EP2605547A1 - Hörhilfe mit verbessertem magnetischen Empfang während einer drahtlosen Kommunikation - Google Patents

Hörhilfe mit verbessertem magnetischen Empfang während einer drahtlosen Kommunikation Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2605547A1
EP2605547A1 EP11194017.7A EP11194017A EP2605547A1 EP 2605547 A1 EP2605547 A1 EP 2605547A1 EP 11194017 A EP11194017 A EP 11194017A EP 2605547 A1 EP2605547 A1 EP 2605547A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
audio signal
time period
estimate
hearing aid
processor
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP11194017.7A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP2605547B1 (de
Inventor
Brian Dam Pedersen
Gerard Nijsse
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GN Hearing AS
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GN Resound AS
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Publication date
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Priority to EP11194017.7A priority Critical patent/EP2605547B1/de
Priority to DK11194017.7T priority patent/DK2605547T3/en
Priority to US13/330,524 priority patent/US8781143B2/en
Priority to JP2012272513A priority patent/JP5431566B2/ja
Priority to CN201210548523.0A priority patent/CN103442321B/zh
Publication of EP2605547A1 publication Critical patent/EP2605547A1/de
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Publication of EP2605547B1 publication Critical patent/EP2605547B1/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
    • H04R25/55—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired
    • H04R25/554—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using an external connection, either wireless or wired using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/49—Reducing the effects of electromagnetic noise on the functioning of hearing aids, by, e.g. shielding, signal processing adaptation, selective (de)activation of electronic parts in hearing aid

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a hearing aid with a telecoil, or another magnetically sensitive transducer, and an RF transceiver for wireless communication, e.g. via a wireless network, such as for wireless interconnection of two hearing aids in a binaural hearing aid system, and wireless interconnection of hearing aids with other devices, such as a remote control for a hearing aid, a fitting instrument, a mobile phone, a headset, a door bell, an alarm system, a broadcast system, etc, etc.
  • a wireless network such as for wireless interconnection of two hearing aids in a binaural hearing aid system
  • other devices such as a remote control for a hearing aid, a fitting instrument, a mobile phone, a headset, a door bell, an alarm system, a broadcast system, etc, etc.
  • Magnetic pick-up coils often referred to as telecoils or T-coils (from “Telephone Coils")
  • T-coils from “Telephone Coils”
  • audio sources to be electro-magnetically, i.e. non-acoustically, connected to a hearing aid, which is intended to help the wearer filter out background noise. They can be used with telephones, FM systems (with neck loops), and induction loop systems, also called “hearing loops", that transmit sound to hearing aids from public address systems and TVs. Hearing loops are widely used in churches, shops, railway stations, and other public places.
  • a telecoil consists of a metal core (or rod) around which ultra-fine wire is coiled. Telecoils generate an electrical signal in response to a varying magnetic field.
  • Interference can manifest as a buzzing sound, which varies in volume depending on the distance between the wearer and the source.
  • Sources are electromagnetic fields, such as CRT computer monitors, older fluorescent lighting, some dimmer switches, many household electrical appliances and airplanes.
  • an RF-transceiver of the hearing aid may also generate interference.
  • power consumption of hearing aid circuitry is very low.
  • a hearing aid has a current consumption of 1 mA during normal operation.
  • an RF transceiver in a hearing aid consumes a comparatively large amount of power during transmission or reception.
  • the current consumption of the RF transceiver circuitry may increase from 50 pA to 30 mA during transmission or reception by the RF transceiver. Therefore, turning the RF transceiver on or off generates a large current transient in the hearing aid circuitry, and during the duration of the current transient, a varying magnetic field with large magnetic field gradients is generated.
  • the magnetic field gradients are picked up by the telecoil and induce a disturbing signal in the electronic telecoil signal output by the telecoil, e.g. residing in a hearing loop.
  • the disturbing signal interferes with the desired signal in a disturbing and bothering way for the wearer of the hearing aid.
  • the characteristics of the current transients generated in the hearing aid changes over time, e.g. as a function of the degree of depletion of the hearing aid battery, the number of previous charging cycles having been applied to the battery, the type of battery currently in use, etc.
  • this interference problem has been solved by turning the RF transceiver off whenever the telecoil is selected as an input source for inputting the electronic telecoil signal to the processor of the hearing aid, for example when the user desires to listen to signals of a hearing loop.
  • this way of solving the problem prevents the user of the hearing aid from using a remote control to adjust the hearing aid and also prevents transmission of signals to the other hearing aid in a binaural hearing aid system.
  • interference from the RF-transceiver of the hearing aid is prevented by substitution of the output signal of the magnetically sensitive transducer disturbed by current transients generated when the RF-transceiver is turned on or off with an estimated output signal, wherein the estimate is based on parts of the output signal that have not been disturbed by turning the RF-transceiver on or off.
  • a new method of removing interference from a hearing aid audio signal comprising the steps of:
  • the method may further comprise at least one of the following steps:
  • a new hearing aid comprising
  • the processor may also be configured to generate the hearing loss compensated output signal based on an estimate of the audio signal before the time period, the estimate of the audio signal before the time period being based on the audio signal that is input to the processor after the time period.
  • the processor may also be configured to generate the hearing loss compensated output signal based on an estimate of the audio signal after the time period, the estimate of the audio signal after the time period being based on the audio signal that is input to the processor before the time period.
  • the processor receives information that the RF transceiver is turned on or off so that the processor can substitute the audio signal with an estimated signal within an appropriate time interval.
  • the auditory output signal is an acoustic signal that is transmitted towards the ear drum of the wearer of the hearing aid; however, the auditory output signal may also be an electronic signal for electronic stimulation of the auditory system of the user, for example using a cochlear implant.
  • audio signal may be used to identify any analogue or digital signal forming part of the signal path from the output of the magnetically sensitive transducer to an input of the signal processor.
  • the magnetically sensitive transducer may be any transducer capable of converting a varying magnetic field into an audio signal, such as a telecoil, GMR sensor (Giant M agneto R esistance sensor), Hall sensor, etc.
  • the hearing aid may also include an input transducer, preferably a microphone, or an array of microphones, for conversion of an acoustic sound signal into an electronic transducer signal.
  • an input transducer preferably a microphone, or an array of microphones, for conversion of an acoustic sound signal into an electronic transducer signal.
  • the electronic transducer signal and the audio signal are digitized by respective AD-converters.
  • the signal processor such as a digital signal processor or DSP, may be configured to process a selected one of, or a selected combination of, the audio signal and the electronic transducer signal in accordance with a selected signal processing algorithm into a processed output signal for compensation of hearing loss, for example including a compressor for compensation of dynamic range hearing loss.
  • the time period includes the time during which the current transient disturbs or distorts the audio signal, and typically, the time period starts at turn-on or turn-off of the RF-transceiver.
  • the audio signal is substituted by an estimated signal calculated from the audio signal outside the time period, e.g. preceding the time period, or succeeding the time period, or a combination.
  • the samples of the audio signal are substituted by estimated samples calculated from samples of the audio signal outside the time period, such as samples preceding the time period, or samples succeeding the time period, or a combination of samples preceding and samples succeeding the time period.
  • the estimate may be based on extrapolation of the audio signal input to the processor outside the time period, e.g. the estimate may be based on extrapolation of the audio signal input to the processor before the time period, i.e. forward prediction; or, the estimate may be based on extrapolation of the audio signal input to the processor after the time period, i.e. backward prediction; or, the estimate may be based on a combination of extrapolation of the audio signal input to the processor before and after the time period, respectively, i.e. both forward and backward prediction.
  • backward prediction requires delaying the signal, parts of which are to be estimated, in order for the signal after the time period to be available for estimation of the signal within the time period.
  • Samples in the time period may be estimated using Linear Predictive Coding based on samples preceding the time period, or samples succeeding the time period, or a combination of samples preceding and samples succeeding the time period.
  • the estimates may be weighted with a window, such as a Hanning window. Windowing minimizes formation of artefacts in the auditory output signal of the hearing aid by transition from the audio signal itself to an estimate of the audio signal.
  • the estimate may also be calculated in the frequency domain, for example based on calculation of the Fast Fourier Transform of the audio signal input to the processor before the time period, i.e. forward prediction in the frequency domain; or, the estimate may be based on calculation of the Fast Fourier Transform of the audio signal input to the processor after the time period, i.e. backward prediction in the frequency domain; or, the estimate may be based on a combination of calculation of the Fast Fourier Transform of the audio signal input to the processor before and after the time period, respectively, i.e. both forward and backward prediction in the frequency domain.
  • one or more consecutive samples immediately preceding the time period, or one or more consecutive samples immediately succeeding the time period, or both may also be substituted with estimated samples, wherein the original undisturbed signal samples are included in the estimates.
  • the most recent undisturbed signal sample occurring immediately before turn-on or turn-off of the RF transceiver may be substituted by an estimate calculated from samples occurring after the time period in a weighted combination with the undisturbed audio signal sample itself in order to gradually change from the undisturbed audio signal itself to an estimate of the audio signal.
  • the first undisturbed signal sample occurring after turn-on or turn-off of the RF transceiver may be substituted by an estimate calculated from samples occurring before the time period in a weighted combination with the undisturbed signal sample itself in order to gradually change from an estimate of the audio signal to the undisturbed audio signal itself.
  • the hearing aid including the processor may further be configured to process the signal in a plurality of frequency channels.
  • An estimate of the audio signal may be provided in at least one frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels, such as in one or more selected frequency channels, such as in all of the frequency channels.
  • the plurality of frequency channels may include warped frequency channels, for example all of the frequency channels may be warped frequency channels.
  • Fig. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an exemplary new hearing aid 10.
  • the hearing aid 10 comprises a telecoil 11 for conversion of a varying magnetic field, as for example generated in a hearing loop, into an electronic telecoil signal, an analogue-to-digital (A/D) converter 12 for provision of a digitized electronic telecoil signal, an input transducer 14, preferably a microphone, or an array of microphones, an analogue-to-digital (A/D) converter 15 for provision of a digitized electronic transducer signal in response to sound signals received at the transducer 14, a signal processor 16 (e.g.
  • a digital signal processor or DSP that is configured to process a selected one of, or a selected combination of, the digitized electronic telecoil signal and the digitized electronic transducer signal in accordance with a selected signal processing algorithm into a processed output signal for compensation of hearing loss, for example including a compressor for compensation of dynamic range hearing loss, a digital-to-analogue (D/A) converter 18, and an output transducer 20 for conversion of the processed digital output signal into an auditory output signal, e.g. a receiver outputting an acoustic signal for transmission towards the eardrum of the wearer of the hearing aid.
  • D/A digital-to-analogue
  • the hearing aid 10 has an RF transceiver 22 for wireless communication, e.g. via a wireless network, such as for wireless interconnection of two hearing aids in a binaural hearing aid system, and wireless interconnection of hearing aids with other devices, such as a remote control for a hearing aid, a fitting instrument, a mobile phone, a headset, a door bell, an alarm system, a broadcast system, etc, etc, and a communication controller 24 that is configured to turn the RF transceiver on and off in order to save power between data communication.
  • a wireless network such as for wireless interconnection of two hearing aids in a binaural hearing aid system
  • other devices such as a remote control for a hearing aid, a fitting instrument, a mobile phone, a headset, a door bell, an alarm system, a broadcast system, etc, etc
  • a communication controller 24 that is configured to turn the RF transceiver on and off in order to save power between data communication.
  • Fig. 2 schematically illustrates how the electronic telecoil signal 36 is disturbed or distorted by large current transients 34 caused by turn-on or turn-off of the RF-transceiver 22 supplied by the power source of the hearing aid.
  • curve (a) in Fig. 2 indicates turn-on 30 and turn-off 32 of the RF-transceiver of the hearing aid.
  • Curve (b) shows the current transients 34, i.e. dl/dt, in the power lines supplying the RF-transceiver 22, and curve (c) schematically shows the electronic telecoil signal 36 including interference 38 with the electronic telecoil signal caused by the current transients 34.
  • the time period 40 starts at turn-on 30 or turn-off 32, respectively, of the RF-transceiver 22, and has the duration of 500 ⁇ s. After 500 ⁇ s, the current transient 34 has ceased to disturb the electronic telecoil signal 36 and the electronic telecoil signal 36 is no longer substituted by an estimate.
  • the time between turn-on 30 and turn-off 32 of the transceiver 22 is app. 6 ms.
  • a time period of 500 ⁇ s contains 25 samples.
  • the 25 samples of the time period are discarded and substituted by estimated samples 50 indicated by triangles in Fig. 3 .
  • the samples 50 in the time period 40 are estimated using Linear Predictive Coding based on samples preceding the time period 40, i.e. forward prediction, and samples succeeding the time period 40, i.e. backward prediction.
  • Linear Predictive Coding based on samples preceding the time period 40, i.e. forward prediction, and samples succeeding the time period 40, i.e. backward prediction.
  • at least twice as many samples as the samples discarded are used for forward prediction and backward prediction.
  • the estimates may be weighted with a window 42, 44, such as a Hanning window. Windowing minimizes formation of artefacts in the auditory output signal of the hearing aid caused by the transition from the electronic telecoil signal itself to an estimate of the electronic telecoil signal.
  • the combination of samples 46 extrapolated from samples before the time period 40 and samples 48 extrapolated from samples after the time period 40 may be formed by a weighted linear combination of Linear Predictive Coding of samples preceding the time period 40 and Linear Predictive Coding of samples succeeding the time period 40, for example weighted with windows, such as a Hanning windows 42, 44, in such a way that Linear Predictive Coding of samples preceding the time period 40 has the largest weight at the beginning of the time period 40 and decreases with time with minimum weight at the end of the time period 40, while Linear Predictive Coding of samples succeeding the time period 40 has the minimum weight at the beginning of the time period 40 and increases with time with the largest weight at the end of the time period 40.
  • x ⁇ ( n ) is the predicted sample value
  • x(n - i) are the previous sample values
  • a i are the predictor coefficients.
  • the predictor coefficients are calculated using an autoregressive model, preferably using the Levinson-Durbin recursion.
  • the number of estimated samples in the time period 40 is 25, and in order to provide a good estimate, p ranges from 12 - 16, and a i is preferably based on 64 previous sample values.
  • the 25 estimated samples are calculated successively using equation (1).
  • x ⁇ ( n ) is the first sample in the time period 40.
  • x ⁇ ( n + 1) is calculated from equation (1) incorporating the calculated value for x ⁇ ( n ) etc. until all forward predicted samples 46 of the time period 40 have been calculated.
  • the predictor coefficients b i are calculated using an autoregressive model, preferably using the Levinson-Durbin recursion.
  • p ranges from 12 - 16, and b i is preferably based on 64 succeeding sample values.
  • the 25 estimated samples are calculated successively using equation (2).
  • x ⁇ ( m ) is the last sample in the time period 40.
  • x ⁇ ( m - 1) is calculated from equation (2) incorporating the calculated value for x ⁇ ( m ) etc. until all backward predicted samples 48 of the time period 40 have been calculated.
  • the resulting estimated samples 50 are calculated from a weighted sum of the respective forward predicted samples 46 and backward predicted samples 48, wherein the weights are defined by respective Hanning windows 42, 44 positioned so that the weights 42 of the forward predicted samples 46 have their maximum value at the first sample of the time period 40, and the weights 44 of the backward predicted samples 48 have their maximum value at the last sample of the time period 40.
  • N is the number of estimated samples in the time period 40.
  • one or more undisturbed samples immediately preceding the time period 40 may also be substituted by estimated values formed by a weighted combination of the undisturbed sample values themselves and respective backward predicted estimates, and likewise, one or more undisturbed samples immediately succeeding the time period 40 may also be substituted by estimated values formed by weighted combination of the undisturbed sample values themselves and respective forward predicted estimates.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
  • Prostheses (AREA)
EP11194017.7A 2011-12-16 2011-12-16 Hörhilfe mit verbessertem magnetischen Empfang während einer drahtlosen Kommunikation Active EP2605547B1 (de)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11194017.7A EP2605547B1 (de) 2011-12-16 2011-12-16 Hörhilfe mit verbessertem magnetischen Empfang während einer drahtlosen Kommunikation
DK11194017.7T DK2605547T3 (en) 2011-12-16 2011-12-16 Hearing aid with improved magnetic reception of wireless communication
US13/330,524 US8781143B2 (en) 2011-12-16 2011-12-19 Hearing aid with improved magnetic reception during wireless communication
JP2012272513A JP5431566B2 (ja) 2011-12-16 2012-12-13 無線通信時の磁気受信が改善された補聴器
CN201210548523.0A CN103442321B (zh) 2011-12-16 2012-12-17 在无线通信期间具有改善磁接收的助听器

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11194017.7A EP2605547B1 (de) 2011-12-16 2011-12-16 Hörhilfe mit verbessertem magnetischen Empfang während einer drahtlosen Kommunikation

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EP2605547A1 true EP2605547A1 (de) 2013-06-19
EP2605547B1 EP2605547B1 (de) 2016-03-30

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2947803A1 (de) 2014-05-20 2015-11-25 GN Resound A/S Verfahren zur drahtlosen Übertragung von digitalem Audio
US9813815B2 (en) 2014-05-20 2017-11-07 Gn Hearing A/S Method of wireless transmission of digital audio
CN108781320A (zh) * 2016-03-14 2018-11-09 索诺瓦公司 具有丢失检测功能的无线身体佩戴式个人设备

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040052391A1 (en) * 2002-09-12 2004-03-18 Micro Ear Technology, Inc. System and method for selectively coupling hearing aids to electromagnetic signals
US20050201577A1 (en) * 2004-03-10 2005-09-15 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing instrument with data transmission interference blocking

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040052391A1 (en) * 2002-09-12 2004-03-18 Micro Ear Technology, Inc. System and method for selectively coupling hearing aids to electromagnetic signals
US20050201577A1 (en) * 2004-03-10 2005-09-15 Starkey Laboratories, Inc. Hearing instrument with data transmission interference blocking

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2947803A1 (de) 2014-05-20 2015-11-25 GN Resound A/S Verfahren zur drahtlosen Übertragung von digitalem Audio
US9813815B2 (en) 2014-05-20 2017-11-07 Gn Hearing A/S Method of wireless transmission of digital audio
CN108781320A (zh) * 2016-03-14 2018-11-09 索诺瓦公司 具有丢失检测功能的无线身体佩戴式个人设备
CN108781320B (zh) * 2016-03-14 2020-08-04 索诺瓦公司 具有丢失检测功能的无线身体佩戴式个人设备

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Publication number Publication date
EP2605547B1 (de) 2016-03-30
DK2605547T3 (en) 2016-06-27

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