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EP4149121B1 - Procédé de fonctionnement d'un appareil auditif - Google Patents

Procédé de fonctionnement d'un appareil auditif

Info

Publication number
EP4149121B1
EP4149121B1 EP22190784.3A EP22190784A EP4149121B1 EP 4149121 B1 EP4149121 B1 EP 4149121B1 EP 22190784 A EP22190784 A EP 22190784A EP 4149121 B1 EP4149121 B1 EP 4149121B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
signal
hearing aid
directional
input
weighting factor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP22190784.3A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP4149121A1 (fr
EP4149121C0 (fr
Inventor
Homayoun KAMKAR-PARSI
Marko Lugger
Juliane Borsum
Manuel BUSCH
Michael BÜRGER
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sivantos Pte Ltd
Original Assignee
Sivantos Pte Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sivantos Pte Ltd filed Critical Sivantos Pte Ltd
Publication of EP4149121A1 publication Critical patent/EP4149121A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP4149121C0 publication Critical patent/EP4149121C0/fr
Publication of EP4149121B1 publication Critical patent/EP4149121B1/fr
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/40—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic
    • H04R25/405—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic by combining a plurality of transducers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/40—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic
    • H04R25/407—Circuits for combining signals of a plurality of transducers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
    • H04R25/552—Binaural

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for operating a hearing aid which has at least two input transducers and at least one output transducer, wherein an output signal is formed on the basis of directional signals which are generated from the input signals of the input transducers, which output signal is converted by the output transducer into a sound signal.
  • Hearing aids are portable hearing aids designed to provide hearing assistance to people with hearing loss or hard of hearing.
  • different types of hearing aids are available, such as behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aids, and in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids, such as in-the-ear (concha) hearing aids or in-the-canal (ITE) hearing aids (CIC: Completely-In-Channel), or invisible-in-the-Channel (IIC).
  • BTE behind-the-ear
  • RIC receiver-in-the-canal
  • ITE in-the-ear
  • CIC Completely-In-Channel
  • IIC invisible-in-the-Channel
  • the hearing aids listed here are worn on the outer ear or in the ear canal of the hearing aid user.
  • Bone conduction, implantable, and vibrotactile hearing aids are also available on the market. These devices stimulate the impaired hearing either mechanically or electrically.
  • Such hearing aids generally have an input transducer, an amplifier, and an output transducer as their essential components.
  • the input transducer is usually an acousto-electrical transducer, such as a microphone, and/or an electromagnetic receiver, such as an induction coil or a (radio frequency, RF) antenna.
  • the output transducer is usually an electro-acoustic transducer, such as a miniature loudspeaker (earpiece). or as an electromechanical transducer, such as a bone conduction receiver.
  • the amplifier is usually integrated into a signal processing device. Power is typically supplied by a battery or rechargeable accumulator.
  • a so-called binaural hearing aid device two hearing aids of this type are worn by one user, with a communication link between the hearing aids.
  • data possibly even large amounts of data, are exchanged wirelessly between the hearing aid in the right and left ear.
  • the exchanged data and information enable particularly effective adaptation of the hearing aids to the respective acoustic environment. In particular, this provides the user with a particularly authentic surround sound and improves speech understanding, even in noisy environments.
  • a beamforming or directional microphony algorithm through which a narrow directional characteristic, e.g. A directional cone is directed toward the conversation partner.
  • a directional cone acts as a filter over the hearing aid's input signals, amplifying the conversation partner's speech signal while significantly suppressing noises originating from a different direction.
  • document US 10 547 956 B2 discloses a method for operating a hearing aid having a first input transducer for generating a first input signal from an ambient noise signal and a second input transducer for generating a second input signal from the ambient noise signal, the method comprising: assigning a first direction to a first signal source; forming a first directional signal oriented in the first direction based on the first input signal and the second input signal; examining signal components of the first directional signal for the presence of a wanted signal from a wanted signal source predetermined with respect to a type thereof; predetermining spectral properties of the wanted signal source for examining the signal components of the first directional signal for the presence of the wanted signal; and determining a probability value for signal components compatible with the spectral features contained in the first directional signal, and inferring that a wanted signal is present if the probability value exceeds a predetermined first threshold value. and which comprises defining a specific speaker as the wanted signal source and determining a human speech signal of the speaker as the wanted signal.
  • the document EP 3 328 097 A1 discloses a hearing aid comprising - an input unit for providing a plurality of electrical input signals representing sound in the user's environment - a signal processing unit providing a processed signal based on one or more of the plurality of electrical input signals, and - an output unit comprising an output transducer for converting the processed signal or a signal originating therefrom into a stimulus perceivable by the user as sound; wherein the Input unit comprising at least one first input transducer for receiving a sound signal from the environment and for providing at least one first electrical input signal, and a first signal strength detector for providing a signal strength estimate of the at least one first electrical input signal, referred to as a first signal strength estimate, wherein the at least one first input transducer is arranged on the head, remote from the ear canal, - a comparison unit operatively coupled to the first and second signal strength detectors and configured to compare the first and second signal strength estimates and provide a signal strength comparison measure indicating the difference between the signal strength estimates;
  • the document DE 10 2019 205709 B3 discloses a method for directional signal processing for a hearing aid, wherein a first input signal is generated from a sound signal of the environment by a first input transducer of the hearing aid, wherein a second input signal is generated from the sound signal of the environment by a second input transducer of the hearing aid, wherein a first calibration directional signal is generated based on the first input signal and the second input signal, which has a relative attenuation in the direction of a first useful signal source of the environment, wherein a second calibration directional signal is generated based on the first input signal and the second input signal, which has a relative attenuation in the direction of a second useful signal source of the environment, wherein a relative amplification parameter is determined based on the first calibration directional signal and the second calibration directional signal, wherein a first processing directional signal and a second processing directional signal are generated based on both the first input signal and the second input signal, wherein the first processing directional signal, the second processing directional
  • the document EP 2 811 762 A1 discloses a method for beam forming for hearing aid systems, wherein the hearing aid system comprises a left hearing aid device and a right hearing aid device, which are arranged on a head of a wearer according to the application, wherein the left hearing aid device comprises a left acousto-electrical transducer, which converts sound waves arriving at the left hearing aid device into a left input signal and the right hearing aid device comprises a right acousto-electrical transducer, which converts sound waves arriving at the right hearing aid device into a right input signal, wherein the hearing aid system comprises a A signal processing device which is in signal connection with the left and right acousto-electrical transducers and receives the left and right input signals, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of different linear combinations of the left input signal and the right input signal; evaluating the linear combinations according to a predetermined signal criterion; selecting a linear combination as a beam signal depending on the evaluation.
  • hearing aids are known in which a number of directional signals with different directional characteristics are used from the microphone signals to generate an output signal.
  • This is also referred to below as the multi-beam concept.
  • Such a multi-beam concept enables, for example, a so-called ambient beam or ambient directional cone (region beam).
  • Such an ambient beam is automatically activated, for example, when the hearing aid wearer is having a conversation with more than one target speaker, or when the hearing aid wearer is having a conversation with a single speaker in a displaced position without having to turn their head towards the conversation partner.
  • the ambient beam algorithm for example, is designed to specifically cover a spatial area in which the conversation partners are located by controlling and combining several flexible narrow directional signals or directional patterns from different directions, which are applied in parallel. This ambient beam generates various new directional characteristics or directional cone patterns that are tailored to the listening situation in which the active conversation partners are located.
  • the technical problem here is that the conversation partners in the output signal still have the same original speech volume, even though background noise and external noise in the distance can be effectively reduced. This means there is no amplified hearing. In other words, the speakers are not louder and do not stand out in the conversation situations in which the hearing aid wearer finds themselves.
  • the invention is based on the object of providing a particularly suitable method for operating a hearing aid.
  • a speech signal is to be emphasized more strongly in the output signal without losing information from the surroundings.
  • the invention is also based on the object of providing a particularly suitable hearing aid.
  • the method according to the invention is intended for operating a hearing device, in particular a hearing aid device, and is suitable and designed therefor.
  • the hearing aid has at least two input transducers for generating input signals and at least one output transducer for generating a sound signal.
  • At least two directional signals with different directional characteristics are formed from the input signals, wherein the directional signals are subsequently examined for the presence of a useful signal.
  • a first weighting factor is assigned to the directional signal with the largest signal component of the useful signal, and a second weighting factor is assigned to the other directional signals.
  • the directional signals are multiplied by the respectively assigned weighting factor, and an output signal is then formed from this, which is converted into a sound signal by the output transducer.
  • the weighting factors are preferably linear factors. This realizes a particularly suitable method for operating the hearing aid.
  • a multi-beam or ambient beam concept is thus realized, in which the useful signal or useful signal components in the output signal can be automatically represented more prominently and louder due to the weighting factors.
  • a directional signal is defined as a signal that exhibits particularly high sensitivity to a reference sound from a reference sound source within a specific angular range, and exhibits significantly reduced sensitivity to the reference sound when the reference sound source is positioned outside the given angular range.
  • the directional signal can exhibit a maximum sensitivity to the reference sound at a given central angle, with the sensitivity to the reference signal decreasing with increasing angular distance from the central angle.
  • This angular dependence is also referred to below as the directional characteristic.
  • Directional characteristics include, in particular, directional cones or directional lobes (beams), i.e., directional characteristics with a club- or conical geometry. Such directional signals or directional characteristics can be generated from the input signals, for example, using "sum and delay" methods.
  • the presence of the wanted signal is determined, for example, by examining whether the wanted signal is similar to a specified wanted signal source in terms of type.
  • a specified wanted signal source includes, in particular, a wanted signal source that can be specified and/or recognized based on the spectral properties of signal components of the generated wanted signal, for example, a specific speaker whose speech signal can be distinguished from the speech signals of other possible speakers in the hearing aid based on its spectral properties and the distribution of formats.
  • spectral parameters of the wanted signal source are specified, whereby a probability is determined as to whether the directional signals contain signal components that are compatible with the spectral parameters. In this case, for example, if a specified probability threshold is exceeded, the presence of the wanted signal is inferred.
  • VAD voice activity detection unit
  • the method according to the invention essentially implements a listening mode in which "extended or amplified hearing” (augmented listening) or “enhanced hearing” or “hearing with enhanced senses” is enabled.
  • This makes it possible to automatically emphasize the wanted signal or the wanted signal source, for example, an active conversation partner, more prominently and loudly than usual in the output signal using the first weighting factor.
  • the wanted signal source is thus perceived as being closer to the hearing aid wearer. This means that the wanted signal source is "zoomed in” and more strongly emphasized in the output signal.
  • the second weighting factors are preferably selected such that ambient background noise is well preserved. The weighting factors thus essentially enable automatic volume control toward the wanted signal source.
  • This automatic, directional volume control (ADVC) makes it easier for hearing aid wearers to listen to conversations.
  • the directional signal multiplied by the first weighting factor, or rather its directional characteristic preferably exhibits a comparatively small angular spread.
  • this directional signal exhibits a comparatively narrow beam, i.e., a narrow angular spread, by means of which the wanted signal or the wanted signal source is tracked.
  • the method according to the invention is automatically faded out or terminated. This means that amplification is preferably applied only when necessary. This preferably results in intelligent amplification.
  • the output signal is formed from a superposition of the directional signals multiplied by the weighting factors.
  • a linear superposition is performed. This means that the weighted directional signals are preferably added or summed together.
  • the first weighting factor and/or the second weighting factor are adjusted depending on the respective current environmental situation.
  • the conjunction "and/or” is to be understood here and below in such a way that the features linked by this conjunction can be configured both together and as alternatives to one another.
  • An environmental situation is understood here to mean, in particular, an acoustic environmental situation or a hearing situation.
  • the environmental situation is identified and characterized, for example, by means of situation recognition and/or at least one level measurement and/or at least one algorithm of the hearing aid or signal processing.
  • the The environmental situation is classified according to certain criteria, and each of these classes is assigned a specific weighting factor setting.
  • the weighting factors are preferably controlled automatically by a scene analysis based on a combination of speaker localization and tracking, background noise estimation, speech intensity estimation, signal-to-noise ratio, etc.
  • the weighting factors are determined based on frequency and time. In particular, this means that the weighting factors are dimensioned differently in different frequency bands. Especially in the case of speech signals, characteristic spectral characteristics of the voices of the conversation partners can also be taken into account. To keep the background noise in the output signal as natural as possible, even though the useful signal is amplified with the first weighting factor, the second weighting factor is applied across all frequencies or only to specific frequencies.
  • the weighting factors are set within predefined (value) ranges. Depending on the hearing aid wearer's preference, these value ranges can be set either in fitting software provided by a hearing care professional (HCP) or via external devices, such as a smartphone application. This means that the hearing aid professional can decide for each hearing aid wearer whether the user's preference or need is more toward the enhanced hearing offered by the invention than toward conventional hearing.
  • HCP hearing care professional
  • the first weighting factor is larger than the second weighting factor. This ensures that the desired signal appears amplified or louder in the output signal.
  • the second weighting factor has a value range between zero (0) and one (1). This means that the second weighting factor is greater than or equal to zero ( ⁇ 0) and less than or equal to one ( ⁇ 1).
  • the first weighting factor is greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to an adjustable parameter.
  • the parameter is, for example, greater than or equal to one, but in particular, the parameter is greater than the upper limit of the second weighting factor. Changing or optimizing the parameter enables easy setting of a desired amplification factor for the useful signal.
  • the parameter is adjusted depending on the signal level of the wanted signal. This means that the degree of amplification is controlled by the original input volume of the wanted signal. If the signal level of the wanted signal falls below a certain threshold, the first weighting factor is automatically increased. For example, if a conversation partner speaks quietly during a conversation, the wanted signal is automatically amplified even more. If, however, the speaker is already loud, the amplification or the first weighting factor is automatically reduced.
  • the wanted signal is a speech signal.
  • the wanted signal source is a specific speaker or conversation partner, and the wanted signal is a (human) speech signal.
  • the method is particularly advantageous when a speaker is the wanted signal source, since, on the one hand, a specific speech signal can be identified based on a multitude of spectral parameters characteristic of the voice and speech, thus enabling particularly reliable amplification using the first weighting factor. This significantly improves the intelligibility of the speech signal.
  • the hearing aid according to the invention is particularly intended for the care of a hearing-impaired user (hearing system user).
  • the hearing aid is designed To record sound signals from the environment and output them to a hearing aid user.
  • the hearing aid has at least two input transducers, in particular acousto-electrical transducers, such as microphones, and at least one output transducer, in particular an electro-acoustic transducer, such as an earpiece.
  • the input transducers record sound signals (noises, tones, speech, etc.) from the environment and convert each of them into an electrical input signal.
  • An electrical output signal is generated from the electrical input signal by modifying the input signal in a signal processing unit.
  • the signal processing unit for example, is part of the hearing aid.
  • the input transducer and the output transducer, and possibly also the signal processing unit, are housed in a housing of the hearing aid.
  • the housing is designed such that it can be worn by the user on the head and near the ear, e.g., in the ear, on the ear, or behind the ear.
  • the hearing aid is preferably designed as a BTE hearing aid, ITO hearing aid, or RIC hearing aid.
  • the hearing aid in particular the signal processing unit, further comprises a controller, i.e., a control unit.
  • the controller is generally configured—in terms of programming and/or circuitry—to implement the method according to the invention described above.
  • the controller is thus specifically configured to determine a number of directional signals from the input signals, analyze signal components of a useful signal in the directional signals, and assign weighting factors to the directional signals depending on the signal components, multiply them by these weighting factors, and generate an output signal for the output transducer.
  • the controller is formed, at least in its core, by a microcontroller with a processor and a data memory in which the functionality for carrying out the method according to the invention is implemented in the form of operating software (firmware), so that the method - possibly in interaction with a device user - is carried out automatically when the operating software is executed in the microcontroller.
  • the controller can alternatively may also be formed by a non-programmable electronic component, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), in which the functionality for carrying out the method according to the invention is implemented by circuitry means.
  • ASIC application-specific integrated circuit
  • the hearing aid is designed to be binaural and, for this purpose, comprises two individual devices, each of which has at least two input transducers and at least one output transducer and is thus configured to receive sound signals from the environment and output them to a user of the hearing aid.
  • a wireless interface is provided for data exchange between the two individual devices.
  • the directional characteristics of the directional signals are, in particular, binaural directional characteristics, meaning that the directional signals are determined based on the input signals of both individual devices.
  • a binaural hearing aid With a binaural hearing aid, the user wears the two individual devices on different sides of the head, so that each device is assigned to a specific ear. Alternatively to a binaural hearing aid, a monaural hearing aid with just one individual device is also suitable. The explanations regarding a monaural hearing aid apply analogously to a binaural hearing aid, and vice versa.
  • the Fig. 1 shows the basic structure of a hearing aid 2 according to the invention.
  • the hearing aid 2 is designed as a binaural hearing aid device with two signal-coupled hearing aids or individual devices 4a, 4b.
  • the individual devices 4a, 4b are designed, for example, as behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE).
  • BTE behind-the-ear hearing aids
  • the individual devices 4a, 4b are or can be coupled to each other via a wireless communication link 6.
  • the communication connection 6 is, for example, an inductive coupling between the individual devices 4a and 4b; alternatively, the communication connection 6 is designed, for example, as a radio connection, in particular as a Bluetooth or RFID connection, between the individual devices 4a and 4b.
  • the structure of the individual devices 4a, 4b is explained below using the example of the individual device 4a.
  • the individual device 4a comprises, as shown in the Fig. 1 schematically depicted is a device housing 8, into which one or more microphones, also referred to as (acousto-electrical) input transducers 10, are built.
  • the input transducers 10 record a sound or acoustic signals in the environment of the hearing aid 2 and convert them into electrical acoustic data as input signals 12.
  • the input signals 12 are processed by a controller 14 of a signal processing device 16, which is also arranged in the device housing 10. Based on the input signals 12, the signal processing device 16 generates an output signal 18, which is passed to a loudspeaker or receiver 20.
  • the receiver 20 is designed as an (electro-acoustic) output transducer 20, which converts the electrical output signal 18 into an acoustic signal or sound signal and outputs it.
  • the acoustic signal is transmitted to the eardrum of a hearing system user via a sound tube (not shown in detail) or an external receiver, which is fitted with an earmold seated in the ear canal.
  • an electro-mechanical output transducer 20 is also conceivable as the receiver, for example, as in a bone conduction receiver.
  • the power supply of the individual device 4a and in particular of the signal processing device 16 is provided by a battery 22 accommodated in the device housing 8.
  • the signal processing device 16 is connected to a first transceiver 24 and a second transceiver 26 of the individual device 4a.
  • the transceiver 24 serves, in particular, to transmit and receive wireless signals via the communication connection 6, and the transceiver 26 serves to transmit and receive wireless signals via a communication connection to an external hearing aid device, for example, a smartphone.
  • an external hearing aid device for example, a smartphone.
  • FIG. 2 A block diagram illustrates a method for operating the hearing aid 2 during a listening situation in which a conversation partner 28 is positioned at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to a frontal direction 30 of the hearing aid user (hearing aid wearer).
  • the listening situation is such that the conversation between the hearing aid user and the conversation partner 28 is overlaid by background noise originating from noise sources distributed throughout the environment.
  • the conversation partner 28 is a useful signal source with regard to the signal processing or method described below, wherein the speech or speech signal of the conversation partner 28 represents a useful signal.
  • the following describes the method for a single device 4a, 4b, which is carried out in the controller 14. However, the method is preferably carried out binaurally, so that the output signal 18 is generated based on the input signals 12 of the input converters 10 of both individual devices 4a, 4b.
  • the sound signal 32 which results from the wanted signal and the background noise (interference, noise signals), is detected by the input transducers 10, each of which generates a corresponding input signal 12.
  • the input transducers 10 each of which generates a corresponding input signal 12.
  • a number of directional signals 34 with different directional characteristics 36 are formed from the input signals 12.
  • Examples include the Fig. 2
  • Four directional signals 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d for four different directional characteristics 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d are shown schematically.
  • the directional characteristics 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d are each designed, for example, as club- or conical directional beams, each having the same angular expansion 38 and differing only with respect to a central angle 40 with respect to the frontal direction 30.
  • the central angle 40 is defined in each case by the angle between the direction of maximum sensitivity of the directional characteristics 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d and the frontal direction 30 of the hearing aid user.
  • a selection unit 42 uses the directional signals 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d of the directional characteristics 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d to determine the presence of the wanted signal source or the conversation partner 28 in the respective direction of the central angle 40 via the corresponding signal levels.
  • the directional signal 34c has the largest signal component of the wanted signal.
  • a first weighting factor bw1 is assigned to the directional signal 34c and a second weighting factor bw2 is assigned to each of the remaining directional signals 34a, 34b, 34d.
  • the directional signals 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d are multiplied by the respective weighting factor bw1, bw2.
  • the weighting factors bw1 and bw2 can be multiplied by the directional signals 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d across all frequencies or applied to specific frequencies (e.g., frequencies relevant for speech understanding).
  • the weighting factors bw1, bw2 can thus be dimensioned differently in different frequency bands.
  • the directional signals 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d multiplied by the weighting factors bw1, bw2 are then mixed together in a mixing unit 46 by a linear superposition.
  • the superposition signal for two directional signals (Beam1, Beam2) for a frequency f at a time t is, for example, as:
  • Superpositionssignal f t bw 1 f t ⁇ Beam 1 f t + bw 2 f t ⁇ Beam 2 f t
  • the resulting superposition signal forms, for example, the output signal 18 for the output transducer 20, which converts the output signal 18 into an audible sound signal.
  • the superposition signal of the mixing unit 46 is fed to a signal processing block (not shown in detail) of the signal processing unit 16, in which all further processing algorithms specific to the hearing aid 2 are executed.
  • the signal processing block then generates the output signal 18.
  • the signal processing block can also be amplified at the relevant frequencies to make the speaker's voice even clearer in the output signal 18.
  • the method described above is implemented in particular as a multi-beam or ambient beam concept, in which the wanted signal or wanted signal components in the output signal 18 are automatically made more prominent and louder by the weighting factors bw1, bw2.
  • This method essentially implements a listening mode that enables "extended or augmented listening.”
  • the wanted signal source or the conversation partner 28 is thus perceived by the hearing aid user as (spatially) closer. This means that the wanted signal source is "zoomed in” and emphasized more strongly in the output signal 18.
  • the weighting factor bw1 is dimensioned larger than the weighting factor bw2.
  • the weighting factors bw2 are in particular greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to one (0 ⁇ bw2 ⁇ 1).
  • the weighting factors bw2 are preferably selected such that ambient noise remain well preserved in the background.
  • the weighting factor bw1 is greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to an adjustable parameter (0 ⁇ bw1 ⁇ parameter).
  • the value ranges of the weighting factors bw1, bw2, and especially the parameters can be set, for example, depending on the hearing aid wearer's preference, either in fitting software at the hearing aid acoustician's or via external devices, for example, with application software (application, app) on a smartphone.
  • the weighting factors bw1, bw2, or their values and/or the parameters, can be adjusted depending on the current ambient or listening situation.
  • the ambient situation is identified and characterized, for example, by means of situation recognition 48.
  • the weighting factors bw1, bw2 are preferably controlled automatically by a scene analysis based on a combination of speaker localization and tracking, background noise estimation, speech intensity estimation, signal-to-noise ratio, etc.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Procédé pour faire fonctionner un appareil auditif (2), lequel possède au moins deux convertisseurs d'entrée (10) et au moins un convertisseur de sortie (20),
    - les convertisseurs d'entrée (10) générant respectivement un signal d'entrée (12) à partir d'un signal sonore (32) de l'environnement,
    - au moins deux signaux directionnels (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) ayant des caractéristiques directionnelles (36a, 36b, 36c, 36d) différentes étant formés à partir des signaux d'entrée (12),
    - les signaux directionnels (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) étant examinés en vue de détecter la présence d'un signal utile,
    - un premier facteur de pondération (bw1) étant attribué au signal directionnel (34c) ayant la part de signal utile du signal utile la plus grande et un deuxième facteur de pondération (bw2) aux autres signaux directionnels (34a, 34b, 34d),
    - le premier facteur de pondération (bw1) étant supérieur au deuxième facteur de pondération (bw2),
    - le deuxième facteur de pondération (bw2) étant égal ou supérieur à zéro et inférieur ou égal à un,
    - le premier facteur de pondération (bw1) étant égal ou supérieur à zéro et inférieur ou égal à un paramètre réglable,
    - le paramètre étant réglé en fonction d'un niveau de signal du signal utile, et
    - les signaux directionnels (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) étant multipliés par le facteur de pondération (bw1, bw2) respectivement attribué et un signal de sortie (18) étant ensuite formé à partir de cela, lequel est converti par le convertisseur de sortie (20) en un signal sonore.
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisé en ce que
    le signal de sortie (18) est formé à partir d'une superposition des signaux directionnels (34a, 34b, 34c, 34d) multipliés par les facteurs de pondération (bw1, bw2).
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2,
    caractérisé en ce que
    le premier facteur de pondération (bw1) et/ou le deuxième facteur de pondération (bw2) sont réglés en fonction d'une situation environnementale.
  4. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3,
    caractérisé en ce que
    le signal utile est un signal vocal.
  5. Appareil auditif (2), notamment appareil auditif binaural, possédant au moins deux transducteurs d'entrée (10) destinés à générer des signaux d'entrée (12), et au moins un transducteur de sortie (20) destiné à générer un signal sonore, ainsi qu'un contrôleur (14) destiné à mettre en œuvre un procédé selon l'une des revendications 1 à 4.
EP22190784.3A 2021-09-13 2022-08-17 Procédé de fonctionnement d'un appareil auditif Active EP4149121B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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DE102021210098.8A DE102021210098A1 (de) 2021-09-13 2021-09-13 Verfahren zum Betrieb eines Hörgeräts

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EP4149121C0 EP4149121C0 (fr) 2025-07-30
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EP (1) EP4149121B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN115811691B (fr)
DE (1) DE102021210098A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102023202437B4 (de) * 2023-03-20 2024-10-17 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Verfahren zur Lokalisierung einer Schallquelle für ein binaurales Hörsystem

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3337187A1 (fr) * 2016-12-15 2018-06-20 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Procédé de fonctionnement d'un dispositif de correction auditive
CN115119125A (zh) * 2018-02-09 2022-09-27 奥迪康有限公司 一种听力装置

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102013209062A1 (de) 2013-05-16 2014-11-20 Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. Logik-basiertes binaurales Beam-Formungssystem
JP6019098B2 (ja) * 2013-12-27 2016-11-02 ジーエヌ リザウンド エー／エスＧｎ Ｒｅｓｏｕｎｄ Ａ／Ｓ フィードバック抑制
DK3328097T3 (da) * 2016-11-24 2020-07-20 Oticon As Høreanordning, der omfatter en egenstemmedetektor
DE102016225207A1 (de) * 2016-12-15 2018-06-21 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Verfahren zum Betrieb eines Hörgerätes
DE102016225205A1 (de) 2016-12-15 2018-06-21 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Verfahren zum Bestimmen einer Richtung einer Nutzsignalquelle
EP3598777B1 (fr) 2018-07-18 2023-10-11 Oticon A/s Dispositif auditif comprenant un estimateur de probabilité de présence de parole
DE102019205709B3 (de) * 2019-04-18 2020-07-09 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Verfahren zur direktionalen Signalverarbeitung für ein Hörgerät

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3337187A1 (fr) * 2016-12-15 2018-06-20 Sivantos Pte. Ltd. Procédé de fonctionnement d'un dispositif de correction auditive
CN115119125A (zh) * 2018-02-09 2022-09-27 奥迪康有限公司 一种听力装置

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Publication number Publication date
US20230080855A1 (en) 2023-03-16
CN115811691A (zh) 2023-03-17
EP4149121A1 (fr) 2023-03-15
CN115811691B (zh) 2025-11-11
DE102021210098A1 (de) 2023-03-16
EP4149121C0 (fr) 2025-07-30
US12212927B2 (en) 2025-01-28

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