Patent Application
20250106569
Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.
The present application relates to the field of hearing aids, in particular to own-voice detection, or the use thereof in a hearing aid.
US2011137649A1 deals with a hearing aid configured to control the gain applied to a microphone input signal and to an audio stream input in dependence of a control signal indicative of the presence of the voice of the user (‘own voice’) of the hearing aid.
Receiving direct audio (from an audio delivery device, e.g. from a telephone, a remote microphone, or a television) is a standard feature in state of the art hearing aids. The present disclosure is related to the use of own-voice detection to control the mixing ratio between sound from the environment (picked up by a microphone) and a received (direct, e.g. streamed) audio input before a resulting signal is presented to the user of the hearing aid via an output transducer.
In a typical hearing aid, there is a fixed scheme for setting the gain of a microphone path, when audio is received, e.g. to attenuate the microphone input by 20 dB.
When the audio input is related to a telephone conversation, it is likely that the user really wants to attenuate all sound from the surrounding, e.g. even introduce noise cancelation of external “noise” (e.g. in open fittings).
But when the audio input is related to an audio stream, e.g. comprising TV sound, or sound picked up by a remote microphone (e.g. a partner or ‘teacher’ microphone), the choice is not that obvious. In a TV sound setup, where the hearing aid user is not alone in the room, it is likely that a conversation (e.g. regarding what to watch or what is being watched) may be desired. But it could also be that focus on the TV sound is preferred.
In an education setting (e.g. using a remote microphone) similar issues may prevail. While the student (e.g. a hearing aid user) is listening to a teacher, a fellow student next to the student may (or may not!) be of interest to listen to (via the microphone input).
Several other use-case like this can be thought of but a strategy for (automatically) controlling the gain applied to a hearing aid microphone input when a direct audio input is received is needed.
The idea is to use own-voice detection to decide on the microphone attenuation in dependence of the source of the audio input.
When a phone-call is received, an attenuation of the environment sound is likely desired, e.g. an attenuation of a fixed amount, e.g. 20 dB, or more, or an attenuation in dependence of a current input level (e.g. a larger attenuation the larger the current input level is, e.g. at the start of the direct audio reception, or adaptively adjusted to the input level over time during the audio reception).
When in a TV streaming situation, the own-voice detection can be used to disable the attenuation. If you are watching TV with a partner, a certain default attenuation of the microphone input is desired. But only until you start a parallel conversation with the partner. The microphone input should not be completely turned off, so that a conversation can start. In other words, the default attenuation should be set to a value that would allow a normal-level input to be audible to the hearing aid user. When a conversation with the partner is started, attenuation of the microphone input should be disabled. The own-voice detector can be used to detect the start of the conversation. If the hearing aid user speaks it is more than likely that a reply from one or more persons in the room can be expected.
Hence, when the user is in a streaming situation receiving audio from a wireless audio transmission (e.g. Bluetooth, etc.) device AND when this is NOT a phone conversation, own-voice detection may preferably be used to temporarily remove microphone attenuation (at least for a period of time, e.g. between 2 and 10 seconds).
Preferably, the scheme according to the present disclosure for controlling gain of sound picked up by the hearing aid microphone(s) when direct audio is received is automatically applied.
The hearing aid may be configured to individually enable or disable (select on/off) the microphone attenuation for
In an aspect of the present application, a hearing aid configured to be worn by a user, and as claimed in claim 1, is provided. The hearing aid comprises:
The input gain controller is configured to apply an input gain to the electric input signal, or to a signal originating therefrom in dependence of a) the own voice control signal and b) the type of audio transmitter.
Thereby an improved hearing aid may be provided.
The wireless receiver unit may be configured to provide an audio transmitter type control signal indicative of the origin of a currently received wireless signal. The input gain controller may be configured to apply the input gain to the electric input signal, or to a signal originating therefrom, in dependence of the audio transmitter type control signal.
The input gain controller may be configured to determine the type of audio transmitter from a current mode of operation of the hearing aid. The hearing aid may be configured to operate in a multitude of different modes, e.g. a normal mode, and one or more specific modes, e.g. selectable by a user via a user interface, or automatically selectable. A mode of operation may be optimized to a specific acoustic situation or environment, e.g. a communication (or 2-way audio) mode, such as a telephone mode (where the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a telephone device and to transmit audio (the hearing aid user's voice) to a telephone device), or a partner microphone mode (wherein the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a portable microphone), or a table microphone mode (where the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a stationary (e.g. table-) microphone unit), TV-reception mode (where the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a TV), etc.
The current mode of operation of the hearing aid may be determined by the user via a user interface. The hearing aid may comprise a user interface allowing the user to control functionality of the hearing aid, including to enter (and/or leave) a specific one of a multitude of modes of operation (e.g. represented by different hearing aid programs).
At least two of the multitude of different types of audio transmitters may use different audio transmission formats.
The multitude of different types of audio transmitters may comprise one or more of a video-sound-transmitter, a table microphone transmitter, a portable microphone transmitter, and a telephone transmitter.
Audio transmission formats may comprise standardized or proprietary audio transmission formats. For example, an audio transmission format of the different audio transmission formats comprises a standardized or proprietary audio transmission format. For example, each of the different audio transmission formats comprises a standardized or proprietary audio transmission format. The different audio transmission formats may be construed as a plurality (e.g., a multitude) of audio transmission formats.
The audio transmission formats may e.g. be used in one or more of Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, and LE audio protocols.
The hearing aid may comprise an other-voice detector configured to provide an other-voice-control signal indicative of whether or not or with what probability another voice than the user's own voice is present in the sound from the environment of the user. The hearing aid may comprise a general voice activity detector. The other-voice detector may comprise a combination of the own voice detector and a general voice activity detector. The other voice detector may be configured to identify the voice of one or more specific other persons, e.g. voices of persons typically present in the acoustic environments related to streaming. Such persons may be a spouse or children or other persons frequently engaging with the hearing aid user. Thereby the particular gain modification according to the present disclosure may be limited to situations involving such one or more specific other persons (e.g. to conversations involving specific other persons, e.g. when the hearing aid is in a TV-reception mode).
The hearing aid may comprise a conversation detector identifying a conversation that the user is currently engaged in, and to provide a conversation control signal indicative thereof. The conversation detector may be based on the own voice control signal in combination with a timer. When the own voice detection signal (OVctr) indicates that the user's voice is present (e.g. OVctr=‘active’ in
The conversation detector may e.g. be based on the own voice control signal and the other-voice-control signal. The conversation detector may further be based on an analysis of the mutual timing of the own voice control signal, the other-voice-control signal and predefined rules regarding time-overlap and/or time gaps between the two control signals.
The input gain controller may be configured to apply the input gain to the electric input signal, or to a signal originating therefrom in dependence of a) the own voice control signal, b) the type of audio transmitter, and c) the conversation control signal.
The input gain controller may be configured to apply an input gain to the audio input signal. The input gain applied to said audio input signal may e.g. be dependent on a current input level as observed by the microphone of the hearing aid. The input gain applied to said audio input signal may e.g. be dependent on the current mode of operation, e.g. a 2-way audio mode, such as a ‘telephone mode’ of operation.
The input gain controller may be configured to apply an input gain to the electric input signal and/or to the audio input signal to provide a certain mixing ratio of the mixed signal.
The hearing aid may comprise one or more electrical sensors configured to be located close to the ear and close to skin of the user when the hearing aid is worn by the user.
The hearing aid may be configured to extract electroencephalography (EEG) and/or electromyography (EMG) signals from the one of more electrical sensors.
The own voice detector may be based on an analysis of the EEG and/or EMG signals.
The own voice control signal may be determined from a high pass filtered part of the EEG and/or EMG signal(s). The own voice control signal may be determined from EEG and/or EMG signal(s) evoked by muscle activity. Speech or preparation of speech is characterized by high-frequency, high-amplitude (EEG- and/or EMG-) signals.
The hearing aid may be adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain and/or a level dependent compression and/or a transposition (with or without frequency compression) of one or more frequency ranges to one or more other frequency ranges, e.g. to compensate for a hearing impairment of a user. The hearing aid may comprise a signal processor for enhancing the input signals and providing a processed output signal.
The hearing aid may comprise an output unit for providing a stimulus perceived by the user as an acoustic signal based on a processed electric signal. The output unit may comprise a number of electrodes of a cochlear implant (for a CI type hearing aid) or a vibrator of a bone conducting hearing aid. The output unit may comprise an output transducer. The output transducer may comprise a receiver (loudspeaker) for providing the stimulus as an acoustic signal to the user (e.g. in an acoustic (air conduction based) hearing aid). The output transducer may comprise a vibrator for providing the stimulus as mechanical vibration of a skull bone to the user (e.g. in a bone-attached or bone-anchored hearing aid). The output unit may (additionally or alternatively) comprise a transmitter for transmitting sound picked up-by the hearing aid to another device, e.g. a far-end communication partner (e.g. via a network, e.g. in a telephone mode of operation, or in a headset configuration).
The hearing aid may comprise an input unit for providing an electric input signal representing sound. The input unit may comprise an (acousto-electric) input transducer, e.g. a microphone, for converting an input sound to an electric input signal. The input unit may comprise a wireless receiver for receiving a wireless signal comprising or representing sound and for providing an electric input signal representing said sound.
The wireless receiver and/or transmitter may e.g. be configured to receive and/or transmit an electromagnetic signal in the radio frequency range (3 kHz to 300 GHz). The wireless receiver and/or transmitter may e.g. be configured to receive and/or transmit an electromagnetic signal in a frequency range of light (e.g. infrared light 300 GHz to 430 THz, or visible light, e.g. 430 THz to 770 THz).
The hearing aid may comprise a directional microphone system adapted to spatially filter sounds from the environment, and thereby enhance a target acoustic source among a multitude of acoustic sources in the local environment of the user wearing the hearing aid. The directional system may be adapted to detect (such as adaptively detect) from which direction a particular part of the microphone signal originates. This can be achieved in various different ways as e.g. described in the prior art. In hearing aids, a microphone array beamformer is often used for spatially attenuating background noise sources. The beamformer may comprise a linear constraint minimum variance (LCMV) beamformer. Many beamformer variants can be found in literature. The minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformer is widely used in microphone array signal processing. Ideally the MVDR beamformer keeps the signals from the target direction (also referred to as the look direction) unchanged, while attenuating sound signals from other directions maximally. The generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) structure is an equivalent representation of the MVDR beamformer offering computational and numerical advantages over a direct implementation in its original form.
The hearing aid may comprise antenna and transceiver circuitry allowing a wireless link to an entertainment device (e.g. a TV-set), a communication device (e.g. a telephone), a wireless microphone, or another hearing aid, etc. The hearing aid may thus be configured to wirelessly receive a direct electric input signal from another device. Likewise, the hearing aid may be configured to wirelessly transmit a direct electric output signal to another device. The direct electric input or output signal may represent or comprise an audio signal and/or a control signal and/or an information signal.
In general, a wireless link established by antenna and transceiver circuitry of the hearing aid can be of any type. The wireless link may be a link based on near-field communication, e.g. an inductive link based on an inductive coupling between antenna coils of transmitter and receiver parts. The wireless link may be based on far-field, electromagnetic radiation. Preferably, frequencies used to establish a communication link between the hearing aid and the other device is below 70 GHz, e.g. located in a range from 50 MHz to 70 GHZ, e.g. above 300 MHz, e.g. in an ISM range above 300 MHz, e.g. in the 900 MHz range or in the 2.4 GHz range or in the 5.8 GHz range or in the 60 GHz range (ISM=Industrial, Scientific and Medical, such standardized ranges being e.g. defined by the International Telecommunication Union, ITU). The wireless link may be based on a standardized or proprietary technology. The wireless link may be based on Bluetooth technology (e.g. Bluetooth Low-Energy technology, e.g. LE audio), or Ultra WideBand (UWB) technology.
The hearing aid may be or form part of a portable (i.e. configured to be wearable) device, e.g. a device comprising a local energy source, e.g. a battery, e.g. a rechargeable battery. The hearing aid may e.g. be a low weight, easily wearable, device, e.g. having a total weight less than 100 g, such as less than 20 g, such as less than 5 g.
The hearing aid may comprise a ‘forward’ (or ‘signal’) path for processing an audio signal between an input and an output of the hearing aid. A signal processor may be located in the forward path. The signal processor may be adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain according to a user's particular needs (e.g. hearing impairment). The hearing aid may comprise an ‘analysis’ path comprising functional components for analyzing signals and/or controlling processing of the forward path. Some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the forward path may be conducted in the frequency domain, in which case the hearing aid comprises appropriate analysis and synthesis filter banks. Some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the forward path may be conducted in the time domain.
An analogue electric signal representing an acoustic signal may be converted to a digital audio signal in an analogue-to-digital (AD) conversion process, where the analogue signal is sampled with a predefined sampling frequency or rate fs, fs being e.g. in the range from 8 kHz to 48 kHz (adapted to the particular needs of the application) to provide digital samples xn (or x[n]) at discrete points in time tn (or n), each audio sample representing the value of the acoustic signal at tn by a predefined number Nb of bits, Nb being e.g. in the range from 1 to 48 bits, e.g. 24 bits. Each audio sample is hence quantized using Nb bits (resulting in 2Nb different possible values of the audio sample). A digital sample x has a length in time of 1/fs, e.g. 50 μs, for fs=20 kHz. A number of audio samples may be arranged in a time frame. A time frame may comprise 64 or 128 audio data samples. Other frame lengths may be used depending on the practical application.
The hearing aid may comprise an analogue-to-digital (AD) converter to digitize an analogue input (e.g. from an input transducer, such as a microphone) with a predefined sampling rate, e.g. 20 kHz. The hearing aids may comprise a digital-to-analogue (DA) converter to convert a digital signal to an analogue output signal, e.g. for being presented to a user via an output transducer.
The hearing aid, e.g. the input unit, and or the antenna and transceiver circuitry may comprise a transform unit for converting a time domain signal to a signal in the transform domain (e.g. frequency domain or Laplace domain, Z transform, wavelet transform, etc.). The transform unit may be constituted by or comprise a TF-conversion unit for providing a time-frequency representation of an input signal. The time-frequency representation may comprise an array or map of corresponding complex or real values of the signal in question in a particular time and frequency range. The TF conversion unit may comprise a filter bank for filtering a (time varying) input signal and providing a number of (time varying) output signals each comprising a distinct frequency range of the input signal. The TF conversion unit may comprise a Fourier transformation unit (e.g. a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) algorithm, or a Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) algorithm, or similar) for converting a time variant input signal to a (time variant) signal in the (time-) frequency domain. The frequency range considered by the hearing aid from a minimum frequency fmin to a maximum frequency fmax may comprise a part of the typical human audible frequency range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, e.g. a part of the range from 20 Hz to 12 kHz. Typically, a sample rate fs is larger than or equal to twice the maximum frequency fmax, fs≥2fmax. A signal of the forward and/or analysis path of the hearing aid may be split into a number NI of frequency bands (e.g. of uniform width), where NI is e.g. larger than 5, such as larger than 10, such as larger than 50, such as larger than 100, such as larger than 500, at least some of which are processed individually. The hearing aid may be adapted to process a signal of the forward and/or analysis path in a number NP of different frequency channels (NP≤NI). The frequency channels may be uniform or non-uniform in width (e.g. increasing in width with frequency), overlapping or non-overlapping.
The hearing aid may be configured to operate in different modes, e.g. a normal mode and one or more specific modes, e.g. selectable by a user, or automatically selectable. A mode of operation may be optimized to a specific acoustic situation or environment, e.g. a communication mode, such as a telephone mode. A mode of operation may include a low-power mode, where functionality of the hearing aid is reduced (e.g. to save power), e.g. to disable wireless communication, and/or to disable specific features of the hearing aid.
The hearing aid may comprise a number of detectors configured to provide status signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing aid (e.g. the current acoustic environment), and/or to a current state of the user wearing the hearing aid, and/or to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing aid. Alternatively or additionally, one or more detectors may form part of an external device in communication (e.g. wirelessly) with the hearing aid. An external device may e.g. comprise another hearing aid, a remote control, and audio delivery device, a telephone (e.g. a smartphone), an external sensor, etc.
One or more of the number of detectors may operate on the full band signal (time domain). One or more of the number of detectors may operate on band split signals ((time-) frequency domain), e.g. in a limited number of frequency bands.
The number of detectors may comprise a level detector for estimating a current level of a signal of the forward path. The detector may be configured to decide whether the current level of a signal of the forward path is above or below a given (L-)threshold value. The level detector operates on the full band signal (time domain). The level detector operates on band split signals ((time-) frequency domain).
The hearing aid may comprise a voice activity detector (VAD) for estimating whether or not (or with what probability) an input signal comprises a voice signal (at a given point in time). A voice signal may in the present context be taken to include a speech signal from a human being. It may also include other forms of utterances generated by the human speech system (e.g. singing). The voice activity detector unit may be adapted to classify a current acoustic environment of the user as a VOICE or NO-VOICE environment. This has the advantage that time segments of the electric microphone signal comprising human utterances (e.g. speech) in the user's environment can be identified, and thus separated from time segments only (or mainly) comprising other sound sources (e.g. artificially generated noise). The voice activity detector may be adapted to detect as a VOICE also the user's own voice. Alternatively, the voice activity detector may be adapted to exclude a user's own voice from the detection of a VOICE.
The hearing aid may comprise an own voice detector for estimating whether or not (or with what probability) a given input sound (e.g. a voice, e.g. speech) originates from the voice of the user of the system. A microphone system of the hearing aid may be adapted to be able to differentiate between a user's own voice and another person's voice and possibly from NON-voice sounds.
The number of detectors may comprise a movement detector, e.g. an acceleration sensor. The movement detector may be configured to detect movement of the user's facial muscles and/or bones, e.g. due to speech or chewing (e.g. jaw movement) and to provide a detector signal indicative thereof.
The hearing aid may comprise a classification unit configured to classify the current situation based on input signals from (at least some of) the detectors, and possibly other inputs as well. In the present context ‘a current situation’ may be taken to be defined by one or more of
The classification unit may be based on or comprise a neural network, e.g. a recurrent neural network, e.g. a trained neural network.
The hearing aid may comprise an acoustic (and/or mechanical) feedback control (e.g. suppression) or echo-cancelling system. Adaptive feedback cancellation has the ability to track feedback path changes over time. It is typically based on a linear time invariant filter to estimate the feedback path, but its filter weights are updated over time. The filter update may be calculated using stochastic gradient algorithms, including some form of the Least Mean Square (LMS) or the Normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithms. They both have the property to minimize the error signal in the mean square sense with the NLMS additionally normalizing the filter update with respect to the squared Euclidean norm of some reference signal.
The hearing aid may further comprise other relevant functionality for the application in question, e.g. compression, noise reduction, etc.
The hearing aid may comprise a hearing instrument, e.g. a hearing instrument adapted for being located at the ear or fully or partially in the ear canal of a user. A hearing system may comprise a speakerphone (comprising a number of input transducers (e.g. a microphone array) and a number of output transducers, e.g. one or more loudspeakers, and one or more audio (and possibly video) transmitters e.g. for use in an audio conference situation), e.g. comprising a beamformer filtering unit, e.g. providing multiple beamforming capabilities.
In a further aspect, a hearing system comprising a hearing aid as described above, in the ‘detailed description of embodiments’, and in the claims, AND an auxiliary device is moreover provided.
The hearing system may be adapted to establish a communication link between the hearing aid and the auxiliary device to provide that information (e.g. control and status signals, possibly audio signals) can be exchanged or forwarded from one to the other.
The auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise a remote control, a smartphone, or other portable or wearable electronic device, such as a smartwatch or the like.
The auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise a remote control for controlling functionality and operation of the hearing aid(s). The function of a remote control may be implemented in a smartphone, the smartphone possibly running an APP allowing to control the functionality of the audio processing device via the smartphone (the hearing aid(s) comprising an appropriate wireless interface to the smartphone, e.g. based on Bluetooth or some other standardized or proprietary scheme).
The auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise an audio gateway device adapted for receiving a multitude of audio signals (e.g. from an entertainment device, e.g. a TV or a music player, a telephone apparatus, e.g. a mobile telephone or a computer, e.g. a PC, a wireless microphone, etc.) and adapted for selecting and/or combining an appropriate one of the received audio signals (or combination of signals) for transmission to the hearing aid.
The auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise another hearing aid. The hearing system may comprise two hearing aids adapted to implement a binaural hearing system, e.g. a binaural hearing aid system.
In a further aspect, a non-transitory application, termed an APP, is furthermore provided by the present disclosure. The APP comprises executable instructions configured to be executed on an auxiliary device to implement a user interface for a hearing aid or a hearing system described above in the ‘detailed description of embodiments’, and in the claims. The APP may be configured to run on cellular phone, e.g. a smartphone, or on another portable device allowing communication with said hearing aid or said hearing system.
A ‘hearing system’ refers to a system comprising one or two hearing aids, and a ‘binaural hearing system’ refers to a system comprising two hearing aids and being adapted to cooperatively provide audible signals to both of the user's ears. Hearing systems or binaural hearing systems may further comprise one or more ‘auxiliary devices’, which communicate with the hearing aid(s) and affect and/or benefit from the function of the hearing aid(s). Such auxiliary devices may include at least one of a remote control, a remote microphone, an audio gateway device, an entertainment device, e.g. a music player, a wireless communication device, e.g. a mobile phone (such as a smartphone) or a tablet or another device, e.g. comprising a graphical interface. Hearing aids, hearing systems or binaural hearing systems may e.g. be used for compensating for a hearing-impaired person's loss of hearing capability, augmenting or protecting a normal-hearing person's hearing capability and/or conveying electronic audio signals to a person. Hearing aids or hearing systems may e.g. form part of or interact with public-address systems, active ear protection systems, handsfree telephone systems, car audio systems, entertainment (e.g. TV, music playing or karaoke) systems, teleconferencing systems, classroom amplification systems, etc.
Embodiments of the disclosure may e.g. be useful in applications such as hearing devices adapted receive audio signals acoustically and electromagnetically, to process signals based thereon, and to present a resulting signal to a user of the hearing device.
The invention is set out in the appended set of claims.
The aspects of the disclosure may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they just show details to improve the understanding of the claims, while other details are left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts. The individual features of each aspect may each be combined with any or all features of the other aspects. These and other aspects, features and/or technical effect will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the illustrations described hereinafter in which:
The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they just show details which are essential to the understanding of the disclosure, while other details are left out. Throughout, the same reference signs are used for identical or corresponding parts.
Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only. Other embodiments may become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. Several aspects of the apparatus and methods are described by various blocks, functional units, modules, components, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as “elements”). Depending upon particular application, design constraints or other reasons, these elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer program, or any combination thereof.
The electronic hardware may include micro-electronic-mechanical systems (MEMS), integrated circuits (e.g. application specific), microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, printed circuit boards (PCB) (e.g. flexible PCBs), and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described throughout this disclosure, e.g. sensors, e.g. for sensing and/or registering physical properties of the environment, the device, the user, etc. Computer program shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise.
The present application relates to the field of hearing aids, in particular to a hearing aid configured to receive an audio input signal via a wireless receiver.
The hearing aid (HD) further comprises an own voice detector (OVD) configured to provide an own voce control signal (OVctr) indicative of whether or not, or with what probability the user's own voice is present in the sound (Sin) from the environment of the user. The hearing aid further comprises an input gain controller (ASGC) configured to apply an input gain (GENV, GAUX) to the at least one electric input signal (S1, . . . , SM) and/or to the audio input signal (Saux), or to a signal or signals originating therefrom in dependence of the own voce control signal (OVctr) and/or in dependence of the audio transmitter type control signal (ATTctr).
The hearing aid may be configured to operate in different modes, e.g. a normal mode and one or more specific modes, e.g. a wireless reception mode, e.g. selectable by a user (e.g. via a user interface), or automatically selectable (cf. signal ATTctr). The type of audio transmitter that the hearing aid currently receives audio from may be defined by a specific mode of operation of the hearing aid (cf. e.g. mode control signal MODctr from the user interface (UI)).
The receiver (Rx) or the input gain controller (ASGC) may be configured to (automatically) identify the type of audio transmitter that it currently is connected to (e.g. via a device identification parameter in the transmission protocol).
The input gain controller (ASGC) may be configured to (automatically) control (e.g. increase or decrease) the input gain (GENV) of the (here, noise reduced) microphone signal (SENV) in dependence of the own-voice detector (e.g. via the own voice detection control signal (OVctr)), at least when the hearing aid is in a wireless reception mode, wherein the wireless receiver unit (IUAUX) receives a signal from at least one of the multitude of different types of transmitters. In other words, the volume (as presented to the user) of the sound from the environment picked up by the at least one input transducer (or a noise reduced, e.g. beamformed version thereof) may be controlled in dependence of the own-voice detector and the type of transmitter (at least in the wireless reception mode).
In general, during time-periods where the user speaks, the volume (as presented to the user) of the sound picked up by the at least one input transducer (or a beamformed version thereof) may e.g. be attenuated compared to when the user does not speak (e.g. to ensure that the user's own voice (when played for the user) is not perceived as annoying by the user, i.e. to minimize the effect of occlusion). The scheme for controlling input gain(s) in dependence of own voice presence according to the present disclosure may be independent of such general approach.
In the exemplary embodiment of
The mixer is in the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
The first signal path is the main signal path (forward path) of the hearing device when ‘only’ implementing a classic hearing aid mode of operation.
The first signal path and a combination of the second and third signal paths are the main signal paths of the hearing device when a headset (or two-way audio) mode of operation is implemented. In case, no signals from the environment (picked up by the input unit (IUMIC)) are to be presented to the user, only the first and third signal paths are active in the headset mode.
The combination of the second and third signal paths are the main signal paths of the hearing device when a one-way-audio (or streaming audio) mode is implemented (cf. e.g.
The hearing aid (HD) comprises respective multiplication units (‘X’) configured to apply respective input gains (GENV, GAUX) to the signals for the microphone path and direct audio input path, respectively. In the embodiment of
A frequency and/or level dependent gain for compensating for a hearing impairment of the user (termed the ‘hearing aid gain’) may be provided by a ‘hearing aid processor’ (cf. block (HAG in
However, in a wireless reception mode, when a conversation is assumed to take place (see e.g.
When the conversation ends (or is estimated to have ended), the relative attenuation of environment sound may be removed with a certain delay (e.g. 10 seconds). The (e.g. default) attenuation may be gradually reintroduced over a certain time period (e.g. over some seconds, ‘fading’ from no (or low) attenuation to higher attenuation).
The first types of transmitters are symbolically indicated in the left side of
The second types of transmitters are symbolically indicated in the left side of
The attenuation values (A=A1=A2, or A1≠A2) may be adaptively determined in dependence of a current input level (e.g. a larger attenuation the larger the current input level, e.g. adaptively adjusted to the input level over time during the audio reception).
The input gain controller is configured to apply an input gain to the electric input signal, or to a signal originating therefrom in dependence of a) the own voice control signal and b) the type of audio transmitter.
Some exemplary scenarios are given in the following.
The type of transmitter may e.g. be indicated by an audio transmitter type control signal provided by the wireless receiver or provided by the user via a user interface or extracted from the transmission format of the received wireless signal (e.g. defined by a transmission protocol of the transmitter from which the wireless signal is currently received).
The type of audio transmitter may e.g. be indicated by a current mode of operation of the hearing aid, e.g. defined by a current hearing aid program (or combination of hearing aid settings). The mode of operation may be automatically determined, e.g. by the wireless receiver, e.g. derived from the currently received wireless signal (e.g. from the protocol). The mode of operation may be manually determined, e.g. via a user interface of the hearing aid.
The hearing aid may be configured to operate in a multitude of different modes, e.g. a normal mode, and one or more specific modes, e.g. selectable by a user via a user interface, or automatically selectable. A mode of operation may be optimized to a specific acoustic situation or environment, e.g. a communication mode, such as a telephone mode (where the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a telephone device and to transmit audio (the hearing aid user's voice) to a telephone device), or a partner microphone mode (wherein the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a portable microphone), or a table microphone mode (where the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a stationary (e.g. table-) microphone unit), or a TV-reception mode (where the hearing aid is configured to receive audio from an audio transmitter of a TV), etc.
TV-Sound (or Similar) Reception (e.g. in a ‘TV-Reception Mode’, Cf.
In situations when sound from another person than the hearing aid user is picked up by the external microphone (e.g. using a first (e.g. proprietary) transmission protocol):
In situations when sound from the hearing aid user is picked up by the external microphone (e.g. using a second (e.g. standardized) transmission protocol (e.g. BLE)):
In situations where an audio stream is received from a telephone and the user's own voice is picked up by the microphones of the hearing aid and transmitted to the telephone (e.g. via a standardized protocol (e.g. LEA2 (iOS based telephones) or ASHIA (Android-based telephones):
In situations where an audio stream is received from a telephone and the user's own voice is NOT picked up by the microphones of the hearing aid and transmitted to the telephone:
A long standing problem in hearing aids (e.g. hearing instruments) is the detection and processing of a hearing aid wearer's own voice. The problems are manifold, it is difficult to detect the difference between the wearer's voice and other people's voices, the processing of the wearer's voice is preferably different from the other voices, and the disadvantages of closed moulds leading to occlusion is much worse for own voice.
An electrical sensor close to the ear and close to skin, e.g. electroencephalography (EEG) or electromyography (EMG), connected to the hearing instrument(s) may pick up signals from the facial nerve and hereby detect that the wearer is going to move the jar and lips to speak. Since the electrical signals in the facial nerve happen before the speech is actually occurring, this system allows the hearing instrument to predict own voice before it happens and adjust the hearing instrument parameters accordingly (e.g. to reduce gain applied to the microphone-based signal presented to the user).
In one embodiment this enables the hearing instrument to reduce the gain, as well as adjusting other parameters, at the beginning where the own voice starts. Moreover, when the own voice is about to end, the hearing instrument may be configured to increases the gain, as well as to adjust other parameters, when the speech ends, hereby being ready to amplify other weaker speech signals in the surroundings. The analysis of facial nerve signals hereby enables the hearing instrument to amplify other people's voice more than the wearer's own voice and to switch between own voice processing on and off much faster and more aligned with the timing of the actual change (cf. e.g.
In another embodiment, the facial nerve signal is used to detect signals from the facial nerve prior to speech, which enables the hearing instrument to also increase the size (vent size) of a ventilation channel (e.g. a tube) to prevent occlusion. When the analysis of the facial nerve signal predicts the end of the speech signal, the vent size may be diminished. The analysis of the facial nerve signal hereby enables the provision of a larger vent during own voice where the gain is reduced (as well as other parameters) and a smaller vent when the wearer is not speaking out, and therefore requires more gain that could (otherwise with the increased vent size) cause howling.
When a hearing aid user is talking, the input to the hearing aid from the user's vocal organs (from a distance of 0.1 to 0.3 m) is much louder than speech in a typical conversation (often at a distance of 1-2 meters). Own voice drives the hearing aid into (level) compression due to the level of the voice. Once the hearing aid is into compression, the amplification of other person's voices will often be insufficient and thereby inaudible. The time constants implemented in the compression rationale are hence important. If the hearing aid takes too long to go into compression, own voice will be too loud for the user. If the compressor takes too long to revert to previous settings the amplification of other voices will be too low. In practise the user experiences own voice as masker of other voices. This is especially important in discussions with fast turn taking.
Furthermore a ‘correct’ amplification of own voice is essential in order for the user to produce a correct level whilst speaking especially in situations where a change in level of own voice is expected.
It has until now not been possible to make a robust detection of own voice. Such a robust detection would enable a shift between two amplification schemes, one for talking and one for listening.
To develop a robust detection of own voice, electrophysiology recorded from the ear canal (earEEG) may provide a novel approach. EarEEG can be used to monitor the continuous brain activity recorded as electroencephalography (EEG). New research has shown that it is possible to detect EEG activity as speech production is in preparation prior to vocalization, se e.g. US2021235203A1, US2014369537A1, or US2015018699A1. Thus, this provides a predictive feature to switch amplification scheme even before own speech onset. On the other hand, producing speech involves a lot of muscle activity, which may also be recorded by the earEEG electrodes in terms of electromyography (EMG). EMG is characterized by high frequency content at high amplitudes and is easily detected in the signal. Hence, this provides a feature to detect ongoing speech, and the end of this signal provides a flag to when the amplification scheme should shift back to the listening scheme.
It is intended that the structural features of the devices described above, either in the detailed description and/or in the claims, may be combined with steps of the method, when appropriately substituted by a corresponding process.
As used, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well (i.e. to have the meaning “at least one”), unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “comprises,” “including,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, but an intervening element may also be present, unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein may include wirelessly connected or coupled. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The steps of any disclosed method are not limited to the exact order stated herein, unless expressly stated otherwise.
It should be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an aspect” or features included as “may” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined as suitable in one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23199298.3 | Sep 2023 | EP | regional |
