METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A BINAURAL HEARING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM USING MONAURAL AUDIO SIGNALS

• US 20080008341A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starkey Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Edwards, Brent
• Granted Patent: US 8,208,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 1/005 For headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2400/01 Multi-channel, i.e. more than two input channels, sound reproduction with two speakers wherein the multi-channel information is substantially preserved
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/01 Enhancing the perception of the sound image or of the spatial distribution using head related transfer functions [HRTF's] or equivalents thereof, e.g. interaural time difference [ITD] or interaural level difference [ILD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 5/00 Pseudo-stereo systems, e.g. in which additional channel signals are derived from monophonic signals by means of phase shifting, time delay or reverberation

Abstract

The present application provides method and apparatus for a binaural hearing assistance system using a monaural audio signal input. The system, in various examples, provides adjustable delay/phase adjustment and sound level adjustment. Different embodiments are provided for receiving the monaural signal and distributing it to a plurality of hearing assistance devices. Different relaying modes are provided. Special functions are supported, such as telecoil functions. The system also has examples that account for a head-related transfer function in providing advanced sound processing for the wearer. Other examples are provided that are described in the detailed description.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a user having a first ear and a second ear, comprising:

a wireless device to transmit a signal containing monaural information;

a first hearing assistance device including;

a first radio receiver to receive the signal;

an adjustable phase shifter adapted to apply a plurality of controllable, incremental phase shifts to the monaural information on the signal; and

a first speaker to produce a first audio signal for the first ear; and

a second hearing assistance device including a second radio receiver and a second speaker to produce a second audio signal for the second ear,

wherein the first and second audio signals are produced with adjustable relative phase based on a setting of the adjustable phase shifter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a first adjustable level control.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a second adjustable level control.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes an adjustable level control.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a microphone.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a microphone.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a microphone.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a cellular phone.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a wireless audio controller (WAC) providing packetized audio to the first and second hearing assistance devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a manual adjuster for setting the adjustable phase shifter.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an automatic adjuster for automatic adjustment of the adjustable phase shifter.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a receiver to receive signals from the wireless device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a receiver to receive signals from the first hearing assistance device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a receiver to receive signals from the first hearing assistance device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a magnetic field sensor.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a processor for generating a head-related transfer function and for controlling the phase shifter based on the head-related transfer function.

17. A system for a user having a first ear and a second ear, comprising:

a device comprising a controllable phase shifter adapted to receive a monaural information signal and convert it into a first monaural signal and a second monaural signal, the first and second monaural signals having an interaural phase shift;

a first hearing assistance device including;

a first receiver adapted to receive the first monaural signal; and

a first speaker to produce a first audio signal for the first ear; and

a second hearing assistance device including;

a second receiver adapted to receive the second monaural signal; and

a second speaker to produce a second audio signal for the second ear.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a first interaural level adjustment control.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a second interaural level adjustment control.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes an interaural level adjustment control.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a microphone.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a microphone.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a microphone.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wireless device is a cellular phone.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wireless device is a wireless audio controller (WAC) providing packetized audio to the first and second hearing assistance devices.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a manual adjuster for setting the adjustable phase shifter.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising an automatic adjuster for automatic adjustment of the adjustable phase shifter.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a receiver to receive signals from the wireless device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a receiver to receive signals from the first hearing assistance device.

30. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second hearing assistance device includes a receiver to receive signals from the first hearing assistance device.

31. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a magnetic field sensor.

32. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first hearing assistance device includes a processor for generating a head-related transfer function and for controlling the phase shifter based on the head-related transfer function.

33. A method for providing sound to a first ear and a second ear of a wearer of first and second hearing assistance devices, comprising:

receiving a monaural information signal;

converting the monaural information signal into a first monaural signal and a second monaural signal, the first and second monaural signals differing in relative phase which is controllable; and

providing a first sound based on the first monaural signal to the first ear of the wearer and a second sound based on the second monaural signal to the second ear of the wearer to provide binaural sound to the wearer.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising adjusting relative phase to lateralize the binaural sound perceived by the wearer.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising adjusting a level of the first sound.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising adjusting a level of the second sound.

37. The method of claim 33, further comprising entering a telecoil mode when a telephone is in proximity to the first hearing assistance device.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising reducing level of the second sound when a telephone is in proximity to the first hearing assistance device.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising generating interaural delay and interaural level differences based on a head-related transfer function.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising relaying audio information from the first hearing assistance device to the second hearing assistance device.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising relaying control information from the first hearing assistance device to the second hearing assistance device.

42. The method of claim 33, further comprising relaying audio and control information from the first hearing assistance device to the second hearing assistance device.

43. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing a constant time delay between the first monaural signal and the second monaural signal.

44. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing a constant phase delay between the first monaural signal and the second monaural signal.

45. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing a varying phase delay between the first monaural signal and the second monaural signal.