Programmable hearing aid
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A hearing aid comprising:
- at least one microphone;
an earphone;
an amplifier and transmission stage connected between said microphone and said earphone, said amplifier and transmission stage having a signal path therein between said microphone and said earphone and having a plurality of adjustable transmission characteristics acting on a signal in said signal path; and
neural network means connected in said signal path in said amplifier and transmission stage for processing signals in said signal path by adjusting said transmission characteristics dependent on current ambient auditory conditions for at least partially correcting a hearing impairment of a hearing aid user, said neural network means comprising a plurality of synapses, each synapse having a synaptic weight associated therewith, with each synaptic weight being permanently set.
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Abstract
A programmable hearing aid has improved signal processing, particularly improved separation of the useful signals from unwanted noise, by virtue of signals of the signal path from at least one microphone to the earphone being conducted through a neural network and being processed therein.
71 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A hearing aid comprising:
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at least one microphone; an earphone; an amplifier and transmission stage connected between said microphone and said earphone, said amplifier and transmission stage having a signal path therein between said microphone and said earphone and having a plurality of adjustable transmission characteristics acting on a signal in said signal path; and neural network means connected in said signal path in said amplifier and transmission stage for processing signals in said signal path by adjusting said transmission characteristics dependent on current ambient auditory conditions for at least partially correcting a hearing impairment of a hearing aid user, said neural network means comprising a plurality of synapses, each synapse having a synaptic weight associated therewith, with each synaptic weight being permanently set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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15. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said neural network means comprises a single-layer feedback network having two inputs, two synapses, two outputs, and two limiting amplifiers respectively disposed in signal paths between said input and said outputs, with said synapses being respectively connected to said inputs and to said outputs so that each output signal is multiplied by a function and is added to the input signal of the other synapse, said function being a function of the two output signals.
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16. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said neural network means has a plurality of output signals, and further comprising decision means for selecting one of said output signals for further processing.
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17. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said neural network means comprises a plurality of components operating according to principles of fuzzy logic.
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18. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 further comprising fuzzy logic signal preprocessing means, preceding said neural network means, for preprocessing signals from said microphone according to principles of fuzzy logic.
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19. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein said neural network means comprises a plurality of outputs, and further comprising fuzzy logic decision means, supplied with said outputs from said neural network means, for selecting one of said output signals for further processing according to principles of fuzzy logic.
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9. A hearing aid comprising:
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at least one microphone; an earphone; an amplifier and transmission stage connected between said microphone and said earphone, said amplifier and transmission stage having a signal path therein between said microphone and said earphone and having a plurality of adjustable transmission characteristics acting on a signal in said signal path; and neural network means connected in said signal path in said amplifier and transmission stage for processing signals in said signal path by adjusting said transmission characteristics dependent on current ambient auditory conditions for at least partially correcting a hearing impairment of a hearing aid user, said neural network means comprising a plurality of synapses, each synapse having a synaptic weight associated therewith and each synaptic weight being variable;
control means connected to each synapse for varying the synaptic weight associated therewith; anddata carrier means for supplying data to said control means for modifying the synaptic weights respectively associated with said synapses. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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30. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 wherein said neural network means comprises a single-layer feedback network having two inputs, two synapses, two outputs, and two limiting amplifiers respectively disposed in signal paths between said input and said outputs, with said synapses being respectively connected to said inputs and to said outputs so that each output signal is multiplied by a function and is added to the input signal of the other synapse, said function being a function of the two output signals.
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31. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 wherein said neural network means has a plurality of output signals, and further comprising decision means for selecting one of said output signals for further processing.
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32. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 wherein said neural network means comprises a plurality of components operating according to principles of fuzzy logic.
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33. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 further comprising fuzzy logic signal preprocessing means, preceding said neural network means, for preprocessing signals from said microphone according to principles of fuzzy logic.
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34. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 wherein said neural network means comprises a plurality of outputs, and further comprising fuzzy logic decision means, supplied with said outputs from said neural network means, for selecting one of said output signals for further processing according to principles of fuzzy logic.
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35. A hearing aid as claimed in claim 9 wherein said control means comprises means for programming the synaptic weights respectively associated with said synapsis.
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Specification