Patent ID: 8295520

Claim:
A method for determining a maximum gain that is applicable in a forward signal path starting at a microphone and ending at a receiver of a hearing device, the maximum gain being a gain value at which just no feedback occurs, the method comprising the steps of: estimating an estimated feedback transfer function characterizing a feedback signal path starting at a receiver and ending at a microphone of the hearing device, while the hearing device is inserted into an ear of a hearing device user, adapting the estimated feedback transfer function as a result of a changing feedback signal path by applying an adaptive algorithm, determining the maximum gain from the estimated feedback transfer function, whereby taking into account further parameters while determining the maximum gain, the further parameters being at least one of the following: an input level at the microphone of the hearing device; a momentary gain value applied in the forward signal path; a predefined gain value applied in the forward signal path; a pre-calculated maximum gain value that is based on standard values, particularly providing information about type of hearing device or used ear shell; a current value of the estimated frequency transfer function; a variance of the coefficients of the estimated feedback transfer function; a histogram of the coefficients of the estimated feedback transfer function; statistical parameters derived from the histogram; predefined point in time.