Spatial Audio Object Coding (SAOC) Decoder and Postprocessor for Hearing Aids

• US 20100322446A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Gerate GmbH (MED-EL Corporation)
• Inventors: Strahl, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US12/817,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322446A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/505 using digital signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 2420/03 Application of parametric coding in stereophonic audio systems

Abstract

An audio processor device for a hearing impaired listener is described. An input signal decoder decodes an audio input data signal into a corresponding multi-channel audio output representing multiple audio objects and associated side information. An audio processor adjusts the multi-channel audio output based on user-specific hearing impairment characteristics to produce a post-processed audio output to improve auditory scene analysis (ASA) by the hearing impaired listener of the audio objects.

Claims

1. An audio processor device for a hearing impaired listener, the device comprising:

an input signal decoder for decoding an audio input data signal into a corresponding multi-channel audio output representing a plurality of audio objects and associated side information; and

an audio processor for adjusting the multi-channel audio output based on user-specific hearing impairment characteristics to produce a post-processed audio output for auditory scene analysis (ASA) by the hearing impaired listener of the audio objects.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the audio input data signal includes Spatial Audio Object Coding (SAOC) data.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the associated side information includes at least one of Object Level Difference (OLD) and Inter-Object Cross-Coherence (IOC) information.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the audio input data signal is based on an audio recording playback signal.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the audio input data signal is based on a real time audio source.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the user-specific hearing impairment characteristics include user audiogram data.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the user-specific hearing impairment characteristics include user-specific processing fit data.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the multi-channel audio output is further based on a coding strategy associated with the post-processed audio output.

9. A conventional hearing aid system having a device according to any of claims 1-9.

10. A middle ear prosthesis system having a device according to any of claims 1-9.

11. A cochlear implant system having a device according to any of claims 1-9.

14. A method according to claim 2, wherein the associated side information includes at least one of Object Level Difference (OLD) and Inter-Object Cross-Coherence (IOC) information.

12. A method of processing audio signals for a hearing impaired listener, the method comprising:

automatically decoding an audio input data signal into a corresponding multi-channel audio output representing a plurality of audio objects and associated side information; and

adjusting the multi-channel audio output based on user-specific hearing impairment characteristics to produce a post-processed audio output for auditory scene analysis (ASA) by the hearing impaired listener of the audio objects.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the audio input data signal includes Spatial Audio Object Coding (SAOC) data.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the audio input data signal is based on an audio recording playback signal.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the audio input data signal is based on a real time audio source.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein the user-specific hearing impairment characteristics include user audiogram data.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein the user-specific hearing impairment characteristics include user-specific processing fit data.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein adjusting the multi-channel audio output is further based on a coding strategy associated with the post-processed audio output.

20. A conventional hearing aid system using the method according to any of claims 12-19.

21. A middle ear prosthesis system using the method according to any of claims 12-19.

22. A cochlear implant system using the method according to any of claims 12-19.