EP0365378B1 - Elektronisches Gerät zur Verarbeitung eines Schallsignals - Google Patents

Elektronisches Gerät zur Verarbeitung eines Schallsignals Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0365378B1
EP0365378B1 EP89402598A EP89402598A EP0365378B1 EP 0365378 B1 EP0365378 B1 EP 0365378B1 EP 89402598 A EP89402598 A EP 89402598A EP 89402598 A EP89402598 A EP 89402598A EP 0365378 B1 EP0365378 B1 EP 0365378B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
signal
processing
appliance according
frequency
sound signal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP89402598A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0365378A1 (de
Inventor
Jean-Pierre Dupret
Frank Lefevre
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Laboratoire D'audiologie Dupret-Lefevre Sa SA
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Laboratoire D'audiologie Dupret-Lefevre Sa SA
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Priority to AT89402598T priority Critical patent/ATE98834T1/de
Publication of EP0365378A1 publication Critical patent/EP0365378A1/de
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/35—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using translation techniques
    • H04R25/353—Frequency, e.g. frequency shift or compression

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electronic device for processing a sound signal.
  • the invention applies more particularly to the correction of hearing disorders in a patient, and the apparatus of the invention can therefore be used as a portable hearing aid.
  • conventional hearing aids include an input microphone, amplification means and an output listener. Amplification is carried out across the entire frequency spectrum. This proves, on the one hand, superfluous because, for each particular patient, specific areas of the spectrum are better preserved, and, on the other hand, possibly harmful because there does not exist, therefore, of differentiation between the "useful" frequencies and the others.
  • octave represents the interval of two vibrations, one of which has a frequency twice the other.
  • the signal frequencies can then be in a more favorable area, that is to say a better preserved hearing area of the pathological ear.
  • the signal frequencies are offset by an octave, the corresponding sound will remain recognizable, even if it is perceived as being lower or higher.
  • the present invention aims to improve this device.
  • the electronic device for processing a sound signal is remarkable, according to the invention, in that the amplifier included in said selection and processing means is a clipping amplifier. , in that said selection and processing means also comprise a reconstitution filter, and in that said processing means are adapted to shift the frequencies of said band, depending on said frequency selection means, by a whole number, at least equal to one, of octave (s).
  • Said processing means may comprise either means capable of creating a signal whose frequency is half the corresponding frequency of the received signal, or means capable of creating a signal whose frequencies are each twice that of the received signal.
  • the apparatus comprises means receiving the output signal from the frequency selection means and intended to control said processing means.
  • control means comprise a signal digitization circuit.
  • the apparatus may include means for adjusting the intensity of the processed signal relative to that of the received signal.
  • the means for processing the electrical signal comprise means for detecting at least one amplitude peak of said signal, and means for amplifying said peak, so that the signal restored consisting of the superposition of the received sound signal and said amplified peak, exhibits a more marked emergence of said peak. This allows the patient to more easily recognize the formants (corresponding to the amplitude peaks) of such a vowel or such a consonant.
  • a control line connects the output of the bandpass filter to intensity adjustment means provided downstream of the reconstitution filter.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the apparatus of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an apparatus combining the signal processing carried out in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 3 or 4.
  • the electronic device shown can be in the form of a portable hearing aid.
  • the device comprises a microphone 1 which is connected, by a link 2, to amplification means 3 which can include a preamplifier 4 and an amplifier 5, connected by a link 6.
  • the output of the amplifier 5 is connected, by a link 7, to the input of a bandpass filter 8, the frequency band of which is chosen according to the hearing area affected by each patient, and which was determined by a preliminary examination. We could, for example, consider the frequency band between 750 Hz and 2500 Hz.
  • the bandpass filter 8 is itself connected, by a link 9, to a clipping amplifier 10, in turn connected, by a link 11, to a reconstitution filter 12.
  • the output of the filter 12 is connected, by the link 13, to a first input of adder means 14 via intensity adjustment means 15.
  • a control line 50 connects the output of the bandpass filter 8 to the intensity adjustment means 15, by means of a rectifier 51.
  • the amplitude of the input signal "control" thus the adjustment intensity at the output of the reconstruction filter, so that the processed signal sent to the adding means 14 is of amplitude proportional to that of the input signal.
  • the output of the amplifier 5 is directly connected to a second input of the adder means 14 by the link 16.
  • the adding means 14 can also be provided with intensity adjustment means 17.
  • the output of the adding means 14 is connected, by the link 18, to a listener 19, possibly via an amplifier 20a of the "push-pull" type. ".
  • the sound signal picked up by the microphone 1 is transformed there into an electrical signal, the latter being routed, by the link 2, to the amplification means 3.
  • the signal is routed, via the link 7, to the bandpass filter 8 leaving only the chosen frequency band of the spectrum, which is then amplified and reconstituted in the clipping amplifier 10 and the reconstruction filter 12.
  • the signal thus created is sent to the adding means 14, where it is added to the amplified input signal.
  • the electrical signal processing means make it possible to detect at least one amplitude peak of said signal (said peak being representative of the first or of the second forming a vowel or consonant), and amplify said peak, so that the restored sound signal, consisting of the superposition of the received sound signal and said amplified peak, has a more marked emergence of the peak, which helps the patient to recognize the formants (corresponding to the amplitude peaks) of such a vowel or such a consonant.
  • FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 1.
  • three series of elements each successively comprising a bandpass filter 8a, 8b, 8c, a clipping amplifier 10a, 10b, 10c, and a reconstitution filter 12a, 12b, 12c, are used.
  • intensity adjustment means 15a, 15b, 15c are provided for each of said series.
  • Three series of elements have been represented, which should not be considered as limiting. Generally, several sets of elements can be used.
  • each bandpass filter 8a, 8b, 8c works in a particular frequency area, for example, 200-750 Hz, 750-2500 Hz and 2500-5000 Hz, respectively, thereby covering more wide frequency band.
  • the apparatus of the invention likewise comprises a microphone 1 which is connected, by a link 2, to amplification means 3 which may include a preamplifier 4 and an amplifier 5, connected by a link 6.
  • the output of the amplifier 5 is connected, by a link 7, to the input of a bandpass filter 8, the frequency band of which is chosen as a function of the hearing area affected particular to each patient (or this choice results from a compromise between the different auditory zones affected), said band having been determined by a prior examination of the patient.
  • the output of the bandpass filter 8 is connected, by the control link 9, to control means 22 of frequency divider means 20 and frequency multiplier 21.
  • These means 20 and 21 are capable of dividing, respectively multiplying, by two a given frequency, that is to say of shifting said frequency by one octave towards the bass, respectively towards the treble.
  • the frequency could also be shifted by two, three, etc ... octaves towards bass, or treble.
  • the frequency dividing means 20 and frequency multipliers 21 are connected to the output of the amplifier 5 by a power link 40.
  • the control means 22 comprise a clipping amplifier 10, connected to the output of the filter 8 by the link 9 and to the input of a signal digitization circuit 23 by a link 24.
  • the latter acts, by the links 25 and 26, on switches 41 and 42, respectively, connected to the outputs of the frequency divider 20 and multiplier 21 means, the latter operating continuously.
  • the output of the frequency dividing means 20 is connected to a reconstruction filter 27 by the link 28, while the output of the frequency multiplier means 21 is connected to a reconstruction filter 29 by the link 30, via said switches 41 and 42, respectively.
  • the output of the filter 27 is connected, by the link 31, to a first input of adder means 14, via intensity adjustment means 32.
  • the output of the filter 29 is connected, by the link 33, to a second input of said adding means 14 via intensity adjustment means 34.
  • the output of amplifier 5 is directly connected to a third input of said adding means 14 by the link 16.
  • the output of the adding means 14 is connected, as in the case of FIG. 1, to the earpiece 19 via the amplifier 20a.
  • the output of the bandpass filter 8 is connected, by the power link 43, to the frequency dividing means 20 and frequency multipliers 21, which in this case only work in the band of frequencies defined by the filter 8.
  • the output of the filter 8 is also connected, by the control link 9, to control means 22 of said frequency dividing means 20 and frequency multipliers 21 .
  • the control means 22 also comprise a clipping amplifier 10, connected to the output of the filter 8 by the link 9 and to the input of a digitization circuit 23 of the signal by a link 24.
  • the circuit 23 is connected to the dividing means of frequencies 20 and to the frequency multiplier means 21 by the links 25 and 26, respectively.
  • the sound signal picked up by the microphone 1 is transformed there into an electrical signal, the latter being sent, by the link 2, to the amplification means 3.
  • the signal power is transmitted to the frequency dividing means 20 and frequency multipliers 21 by the link 40, the latter operating continuously.
  • the switches 41 and 42 are controlled by the control means 22, under the dependence of the bandpass filter 8 which works on a frequency width adapted to the patient for example, as already indicated, between 750 Hz and 2500 Hz.
  • the signal power is routed to the frequency divider 20 and multiplier means 21 by the link 43 and via the bandpass filter 8.
  • the means 20 and 21 only "work" for frequencies belonging to the selected frequency band (for example between 750 Hz and 2500 Hz), the division or multiplication, for example by two, of the frequencies in said band being controlled by the control means 22.
  • the output signal of the dividing means and frequency multiplier means is thus a signal created, from the received signal, having, in the selected frequency band, frequencies shifted by one octave (possibly by two octaves or more) towards the bass, respectively to the treble, relative to the corresponding frequencies of the received signal.
  • the signal created then passes through the filters 27, 29 to eliminate unwanted harmonic distortions, before being routed to the adding means 14.
  • the relative amplitudes of the output signal of the frequency dividing means and of the output signal of the multiplying means frequencies can be adjusted by means of adjustment 32 and 34.
  • the amplified input signal is also sent directly to the adding means 14, where said input signal and the created signal are added to provide a general output signal routed to the earpiece 19 via the amplifier 20a.
  • the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 5 is identical to that of the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4, except that several frequency bands can be selected by the different filters 8a, 8b and 8c.
  • the device combines the signal processing carried out in the devices of FIGS. 1 and 4.
  • the adding means 14 are adapted to add the received signal (link 16), and the signal processed, in a selected frequency band (bandpass filter 8), on the one hand amplified (link 13) and, on the other hand, shifted in frequencies by an integer, at least equal to one, d 'octaves (s) (links 31.33).

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Tone Control, Compression And Expansion, Limiting Amplitude (AREA)
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
  • Circuits Of Receivers In General (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)

Claims (9)

  1. Elektronisches Gerät zur Verarbeitung eines Schallsignals von der Art, die umfaßt:
    - Mittel zum Empfang (1) des Schallsignals und zu dessen Umwandlung in ein elektrisches Signal;
    - Mittel zur Verarbeitung (10; 20, 21) des elektrischen Signals;
    - Mittel zur Wiederherstellung eines modifizierten Schallsignals aus dem verarbeiteten elektrischen Signal;
    - Mittel zur Auswahl (8) wenigstens eines Frequenzbandes des Signals, die zwischen den Mitteln zum Empfang des Schallsignals und den Mitteln zur Verarbeitung (10; 20, 21) des entsprechenden elektrischen Signals angeordnet sind, parallel zu einer Verbindung (16), die die Mittel zum Empfang (1) des Schallsignals und die Mittel zur Wiederherstellung (19) des Signals verbindet;
    - Mittel (14) zur Addition des empfangenen Signals und des verarbeiteten Signals, und
    - die Mittel zur Auswahl und zur Verarbeitung weisen wenigstens eine Reihe von Elementen auf, die ein Bandpaßfilter und einen Verstärker umfaßt,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Verstärker, der von den Mitteln zur Auswahl und zur Verarbeitung umfaßt wird, ein Amplituden begrenzender Verstärker (10) ist, daß die Mittel zur Auswahl und Verarbeitung außerdem ein Filter zur Wiederherstellung (12, 27, 29) umfassen und dadurch, daß die Mittel zur Verarbeitung (20, 21) dafür ausgebildet sind, die Frequenzen des Bandes abhängig von den Mitteln (8) zur Auswahl der Frequenzen um eine ganzzahligen Anzahl von Oktaven , wenigstens um eine, zu verstimmen.
  2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Verarbeitungsmittel Mittel (20) umfassen, die dazu geeignet sind, ein Signal zu erzeugen, bei dem jede Frequenz der Hälfte der entsprechenden Frequenz des Empfangssignal entspricht.
  3. Gerät nach Anspruch 1,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Verarbeitungsmittel Mittel (21) umfassen, die dazu geeignet sind, ein Signal zu erzeugen, dessen Frequenzen jeweils das Doppelte von denjenigen des Empfangssignals sind.
  4. Gerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie Mittel (22) umfassen, die das Ausgangssignal der Mittel zur Auswahl der Frequenzen (8) empfangen und dazu bestimmt sind, die Verarbeitungsmittel (20, 21) zu steuern.
  5. Gerät nach Anspruch 4,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zur Steuerung (22) einen Schaltkreis (23) zur Digitalisierung des Signals umfassen.
  6. Gerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß es Mittel zur Regelung (32, 34) der Intensität des verarbeiteten Signals abhängig von derjenigen des Empfangssignals umfaßt.
  7. Gerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, insbesondere angepaßt an Sprachverarbeitung,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Mittel zur Verarbeitung (10) des elektrischen Signals Mittel zur Erfassung wenigstens einer Amplitudenspitze des Signals und Mittel zur Verstärkung dieser Spitze umfassen, so daß das wiederhergestellte Signal, das aus der Überlagerung des empfangenen Schallsignals und der verstärkten Spitze gebildet ist, eine stärkere Ausprägung der Spitze aufweist.
  8. Gerät nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß eine Steuerleitung (50) den Ausgang des Bandpaßfilters (8) mit den Intensitätssteuermittel (15) verbindet, die hinter dem Wiederherstellungsfilter (12) vorgesehen sind.
  9. Tragbare Hörprothese,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie ein Gerät gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 8 umfaßt.
EP89402598A 1988-10-14 1989-09-22 Elektronisches Gerät zur Verarbeitung eines Schallsignals Expired - Lifetime EP0365378B1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT89402598T ATE98834T1 (de) 1988-10-14 1989-09-22 Elektronisches geraet zur verarbeitung eines schallsignals.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR888813541A FR2638048B1 (fr) 1988-10-14 1988-10-14 Appareil electronique de traitement d'un signal sonore
FR8813541 1988-10-14

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0365378A1 EP0365378A1 (de) 1990-04-25
EP0365378B1 true EP0365378B1 (de) 1993-12-15

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EP89402598A Expired - Lifetime EP0365378B1 (de) 1988-10-14 1989-09-22 Elektronisches Gerät zur Verarbeitung eines Schallsignals

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US (1) US5077800A (de)
EP (1) EP0365378B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH077897B2 (de)
AT (1) ATE98834T1 (de)
DE (1) DE68911470T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2048855T3 (de)
FR (1) FR2638048B1 (de)

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5218642A (en) * 1991-10-29 1993-06-08 Chin Fa Yen Feedback noise-eliminating microphone circuit
DE4340817A1 (de) * 1993-12-01 1995-06-08 Toepholm & Westermann Schaltungsanordnung für die automatische Regelung von Hörhilfsgeräten
US5909497A (en) * 1996-10-10 1999-06-01 Alexandrescu; Eugene Programmable hearing aid instrument and programming method thereof
SE9902057D0 (sv) * 1999-06-03 1999-06-03 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M A Method of Improving the Intelligibility of a Sound Signal, and a Device for Reproducing a Sound Signal
EP1532734A4 (de) * 2002-06-05 2008-10-01 Sonic Focus Inc Akustische virtual-reality-engine und erweiterte techniken zur verbesserung des abgelieferten schalls
US20040022404A1 (en) * 2002-07-30 2004-02-05 Ryuichi Negishi Sound processing apparatus and hearing aid
EP1618559A1 (de) * 2003-04-24 2006-01-25 Massachusetts Institute Of Technology System und methode für spectrale verbesserung durch verwendung von komprimierung und expansion
AU2004301961B2 (en) * 2003-08-11 2011-03-03 Vast Audio Pty Ltd Sound enhancement for hearing-impaired listeners
AU2003904207A0 (en) * 2003-08-11 2003-08-21 Vast Audio Pty Ltd Enhancement of sound externalization and separation for hearing-impaired listeners: a spatial hearing-aid
EP1806720A3 (de) 2005-04-15 2009-09-09 LG Electronics Inc. Plasmaanzeigevorrichtung und Verfahren zu ihrer Ansteuerung
US7672842B2 (en) * 2006-07-26 2010-03-02 Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. Method and system for FFT-based companding for automatic speech recognition
CN103581815A (zh) * 2012-08-08 2014-02-12 杨国屏 提高听障者听到声音正确性的方法及助听器
EP3128765A1 (de) * 2015-08-07 2017-02-08 Tain-Tzu Chang Verfahren zum verarbeiten eines sound tracks

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1390417A (fr) * 1964-01-17 1965-02-26 Gauban Ets Procédé et dispositifs destinés à rendre des signaux phoniques perceptibles par les sourds profonds
US3855416A (en) * 1972-12-01 1974-12-17 F Fuller Method and apparatus for phonation analysis leading to valid truth/lie decisions by fundamental speech-energy weighted vibratto component assessment
US3818149A (en) * 1973-04-12 1974-06-18 Shalako Int Prosthetic device for providing corrections of auditory deficiencies in aurally handicapped persons
US4187183A (en) * 1975-03-28 1980-02-05 Aqua-Chem, Inc. Mixed-form polyhalide resins for disinfecting water
US4637402A (en) * 1980-04-28 1987-01-20 Adelman Roger A Method for quantitatively measuring a hearing defect
JPS60239200A (ja) * 1984-05-14 1985-11-28 Hitachi Ltd 補聴器
DE3802903A1 (de) * 1988-02-01 1989-08-10 Siemens Ag Einrichtung zur uebertragung von sprache

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES2048855T3 (es) 1994-04-01
JPH02223210A (ja) 1990-09-05
FR2638048A1 (fr) 1990-04-20
DE68911470D1 (de) 1994-01-27
JPH077897B2 (ja) 1995-01-30
US5077800A (en) 1991-12-31
DE68911470T2 (de) 1994-05-19
FR2638048B1 (fr) 1994-06-10
EP0365378A1 (de) 1990-04-25
ATE98834T1 (de) 1994-01-15

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