SOUND ENRICHMENT FOR THE RELIEF OF TINNITUS

• US 20110054241A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Resound A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Jensen, Ole Dyrlund
• Granted Patent: US 9,913,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0662 Ears
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/84 for discriminating voice from noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/75 Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/04 for correcting frequency response

Abstract

A sound enrichment system for provision of tinnitus relief, the sound enrichment system includes a noise generator, at least one signal modulator for random or pseudo-random modulation of a noise signal that is obtained using the noise generator, and an output transducer for conversion of the modulated noise signal to an acoustic signal for presentation to a user. A method of providing a noise enriched sound signal for provision of relief of tinnitus includes generating a randomly or pseudo-randomly modulated noise signal, generating an acoustic noise signal using the modulated noise signal, and presenting the acoustic noise signal to a tinnitus suffering person.

Claims

1. A sound enrichment system for provision of tinnitus relief, the sound enrichment system comprising:

a noise generator;

at least one signal modulator for random or pseudo-random modulation of a noise signal that is obtained using the noise generator; and

an output transducer for conversion of the modulated noise signal to an acoustic signal for presentation to a user.

2. The sound enrichment system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal modulator is configured for randomly or pseudo-randomly choosing a modulation value from an event space of modulation values.

3. The sound enrichment system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal modulator is configured for randomly or pseudo-randomly choosing a modulation period from an event space of modulation periods.

4. The sound enrichment system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal modulator is configured to modulate an amplitude of the noise signal.

5. The sound enrichment system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one signal modulator is configured to modulate the amplitude of the noise signal at a rate that is slower than a rate of an amplitude variation inherent in the noise signal.

6. The sound enrichment system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one modulator is configured to modulate selected spectral characteristics of the noise signal.

7. The sound enrichment system according to claim 6, wherein the at least one signal modulator is configured to modulate the selected spectral characteristics of the noise signal at a rate that is slower than a rate of a variation of the selected spectral characteristics inherent in the noise signal.

8. The sound enrichment system according to claim 6, further comprising a spectral shaping filter for at least in part filtering the noise signal, wherein the at least one modulator is configured to modulate the selected spectral characteristics of the noise signal by modulating a frequency response of the spectral shaping filter.

9. The sound enrichment system according to claim 8, wherein the modulation of the frequency response of the spectral shaping filter comprises a modulation of at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a Stop-band frequency, a slope, number of poles and zeroes, and location of poles and zeroes.

10. The sound enrichment system according to claim 1, further comprising an environment classifier for determining a classification of an ambient sound environment of the sound enrichment system, wherein the at least one modulator is configured to modulate the noise signal based at least in part on the classification of the ambient sound environment of the sound enrichment system.

11. The sound enrichment system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one signal modulator is configured to modulate the noise signal based at least in part on whether or not speech is present in the ambient sound environment.

12. The sound enrichment system according to claim 10, wherein the environment classifier comprises a speech detector.

13. The sound enrichment system according to claim 1, wherein the noise generator and the output transducer are parts of a hearing aid.

14. The sound enrichment system according to claim 13, wherein the hearing aid is configured for use by an ear of the user.

15. The sound enrichment system according to claim 13, wherein the hearing aid comprises a volume control that has a first mode of operation in which the volume control is operable to control a noise signal level, and a second mode of operation in which the volume control is operable to control a hearing aid gain.

16. The sound enrichment system according to claim 15, further comprising a switch for allowing the user to switch between the first and second modes of operation.

17. The sound enrichment system according to claim 15, wherein the volume control is capable of being switched between the first and second modes of operation based at least in part on a classification of an ambient sound environment of the hearing aid.

18. The sound enrichment system according to claim 15, wherein the volume control is capable of being switched automatically between the first and second modes of operation.

19. The sound enrichment system of claim 1, wherein the noise generator, the output transducer, and the at least one signal modulator are parts of a first hearing aid, and wherein the sound enrichment system further comprising an additional noise generator, an additional output transducer, and an additional signal modulator that form parts of a second hearing aid.

20. The sound enrichment system of claim 19, wherein the first and second hearing aid are operatively connected to each other, and wherein the at least one signal modulator in the first hearing aid and the additional signal modulator in the second hearing aid are configured to operate with each other in a coordinated manner.

21. The sound enrichment system of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the noise generator and at least a part of the at least one signal modulator are implemented using software program.

22. The sound enrichment system of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal modulator is a part of the noise generator.

23. The sound enrichment system of claim 1, further comprising a multiplier coupled to the at least one signal modulator.

24. The sound enrichment system of claim 1, further comprising a spectral shaping filter coupled to the at least one signal modulator.

25. The sound enrichment system of claim 24, further comprising a multiplier, wherein the at least one signal modulator is coupled to both the multiplier and the spectral shaping filter.

26. The sound enrichment system of claim 1, wherein the noise signal comprises a signal generated by the noise generator.

27. The sound enrichment system of claim 1, wherein the noise signal is derived from a signal generated by the noise generator.

28. A method of providing a noise enriched sound signal for provision of relief of tinnitus, the method comprising:

generating a randomly or pseudo-randomly modulated noise signal;

generating an acoustic noise signal using the modulated noise signal; and

presenting the acoustic noise signal to a tinnitus suffering person.