METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING DEVICE AS WELL AS A HEARING DEVICE

• US 20150030191A1
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonova AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Phonak AG (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Hasler, Ivo, Knaus, Micha
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/317
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/43 Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/43 Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics H04R25/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/50 Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Abstract

A method for operating a hearing device worn by a hearing device user. The method includes picking up an audio signal (a) by an input transducer of the hearing device. The audio signal (a) includes a source signal (s) of a sound source (SS) and a disturbing signal (d) of a disturbing source (DS). The method also includes receiving a transmission signal (d_AIS) via an interface unit of the hearing device. The transmission signal (d_AIS) includes the disturbing signal (d) or at least characteristic features of the disturbing signal (d). The method also includes at least partially eliminating the disturbing signal (d) from the audio signal (a) by using the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) or by using the characteristic features of the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) for obtaining an adjusted audio signal (a*), and processing the adjusted audio signal (a*).

Claims

1. A method for operating a hearing device (1) that is worn by a hearing device user (2), the method comprising the steps of:

picking up an audio signal (a) by an input transducer (7) of the hearing device (1), the audio signal (a) comprising a source signal (s) of a sound source (SS) and a disturbing signal (d) of a disturbing source (DS),

receiving a transmission signal (d_AIS) via an interface unit (12) of the hearing device (1), the transmission signal (d_AIS) comprising the disturbing signal (d) or at least characteristic features of the disturbing signal (d),

at least partially eliminating the disturbing signal (d) from the audio signal (a) by using the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) or by using the characteristic features of the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) for obtaining an adjusted audio signal (a*), and

processing the adjusted audio signal (a*) in the hearing device (1).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a correlation function between the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) and the audio signal (a),

determining a delay between the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) and the disturbing signal (d) superimposed on the source signal (s) taking into account said correlation function, and

eliminating the delay between the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) and the disturbing signal (d) superimposed on the source signal (s).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

picking up the disturbing signal (d) by a further input transducer (14), and

generating the transmission signal (d_AIS) from the picked up disturbing signal (d).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling by the hearing device user (2) the step of at least partially eliminating the disturbing signal (d) in the audio signal (a).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the disturbing sound source (DS) comprises at least one of the following audio sources:

television set;

radio receiver;

HiFi—

(High Fidelity)—

unit;

an input transducer, such as a microphone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission signal (d_AIS) is transmitted to the interface unit (12) via implementation of one of the following techniques:

wireless transmission;

proprietary or standardized, e.g. FM—

(Frequency Modulation), Bluetooth, WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network);

wired transmission;

Network with one or several transmission paths/links.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic features comprising at least one of the following:

a time decimated sequence of the disturbing signal (d);

a spectrum of the disturbing signal (d);

a spectrum of the disturbing signal (d) up to a predefined frequency or within a predefined frequency band;

an approximation of the disturbing signal (d);

stochastic signal information of the disturbing signal (d).

8. A hearing device (1) comprising:

an input transducer (7) for picking-up an audio signal (a) that comprises a source signal (s) of a sound source (SS) and a disturbing signal (d) of a disturbing source (DS),

an interface unit (12) for receiving a transmission signal (d_AIS) comprising a disturbing signal (d) or at least characteristic features of the disturbing signal (d) of a disturbing source (DS), and

a signal processing unit (9, 10, 11) for at least partially eliminating the disturbing signal (d) from the audio signal (a) by using the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) or by using the characteristic features of the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) for obtaining an adjusted audio signal (a*), the signal processing unit (9, 10, 11) being operationally connected to the interface unit (12).

9. The hearing device (1) of claim 8, further comprising:

means for calculating a correlation function between the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) and the audio signal (a),

means for determining a delay between the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) and the disturbing signal (d) superimposed on the source signal (s) taking into account said correlation function, and

means for eliminating the delay between the disturbing signal (d) transmitted by the transmission signal (d_AIS) and the disturbing signal (d) superimposed on the source signal (s).

10. The hearing device of claim 8, further comprising:

a further input transducer (14) for picking up the disturbing signal (d), and

means for generating the transmission signal (d_AIS) from the picked up disturbing signal (d).

11. The hearing device of claim 8, further comprising a control unit operated by the hearing device user (2) in order to control the means for at least partially eliminating the disturbing signal (d) from the audio signal (a).

12. The hearing device of one of the claims 8, wherein the disturbing source (DS) comprises at least one of the following audio sources:

television set;

radio receiver;

HiFi—

(High Fidelity)—

unit;

an input transducer, such as a microphone.

13. The hearing device of claim 8, wherein the transmission signal (d_AIS) is transmitted to the interface unit (12) via implementation of one of the following techniques:

wireless transmission;

proprietary or standardized, e.g. FM—

(Frequency Modulation), Bluetooth, WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network);

wired transmission;

Network with one or several transmission paths/links.

14. The hearing device of claim 8, wherein the characteristic features comprising at least one of the following:

a time decimated sequence of the disturbing signal (d);

a spectrum of the disturbing signal (d);

a spectrum of the disturbing signal (d) up to a predefined frequency or within a predefined frequency band;

an approximation of the disturbing signal (d);

stochastic signal information of the disturbing signal (d).