EP1120008B1 - Feedback management for hearing aid - Google Patents

Feedback management for hearing aid Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1120008B1
EP1120008B1 EP99970256A EP99970256A EP1120008B1 EP 1120008 B1 EP1120008 B1 EP 1120008B1 EP 99970256 A EP99970256 A EP 99970256A EP 99970256 A EP99970256 A EP 99970256A EP 1120008 B1 EP1120008 B1 EP 1120008B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
gain
volume control
frequency channel
hearing aid
filter
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
EP99970256A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1120008A2 (en
Inventor
Finn Danielsen
Ulrik Skov
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.)
Oticon AS
Original Assignee
Oticon AS
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of EP1120008A2 publication Critical patent/EP1120008A2/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1120008B1 publication Critical patent/EP1120008B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • H04R25/45—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback
    • H04R25/453—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback electronically
    • 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
    • H04R25/356—Amplitude, e.g. amplitude shift or compression
    • 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
    • H04R25/50—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
    • H04R25/502—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics using analog signal processing

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of managing acoustic feedback in hearing aids.
  • Feedback is a problem, which occurs in a hearing aid when the acoustic output signal from the hearing aid propagates beside an ear mould or through a vent and consequently enter the hearing aid microphone as an acoustic input.
  • the hereby closed acoustic loop will especially for frequencies above 1-2 kHz often cause the hearing aid to howl, which disables the function of the hearing aid.
  • Previously known methods comprise the use of a high frequency cut-off filter to reduce the gain for the feedback management.
  • This method can have the form of an isolated filter to be individually adjusted, but suffer from a drawback in that when the volume control of the hearing aid is turned down and hereby reduces the gain of the feedback frequencies, the filter is still in action reducing the high frequency gain.
  • Another known method comprises a combination of the volume control and a high frequency cut-off filter meaning that when the volume control is turned up and hereby increases the gain of the hearing aid, the filter goes gradually into action and reduces the high frequency gain. The drawbacks of this scheme being that until now this could not be individually adjusted and secondly that the steepness of this filter was a modest 6 dB/octave.
  • the objective of the present invention is to provide a method for feedback management, which reduces the feedback problems without the previously mentioned drawbacks.
  • determining of the maximum gain before feedback occurs and the monitoring the volume control is applied for several channels.
  • a 1 st or preferably higher order multi channel filter can be used for feedback management and adaptation purposes. This filter has shown to possess adequate properties for the purpose of the method according to the invention.
  • the hearing aid comprises a housing containing a microphone, an amplifier in connection with the microphone, a receiver in connection with the amplifier, where the amplifier comprises a multi channel type of filter, a control system for controlling the gain in at least one channel, and control means for monitoring the volume control in the at least one channel.
  • determining of the maximum gain before feedback occurs and the monitoring the volume control is applied for several channels.
  • the multi channel filter is adapted for both feedback management and adaptation purposes.
  • FIG. 1-2 are drawings showing the function of a method according to the invention:
  • the multi channel filter has as an example been chosen to be a two channel type filter along with a suitable crossover frequency.
  • the volume control comprise in this example 15 steps, each step defining a 2 dB increase or decrease of gain. All frequencies are subjected to the same increase or decrease of gain depending on the setting of the volume control.
  • volume control -12 dB. If the user exceeds this setting of the volume control, the control system takes over and for example keeps the gain in the high frequency channel constant and allows only an increase in gain for the low frequency channel.
  • the number of channels, step size, the number of steps etc. may in this connection be chosen different from the above example.

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of managing acoustic feedback in a hearing aid, characterised by using a multi (two or more) channel type of filter hereby splitting the frequency range up in two or more separate parts; determining the maximum allowable gain in at least one frequency range before feedback occurs; monitoring the volume control in such a way, that if the maximum allowable gain before feedback occurs is reached, the gain is manipulated for the offending frequency range. The determination of maximum allowable gain and the monitoring of the volume control is applied for several channels. The invention further relates to hearing aid implementing the method according to the method according to the invention.

Description

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to a method of managing acoustic feedback in hearing aids. Feedback is a problem, which occurs in a hearing aid when the acoustic output signal from the hearing aid propagates beside an ear mould or through a vent and consequently enter the hearing aid microphone as an acoustic input. The hereby closed acoustic loop will especially for frequencies above 1-2 kHz often cause the hearing aid to howl, which disables the function of the hearing aid.
  • During time several attempts have been made to avoid or to reduce the feedback problems of hearing aids. Previously known methods comprise the use of a high frequency cut-off filter to reduce the gain for the feedback management. This method can have the form of an isolated filter to be individually adjusted, but suffer from a drawback in that when the volume control of the hearing aid is turned down and hereby reduces the gain of the feedback frequencies, the filter is still in action reducing the high frequency gain. Another known method comprises a combination of the volume control and a high frequency cut-off filter meaning that when the volume control is turned up and hereby increases the gain of the hearing aid, the filter goes gradually into action and reduces the high frequency gain. The drawbacks of this scheme being that until now this could not be individually adjusted and secondly that the steepness of this filter was a modest 6 dB/octave.
  • The objective of the present invention is to provide a method for feedback management, which reduces the feedback problems without the previously mentioned drawbacks.
    • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • The objective of the invention is achieved by a method, which is characterised by:
    • using a multi (two or more) channel type of filter hereby splitting the frequency range up in two or more separate parts
    • determining the maximum allowable gain in at least one frequency range before feedback occurs
    • monitoring the volume control in such a way, that if the maximum allowable gain before feedback occurs is reached or exceeded, the gain is manipulated for an offending frequency range.
  • By such a method the above mentioned drawbacks of the previously known methods are remedied and the feedback management may be adjusted individually for the actual user.
  • In a further embodiment the determining of the maximum gain before feedback occurs and the monitoring the volume control is applied for several channels.
  • By using a multi channel type of filter it is possible by proper selection of the crossover frequencies to use the same type of filter for both feedback and adaption purposes. Using the same filter for both purposes reduces the size of the amplifier and to some extent also the cost of the amplifier.
  • A 1 st or preferably higher order multi channel filter can be used for feedback management and adaptation purposes. This filter has shown to possess adequate properties for the purpose of the method according to the invention.
  • According to the invention the hearing aid comprises a housing containing a microphone, an amplifier in connection with the microphone, a receiver in connection with the amplifier, where the amplifier comprises a multi channel type of filter, a control system for controlling the gain in at least one channel, and control means for monitoring the volume control in the at least one channel.
  • In a further embodiment the determining of the maximum gain before feedback occurs and the monitoring the volume control is applied for several channels.
  • In a preferred embodiment the multi channel filter is adapted for both feedback management and adaptation purposes.
  • The invention will be explained more detailed in the following with reference to the drawings.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1-2 are drawings showing the function of a method according to the invention:
    • DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
  • In the FIGS. 1 to 2 the multi channel filter has as an example been chosen to be a two channel type filter along with a suitable crossover frequency.
  • From FIG. 1 a situation appears where the feedback management has been disabled and the volume control functions in a conventional manner. The volume control comprise in this example 15 steps, each step defining a 2 dB increase or decrease of gain. All frequencies are subjected to the same increase or decrease of gain depending on the setting of the volume control.
  • From FIG. 2 a situation appears, where the maximum allowable gain in the high frequency channel before feedback occurs has been determined to volume control (VC) setting -12 dB. If the user exceeds this setting of the volume control, the control system takes over and for example keeps the gain in the high frequency channel constant and allows only an increase in gain for the low frequency channel.
  • The number of channels, step size, the number of steps etc. may in this connection be chosen different from the above example.

Claims (5)

  1. A method of managing acoustic feedback in a hearing aid comprising a user-operable volume control and a filter with at least a first and a second frequency channel, wherein a maximum allowable gain before feedback occurs has been determined for the first frequency channel thereby defining for the first frequency channel a corresponding maximum setting of the volume control, the method comprising:
    - monitoring the setting of the volume control;
    - increasing the gain in the first and second frequency channel as the volume control setting increases; and
    - in dependence on the volume control setting exceeding the maximum setting, keeping the gain in the first frequency channel constant or only slightly increased while allowing an increase in gain in the second frequency channel.
  2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the filter is of first order or higher.
  3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter is used for feedback management or for adaptation purposes or both.
  4. A hearing aid adapted to be operated according to the method of any of the preceding claims.
  5. A hearing aid according to claim 4 and comprising a housing containing a microphone, an amplifier in connection with the microphone, a receiver in connection with the amplifier, wherein the amplifier comprises the filter, a control system for controlling the gain in the first frequency channel and control means for monitoring the volume control in the first frequency channel.
EP99970256A 1998-10-07 1999-10-07 Feedback management for hearing aid Expired - Lifetime EP1120008B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK127498 1998-10-07
DKPA199801274 1998-10-07
PCT/DK1999/000536 WO2000021332A2 (en) 1998-10-07 1999-10-07 Feedback management for hearing aid

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1120008A2 EP1120008A2 (en) 2001-08-01
EP1120008B1 true EP1120008B1 (en) 2011-07-27

Family

ID=8103013

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99970256A Expired - Lifetime EP1120008B1 (en) 1998-10-07 1999-10-07 Feedback management for hearing aid

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1120008B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE518383T1 (en)
AU (1) AU5969499A (en)
DK (1) DK1120008T3 (en)
WO (1) WO2000021332A2 (en)

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US6718301B1 (en) 1998-11-11 2004-04-06 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. System for measuring speech content in sound
US7010136B1 (en) 1999-02-17 2006-03-07 Micro Ear Technology, Inc. Resonant response matching circuit for hearing aid
EP1216598B1 (en) 1999-09-10 2005-02-09 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Audio signal processing
WO2001054458A2 (en) 2000-01-20 2001-07-26 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing aid systems
US7489790B2 (en) 2000-12-05 2009-02-10 Ami Semiconductor, Inc. Digital automatic gain control
JP4681163B2 (en) * 2001-07-16 2011-05-11 パナソニック株式会社 Howling detection and suppression device, acoustic device including the same, and howling detection and suppression method
US7650004B2 (en) 2001-11-15 2010-01-19 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing aids and methods and apparatus for audio fitting thereof
US7369669B2 (en) 2002-05-15 2008-05-06 Micro Ear Technology, Inc. Diotic presentation of second-order gradient directional hearing aid signals
US6829363B2 (en) 2002-05-16 2004-12-07 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing aid with time-varying performance
US7369671B2 (en) 2002-09-16 2008-05-06 Starkey, Laboratories, Inc. Switching structures for hearing aid
US8284970B2 (en) 2002-09-16 2012-10-09 Starkey Laboratories Inc. Switching structures for hearing aid
US7010135B2 (en) 2002-10-02 2006-03-07 Phonak Ag Method to determine a feedback threshold in a hearing device
US7536022B2 (en) 2002-10-02 2009-05-19 Phonak Ag Method to determine a feedback threshold in a hearing device
AU2004201374B2 (en) 2004-04-01 2010-12-23 Phonak Ag Audio amplification apparatus
AU2003236382B2 (en) 2003-08-20 2011-02-24 Phonak Ag Feedback suppression in sound signal processing using frequency transposition
US7756276B2 (en) 2003-08-20 2010-07-13 Phonak Ag Audio amplification apparatus
US9774961B2 (en) 2005-06-05 2017-09-26 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing assistance device ear-to-ear communication using an intermediate device
US8041066B2 (en) 2007-01-03 2011-10-18 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Wireless system for hearing communication devices providing wireless stereo reception modes
US8208642B2 (en) 2006-07-10 2012-06-26 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Method and apparatus for a binaural hearing assistance system using monaural audio signals
DE102006046699B3 (en) 2006-10-02 2008-01-03 Siemens Audiologische Technik Gmbh Hearing device particularly hearing aid, has signal processing mechanism by which signals are processed in multiple frequency channels and adjusting mechanism is used for adjusting levels of individual frequency channels
US8359283B2 (en) 2009-08-31 2013-01-22 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Genetic algorithms with robust rank estimation for hearing assistance devices
US8737653B2 (en) 2009-12-30 2014-05-27 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Noise reduction system for hearing assistance devices
US8965016B1 (en) 2013-08-02 2015-02-24 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Automatic hearing aid adaptation over time via mobile application
US10003379B2 (en) 2014-05-06 2018-06-19 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Wireless communication with probing bandwidth

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5111419A (en) * 1988-03-23 1992-05-05 Central Institute For The Deaf Electronic filters, signal conversion apparatus, hearing aids and methods
US5016280A (en) * 1988-03-23 1991-05-14 Central Institute For The Deaf Electronic filters, hearing aids and methods
DK169958B1 (en) * 1992-10-20 1995-04-10 Gn Danavox As Hearing aid with compensation for acoustic feedback
DK0824845T3 (en) * 1995-05-02 1999-06-21 Toepholm & Westermann Method of Controlling a Programmable or Program Controlled Hearing Aid for its In Situ Adjustment Adjustment

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2000021332A2 (en) 2000-04-13
AU5969499A (en) 2000-04-26
DK1120008T3 (en) 2011-10-24
ATE518383T1 (en) 2011-08-15
WO2000021332A3 (en) 2000-07-27
EP1120008A2 (en) 2001-08-01

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