Detection of whistling in an audio system

• US 9,794,695 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Original Assignee: GN Hearing A/S (GN Store Nord A/S)
• Inventors: Sheikh, Naim
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganmavo, Kuassi
• Application Number:
  US13/770,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20130223638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 381 60, 381 93, 381 83, 381 66, 381 96, 381 58, 381318, 381312, 381319, 381317, 37940606, 37940608
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/506 Feedback, e.g. howling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/30 Monitoring or testing of hearing aids, e.g. functioning, settings, battery power
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/453 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/02 for preventing acoustic reaction , i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/453

Abstract

A method for detecting whistling in an audio system includes determining an average frequency of an input signal of the audio system, sampling the input signal in consecutive blocks of at least one sample, wherein the average frequency is determined blockwise, and determining whether feedback related whistling is present in the input signal of the audio system by evaluating a stability of the average frequency, wherein the evaluation of the stability of the average frequency comprises: determining a difference of two values of the determined average frequency for two blocks, and comparing the determined difference to a first threshold value.

Claims

1. A method for detecting whistling in an audio system, comprising:

determining an average frequency of an input signal of the audio system;

sampling the input signal in consecutive blocks of at least one sample, wherein the average frequency is determined blockwise;

comparing a value of the determined average frequency for one of the blocks with another value of the determined average frequency for another one of the blocks to determine a stability of the average frequency; and

determining whether whistling due to repeat feedback amplification is present in the input signal of the audio system based at least in part on a result from the act of comparing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of comparing comprises determining a difference of the value and other value of the determined average frequency.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising comparing the determined difference to a first threshold value.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising determining a function of the difference.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the function comprises an absolute value function.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the function is equal to 0 if an absolute value of the difference is less than a second threshold value.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the function is equal to an absolute value of the difference if the absolute value is larger than or equal to the second threshold value.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining an average of differences over a number of the blocks.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the act of determining the average comprises determining a moving average.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transforming the input signal into a frequency domain.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising comparing a power or an energy content of the input signal with a third threshold value.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of the average frequency of the input signal comprises determining a centroid of the input signal.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the audio system comprises a communication system, the communication system being a hearing aid, a headset, or a telephone system.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the whistling is due to a repeating of sound leakage from a receiver to a microphone in the audio system.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of determining whether the whistling is present in the input signal of the audio system comprises calculating a test value based on the value and the other value, and determining whether the test value satisfies a criteria.

16. A hearing aid, comprising:

a microphone for the provision of an input signal;

a whistle detector unit that is configured to detect whistling in the hearing aid; and

a receiver for the provision of an output sound signal to be presented to a user of the hearing aid;

wherein the whistle detector is configured for;

determining an average frequency of the input signal of the hearing aid;

sampling the input signal in consecutive blocks of at least one sample, wherein the average frequency is determined blockwise;

comparing a value of the determined average frequency for one of the blocks with another value of the determined average frequency for another one of the blocks to determine a stability of the average frequency; and

determining whether whistling due to repeat feedback amplification is present in the input signal of the hearing aid based at least in part on a result from the act of comparing.

17. The hearing aid according to claim 16, wherein the whistle detector is configured to compare the value with the other value by determining a difference of the value and the other value.

18. The hearing aid according to claim 17, wherein the whistle detector is configured to compare the determined difference to a first threshold value.

19. The hearing aid according to claim 16, further comprising a feedback cancellation filter, wherein the hearing aid is configured to adjust at least one parameter of the feedback cancellation filter in response to the detected whistling.

20. The hearing aid according to claim 16, further comprising an amplification controller that is configured to adjust a gain of the hearing aid based on the detected whistling.

21. The hearing aid according to claim 20, wherein a response time of the amplification controller is based on whether the whistling is detected or not.

22. The hearing aid according to claim 20, wherein a response time of the amplification controller comprises an attack time and a release time, and wherein the attack time or the release time, or both the attack time and the release time, is adjusted adaptively in response to the detected whistling for a predetermined period of time.

23. The hearing aid according to claim 20, wherein the amplification controller is configured to successively determine gain correction values, and wherein at least one of the gain correction values depends on at least one previous one of the gain correction values.

24. The hearing aid according to claim 20, wherein the amplification controller is configured to cease an attenuation, if the level of the attenuation has been substantially equal to a maximum level of attenuation for a predetermined period of time.

25. The hearing aid according to claim 16, wherein the whistling is due to a repeating of sound leakage from the receiver to the microphone.

26. The hearing aid according to claim 16, wherein the whistle detector is configured for:

calculating a test value based on the value and the other value, and

determining whether the test value satisfies a criteria.