Systems and methods for conducting and validating an audiometric test
Inventors
Kafer, Matthew Peter • Ford, Cassandra Lynn • Stratemeier, IV, Edward Henry
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12309555-B2
Publication Date
2025-05-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
A computer-implemented method for conducting an audiometric test using an audiometer includes confirming that a room in which the audiometric test is to be administered has a set of background sound pressure levels that conform to a predetermined standard; determining that the audiometer has been calibrated at least once on a day in which the audiometric test is to be administered; displaying instructions to a subject for taking the audiometric test; and conducting the audiometric test of the subject using a mobile device in electronic communication the audiometer, wherein the mobile device is separate from and controls the audiometer, and wherein conducting the audiometric test is blocked until the steps of confirming, determining, and displaying have been performed.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a computer-controlled audiometric testing system in which an audiometer and a mobile device are separate devices, with the mobile device controlling the audiometer. The mobile device confirms that a room in which an audiometric test is to be administered has a set of background sound pressure levels that conform to a predetermined standard and determines that a calibration of the audiometer has been validated at least once on the day of the audiometric test.
Test initiation is prevented until the mobile device confirms the room background sound pressure level conformance and determines the audiometer calibration validation. When the calibration has not been validated at least once on the day, the system samples audio output of a headset at each of a plurality of test tones generated by the audiometer tone generator and determines that the audio output of the headset deviates from each of the plurality of test tones by no more than a threshold decibel level.
The invention further includes room background sound pressure verification using microphones and analyzing octave-band center frequencies with corresponding maximum sound pressure levels. The audiometric testing is conducted under control of the mobile device, and the mobile device provides electronic reporting of audiograms and, optionally, text-to-speech explanations to a subject or an employer. The system includes structured messages and electronic communications to support confirming, certification/training modules, and generation of hearing threshold levels and audiograms.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims include inventive features for separating an audiometer from a controlling mobile device, preventing audiometric test start until room background sound and daily calibration validation are confirmed, and verifying headset output deviation from test tones within a threshold decibel level when calibration has not been validated.
Separate audiometer and controlling mobile device with test-start prevention
The system includes an audiometer and a mobile device in electronic communication, wherein the audiometer and the mobile device are separate devices, and the mobile device includes a display screen, one or more processors, and memory storing program code that causes the processors to confirm room background sound pressure conformance and determine calibration validation; conducting the audiometric test is prevented until the processors have confirmed the room conformance and that the calibration has been validated at least once on the day in which the audiometric test is to be administered.
Room background sound pressure validation against predetermined standard
The processors confirm that a room in which the audiometric test is to be administered has a set of background sound pressure levels that conform to a predetermined standard.
Daily audiometer calibration validation with headset output deviation check
The processors determine that a calibration of the audiometer has been validated at least once on a day in which the audiometric test is to be administered, and wherein the processors, in response to the calibration of the audiometer not having been validated at least once on the day, are to sample audio output of the headset at each a plurality of test tones generated by the tone generator and determine that the audio output of the headset deviates from each of the plurality of test tones by no more than a threshold decibel level.
Computer-implemented method for confirming room and daily calibration before conducting audiometric test
A computer-implemented method includes confirming that a room has a set of background sound pressure levels that conform to a predetermined standard; determining that a calibration of the audiometer has been validated at least once on a day in which the audiometric test is to be administered; conducting the audiometric test of the subject using a mobile device separate from and controlling the audiometer; and preventing conducting the audiometric test until the confirming and determining steps have been performed, wherein determining comprises sampling headset audio output at each a plurality of test tones and determining deviation by no more than a threshold decibel level in response to the calibration not having been validated.
Non-transitory computer-readable medium performing room confirmation, daily calibration determination, and standardized room definition by octave bands
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code causes processors to perform an audiometric test method in which the predetermined standard for the room includes a plurality of octave-band center frequencies and corresponding maximum sound pressure levels, wherein confirming comprises confirming the set of background sound pressure levels at each octave-band center frequency does not exceed the corresponding maximum sound pressure level, and wherein confirming comprises sampling the set of background sound pressure levels at each of the plurality of octave-band center frequencies using the audiometer.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage centers on mobile-device-controlled audiometry that blocks test start until room background sound pressure conformance to a predetermined standard and daily audiometer calibration validation are satisfied, with a headset audio output deviation check against a threshold decibel level using sampled output at a plurality of test tones when daily calibration validation has not been achieved.
Stated Advantages
Prevents conducting the audiometric test until room background sound pressure conformance and daily calibration validation are confirmed.
Determines headset audio output deviation from each of a plurality of test tones is within a threshold decibel level when calibration has not been validated at least once on the day.
Documented Applications
Audiometric testing of a subject using an audiometer controlled by a separate mobile device, including generation of an audiogram for hearing threshold levels.
Electronic reporting of audiograms to a subject or an employer, and optionally providing text-to-speech explanations.
Room validation of background sound pressure levels against a predetermined standard using microphones and octave-band analysis prior to administering an audiometric test.
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