Methods and apparatus for improving speech understanding in a large crowd
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- a central processing station that includes processing circuitry and wireless communication circuitry;
a plurality of hearing aids for wearing by a plurality of users, wherein each hearing aid includes an input transducer, an output transducer, processing circuitry, and a wireless transceiver for communicating with the central processing station;
wherein the processing circuitries of the hearing aids and the central processing station are configured to operate in a cooperative mode where;
one of the hearing aids acts as a target hearing aid and another of the hearing aids acts as a source hearing aid, the source hearing aid encodes and transmits audio signals generated by its input transducer to the central processing station, the central processing station performs hearing loss compensation according to hearing loss parameters specified for the target hearing aid on the received encoded audio signals and transmits the compensated signals to the target hearing aid, and the target hearing aid decodes the compensated signals received from the central processing station; and
,wherein the target hearing aid is configured to process an audio signal generated by the target hearing aid'"'"'s input transducer with a hearing loss processor, sum the hearing loss processed signal with the decoded audio signal received from the central processing station, and play back the summed signals through the target hearing aid'"'"'s output transducer.
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Abstract
Methods and devices are described for improves speech understanding by hearing aid users in crowded environments. In one embodiment, a hearing aid wearer'"'"'s speech signal is extracted using the microphone or microphones in the hearing aid. The hearing aid is configured to wirelessly transmit the extracted speech signals to a central processing station that enhances the extracted speech signals received from all registered hearing aids. The central processing station processes the received speech signals individually based on provided hearing losses mixes the signals based on the provided preferences, wirelessly transmits the mixed signal to each registered hearing aid for play back.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a central processing station that includes processing circuitry and wireless communication circuitry; a plurality of hearing aids for wearing by a plurality of users, wherein each hearing aid includes an input transducer, an output transducer, processing circuitry, and a wireless transceiver for communicating with the central processing station; wherein the processing circuitries of the hearing aids and the central processing station are configured to operate in a cooperative mode where;
one of the hearing aids acts as a target hearing aid and another of the hearing aids acts as a source hearing aid, the source hearing aid encodes and transmits audio signals generated by its input transducer to the central processing station, the central processing station performs hearing loss compensation according to hearing loss parameters specified for the target hearing aid on the received encoded audio signals and transmits the compensated signals to the target hearing aid, and the target hearing aid decodes the compensated signals received from the central processing station; and
,wherein the target hearing aid is configured to process an audio signal generated by the target hearing aid'"'"'s input transducer with a hearing loss processor, sum the hearing loss processed signal with the decoded audio signal received from the central processing station, and play back the summed signals through the target hearing aid'"'"'s output transducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A hearing aid comprising:
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input and output transducers for receiving and outputting sound, respectively; processing circuitry including a hearing loss processor for performing hearing loss compensation on audio signals received from the input transducer; wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to operate in a cooperative mode by;
receiving and decoding encoded hearing loss compensated signals from a central processing station, process an audio signal generated by the input transducer with the hearing loss processor, sum the hearing loss processed signal with the decoded audio signal received from the central processing station, and play back the summed signals through the output transducer; and
, wherein the encoded hearing loss compensated signals from the central processing station are based on audio signals generated by an input transducer of another hearing aid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method, comprising:
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transmitting audio signals generated by an input transducer of a source hearing aid to a central processing station; the central processing station performing hearing loss compensation according to hearing loss parameters specified for a target hearing aid on received encoded audio signals and transmitting compensated signals to the target hearing aid, the target hearing aid decoding the compensated signals received from the central processing station, processing an audio signal generated by the target hearing aid'"'"'s input transducer with a hearing loss processor, summing the hearing loss processed signal with the decoded audio signal received from the central processing station, and playing back the summed signals through the target hearing aid'"'"'s output transducer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification