EP3174315A1 - Hörgerätesystem und verfahren zur programmierung eines hörgeräts - Google Patents

Hörgerätesystem und verfahren zur programmierung eines hörgeräts Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3174315A1
EP3174315A1 EP16197025.6A EP16197025A EP3174315A1 EP 3174315 A1 EP3174315 A1 EP 3174315A1 EP 16197025 A EP16197025 A EP 16197025A EP 3174315 A1 EP3174315 A1 EP 3174315A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
frequency
hearing aid
destination
source
band
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.)
Ceased
Application number
EP16197025.6A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Martin Kuriger
Christophe Lesimple
Neil Hockley
Claus Forup Corlin Jespersgaard
Thomas Ulrich Christiansen
Kamilla Angelo
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.)
Bernafon AG
Oticon AS
Original Assignee
Bernafon AG
Oticon AS
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US14/931,792 external-priority patent/US10085099B2/en
Application filed by Bernafon AG, Oticon AS filed Critical Bernafon AG
Publication of EP3174315A1 publication Critical patent/EP3174315A1/de
Ceased 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
    • H04R25/35—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
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
    • H04R1/10—Earpieces; Attachments therefor ; Earphones; Monophonic headphones
    • H04R1/1091—Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
    • 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
    • H04R2225/41—Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest
    • 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
    • H04R2225/43—Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2227/00—Details of public address [PA] systems covered by H04R27/00 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2227/009—Signal processing in [PA] systems to enhance the speech intelligibility
    • 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
    • H04R25/552—Binaural
    • 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
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/70—Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R27/00—Public address systems

Definitions

  • the present application relates to a hearing aid system and to a method of operating (e.g. programming) a hearing aid system.
  • the disclosure relates to a hearing aid system configured to make high frequency (sound) information available for a user, preferably optimized individually for a particular user to improve audibility of high frequency sound, e.g. to maximize speech intelligibility in a hearing aid device, e.g. a hearing aid.
  • a hearing aid system :
  • a hearing aid system comprising
  • the hearing aid system comprises a fitting system for the hearing aid device, the fitting system being configured to modify parameter settings of hearing aid device to compensate for a hearing impairment (e.g. a high frequency hearing loss) of a user.
  • a hearing impairment e.g. a high frequency hearing loss
  • the hearing aid system comprises the hearing aid device comprising the configurable signal processing unit.
  • the hearing aid device comprises a hearing aid.
  • the hearing aid system comprises of four components:
  • the four components described here ensures that exactly the right information used for decoding speech is made available to the individual hearing impaired ear.
  • Components 1 and 2 selects source regions covering the high frequency bandwidth with relevant speech cues and components 3 and 4 ensures that these speech cues are presented optimally in terms of audibility. In this way the frequency lowering system proposed here is optimized as a whole.
  • hearing aid device and hearing device are used interchangeably, and are intended to include a hearing aid (e.g. an air conduction type hearing aid, a bone conduction hearing aid, a fully or partially implanted hearing aid, e.g. a cochlear implant type hearing aid, and combinations thereof).
  • a hearing aid e.g. an air conduction type hearing aid, a bone conduction hearing aid, a fully or partially implanted hearing aid, e.g. a cochlear implant type hearing aid, and combinations thereof.
  • the hearing aid device comprises a listening device, e.g. a hearing aid, e.g. a hearing instrument, e.g. a hearing instrument adapted for being located at the ear or fully or partially in the ear canal of a user, or fully or partially implanted in the head of a user.
  • the hearing aid device may additionally or alternatively comprise a headset, an earphone, an ear protection device or a combination thereof.
  • a hearing aid system as described above, in the 'detailed description of embodiments', in the drawings and in the claims, is moreover provided.
  • a fitting system for a hearing aid device e.g. for fitting one or more hearing aids, e.g. of a binaural hearing aid system, to specific needs of a user, e.g. for compensating for a severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss.
  • a method of programming a configurable signal processing unit of a hearing aid device comprising
  • a number of frequency transposition configurations comprises two or more, such as three or more, such as five or more frequency transposition configurations among which an appropriate configuration can be chosen to best meet the requirements of the user and the hearing aid device to be worn by the user.
  • the method is further comprised of:
  • the method further comprises
  • the method further comprises
  • a weight parameter is associated with each combination of source bands and destination band (each frequency transposition configuration).
  • a weight parameter (gain) is associated with each source band of a given frequency transposition configuration (as e.g. indicated in FIG. 6 ).
  • the weight parameters are selected in dependence on the user (e.g. the user's hearing loss or other preferences) and/or the hearing device (style) in question.
  • the method comprises providing a (configurable) predefined maximum value of each weight parameter.
  • the weight parameter is a function of signal properties in the source region.
  • the method further comprises that the weight parameter can be adaptively determined (e.g. to lower a predefined maximum value, cf. e.g. FIG. 7A, 7B, 7C ).
  • the method is configured to allow a selection between a fixed weight mode (where predefined weight parameters are used) and an adaptive weight mode (where adaptive adjustment of the weight parameter is enabled).
  • the method comprises that a weight parameter value is provided for each individual source band of a given frequency transposition configuration, and the hearing device is configured to allow adaptive modification of the weight parameter values.
  • the hearing device is configured to adapt the weight parameter(s) in dependence of the input signal (or a signal in the forward path) of the hearing aid device, e.g.
  • ⁇ in dependence of its level, and/or frequency content (distribution of content versus frequency, spectrum), e.g. its short-term signal content, its signal-to-noise ratio, its degree of harmonicity (e.g. a degree of periodicity, e.g. determined by a harmonics to noise ratio (HNR)), etc.
  • frequency content distributed of content versus frequency, spectrum
  • degree of harmonicity e.g. a degree of periodicity, e.g. determined by a harmonics to noise ratio (HNR)
  • the method comprises that a dependence of a weight parameter of the input signal of the hearing device is configurable (in dependence of a weight parameter function).
  • the method comprises that a specific dependency (e.g. a weight parameter function) can be selected form a multitude of dependencies (e.g. weight parameter functions).
  • the method comprises that a dependence of a weight parameter of the harmonicity of the input signal of the hearing device (e.g. in a source band) is configurable (cf. e.g. FIG. 7A, 7B, 7C ).
  • the harmonicity dependence is selected or modified in dependence of a preferred language. In some languages, fricatives (e.g. consonants, e.g. 's' or 't') create harmonics, in other languages not.
  • the weight parameter functions are designed with a view to a long-term average speech spectrum (LTASS) of the preferred language of the user.
  • LASS long-term average speech spectrum
  • only the magnitude is transposed from source to destination bands.
  • the phase of the destination band is maintained as the resulting phase of the modified destination band.
  • the method comprises
  • the method is comprised of providing that the frequency transposition configurations are arranged so that, on a logarithmic scale, one or more of the following criteria are fulfilled:
  • the method further comprises that the frequency transposition configurations are designed with a view to a preferred language of the user.
  • An example of such a view to a preferred language could be the long-term average speech spectrum (LTASS).
  • the method further comprises that the frequency transposition configurations are designed with a view to a long-term average speech spectrum (LTASS) of the preferred language of the user.
  • LASS long-term average speech spectrum
  • the user wears a hearing aid device at or on or in one ear. In an embodiment, the user wears a hearing aid device at or on or in each ear. In an embodiment, the two hearing devices form part of a binaural hearing aid system (e.g. allowing an exchange of data between the two hearing aid devices).
  • a computer readable medium :
  • a tangible computer-readable medium storing a computer program comprising program code means for causing a data processing system to perform at least some (such as a majority or all) of the steps of the method described above, in the 'detailed description of embodiments' and in the claims, when said computer program is executed on the data processing system is furthermore provided by the present application.
  • Such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.
  • Disk and disc includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
  • the computer program can also be transmitted via a transmission medium such as a wired or wireless link or a network, e.g. the Internet, and loaded into a data processing system for being executed at a location different from that of the tangible medium.
  • a transmission medium such as a wired or wireless link or a network, e.g. the Internet
  • a data processing system :
  • a data processing system comprising a processor and program code means for causing the processor to perform at least some (such as a majority or all) of the steps of the method described above, in the 'detailed description of embodiments' and in the claims is furthermore provided by the present application.
  • a fitting system for a hearing aid device comprising a data processing system according to the present disclosure is provided.
  • a 'hearing device' refers to a device, such as e.g. a hearing instrument or an active ear-protection device or other audio processing device, which is adapted to improve, augment and/or protect the hearing capability of a user by receiving acoustic signals from the user's surroundings, generating corresponding audio signals, possibly modifying the audio signals and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears.
  • a 'hearing device' further refers to a device such as an earphone or a headset adapted to receive audio signals electronically, possibly modifying the audio signals and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears.
  • Such audible signals may e.g.
  • acoustic signals radiated into the user's outer ears acoustic signals transferred as mechanical vibrations to the user's inner ears through the bone structure of the user's head and/or through parts of the middle ear as well as electric signals transferred directly or indirectly to the cochlear nerve of the user.
  • the hearing device may be configured to be worn in any known way, e.g. as a unit arranged behind the ear with a tube leading radiated acoustic signals into the ear canal or with a loudspeaker arranged close to or in the ear canal, as a unit entirely or partly arranged in the pinna and/or in the ear canal, as a unit attached to a fixture implanted into the skull bone, as an entirely or partly implanted unit, etc.
  • the hearing device may be comprised of a single unit or several units communicating electronically with each other.
  • a hearing device comprises an input transducer for receiving an acoustic signal from a user's surroundings and providing a corresponding input audio signal and/or a receiver for electronically (i.e. wired or wirelessly) receiving an input audio signal, a (typically configurable) signal processing circuit for processing the input audio signal and an output means for providing an audible signal to the user in dependence on the processed audio signal.
  • an amplifier may constitute the signal processing circuit.
  • the signal processing circuit typically comprises one or more (integrated or separate) memory elements for executing programs and/or for storing parameters used (or potentially used) in the processing and/or for storing information relevant for the function of the hearing device and/or for storing information (e.g. processed information, e.g.
  • the output means may comprise an output transducer, such as e.g. a loudspeaker for providing an air-borne acoustic signal or a vibrator for providing a structure-borne or liquid-borne acoustic signal.
  • the output means may comprise one or more output electrodes for providing electric signals.
  • the vibrator may be adapted to provide a structure-borne acoustic signal transcutaneously or percutaneously to the skull bone.
  • the vibrator may be implanted in the middle ear and/or in the inner ear.
  • the vibrator may be adapted to provide a structure-borne acoustic signal to a middle-ear bone and/or to the cochlea.
  • the vibrator may be adapted to provide a liquid-borne acoustic signal to the cochlear liquid, e.g. through the oval window.
  • the output electrodes may be implanted in the cochlea or on the inside of the skull bone and may be adapted to provide the electric signals to the hair cells of the cochlea, to one or more hearing nerves, to the auditory cortex and/or to other parts of the cerebral cortex.
  • a 'hearing system' refers to a system comprising one or two hearing devices
  • a 'binaural hearing system' refers to a system comprising two hearing devices and being adapted to cooperatively provide audible signals to both of the user's ears.
  • Hearing systems or binaural hearing systems may further comprise one or more 'auxiliary devices', which communicate with the hearing device(s) and affect and/or benefit from the function of the hearing device(s).
  • Auxiliary devices may be e.g. remote controls, audio gateway devices, mobile phones (e.g. SmartPhones), public-address systems, car audio systems or music players.
  • Hearing devices, hearing systems or binaural hearing systems may e.g. be used for compensating for a hearing-impaired person's loss of hearing capability, augmenting or protecting a normal-hearing person's hearing capability and/or conveying electronic audio signals to a person.
  • the electronic hardware may include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described throughout this disclosure.
  • Computer program shall be construed broadly to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executables, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise.
  • the present application relates to the field of hearing devices, e.g. hearing aid devices, e.g. hearing aids.
  • FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a configurable hearing aid system according to the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 1 shows a hearing aid device (HA) in communication with a programming device (PD).
  • the embodiment of a configurable hearing aid system shown in FIG. 1 comprises a programming device (PD) for programming the hearing aid device (HA) (e.g. in a separate fitting session before the hearing aid device is taken into use by a specific user).
  • the programming device is connected to the configurable hearing aid device via a communication link (P-LINK) and a programming interface (P-IF) on the hearing aid device (HA).
  • At least one of the programs e.g. PrgN comprises a frequency transposition feature according to the present disclosure (see exemplary screen ' Compose frequency transposition configuration (FTC) ' and exemplary relevant basic elements/information for such composition, cf. Select FTC-relevant information ) as displayed on display screen (DISP) of the programming device (PD) (e.g. a PC).
  • FTC Compose frequency transposition configuration
  • PD programming device
  • PD e.g. a PC
  • an appropriate one can be selected in dependence of the user's audiogram(s) (e.g. different for the left and right ears of the user), the hearing aid style (e.g. RITE, BTE, CIC, etc.) and the specific model (and possibly on user preferences).
  • a relevant frequency transposition category is selected among a number of different predefined frequency transposition categories (cf. e.g. FIG. 3 ) and transferred to the memory (MEM) of the hearing device (HA), e.g. using a user interface of the programming device; here exemplified by a keyboard (KEYB) and/or a display (DISP), e.g. a touch sensitive display.
  • MEM memory
  • a keyboard keyboard
  • DISP display
  • the programming device e.g. a fitting system (PD)
  • PD fitting system
  • user specific data such as data defining a hearing ability (e.g. hearing loss compared to a normal), e.g. including data from an audiogram, uncomfortable levels, user preferences, maximum audible output frequency (for the given hearing aid device), etc.
  • the fitting system comprises a fitting rationale, e.g. NAL (and/or a proprietary fitting algorithm). Based on such fitting rationale, appropriate program parameter settings (including appropriate hearing aid gain versus frequency) may be derived for each relevant program and hearing aid style (based on knowledge of the technical features of the programs (each e.g. comprising one or more algorithms), the user's hearing ability, the hearing device (e.g.
  • the fitting system is configured to (automatically) determine the relevant frequency transposition configuration (and corresponding program parameters) for a given style of a particular hearing device (cf. button ' COMPOSE FTC' in FIG. 1 ).
  • the thus determined parameters for a selected or determined (e.g. automatically determined) frequency transposition configuration (and corresponding program parameters) can be transferred to the hearing device (HA) via the communication link (P-LINK) and a programming interface (P-IF), e.g. wireless interface (cf. button ' ACCEPT & TX TO HEARING AIDS' in FIG. 1 ).
  • the hearing aid device of FIG. 1 comprises an input unit (IU) comprising two input transducers and two wireless transceivers.
  • the two input transducers each comprises respective microphones (MIC1, MIC2) and associated analogue to digital converters (AD) providing electric input audio signals IN1 and IN2, respectively, based on sound signals (Sound-in) impinging on the microphones.
  • the two wireless transceivers each comprises respective antenna (RF-ANT, COIL-ANT) and transceiver circuitry (Rx/Tx) and associated analogue to digital converters (AD) providing input signals IN3 and IN4, respectively.
  • a first wireless receiver WLR1 (RF-ANT, Rx/Tx, AD) is configured to receive (and optionally transmit) electromagnetic signals (Audio-1) based on radiated fields, e.g. at 2.4 GHz, e.g. according to the Bluetooth standard or equivalent.
  • a second wireless receiver WLR2 (COIL-ANT, Rx/Tx, AD) is configured to receive (and optionally transmit) signals based on near-field communication (Audio-2), e.g. on an inductive coupling between closely located coil antennas (COIL-ANT), e.g. at frequencies below 100 MHz, e.g. around 5 MHz.
  • the input unit (IU) further comprise time to time-frequency conversion units (e.g.
  • the output unit (OU) comprises a corresponding time-frequency to time conversion unit (e.g. a synthesis filter bank) to provide the output signal in the time domain.
  • Electric input audio signals IN1-IN4 are fed to the configurable signal processing unit (SPU) comprising respective selection units for enabling or disabling the individual electric input audio signals (based on parameters of a given - currently active - program, as e.g.
  • the output unit OU comprises a digital to analogue converter (DA) for converting the enhanced output signal from the signal processing unit to an analogue signal which is converted to on output sound (Sound-out) by an output transducer (here a loudspeaker).
  • the currently selected program is e.g. selected by the user via the user interface (UI).
  • the configurable hearing aid device further comprises an environment classification unit for classifying the present acoustic environment of the user (i.e. the hearing aid device), and possibly used to automatically select a currently active program.
  • environment classification unit for classifying the present acoustic environment of the user (i.e. the hearing aid device), and possibly used to automatically select a currently active program.
  • classification data may advantageously be logged by a data logger together with other usage specific data.
  • FIG. 2 shows an exemplary frequency lowering (copying) scheme of signal content from 3 (higher lying) source frequency bands to a single (lower lying) destination frequency band.
  • FIG. 2 shows in its upper and lower parts a frequency axis from 0 to 10 kHz and an indication of an exemplary user's ability to hear a specific sound level ( Original Sound in FIG. 2 ) below a threshold frequency f TH , e.g. 4.5 kHz ( Audibility indication in FIG. 2 ), and NOT to hear the sound above the threshold frequency f TH ( NO audibility indication in FIG. 2 ).
  • the threshold frequency f TH may e.g. correspond to the maximum audible output frequency (MAOF) for the particular user and hearing aid device.
  • MAOF maximum audible output frequency
  • the 3 frequency bands (S1, S2, S3) indicated in the upper part are transposed (lowered, moved or copied, here shown to be moved, i.e. not maintained in their original location) down to a destination frequency band (D) below the threshold frequency f TH , here below around 4 kHz.
  • the content of the three source bands (S) is added to the destination band (D), which is indicated to be of the same width as the source bands (e.g. 800 Hz).
  • a hearing aid system according to the present disclosure comprises four components:
  • the four components described here ensures that exactly the right information used for hearing sounds at frequencies above a threshold frequency f TH and for decoding speech is made available to the individual hearing impaired ear.
  • Components 1 and 2 selects source regions covering the high frequency bandwidth with relevant speech cues and components 3 and 4 ensures that these speech cues are presented optimally in terms of audibility.
  • a hearing aid program of a hearing aid device according to the present disclosure comprising frequency lowering can be optimized as a whole.
  • the frequency lowering scheme of the present disclosure wherein content from 2 or more higher lying source frequency bands is added to one lower lying destination frequency band is preferably applied before a level compression algorithm is applied to the signal.
  • the source bands are copied to the destination band but also kept in their original location. This may improve speech intelligibility for some users.
  • the source bands are moved to the destination band (not kept in their original location). This has the advantage of saving processing power and power to drive the output transducer/electrodes.
  • FIG. 3 shows a number of frequency transposition configurations according to the present disclosure.
  • N c 10 different frequency transposition configurations that are selectable in the programming device depending on a users' hearing ability (e.g. an audiogram) and the technical specifications of a chosen hearing aid style and model.
  • the left vertical scale in FIG. 3 indicates the frequency bands of an exemplary hearing aid in a logarithmic frequency scale (f [Hz], between 1196 Hz and 9657 Hz).
  • the right vertical scale in FIG. 3 indicates the frequency bands in an ERB scale (ERB, between 17 and 35).
  • the illustrated frequency transposition configurations are each defined by a source and a destination frequency region.
  • N c 10 exemplary (carefully designed) frequency transposition configurations have a decreasing distance between the maximum frequency of the destination frequency region (band) (D) and the minimum frequency of the source frequency region (with increasing setting #, i) (on a logarithmic frequency scale).
  • the threshold frequency f TH between the source frequency range and the destination frequency range increases with increasing setting number i.
  • the threshold frequency f TH may define the threshold between audibility and NO audibility for a specific hearing impaired user (cf. FIG. 2 ), e.g. for a given sound level.
  • the threshold frequency f TH may thus correspond to a maximum audible output frequency (MAOF) for a given user (e.g. after the sound has been amplified according to a gain strategy for the user in question, when wearing a particular hearing aid device).
  • the number of frequency transposition configurations (N c ) may take on any relevant number depending on the target group of users (and in particular their degree and characteristics of hearing loss, type hearing aid device (e.g. style of a hearing aid), preferred language, etc.).
  • FIG. 4 shows an exemplary hearing aid device, which may form part of a configurable hearing system according to the present disclosure.
  • the hearing aid device e.g. a hearing aid
  • the hearing aid device is of a particular style (sometimes termed receiver-in-the ear, or RITE, style) comprising a BTE-part (BTE) adapted for being located at or behind an ear of a user and an ITE-part (ITE) adapted for being located in or at an ear canal of a user's ear and comprising a receiver (loudspeaker).
  • BTE-part and the ITE-part are connected (e.g. electrically connected) by a connecting element (IC).
  • IC connecting element
  • the hearing aid device may be comprised of a more closed fitting, e.g. a customized ear-mould or dome structure that is configured to more closely fit the user's ear canal (e.g. to be able to provide a larger sound pressure level (SPL) at the user's tympanic membrane (ear drum), as e.g. relevant for user's with severe-to-profound hearing losses).
  • the hearing aid device is comprised of a bone conducting hearing device.
  • the BTE part comprises an input unit comprising two (individually selectable) input transducers (e.g. microphones) (MIC 1 , MIC 2 ) each for providing an electric input audio signal representative of an input sound signal.
  • the input unit further comprises two (individually selectable) wireless receivers (WLR 1 , WLR 2 ) for providing respective directly received auxiliary audio input signals.
  • the hearing aid device (HA) further comprises a substrate SUB whereon a number of electronic components are mounted, including a memory (MEM) storing at least two different programs (Prgn in FIG. 1 ), at least one of which (e.g.
  • PrgN comprises frequency lowering defined by a specific frequency transposition configuration, implemented by a specific program parameter setting (see (p1, p2, ..., PNN) in FIG 1 ).
  • the BTE-part further comprises a configurable signal processing unit (SPU) adapted to access the memory (MEM) and for selecting and processing one or more of the electric input audio signals and/or one or more of the directly received auxiliary audio input signals, based on a currently selected one of the at least two different programs (and corresponding parameter settings).
  • the configurable signal processing unit (SPU) provides an enhanced audio signal (cf. e.g. signal OUT in FIG. 1 ), which may be presented to a user or further processed or transmitted to another device as the case may be.
  • the hearing aid device (HA) further comprises an output unit (e.g. an output transducer or electrodes of a cochlear implant) providing an enhanced output signal as stimuli perceivable by the user as sound based on the enhanced audio signal OUT or a signal derived therefrom
  • the ITE part comprises the output unit in the form of a loudspeaker (receiver) (SP) for converting a signal to an acoustic signal.
  • the ITE-part further comprises a guiding element, e.g. a dome, (DO) for guiding and positioning the ITE-part in the ear canal of the user.
  • the hearing aid device (HA) exemplified in FIG. 4 is a portable device and further comprises a battery (BAT) for energizing electronic components of the BTE- and ITE-parts.
  • BAT battery
  • the hearing aid device e.g. a hearing aid
  • the hearing aid device is adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain and/or a level dependent compression and/or a transposition (with or without frequency compression) of one or frequency ranges to one or more other frequency ranges, e.g. to compensate for a hearing impairment of a user.
  • the configurable signal processing unit for is adapted to enhance the input signals and provide a processed (enhanced) output signal.
  • the hearing aid device comprises an output unit for providing a stimulus perceived by the user as an acoustic signal based on a processed electric signal.
  • the output unit comprises a number of electrodes of a cochlear implant or a vibrator of a bone conducting hearing device.
  • the output unit comprises an output transducer.
  • the output transducer comprises a receiver (loudspeaker) for providing the stimulus as an acoustic signal to the user.
  • the output transducer comprises a vibrator for providing the stimulus as mechanical vibration of a skull bone to the user (e.g. in a bone-attached or bone-anchored hearing device).
  • the hearing aid device comprises an input unit for providing an electric input signal representing sound.
  • the input unit comprises one or more input transducers (e.g. microphones) (MIC 1 , MIC 2 ) for converting an input sound to an electric input signal.
  • the input unit comprises one or more wireless receivers (WLR 1 , WLR 2 ) for receiving (and possibly transmitting) a wireless signal comprising sound and for providing corresponding directly received auxiliary audio input signals.
  • the hearing aid device comprises a directional microphone system (beamformer) adapted to enhance a target acoustic source among a multitude of acoustic sources in the local environment of the user wearing the hearing aid device.
  • the directional system is adapted to detect (such as adaptively detect) from which direction a particular part of the microphone signal originates.
  • the hearing aid device comprises an antenna and transceiver circuitry for wirelessly receiving a direct electric input signal from another device, e.g. a communication device or another hearing device.
  • the hearing aid device comprises a (possibly standardized) electric interface (e.g. in the form of a connector) for receiving a wired direct electric input signal from another device, e.g. a communication device or another hearing device.
  • the direct electric input signal represents or comprises an audio signal and/or a control signal and/or an information signal.
  • the hearing aid device comprises demodulation circuitry for demodulating the received direct electric input to provide the direct electric input signal representing an audio signal and/or a control signal e.g. for setting an operational parameter (e.g.
  • the wireless link established by a transmitter and antenna and transceiver circuitry of the hearing aid device can be of any type.
  • the wireless link is used under power constraints, e.g. in that the hearing aid device comprises a portable (typically battery driven) device.
  • the wireless link is a link based on near-field communication, e.g. an inductive link based on an inductive coupling between antenna coils of transmitter and receiver parts.
  • the wireless link is based on far-field, electromagnetic radiation.
  • the communication via the wireless link is arranged according to a specific modulation scheme, e.g.
  • an analogue modulation scheme such as FM (frequency modulation) or AM (amplitude modulation) or PM (phase modulation)
  • a digital modulation scheme such as ASK (amplitude shift keying), e.g. On-Off keying, FSK (frequency shift keying), PSK (phase shift keying) or QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation).
  • ASK amplitude shift keying
  • FSK frequency shift keying
  • PSK phase shift keying
  • QAM quadrature amplitude modulation
  • the communication between the hearing aid device and the other device is in the base band (audio frequency range, e.g. between 0 and 20 kHz).
  • communication between the hearing aid device and the other device is based on some sort of modulation at frequencies above 100 kHz.
  • frequencies used to establish a communication link between the hearing aid device and the other device is below 50 GHz, e.g. located in a range from 50 MHz to 70 GHz, e.g. above 300 MHz, e.g. in an ISM range above 300 MHz, e.g.
  • the wireless link is based on a standardized or proprietary technology.
  • the wireless link is based on Bluetooth technology (e.g. Bluetooth Low-Energy technology).
  • the hearing aid device is portable device, e.g. a device comprising a local energy source, e.g. a battery, e.g. a rechargeable battery.
  • a local energy source e.g. a battery, e.g. a rechargeable battery.
  • the hearing aid device comprises a forward or signal path between an input transducer (microphone system and/or direct electric input (e.g. a wireless receiver)) and an output transducer.
  • the signal processing unit is located in the forward path.
  • the signal processing unit is adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain according to a user's particular needs.
  • the hearing aid device comprises an analysis path comprising functional components for analyzing the input signal (e.g. determining a level, a modulation, a type of signal, an acoustic feedback estimate, etc.).
  • some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the signal path is conducted in the frequency domain.
  • some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the signal path is conducted in the time domain.
  • an analogue electric signal representing an acoustic signal is converted to a digital audio signal in an analogue-to-digital (AD) conversion process, where the analogue signal is sampled with a predefined sampling frequency or rate f s , f s being e.g. in the range from 8 kHz to 40 kHz (adapted to the particular needs of the application) to provide digital samples x n (or x[n]) at discrete points in time t n (or n), each audio sample representing the value of the acoustic signal at t n by a predefined number N s of bits, N s being e.g. in the range from 1 to 48 bits, e.g. 24 bits.
  • AD analogue-to-digital
  • a number of audio samples are arranged in a time frame.
  • a time frame comprises 64 audio data samples. Other frame lengths may be used depending on the practical application.
  • the hearing aid devices comprise an analogue-to-digital (AD) converter to digitize an analogue input with a predefined sampling rate, e.g. 20 kHz.
  • the hearing aid devices comprise a digital-to-analogue (DA) converter to convert a digital signal to an analogue output signal, e.g. for being presented to a user via an output transducer.
  • AD analogue-to-digital
  • DA digital-to-analogue
  • the hearing aid device e.g. the microphone unit, and or the transceiver unit comprise(s) a TF-conversion unit for providing a time-frequency representation of an input signal.
  • the time-frequency representation comprises an array or map of corresponding complex or real values of the signal in question in a particular time and frequency range.
  • the TF conversion unit comprises a filter bank for filtering a (time varying) input signal and providing a number of (time varying) output signals each comprising a distinct frequency range of the input signal.
  • the TF conversion unit comprises a Fourier transformation unit for converting a time variant input signal to a (time variant) signal in the frequency domain.
  • the frequency range considered by the hearing aid device from a minimum frequency f min to a maximum frequency f max comprises a part of the typical human audible frequency range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, e.g. a part of the range from 20 Hz to 12 kHz.
  • a signal of the forward and/or analysis path of the hearing aid device is split into a number NI of frequency bands, where NI is e.g. larger than 5, such as larger than 10, such as larger than 50, such as larger than 100, such as larger than 500, at least some of which are processed individually.
  • the hearing aid device is/are adapted to process a signal of the forward and/or analysis path in a number NP of different frequency channels ( NP ⁇ NI).
  • the frequency channels may be uniform or non-uniform in width (e.g. increasing in width with frequency), overlapping or non-overlapping.
  • the hearing aid device comprises a detector for classifying a current acoustic environment of the user (hearing aid device).
  • the hearing aid device comprises a level detector (LD) for determining the level of an input signal (e.g. on a band level and/or of the full (wide band) signal).
  • the input level of the electric microphone signal picked up from the user's acoustic environment is e.g. a classifier of the environment.
  • the level detector is adapted to classify a current acoustic environment of the user according to a number of different (e.g. average) signal levels, e.g. as a HIGH-LEVEL or LOW-LEVEL environment.
  • the hearing aid device comprises a voice detector (VD) for determining whether or not an input signal comprises a voice signal (at a given point in time).
  • a voice signal is in the present context taken to include a speech signal from a human being. It may also include other forms of utterances generated by the human speech system (e.g. singing).
  • the voice detector unit is adapted to classify a current acoustic environment of the user as a VOICE or NO-VOICE environment. This has the advantage that time segments of the electric microphone signal comprising human utterances (e.g. speech) in the user's environment can be identified, and thus separated from time segments only comprising other sound sources (e.g. artificially generated noise).
  • the voice detector is adapted to detect as a VOICE also the user's own voice.
  • the voice detector is adapted to exclude a user's own voice from the detection of a VOICE.
  • the hearing aid device comprises an own voice detector for detecting whether a given input sound (e.g. a voice) originates from the voice of the user of the system.
  • a given input sound e.g. a voice
  • the microphone system of the hearing aid device is adapted to be able to differentiate between a user's own voice and another person's voice and possibly from NON-voice sounds.
  • the hearing aid device comprises an acoustic (and/or mechanical) feedback suppression system.
  • Adaptive feedback cancellation has the ability to track feedback path changes over time. It is based on a linear time invariant filter to estimate the feedback path but its filter weights are updated over time.
  • the filter update may be calculated using stochastic gradient algorithms, including some form of the Least Mean Square (LMS) or the Normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithms. They both have the property to minimize the error signal in the mean square sense with the NLMS additionally normalizing the filter update with respect to the squared Euclidean norm of some reference signal.
  • LMS Least Mean Square
  • NLMS Normalized LMS
  • the hearing aid device further comprises other relevant functionality for the application in question, e.g. compression, noise reduction, etc.
  • FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method of programming a hearing aid device according to the present disclosure.
  • the method relates to fitting of a hearing aid.
  • the general fitting concept (prescription algorithm) regarding the frequency lowering feature of the present disclosure is to identify the frequency above which speech - after having been subject to the gain of the hearing aid device - cannot be perceived by the user.
  • This frequency termed the Maximum Audible Output Frequency (MAOF) decides the upper limit of the destination region (fmax(D)).
  • MAOF Maximum Audible Output Frequency
  • the 10 fixed frequency transposition configurations each have one specific destination band (different for each configuration) and two or three specific source bands (see e.g. FIG. 3 ).
  • the configurations are e.g. arranged (designed) so that on a logarithmic scale one or more of the following criteria are fulfilled:
  • the method may be configured to allow source bands (S) to be moved (and possibly scaled) to the destination band (D) (but not kept in their original location). Alternatively, the method may be configured to maintain source bands (S) in their original location, while being copied (and possibly scaled) to the destination band (D). The method may be configured to add the contents of the (possibly scaled) contents of source bands (S) to the (possibly scaled or unmodified) contents of the destination band (D).
  • FIG. 6 shows an exemplary frequency transposition configuration for a method and hearing aid system according to the present disclosure.
  • the purpose of the frequency transposition is to replace some signal energy at a higher frequency into a lower frequency.
  • This can e.g. be implemented by providing multiple negative frequency shifts, e.g. ⁇ f1 (e.g. -1 kHz), ⁇ f2 (e.g. -2 kHz), ⁇ f3 (e.g. -3 kHz), to a number (e.g. three) of source frequency bands S1, S2, S3 of an input signal.
  • the purpose of this operation is to make high frequency sounds (otherwise not audible) audible to the user.
  • the idea is to compress a relatively wider source frequency range (e.g. comprising source bands S1, S2, S3, e.g. band 6, 7, 8 in FIG.
  • the frequency band FB6 between 5 and 6 kHz will be shifted by -3 kHz; the frequency band FB7 between 6 and 7 kHz will be shifted by -4 kHz; and the frequency band FB8 between 7 and 8 kHz will be shifted by -5 kHz.
  • information related speech intelligibility such as significant information about fricative consonants ('f, 's'), e.g. the frequency bands between 5 kHz and 8 kHz is shifted (lowered, transposed).
  • the HF-content (above f TH ) of the source bands (S1, S2, S3) is scaled (attenuated) AND mixed (added up) with the LF-content (below f TH ) of the destination band (D).
  • the LF-content in this situation means the original (un-transposed) signal content.
  • the original part of the output signal is maintained in the destination band (D), to which additional (shifted) signal content of the source band(s) (S1, S2, S3) is added.
  • only the magnitude is transposed from source to destination bands.
  • the phase of the destination band is maintained as the resulting phase of the modified destination band.
  • Frequency compression will typically be enabled for users with a strong HF-Hearing Loss. Once enabled, the frequency compression is intended to work continuously.
  • the frequency transposition can be enabled by the fitting software (e.g. running on the programming device). It is possible to have different frequency transpositions in different programs (different shifts, frequency transposition being on or off, etc.). For a given program, where frequency transposition is enabled, it is in specific embodiments 'always on', independent of acoustic environment/signal content (not dynamically determined). Thereby an increased ability to hear sounds (e.g. alarms or other HF-sounds or speech) is provided.
  • sounds e.g. alarms or other HF-sounds or speech
  • Frequency lowering is in general used for making sounds audible in cases where conventional amplification does not provide audibility. The goal is two-fold: 1) to improve speech intelligibility and 2) to provide access to environmental sounds (e.g. birdsong). A typical case of the former is a severe-profound hearing loss in a listening situation where portions of the high frequency speech spectrum cannot be amplified to provide audibility. Frequency lowering presents such high frequency portions at lower frequencies where audibility may be better.
  • neither average speech intelligibility improvements across populations nor the percentage of the population that shows speech intelligibility improvements have matched the theoretical promise of this technology despite more than a decade of development efforts (cf. e.g. [Ellis & Munroe; 2015]: Ellis, R. J. & Munro, K. J., Benefit from, and acclimatization to, frequency compression hearing aids in experienced adult hearing-aid users. International Journal of Audiology; 54: 37-47 (2015 )).
  • LASS long-term average speech spectrum
  • HCPs hearing care professions
  • the weight parameter is provided for each individual source band of a given frequency transposition configuration.
  • the weight parameter for each individual source band is provided as a function of the signal properties in this source band, e.g. its Harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and/or its modulation (e.g. a modulation index).
  • HNR Harmonics-to-noise ratio
  • SNR signal-to-noise ratio
  • modulation e.g. a modulation index
  • the method comprises that a dependence of a weight parameter of the input signal of the hearing device is configurable in dependence of a weight parameter function. In an embodiment, the method comprises that a specific weight parameter function can be selected from a multitude of weight parameter functions.
  • FIG. 7A, 7B, 7C show example weight parameter functions to determine the weight parameter based on the harmonics-to-noise ratio.
  • Transposing harmonic signals may create artefacts because we (unwillingly) may place the transposed signal at an inharmonic position. It can therefore be preferred by users to only transpose noisy signals, e.g. arising from fricative consonants and ignore harmonic signals arising from vowels or music instruments.
  • Fig. 7A shows a first exemplary weight parameter function (G(t,f) (t being time, f being frequency) that determines the maximum weight parameter (Max G(f)), if the source band signal content shows a negative harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), i.e. if the signal in the source band is mostly noisy and a weight parameter of zero, if the source band signal content shows a positive HNR, i.e.
  • G(t,f) t being time, f being frequency
  • FIG. 7B and 7C show examples of further possible weight parameter functions that have a smoother transition of the determined weight parameter between noisy and harmonic signals.
  • Other functional relationships and/or other parameters instead of, or in addition to, harmonicity may be configured by the method to adaptively determine the weighting parameters in the hearing device under normal operation.
  • connection or “coupled” as used herein may include wirelessly connected or coupled.
  • the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The steps of any disclosed method is not limited to the exact order stated herein, unless expressly stated otherwise.

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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)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
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EP2026601A1 (de) * 2007-08-08 2009-02-18 Oticon A/S Frequenztranspositionsanwendungen zur Verbesserung des räumlichen Hörvermögens von Personen mit hochfrequentem Hörverlust
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EP2026601A1 (de) * 2007-08-08 2009-02-18 Oticon A/S Frequenztranspositionsanwendungen zur Verbesserung des räumlichen Hörvermögens von Personen mit hochfrequentem Hörverlust
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