EP2373062A2 - Dual adjustment method for a hearing system - Google Patents

Abstract

The perception of musical sound with music (15) and speech (16) should be improved. For this purpose, a method for controlling a binaural hearing system with a left hearing device (13) for a left ear and a right hearing device (14) for a right ear is proposed, which has the following steps. The hearing system first determines a hearing situation with the music component (15) and the speech component (16). One of the two hearing devices (13, 14) is then switched to a music mode and the other of the two hearing devices (13, 14) is switched to a speech mode at the same time. The hearing aid wearer (12) can then decide for himself which portion of the sound he wants to listen to.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a binaural hearing system with a left ear hearing device and a right ear ear device. In the method, a hearing situation with a music portion and a voice portion is detected. A hearing device is understood to mean any sound-emitting device which can be worn in or on the ear, in particular a hearing device, headphones, a headset and the like.

Hearing aids are portable hearing aids that are used to care for the hearing impaired. In order to meet the numerous individual needs, different types of hearing aids such as behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE), hearing aid with external receiver (RIC: receiver in the canal) and in-the-ear hearing aids (IDO), e.g. Concha hearing aids or canal hearing aids (ITE, CIC). The hearing aids listed by way of example are worn on the outer ear or in the ear canal. In addition, bone conduction hearing aids, implantable or vibrotactile hearing aids are also available on the market. The stimulation of the damaged hearing takes place either mechanically or electrically.

Hearing aids have in principle as essential components an input transducer, an amplifier and an output transducer. The input transducer is usually a sound receiver, z. As a microphone, and / or an electromagnetic receiver, for. B. an induction coil. The output transducer is usually used as an electroacoustic transducer, z. As miniature speaker, or as an electromechanical transducer, z. B. bone conduction, realized. The amplifier is usually integrated in a signal processing unit. This basic structure is in FIG. 1 shown using the example of a behind-the-ear hearing aid. In a hearing aid housing 1 for carrying behind the ear are one or more microphones 2 to Built-in sound recording from the environment. A signal processing unit 3, which is also integrated in the hearing aid housing 1, processes the microphone signals and amplifies them. The output signal of the signal processing unit 3 is transmitted to a loudspeaker or earpiece 4, which outputs an acoustic signal. The sound is optionally transmitted via a sound tube, which is fixed with an earmold in the ear canal, to the eardrum of the device carrier. The power supply of the hearing device and in particular the signal processing unit 3 is effected by a likewise integrated into the hearing aid housing 1 battery. 5

In the case of a binaural supply, the hearing impaired wear a hearing aid both on the left ear and on the right ear. The two hearing aids are to be adjusted to the respective hearing situation. Listening situations are, for example, "idle speech", "background noise speech", "no-speech music", "music with speech" (e.g., song, opera), and the like.

Depending on the hearing situation, the hearing aids are usually switched to a specific hearing program. For example, there is a special music program or a special hearing aid program for normal conversation. The program determines the parameters of the filtering, amplification, compression, frequency response, directivity and so on of a hearing aid. In the case of binaural care, efforts are always made to switch the two hearing aids into the same hearing aid mode in order to spare the hearing aid wearer distortions. An exception, however, is the telephone situation, because here, due to physical reasons, only one ear from the phone sonicated or supplied. The hearing device facing away from the telephone can remain in the hearing aid program or mode corresponding to the current hearing situation.

In a listening situation in which an instrumental music is played, the hearing aids are usually switched to a music mode. The same applies to a listening situation in which a song is played back. But a song usually exists from an instrumental music section (hereafter referred to as the music section) and a lyrical or language section. However, the voice portion is distorted or rendered unclear in the music mode. Conversely, when the hearing aids are switched to the voice mode in this listening situation, the voice content becomes clearer, but at the expense of music quality. It can therefore be observed that it is very difficult for the hearing impaired to optimize the listening situation "music", which indeed includes songs, for themselves. A pronounced music program is helpful, but for the musician, singer or music lover mostly unsatisfactory.

Another common problem is a listening situation when conversation is played against background music. Basically, the hearing impaired then wants to hear the language with priority, but he wants, like the other people also, enjoy the background music at the same time. This is practically unrealizable with the current music and language programs, because either the music has priority or the language.

From the publication US 2006/0177072 A1 is a learning system known. It describes that the sound should be given to the "correct" ear, for example by means of a headphone. In particular, the linguistic content of a sound performance to the right ear and non-linguistic content - such as music - should be given to the left ear. Thus, the various functions of the left and right brain can be better used and the learning ability can be increased.

In addition, Elaine Schmidt describes in her article " Left and Right Ears Not Created Equal as Newborn's Process Sound, "(UCLA / University of Arizona Scientists Discover), Sept. 9, 2004 in UCLA Newsroom how sound types are processed differently from birth. Thus, the ear sends the different types of sound to the respective optimal side of the sound Brain for processing. The sound processing programs of hearing aids could be individualized accordingly.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a hearing device with which it is possible for a hearing device wearer to be able to hear or understand music with speech content better.

• Feststellen einer Hörsituation mit einem Musikanteil und einem Sprachanteil,
• Schalten einer der beiden Hörvorrichtungen in einen Musikmodus und
• der anderen der beiden Hörvorrichtungen zur gleichen Zeit in einen Sprachmodus.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for controlling a binaural hearing system with a left ear hearing device and a right ear ear device, comprising the steps:

• Determination of a hearing situation with a music part and a voice part,
• Turn one of the two hearing aids into a music mode and
• the other of the two hearing aids at the same time in a voice mode.

In addition, according to the invention a hearing system for binaural supply is provided with a control device which is designed to carry out the above method.

In an advantageous manner, a hearing system with two hearing devices or hearing aids can thus be dual-controlled in a listening situation in which instrumental music and speech are simultaneously present. This means that the brain is optimally prepared both the music part and the voice part. The brain itself can then decide which part it focuses on.

Preferably, in the music mode, the music portion is more enhanced than the voice portion. This results in an artificial separation of both parts, and it is highlighted in the music mode, the music content.

Similarly, in the speech mode, the speech portion may be amplified more than the music portion. This can be one the two ears are preferably supplied with the speech portion. The music part can be completely hidden or just reduced. The same weighting can also be done in music mode.

In a preferred embodiment, when wearing the hearing devices, the left hearing device is switched to the music mode when a sound with music content and voice content strikes the wearer of the hearing devices from the left. Conversely, of course, then the right hearing device is switched to the music mode when the sound hits the carrier from the right. Overall, therefore, the music portion is more weighted than the language portion. In an alternative hearing program design, however, the language portion can also be highlighted more than the music content.

In a listening situation "speech with background music", that of the hearing devices can be switched to the speech mode, which is closer to the speech source when wearing the hearing devices. The other hearing device is then preferably in music mode, so that the brain can decide in turn, which ear page wants to give it more weight and thus rather listen to music or rather language.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous if that of the hearing devices is switched to the music mode, in which the volume of the incoming sound is higher. Alternatively to the volume, another physical quantity, e.g. the sound pressure level, are used for switching decision.

Furthermore, it is favorable if the toggling between music mode and voice mode is controlled via a hysteresis. This avoids the constant switching between voice mode and music mode in an almost symmetrical listening situation.

Furthermore, the two hearing devices can be automatically switched to the respective mode, and despite this automatism, it is possible for the wearer of the hearing device to manually change the resulting switch result. The manual switching of the hearing devices thus has priority over the automatic, and the automatic mode of the hearing devices does not have to be turned off.

FIG 1

eine schematische Ansicht eines Hörgeräts gemäß dem Stand der Technik;

FIG 2

ein Schaltbeispiel eines Hörgerätesystems bei musikunterlegtem Gesang von links;

FIG 3

ein Schaltbeispiel eines Hörgerätesystems bei musikunterlegtem Gesang von rechts; und

FIG 4

ein Schaltbeispiel in einer Hörsituation "Sprache vor Hintergrundmusik".

The present invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1

a schematic view of a hearing aid according to the prior art;

FIG. 2

a switching example of a hearing aid system with music-backed vocals from the left;

FIG. 3

a switching example of a hearing aid system with music-backed vocals from the right; and

FIG. 4

a switching example in a listening situation "language in front of background music".

The embodiments described in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention.

As mentioned above, the current equipment of hearing aids is not satisfactory, because the hearing aid wearers are indeed different hearing aid programs available that they can choose by pressing a button on the hearing aid or a remote control. But especially for music is often only a single program available, although the general listening situation "music" at least in "instrumental music without language part" and "instrumental music with language part" can be divided. In addition, in known hearing aids, the general program "music" in the respective listening situation on both sides (left ear and right ear) set the same.

To solve this problem, a hearing system is therefore provided according to the invention, which in the present embodiment comprises two hearing aids, one of which is switched by an internal control device in the music mode and the other in the voice mode. This means that one hearing instrument is optimally set for the reproduction of instrumental music, while the other hearing instrument is optimally adjusted for the reproduction of speech. The hearing device that is switched to the music mode can be dominant in this case. Thus, the hearing aid wearer can primarily enjoy the music. However, if the hearing aid wearer wants to follow the lyrics more accurately, he may pay more attention to the less dominant hearing aid, which is switched to speech mode. Here, the present invention is based on the idea that the brain is used to focus on what the hearing aid wearer wants to hear without having to adjust the hearing aid. The hearing system is thus switched to a dual mode, namely one hearing device in a music mode and the other in a voice mode.

In particular, the hearing aid can be operated in music mode with higher gain and the hearing aid in the voice mode with lower gain. Similar to the natural situation of listening, the hearing aid wearer can focus on the speech-optimized hearing aid (hearing aid in speech mode) if he wants to understand the text of the song or piece of music.

In FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a musical listening situation in which a music source 11 is located on the left side of a hearing aid wearer 12. The hearing aid wearer 12 is shown in plan view and carries a hearing aid in / on both ears. The hearing aid worn on the left is referred to as the left hearing aid 13 (left hearing aid) and the hearing aid worn on the right ear as the right hearing aid 14 (right hearing aid).

From the music source 11 here music is broadcast, which has a Instrumentalmusikanteil 15 and a lyrical text portion 16. Thus, the lyrical text portion 16 is a portion of speech, and the instrumental portion 15 is referred to herein as the music portion.

Since the hearing device wearer 12 is sonicated from the left here, in the present example, the left hearing aid 13 is switched to the music mode, while the right hearing aid 14 is switched to the voice mode. The music source 11 facing the hearing aid is thus switched to the music mode and the other hearing aid in the voice mode.

To further emphasize the music, here the left hearing aid 13 is set a bit louder than the right hearing aid 14. This is in FIG. 2 symbolized by the fact that the music notes in the left hearing aid 13 are shown larger than the music notes of the music part 15 in the music source 11. In contrast, the gain of the right hearing aid 14 is set slightly lower, so that the hearing aid wearer 12 perceives the voice part slightly quieter. The music part should therefore be emphasized a bit and is more weighted by the hearing aid system than the language part. In another embodiment, where other listening programs are used, this could be the other way round.

Now if the hearing aid wearer 12 wants to better understand the text of the piece of music, he will focus more on the right ear than if he were listening in the right direction. Otherwise, if he wants to hear the music sooner, he concentrates more on the left ear.

In FIG. 3 is reproduced in an analogous representation of the situation that the hearing aid wearer 12 is sonicated from the right with language-controlled music. The music also includes here - as in FIG. 2 an instrumental music portion 15 and a voice portion 16. However, since the music source 11 is located on the right side of the hearing aid wearer 12, the two hearing aids 13 and 14 change their setting, ie the left hearing aid 13 switches to the speech mode and the right hearing aid 14 in the music mode. Again, the dual function provides for a slightly lower gain of the speech components than the music amplification on the right hearing aid 14. The right hearing aid 14 in the music mode is here so the dominant hearing aid.

Alternatively, the hearing device remote from the music source 11 can also be switched to the music mode and the hearing device facing the music source 11 can be switched to the voice mode. In this case, as in the previous embodiments, the "switching" means not only an actual switching, but u.U. also maintaining the switching state when, for example, a hearing device is in music mode and continues to be operated in music mode. The hearing aid is then switched to music mode.

Switching the hearing aids according to the situation FIG. 2 in the situation of FIG. 3 or vice versa can be done manually or automatically. The hearing system then selects the side on which a sound of higher volume arrives than the dominant side, and on the dominant side, for example, the hearing device is switched to the music mode. If both sides are about equally strong sonicated, the hearing aid can optionally continue to operate unchanged, or it can be switched, for example, based on a hysteresis. In addition, in a further development of the system may be provided the possibility that the hearing aid wearer selects the program manually, even if the hearing aid is in automatic mode. The manual selection then takes precedence.

In FIG. 4 another hearing situation is shown in which a conversation 17 takes place in front of background music 18. It should be used here a setting in which the hearing aid, which is switched to the voice mode, is dominant. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 4 the right hearing aid 14, in which the voice signal or the voice part 17 is louder, switched to the voice mode to optimize the speech recognition. The left hearing aid 13, however, is switched to the music mode. In addition, here too, the voice portion can be more reinforced than the music portion. Then, the gain in the right hearing aid 14 is set correspondingly higher than in the left hearing aid 13. With this setting of the hearing system, the hearing aid wearer will be able to understand the conversation 17 clearer, and at the same time he will be able to listen to the background music. If he rather wants to listen to the music, he will focus on the ear, where the better music reproduction is given.

Claims (9)

A method of controlling a binaural hearing system with a left ear hearing aid (13) and a right ear hearing aid (14), comprising the steps of: - Determining a hearing situation with a music part (15) and a voice part (16), characterized by Switching one of the two hearing devices (13, 14) into a music mode and - The other of the two hearing devices (13, 14) at the same time in a voice mode. The method of claim 1, wherein in the music mode the music portion (15) is amplified more than the voice portion (16). The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein in the speech mode the speech portion (16) is amplified more than the music portion (15). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, when wearing the hearing devices (13, 14), the left hearing device (13) is switched to the music mode when a sound with music component (15) and voice component (16) is transferred onto the carrier (12) from the left. of the hearing devices. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in a listening situation "speech with background music" that of the hearing devices (13, 14) is switched to the speech mode, which is closer to the speech source when wearing the hearing devices. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein that of the hearing devices (13, 14) is switched to the music mode in which the volume of the incoming sound is higher. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the switching back and forth between music mode and voice mode is controlled by a hysteresis. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two hearing devices (13, 14) are automatically switched to the respective mode, and the resulting switching result is manually changed. Hearing system for binaural supply with a control device, which is designed for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims.

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