning, the person&#39;s doctor may want him or her to take a hearing test. A health care professional that specializes in hearing, such as an audiologist, often gives these tests. Audiologists are usually not medical doctors, but they are trained to give hearing tests and interpret the results. Hearing tests are painless. 
         [0007]    If the hearing test shows that the individual has a hearing loss, there may be one or more ways to treat it. Possible treatments include medication, surgery, or a hearing aid. Hearing aids can usually help healing loss that involves damage to the inner ear. This type of hearing loss is common in older people as part of the aging process. However, younger people can also have hearing loss from infections or repeated exposure to loud noises. 
         [0008]    In a well-known method of testing hearing loss in individuals, the threshold of the individual&#39;s hearing is typically measured using a calibrated sound-stimulus-producing device and calibrated headphones. The measurement of the threshold of hearing takes place in an isolated sound room, usually a room where there is very little audible ambient noise. The sound-stimulus-producing device and the calibrated headphones used in the testing are known as an audiometer. 
         [0009]    A professional audiologist performs a professional hearing test by using the audiometer to generate pure tones at various frequencies between 125 Hz and 12,000 Hz that are representative of a variety of frequency bands. These tones are transmitted through the headphones of the audiometer to the individual being tested. The intensity or volume of the pure tones is varied until the individual can just barely detect the presence of the tone. For each pure tone, the intensity at which the individual can just barely detect the presence of the tone is known as the individual&#39;s air conduction threshold of hearing. Although the threshold of hearing is only one element among several that characterizes an individual&#39;s hearing loss, it is the predominant measure traditionally used to acoustically fit a hearing compensation device. 
         [0010]    Although the professional test is complete and allows for a thorough diagnostic, most hearing-impaired individuals are not even aware that they are in need of a hearing test, even if some of the aforementioned symptoms exist. What is required is a way to recognize early onset of hearing loss without the need to visit the audiologist. 
         [0011]    Indeed, there are some new methods for testing hearing loss, albeit at a less professional level, such as programs available on the Internet. To use such a program, a user logs onto a free hearing test Web site, adjusts his or her computer speaker volume to a supplied test frequency, and uses a mouse to click on various hyperlinks on a Web page on which the user can listen to various tones and determine how many tones he or she is able to hear. The user then is guided to instructional and “next step” pages. There are a number of problems associated with this method. First, most people that have hearing loss are older, and the Internet may truly not be accessible because of their level of use of technology. Second, many low-income families cannot afford computers to run the Internet programs. Lastly, this system does not “pull” users to the site; an individual has to know both that he or she wants to be tested and that a site like this exists (i.e., from advertisements). No business entity could afford to mass market such a site. Therefore, even though some low-cost non-professional hearing tests are available, there exists a need for an improved means for hearing tests that is more accessible, portable and can be driven in the market to reach and test more people. 
         [0012]    Another problem with current methods for testing hearing loss is the inability to store user-specific information in a database and provide clear step-by-step guidance on the actions needed to find a solution once a hearing loss problem is detected. In the case of the Internet hearing test Web site previously described, the results of the test are not directed to another step, nor are they available to another entity, i.e., an audiologist. Therefore, an audiologist must retest the same frequencies and re-question the patient. Thus, there exists a need to streamline the testing process so that low-cost non-professional hearing tests lead to a more professional hearing test. 
         [0013]    Another problem with both conventional non-professional hearing tests and the audiologist-administered professional hearing test is that the tests are simple frequency versus amplitude tests and do not take into account speech intelligibility issues. For example, even though an individual may have some hearing loss, he or she may be able to function quite normally, whereas others may have limitations in understanding certain spoken words. Thus, there exists a need to address some of these speech intelligibility issues. 
         [0014]    Another problem with current testing methods is that the individual being tested has no idea at the hearing test what having a hearing aid would do to improve his or her quality of life. That is, even if the patient in either the non-professional test or the professional test recognizes hearing loss, the patient has no idea what the improvement would be if a corrective hearing aid were used. Thus, the motivation to get the problem fixed is much less than if the individual could experience the benefits of correction at the time of the test. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    It is therefore an object of this invention to find a way for the mass market of individuals with potential hearing loss to recognize early onset of hearing loss without the need to visit an audiologist. 
         [0016]    Another object of this invention is to have an improved means for testing hearing that is more accessible and can be driven in the market to reach and test more people. 
         [0017]    Another object of this invention is to streamline the testing process so that low-cost non-professional hearing tests lead to a more professional hearing test. 
         [0018]    Another object of this invention is to address speech intelligibility issues at some level in hearing aid tests. 
         [0019]    Another object of this invention is to show patients what the result of having a hearing aid would do to improve their quality of life, in order to improve the patients&#39; motivation to fix the problem. 
         [0020]    It is another object of the present invention to provide step-by-step guidance on the next steps to be taken once a hearing loss is detected. 
         [0021]    The present invention provides a hearing-test stored on a standard low-cost CD or other low-cost devices, such as a videotape or a DVD, that is easily mass marketed as a give-away and is easily used by the mass market. This would allow the mass market of individuals with potential hearing loss to recognize early onset of hearing loss without the need to visit the audiologist. The present invention streamlines the hearing testing process and connects low-cost non-professional hearing tests to a more professional hearing test by providing the results of the CD hearing test to the user as a code that can be quickly identified by a professional, e.g., an audiologist. This invention provides testing of speech intelligibility issues, where the tests are administered around words and based upon the specific results of the hearing test. The present invention also provides step-by-step guidance on the next steps to be taken, once the hearing test stored on the CD detects a hearing loss. 
         [0022]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a portable data storage media is provided for use in testing hearing of an individual. The media comprises a plurality of selectably accessible data storage units, e.g., tracks on a CD or DVD. A first of the units includes a hearing test query, which for example causes a frequency tone, word or sentence to be played at a speaker, and instruction data. The instruction data instructs an individual to access a predetermined second of the units in accordance with the results of the hearing test query, for example, based on whether the individual heard the tone or found the word or sentence to be intelligible. The predetermined second unit includes at least one of a hearing test query and instruction data. The instruction data on the second unit instructs the individual to access another predetermined second of the units in accordance with results of the hearing test query of the predetermined second unit, or provides for output of a hearing deficiency code whose value is associated with the predetermined second unit being accessed. 
         [0023]    In a preferred embodiment, the instruction data of the predetermined second unit including the provision for the output of the code further instructs the individual to access a predetermined final code unit on the media including the code. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1A  is a high-level system diagram of a low-cost-hearing testing system that collects user information. 
           [0026]      FIG. 1B  is a diagram of a low-cost CD on which a hearing testing system is stored. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a high-level method of using the low-cost hearing testing system that collects user information. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of a method of operating a low-cost hearing testing system. 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is an example of a hearing test checklist. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a hearing test questionnaire. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]      FIG. 1A  is a high-level diagram of a preferred system  100  including a user  105 , an optimized pick-up location  110 , a hearing test CD  120 , a CD player  130 , a telephone  143 , a PC  147 , an audiologist  145  and a next hearing test means  150 . 
         [0032]    User  105  represents the individuals (mass market) on whom a hearing test is to be administered. This is generally any and all individuals, but more specifically, the more than 10% of the population (e.g., 25 million Americans) that have hearing loss, including one out of four people older than 65. 
         [0033]    Optimized pick-up location  110  is a location where it would make sense for a hearing test CD  120  to be available toga large number of the general populace. For instance, optimized pick-up location  110  could be in a popular public location, such as a shopping mall where user  105  has easy and frequent access. For example, optimized pick-up location  110  could be a CD music store in a mall, a CD player store, a consumer electronics retail store such as a music showroom, a computer store, a health store, the lobby of a pilot training building, a mail order campaign, the lobby of a nursing home, or a general practitioner&#39;s office. Each of these locations is optimized since they have something to do with CD technology, health, mass market testing; older individuals, or selected professionals that may have hearing loss. By providing hearing test CD  120  as a give-away to the mass market focused on where there is need or capability for the hearing test, the large potential market can be tapped and those in need can be assisted in understanding their early onset or advanced hearing loss. 
         [0034]    Hearing test CD  120  contains a hearing test that helps determine hearing loss. Hearing test CD  120  also provides follow-up actions for user  105 . The hearing test is described in more detail in reference to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0035]    CD player  130  is a standard player that can play hearing test CD  120 . Because the hearing test guides the user to select or skip tracks based upon the response of the user  105  to a given track, CD player  130  in system  100  needs to have some means for user  105  to know what track they are on. Almost all conventional CD players come equipped with at least a two-element display to show up to 99 tracks. These 99 tracks available on a standard CD player are adequate for the hearing test to be performed. Note that CD player  130  can be a stand-alone player or part of another electronic device such as a computer or a car music system. 
         [0036]    Telephone  143  and PC  147  are conventional communication means enabling user  105  to conduct a second, more thorough, hearing test. After user  105  takes hearing test CD  120  on CD player  130 , instructions on hearing test CD  120  guide user  105  to call a toll-free phone number using telephone  143 , or to log onto the Internet using PC  147  to connect to a specific Web site, both of which are sources of additional testing. User  105  could also call or visit audiologist  145  directly. Any of these three next steps, defined as a group as next hearing test means  150 , can provide user  105  with a second-level hearing test. The second-level hearing test can be performed at the toll-free phone number, the Web site, or audiologist  145 . 
         [0037]    In a preferred embodiment, hearing test CD  120  provides user  105  with a code to use prior to taking the second-level hearing test that can streamline the testing process. For example, a user  105  that has a severe hearing loss in a given frequency range may be specifically guided to a final test track on hearing test CD  120  that contains a specific code relating to that deficiency. At the second level of testing, user  105  could provide that code and start further testing immediately at the range in which he or she is deficient. 
         [0038]    Note that in alternative modes of system  100 , hearing test CD  120  can easily be replaced with other devices such as a videotape or DVD. If so, CD player  130  can also be replaced with a standard VHS player for the videotape or DVD player for the DVD. 
         [0039]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a detailed schematic of hearing test CD  120  with multiple tracks, i.e., Track  1  through Track N. Each track on hearing test CD  120  has information on it organized in such a manner to enable a portion of a hearing test to be performed and instructions to be given to guide user  105  to another track based upon his or her response to the given track. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  illustrates a high-level method  200  of using system  100 , including the steps of: 
         [0041]    Step  210 : Obtaining Hearing Test CD 
         [0042]    In this step, user  105  obtains hearing test CD  120  at any of a number of optimized pick-up locations  110 . In addition, there can be many other low-cost ways for user  105  to obtain hearing test CD  120 . For example, hearing test CD  120  can be sent through a mail-order campaign. 
         [0043]    Step  220 : Using Hearing Test CD 
         [0044]    In this step, user  105  runs hearing test CD  120  on CD player  130  to take the hearing test. 
         [0045]    Step  230 : Following Up 
         [0046]    In this step, based on the follow-up instructions on hearing test CD  120 , user  105  is directed (if necessary) to any number of communication means. These means may include using telephone  143  to dial a toll-free phone number provided on hearing test CD  120 , using PC  147  to connect to the Internet through a Web site provided on hearing test CD  120 , or going directly to audiologist  145  to eventually obtain a second-level hearing test. In this step, user  105  provides the code that is unique to the result of his or her initial hearing test. 
         [0047]    For example, a user  105  that has a severe hearing loss in a given frequency range may be specifically guided to a final test track on hearing test CD  120  that contains a specific code relating to that deficiency. At the second level of test, user  105  could provide that code and start further testing immediately at the range in which he or she is deficient. To further prompt user  105  to conduct a second level of test, an added incentive such as cost savings “coupon” can also be provided via means such as in the cover of hearing test CD  120 , or web site link to electronic “coupons”. 
         [0048]      FIG. 3  illustrates a method  300  of conducting a hearing test using hearing test CD  120 . The basic concept of method  300  is to guide user  105  from track to track on hearing test CD  120  by verbal commands. Each track has a number of recorded information units, which represent logical steps in the flow of a program. Therefore, the availability of any succeeding tracks is dependent upon the parameters of the current track. In this way, user  105  is guided through a program. The method includes the steps of: 
         [0049]    Step  310 : Greeting User 
         [0050]    In this step, user  105  plays hearing test CD  120  in CD player  130  and is greeted with a message, such as a message to welcome the user, introduce the hearing test, and give general instructions on how to use hearing test CD  120 . User  105  is instructed to move to the track number that is used for calibration of CD player  130  to hearing test CD  120 . In order to make hearing test CD  120  more “fun” to use, a well-known recording artist such as Robin Williams can record the voice over. This feature will be especially attractive in case of testing young adults and small children. More so, if the costs of hiring using the well-known recording artists are spread across millions of hearing test CD  120 &#39;s, the overall cost per CD will not increase sharply. 
         [0051]    Step  315 : Calibrating CD Player 
         [0052]    In this step, hearing test CD  120  provides a verbal set of directions that tells user  105  to set the volume on CD player  130  to a level that is “just audible” by a third party with normal hearing, e.g., a person younger than 20 with perfect hearing is asked to set the volume to a minimum level of speech understandability. Setting the volume on CD player  130  to a “just audible” level is an optimal environment to conduct an accurate hearing test, and this volume level is maintained throughout the test. Then user  105  is instructed to play the next group of tracks to find the track by which user  105  can barely hear the tone again. Once user  105  selects this track, the program logic flow, or branch of the logic tree containing tracks calibrated in volume to the selected track, begins. User  105  is then guided to the first frequency test track based upon the correct volume level. Alternatively, hearing test CD  120  can provide a verbal set of directions that tell user  105  to set the volume on CD player  130  to the lowest audible level for user  105 . However, this may prevent the determination of absolute loss levels in each frequency range for user  105 . 
         [0053]    Step  320 : Playing Frequency Tone 
         [0054]    In this step, user  105  hears a verbal instruction and is played a set frequency tone corresponding to the track on hearing test CD  120 . For example, track T 3  on hearing test CD  120  plays a frequency tone of 500 Hz. 
         [0055]    Step  325 : Isolating Hearing Deficiency 
         [0056]    In this step, user  105  is asked to follow a detailed logic tree  400  of tracks on hearing test CD  120 . The operation of a sample logic tree  400  is explained in detail in  FIG. 4 . The specific progression that user  105  takes through logic tree  400  is dependent upon how user  105  responds as to whether each set frequency tone is audible. In this way, hearing test CD  120  determines whether user  105  has a hearing deficiency and, if so, in which specific frequency bands the deficiency occurs. 
         [0057]    Step  330 : Moving to Next Track 
         [0058]    In this step, user  105  is asked to move onto a specific next track of hearing test CD  120  that corresponds both to any hearing deficiencies previously isolated and to the next frequency tone in the series. In the given example, if user  105  has indicated that the 500 Hz tone played in track T 3  was audible, track T 5  plays a frequency tone of 2000 Hz. 
         [0059]    Step  335 : Last Frequency Tone Track? 
         [0060]    In this decision step, through completion of logic tree  400 , hearing test CD  120  determines whether all of the set frequency tones in the hearing test have been played. If so, method  300  proceeds to step  340 ; if not, method  300  returns to step  320 . 
         [0061]    Step  340 : Completing Test 
         [0062]    In this step, user  105  is asked to move on to a specific final track of hearing test CD  120  that congratulates user  105  on completing the hearing test and reports whether the test has found that user  105  may have hearing deficiencies. Tracks corresponding to specific hearing deficiencies assure user  105  that there are many possible means for rectifying the deficiency, and that knowing that one has a deficiency is a first positive step. These tracks also provide user  105  with a code specific to his or her hearing deficiency, which can later be used in conducting a second-level hearing test. User  105  is directed to use next hearing test means  150 , i.e., to call a toll-free phone-number or to log onto a specific Web site on the Internet for further testing, or, if the hearing loss is significant, to contact professional audiologist  145  directly. The name and contact information for preferred audiologists can also be provided. Furthermore, an added incentive, such as “coupon” savings on detailed hearing tests or hearing aid accessories, can also be provided to further prompt user  105  to use next hearing test means  150 . Method  300  ends. Note that, if the test detected that user  105  does not have any hearing deficiency, then user  105  is congratulated on his/her good hearing and no follow up action may be directed to user  105 . 
         [0063]    Note that in this mode of operation, user  105  uses a device such as a CD player remote control to advance through tracks on hearing test CD  120 , however alternative modes of automated track to track advancement on hearing test CD  120  can easily be suggested. 
         [0064]      FIG. 4  shows logic tree  400 . Each track, e.g., T 3 , T 5 , T 7 , has a set frequency tone, e.g., 500 Hz, 2000 Hz, 8000 Hz, and instructions articulating decision tree yes or no steps based on user  105 &#39;s ability to hear the tone. The track at the end of each branch contains a message with a specific code for that branch, e.g., codes  1 ,  2 ,  3 , and z. Continue branches “C” represent a continuation of the logic flow branch repetition, which has been truncated for the sake of clarity. 
         [0065]    In this example, if user  105  provides responses indicating that all tones played were audible, logic tree  400  follows the branch including tracks T 3 , T 5 , T 6 , T 7 , and T 8 , and user  105  is assigned a code  1 , representing perfect hearing. If user  105  provides responses indicating that all tones played were audible except 500 Hz, logic tree  400  follows the branch including tracks T 3 , T 50 , T 51 , T 52 , and T 53 , and user  105  is assigned a code  3  representing this information. 
         [0066]    It should be obvious to those skilled in the programming art that there are many combinations of frequency loss; for example, one could hear 500 Hz, 5000 Hz, 8000 Hz, and 12000 Hz, but not 2000 Hz. All these branches lead to unique codes. The number of branches of logic tree  400  is limited only by the available storage, space for the tracks on hearing test CD  120 . Depending on the number of possible codes and the number of tracks necessary to arrive at those codes, the branches of logic tree  400  may need to be limited to a certain number of possibilities, or the hearing test may need to span more than one hearing test CD  120 . 
         [0067]    It should also be obvious to those skilled in the programming art, and basic mathematics, that the results from typical binary logic trees can be K N  where N is the number of test frequency nodes and K is the possible outcomes. For example, a basic frequency test that has 5 test frequency nodes, (i.e. 500 Hz, 2000 Hz, 5000 Hz, 8000 Hz, and 12000 Hz) with 2 outcomes (i.e. yes or no), has a logic tree that can be programmed to contain as many as 32 different results. 
         [0068]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a questionnaire  500  that can be inserted in the case of hearing test CD  120 . By answering questionnaire  500 , user  105  can further confirm his or her hearing loss, providing further incentive for user  105  to arrange a second hearing test. These questions, in addition to tones, can be, the basis, of decision branches to obtain even more unique information about user  105 . 
         [0069]    Thus, the inventive system and method increase the public&#39;s awareness that hearing impairment is common, and allows an individual to easily assess any hearing loss and to provide diagnostic results, which are obtained from the assessment, to a hearing professional for use in further assessment of hearing loss. 
         [0070]    Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention.