EP3349483A1 - Hearing device and method for operating a hearing device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a hearing system (2), wherein a sound signal (S) originating from a sound source (Q) is measured by means of a plurality of microphones (4), the microphones (4) being operated in different devices (6, 10), each of the microphones (4) picking up the sound signal (S) and producing therefrom a microphone signal (M), wherein the hearing system (2) is binaural and wherein two of the devices (6, 10) each act as a hearing aid ( 6) of the hearing system (2) are formed, wherein for each of the two microphone signals (M) of the microphones (4) of the hearing aids (6) an individual reverberation time (indN) is determined, wherein the individual reverberation times (indN) in a data set ( D), from which a general reverberation time (gen) is determined, and wherein an operating parameter of the hearing system (2) is set as a function of the general reverberation time (genuN). Furthermore, a corresponding hearing system (2) is specified.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a hearing system and to a corresponding hearing system.

A hearing system has one or two hearing aids, which are worn by a user on or in the ear and which serve to amplify or modify sounds from the environment of the user. Usually, hearing systems are worn by the hearing impaired, i. of persons with impaired hearing. A hearing aid then picks up the sounds of the environment via a microphone as microphone signals and amplifies them. The amplified sounds are then output as output signals through a loudspeaker, also called a handset. Alternatively or in addition to amplification, other modifications are made, such as filtering or generally changing individual frequencies or frequency bands.

The processing of the microphone signals to produce appropriate output signals depends on a variety of factors. This fact is taken into account by means of adjustable operating parameters, which are suitably determined and adjusted depending on the situation. For this purpose, the hearing system, usually each individual hearing aid, has a corresponding control unit. The optimal operating parameters depend on the one hand on the individual hearing characteristics of the user, on the other hand also on the environment in which the user is at a given time.

A special problem is the so-called reverberation. These are in particular noises which the user and thus the microphone in Hearing aid due to the nature of the environment time-delayed and sometimes achieve multiple due to reflection. Reverberation typically occurs in confined spaces and depends on their specific geometry and size. The reverberation is especially diffuse and differs from the so-called direct sound, which reaches the microphone from a certain direction. In order to optimally adjust the operating parameters of a hearing system, a quantification of the reverberation is necessary. For this purpose, a so-called reverberation time is usually measured. This describes the temporal decay of a sound. A special reverberation time is the so-called T60 time, T60 for short. A method for determining the reverberation time is described for example in the publication " Single-Channel Maximum-Likelihood T60 Estimation Exploiting Subband Information ", ACE Challenge Workshop, IEEE-WASPAA 2015 ,

Against this background, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for operating a hearing system, wherein the determination of the reverberation time is improved. In particular, the reverberation time should be determined as quickly as possible, thereby adapting the operating parameters of the hearing system as quickly as possible to the current environment. Furthermore, a corresponding hearing system should be specified.

The object is achieved by a method with the features of claim 1 and by a hearing aid with the features of claim 15. Advantageous embodiments, developments and variants are the subject of the dependent claims. The explanations in connection with the method also apply mutatis mutandis to the hearing system and vice versa.

The method is used to operate a hearing system. Such a device usually has one or two hearing aids which are worn by a user or wearer of the hearing system in or on the ear. In the present case, the hearing system is binaural and has two hearing aids. A sound signal, also called original signal, which emanates from a sound source is measured by means of several microphones, the microphones being installed in different devices. "One" is not to be understood here as a number word, but rather a plurality of sound signals are preferably measured, preferably also from several sound sources in order to obtain as much data as possible. By "different devices" are understood in particular those devices which are spatially separated from each other and which are usually not firmly connected to each other, but rather grds. are movable against each other. Examples of a device are a hearing aid of the hearing system, a smartphone, a telephone, a television, a computer or the like. It is essential that the device has at least one microphone. In the present case, at least two microphones are installed, namely one in each of the hearing aids of the hearing system. The two hearing aids are therefore different devices.

Each of the microphones picks up the sound signal and generates a microphone signal. In other words, the different microphones basically all receive the same sound signal and individually generate a microphone signal. The sound signal usually comes from a sound source, such as a conversation partner or a speaker. The sound signal is limited in time, so that from the sound source in time several sound signals can go out and then a respective microphone in particular temporally successively receives several sound signals and each generates a microphone signal. In principle, a plurality of sound sources can also be present which emit one or more sound signals at the same time and / or with a time delay.

Conveniently, all these sound signals are detected by the microphones each and it is then generated according to a variety of microphone signals. The microphone signals represent raw data. A single microphone signal does not necessarily have to have a specific meaning. Rather, the microphone signal is preferably so-called "snippets", ie sections or sections. The microphone signal, ie the raw data for later analysis, are thus comparatively short, in particular in comparison to individual spoken words. Preferably, the Microphone signals each for at most 1s, more preferably at most 100ms long.

In particular, the generation of microphone signals for later analysis has two dimensions: on the one hand, the same sound signal is detected with a plurality of microphones, and on the other hand, the same microphone preferably also detects a plurality of sound signals, e.g. time-offset sound signals and / or sound signals from different sound sources. This multiplicity of recorded sound signals and microphone signals generated therefrom forms the basis for a particularly effective and precise determination of a general reverberation time in the specific environment.

For at least two of the microphone signals, preferably for each of the microphone signals, an individual reverberation time is determined in each case. The at least two microphone signals originate in particular from two different microphones, ie not from the same microphone. In the present case, the at least two microphone signals originate from the two hearing aids of the hearing system. "Determination of an individual reverberation time" is understood in particular to mean that the microphone signals are preferably examined independently for the presence of a suitable event or feature for determining an individual reverberation time, in particular T60 time, and if such an event or feature then an individual reverberation time is determined. The determination of the individual reverberation time thus initially involves an aptitude test, ie a respective microphone signal is first examined to determine whether an individual reverberation time can be determined from this. Preferably, all microphone signals are subjected to at least one such suitability test, ie examination. If the result of this examination is positive, ie if an individual reverberation time can be determined from the microphone signal, then this is also determined. The microphone signal is examined, for example, for certain characteristic features in order to detect, for example, transient or pulse-like sound signals, which are particularly suitable for determining the reverberation time. If the microphone signal has a corresponding event or feature, then the microphone signal becomes an associated individual one Reverberation time determined. A respective individual reverberation time is thus the result of a specific sound signal which was recorded by a specific one of the microphones. In particular, at most one individual reverberation signal per microphone is determined. The sound signal is then temporally limited, in particular, in that events or features which are suitable for determining a further individual reverberation time are assigned to a new, subsequent sound signal. A respective sound signal and the corresponding microphone signal thus represent in the context of the determination of the reverberation time in particular a smallest evaluable or usable section.

The same sound signal does not necessarily produce similar microphone signals from the different microphones. In addition, different, especially temporally offset, sound signals may be differently well suited to reverberation time estimation features, i. Reverberation time determination to determine or even do not contain such features. By way of example, a decay of the sound level in response to a transient noise can be used for reverberation time estimation. Depending on the sound signal and depending on the positioning of the sound source relative to a respective microphone, it is possible that the corresponding microphone signal contains no suitable features and from this then no individual reverberation time can be determined or that although features are present, but they are not sufficient for the determination , Although the associated sound signal is then detected by the corresponding microphone, the determination of an individual reverberation time remains without result. In general, therefore, the individual reverberation time is determined, in particular, by examining a respective microphone signal for the presence of a feature for determining an individual reverberation time, and then determining the individual reverberation time in the case of a corresponding presence.

To determine the individual reverberation time, a respective microphone signal is processed by a suitable control unit. It does not necessarily have to use the same control unit for all microphone signals. Rather, in one variant, the individual reverberation times are different Control units determined. It is expedient to use a common standard, eg the mentioned T60 time. The individual reverberation times are combined in a data set from which a general reverberation time is determined. Expediently, the general reverberation time is determined by means of a statistical method from the data record of individual reverberation times, for example as an average value or within the framework of a maximum likelihood method. A suitable method for determining the general reverberation time from a data set with several individual reverberation times is described in the publication cited at the beginning " Single-Channel Maximum-Likelihood T60 Estimation Exploiting Subband Information ", ACE Challenge Workshop, IEEE-WASPAA 2015 described. In contrast to the present application, however, the microphone signals of several microphones from, in particular, different devices are not evaluated and combined there.

In particular, the method assumes that all microphones are in the same acoustic situation in which at least approximately the same reverberation time prevails. Because in particular then the microphone signals can be advantageously in the context of a statistical evaluation such. described above are used to determine the general reverberation time. The presence of the same acoustic situation for the microphones can be sufficiently assumed, in particular, by the local proximity of the various devices which are suitably used by the technical structure, e.g. Connecting links between the devices, and / or by a location determination, e.g. using GPS, is ensured.

Depending on the general reverberation time, an operating parameter of the hearing system is then set, i. the hearing aid is set, put into a specific operating mode or a specific operating program is loaded. In particular, the setting of the operating parameter reduces the reverberation, so that the hearing comfort of the user of the hearing system is improved.

In the present case, the hearing system is binaural and two of the devices are each designed as a hearing aid of the hearing system. In other words: the hearing system points two hearing aids, which can usually be worn on different sides of the head of a user and are preferably also worn. Without prejudice to additional use of further microphones of other devices, the hearing system then has a first hearing device with a first microphone and a second hearing device with a second microphone. The two devices and thus the two microphones are then arranged on different sides of the head and thus cover different hemispheres. The at least two microphone signals, for each of which an individual reverberation time is determined, are accordingly microphone signals, which are generated by the two different hearing aids of the hearing system.

Within the scope of the method, an individual reverberation time is thus determined for each of the two microphone signals of the microphones of the hearing aids. In other words, the hearing system has two hearing aids, each having a microphone, each of the microphones picking up the sound signal and generating a microphone signal therefrom, so that two microphone signals are generated. An individual reverberation time is then determined from the two microphone signals of the hearing aids. Depending on the configuration then other microphone signals of other devices are added. In a first variant, the sensor network comprises only the two microphones of the two hearing aids of the hearing system, in a second variant, the sensor network additionally includes other microphones, which are housed in particular in other devices and not just in the hearing aids of the hearing.

The combination of both microphones of a binaural hearing system in a common sensor network ensures an improved adjustment of the hearing system as a whole compared to an individual operation of the hearing aids. This becomes particularly clear with regard to the shadowing of individual microphones. The first hearing aid may not perceive the sound signal due to shading, for example, by the head of the user who is positioned between the sound source and the microphone, or not completely true. However, another microphone in the room, in particular a microphone of the second hearing device on the other side of the head, fully perceives the sound signal. The From this determined reverberation time is then expediently used to set the first hearing aid, which would otherwise have no way to be optimally adjusted. The concept is applicable to any combination of two or more devices with microphone, which due to their typically different positioning in space does not record the same sound signal due to shading.

A particular advantage of the above-described use of the two hearing aids of a binaural hearing system over a combination with any other devices is that the relative position of the two devices to each other with particularly high security is known. The two hearing aids are namely arranged by the arrangement on different sides of the head at a fixed distance, which may vary slightly from user to user, on average, however, is about 20cm. In contrast, the location of other devices, e.g. Smartphone, telephone system, television or computer, relative to each other or relative to the hearing system with a greater uncertainty afflicted and subject to much greater fluctuations. The above-described assumption that the various microphones are in the same acoustic situation thus applies in particular to the two hearing aids of a binaural hearing system, but can not necessarily be contrary to other devices, e.g. if there is a TV in a neighboring room or if a smartphone is in a bag.

The invention is first of all based on the observation that the measurement of the reverberation time is usually faulty and that the quality of the measurement is also strongly dependent on the environment. In principle, it is possible to determine the reverberation time several times with the microphone of a hearing aid several times and over a relatively long period of time, in order to obtain the best possible average value for the reverberation time. However, this results in a correspondingly long adjustment phase for the hearing system, in which the hearing system may not be optimally adjusted. In the present case, this disadvantage is reduced by a drastic shortening of the time which is necessary for determining the reverberation time. This is possible By merging data from multiple microphones in different devices and the joint evaluation of these data, more precisely, the individual reverberation times. In this case, a core idea of the invention is, in particular, to use the largest possible sensor network, ie as many microphones as possible, in order to obtain as many microphone signals as possible as fast as possible and thus to determine as many individual reverberation times as possible. These are then processed in order to set at least one operating parameter of the hearing system particularly quickly and optimally.

In the present case, it has been recognized that as an alternative or in addition to the microphone of a hearing device, other microphones can be profitably used for the task described above, especially the microphones of the individual hearing aids of a binaural hearing system. In addition, a number of other microphones are often present in a room, above all in telephones, mobile telephones, in particular smartphones, also in television sets, computers, video cameras and similar devices, but also in the hearing aids of other persons who are in the same room. An essential advantage of the invention consists in particular in the fact that the microphones of such devices, ie with respect to a particular hearing system external microphones for determining the reverberation time can be used and expediently also be used and thus used to adjust the hearing system. The microphones used form a sensor network, more precisely a microphone network, which enables a particularly fast determination of the reverberation time, since in comparison to the individual hearing device of the hearing system significantly more sources for microphone signals are available and used. This is of particular importance because, for determining the reverberation time, preferably pulse-like sound signals are used, which are usually rare in comparison to other, eg, continuous sound signals. By using multiple microphones, the same sound signal is used more effectively to determine the reverberation time. In the present case, the sensor network comprises at least two microphones, which are arranged in different hearing aids of the binaural hearing system of a single user and which are arranged in operation on different sides of the head of the user. In this embodiment, the two microphones cover Advantageously, both hemispheres, ie sides of the user's head, from. However, the sensor network expediently comprises further microphones.

It is also clear that in principle the hearing system can also be completely adjusted based on externally determined reverberation times. The hearing system itself then needs to determine no reverberation times, but then fully accesses a record which is or was formed from microphone signals of other microphones. Conveniently, however, the microphones of the hearing system, more precisely the hearing aids of the hearing system are used, since these microphones are typically much better suited for the detection of sound signals, as microphones of other devices.

In an advantageous embodiment, at least two of the microphones are arranged in different hearing systems. In other words, the microphones belong to different hearing systems, which are used by different users. In this embodiment, the user benefits from the collected data, more specifically the microphone signals, from another user. The two hearing systems are conveniently interconnected for data exchange, e.g. over a wireless connection. The hearing systems are either direct, i. directly connected or indirectly via an additional device, i. via an additional device.

In a further advantageous embodiment, one of the microphones is arranged in a hearing aid and another of the microphones in a smartphone. In this way, a microphone of the smartphone is used profitably to determine the general reverberation time. The use of a smartphone is particularly advantageous in that such is usually freely positionable, and can be stored for example in a room at a central location in order to capture as many sound signals as optimally as possible. Under certain circumstances sound signals can be received thereby, which the hearing system itself does not or only badly absorbs. The hearing system is expediently connected to the smartphone for exchanging data.

The determination of the individual reverberation time, the merging into the data set and the determination of the general reverberation time are all carried out in a suitable embodiment by means of a control unit of the hearing system. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the microphone signals are then combined to form a raw data record and stored. The raw data set is not necessarily stored in the hearing system, but in particular an external memory, e.g. as part of smartphones, a server or cloud service. In other words, the raw data is stored externally with respect to the hearing system. The hearing system, or more precisely its control unit, then accesses the raw data and, as far as possible, first determines the respectively individual reverberation time and then the general reverberation time. This embodiment is based on the consideration that at least the hearing system is designed to analyze the microphone signals suitable, but not necessarily other devices. Therefore, initially only the raw data is collected and then made available to the hearing system. Due to the external storage, the microphone signals can also be used by several users.

However, this complete evaluation and analysis of the raw data by the hearing system itself is not mandatory. Therefore, the three steps mentioned in a variant are not performed using the same device. Rather, a distribution to various devices is also appropriate.

In an advantageous embodiment, the individual reverberation times are combined on an external additional device to form the data record. In this case, the individual reverberation times of the microphone signals of a respective microphone are preferably previously determined by means of the device in which the microphone is installed. Specifically, in particular the microphone signals recorded by means of a microphone of the hearing system are also evaluated by means of a control unit of the respective hearing device in which the microphone is installed. In the case of a smartphone, this itself determines the individual reverberation times of the microphone signals from its microphone. In general, therefore, the individual reverberation time is determined as locally as possible. This significantly reduces the amount of data that must subsequently be transferred to form the data set not the entire microphone signal is transmitted, but only the individual reverberation time determined therefrom. The individual reverberation times are transmitted to the auxiliary device, eg via a wireless connection, and there combined to form the data record. In a variant, however, the microphone signals are transmitted to the auxiliary device and there determines the individual reverberation times. On the additional device so the microphone signals are first combined to form a raw data set and then the record with the individual reverberation times is generated on the additional device by the raw data set is evaluated by means of the auxiliary device. In other words, the data set is expediently also evaluated on the additional device. In addition, the additional device advantageously also determines the general reverberation time from the data record, which is then transmitted to the hearing system. An advantage of this embodiment is, in particular, that the additional device typically has more computing power and is therefore more effective in evaluating the data set than, for example, the hearing system. The additional device thus serves to outsource the compute-intensive determination of the reverberation time. Furthermore, this advantageously also reduces the energy consumption of the hearing system.

Expediently, the microphone signals and in particular the individual reverberation times of other devices than the hearing system are generally recorded in the corresponding raw data record or data record on the additional device, so that the general reverberation time transmitted back to the hearing system is not derived solely from such individual reverberation times which were determined solely by the hearing system , Instead, the hearing system also benefits from reverberation times that were determined by other devices.

In a preferred embodiment, the additional device is a smartphone, ie in general in particular a mobile device. A smartphone is characterized by a high computing power and by a high energy capacity, at least in comparison to a hearing aid, and is therefore particularly suitable as a computing unit. A smartphone also has suitable connection options for data transmission with the hearing system, for example via a Bluetooth connection. Via a corresponding connection for data transmission, the smartphone is expediently also connected to other devices in order to receive from these microphone signals or individual reverberation times and to form the largest possible data record. Many users of hearing aids are also already in possession of a smartphone, so no additional equipment must be purchased. Usually, a smartphone is also located in close proximity to the user and is therefore almost always ready for use.

In a further preferred embodiment, the attachment is a particular fixed, i. fixed server on which the record is stored and in particular also evaluated. In this embodiment, the auxiliary device advantageously represents a central evaluation unit, which has sufficient computing power for evaluating the data set and, in addition, the microphone signals and / or individual reverberation times, i. generally merges data from a variety of devices. Preferably, the merging takes place via the Internet, i. as part of a cloud-based solution. The server then collects the data from the various devices and brings them together in a centralized manner, ensuring a particularly fast and reliable determination of the overall reverberation time and the setting of the hearing system. Advantageously, a crowd-based evaluation is realized by means of the server by the data of several hearing systems are brought together by different users, so that the users benefit from each other from the data of each other users.

In a particularly expedient embodiment, the two above-mentioned concepts are combined with smartphone and server so that two additional devices are used, namely a smartphone and a server. The smartphone is then expediently a connecting link between the hearing system and the server. For this purpose, the smartphone is connected, for example via a Bluetooth connection to the hearing system, more precisely its hearing aid or hearing aids, and receives on the one hand from this recorded microphone signals and / or from these determined individual reverberation times , On the smartphone then in particular a local record of individual reverberation times created. The smartphone is further connected to the server, conveniently via the Internet, to retrieve from this additional individual reverberation times or a general reverberation time and / or to transmit the local record to the server.

Overall, due to the division of the method steps on the various devices and accessories and due to the different data, a variety of configurations are conceivable and suitable. Overall, the use of a smartphone is a custom solution for the user, whereas the use of a server is a crowd solution. In combination, it is then possible for a user to access the server in principle, or alternatively, e.g. if no internet connection is possible, just use the individual solution.

• Ein Hörsystem mit zwei Hörgeräten, welche jeweils individuelle Nachhallzeiten bestimmen, wobei auf einem der Hörgeräte der Datensatz gebildet wird. Die beiden Hörgeräte sind mit einer Verbindungseinrichtung verbunden, vorzugsweise drahtlos.
• Ein Hörsystem mit einem oder mit zwei Hörgeräten, welches bzw. welche mit einem Zusatzgerät verbunden sind, vorzugsweise drahtlos. Das Zusatzgerät ist insbesondere eine Fernbedienung für das Hörsystem, welche vorzugsweise ein Mikrofon aufweist, dessen Mikrofonsignale ebenfalls zur Bestimmung der allgemeinen Nachhallzeit verwendet werden.
• Ein Hörsystem mit zwei Hörgeräten und ein Smartphone, welches entweder direkt mit dem Hörsystem verbunden ist, oder mittelbar über ein Zusatzgerät wie zuvor genannt. Auch das Smartphone weist ein Mikrofon auf, dessen Mikrofonsignale zur Bestimmung der allgemeinen Nachhallzeit verwendet werden.
• Mehrere Hörsysteme verschiedener Personen im gleichen Raum. Die Hörsysteme sind untereinander zum Datenaustausch verbunden, entweder direkt und/oder über ein oder mehrere Smartphones. Die Daten der Personen werden untereinander ausgetauscht und einem jeweils lokalen Datensatz hinzugefügt. Alternativ oder zusätzlich sind die Smartphones mit einem Server verbunden, auf welchem ein gemeinsamer Datensatz gespeichert wird.
• Ein Hörsystem mit zumindest einem Hörgerät, welches mit einem Smartphone verbunden ist. Das Smartphone versieht die Mikrofonsignale des Hörgeräts oder die daraus abgeleiteten individuellen Nachhallzeiten oder eine daraus abgeleitete allgemeine Nachhallzeit mit einem Ortsstempel, d.h. einer geographischen Information. Das Smartphone kombiniert die aktuellen Daten mit früheren Daten, welche den gleichen Ortsstempel aufweisen.
• Ein Konfiguration wie vorgenannt, wobei das Smartphone mit einem Server verbunden ist, um einerseits Daten an diesen zu senden und andererseits Daten, insbesondere auch von anderen Personen, zu empfangen.
• Eine Kombination aller oder mehrerer der vorgenannten Konfigurationen.

In general, the following configurations are particularly suitable:

• A hearing system with two hearing aids, each of which determines individual reverberation times, wherein the record is formed on one of the hearing aids. The two hearing aids are connected to a connection device, preferably wirelessly.
• A hearing system with one or two hearing aids, which or which are connected to an attachment, preferably wirelessly. The accessory is in particular a remote control for the hearing system, which preferably has a microphone whose microphone signals are also used to determine the general reverberation time.
• A hearing system with two hearing aids and a smartphone, which is either directly connected to the hearing aid, or indirectly via an additional device as mentioned above. The smartphone also has a microphone whose microphone signals are used to determine the general reverberation time.
• Several hearing instruments of different people in the same room. The hearing systems are interconnected for data exchange, either directly and / or via one or more smartphones. The data of the persons are exchanged among each other and a respective local data record added. Alternatively or additionally, the smartphones are connected to a server, on which a common data record is stored.
• A hearing system with at least one hearing device which is connected to a smartphone. The smartphone provides the microphone signals of the hearing device or the individual reverberation times derived therefrom or a general reverberation time derived therefrom with a location stamp, ie geographical information. The smartphone combines the current data with earlier data that has the same location stamp.
• A configuration as aforesaid, wherein the smartphone is connected to a server in order, on the one hand, to send data to the server and, on the other hand, to receive data, in particular also from other persons.
• A combination of all or more of the aforementioned configurations.

In an expedient development, the general reverberation time is determined by weighting the data for the data set, ie the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times, device-dependent. This is based in particular on the consideration that different devices may be differently well suited to provide the corresponding data. It is also possible that a device is positioned in a less relevant position. In general, the device-dependent weighting takes into account the data of different devices in determining the general reverberation time to different degrees. For example, the microphones of hearing aids are weighted more heavily than a microphone of a telephone, since the former may have a larger bandwidth and allow a more reliable determination of the reverberation time. Accordingly, it is expedient to weight according to the type of device. It follows that this development is particularly suitable in an embodiment in which in addition the hearing aids of the hearing system still other devices are present, the microphones are integrated with the microphones of the hearing in a common sensor network.

Alternatively or additionally, the general reverberation time is advantageously determined by dividing the data, i. the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times are weighted depending on the owner. As a result, it is advantageously possible to use preferably the data generated by the user's own hearing system and to use external data, i. Data of foreign origin only subordinate. This is especially advantageous if the origin, quality or correctness of the foreign data is unknown.

Alternatively or additionally, the general reverberation time is conveniently determined by dividing the data, i. the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times are weighted time-dependent. This is based in particular on the consideration that the user is at different times in different rooms or that a room is time-dependent changed, so that the reverberation time changes time-dependent. Due to the time-dependent weighting of the data, only the data relevant for the given time is used to determine the reverberation time. In this context, "time-dependent" means, in particular, that the data is weighted at a specific point in time as a function of a recording time in relation to this particular point in time. In other words, each microphone signal is generated at an appropriate recording time, which is stored with the microphone signal. At a particular, in particular current time this is compared with the recording time and then decided how much the associated microphone signal or the derived individual reverberation time is weighted. For example, the reverberation changes in a room at night compared to the daytime by curtains are drawn. At night, those data whose recording time is at night are weighted more heavily than other data.

Alternatively or additionally, the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times, ie generally the data, are suitably provided with location information, also referred to as location information. This is understood in particular to mean that the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times are combined as a function of location into a raw data record or to a data record or to a plurality of raw data records or data records or a combination thereof become. This embodiment has the particular advantage that the hearing system is then supplied location-dependent with the respective relevant data and set optimally. Different rooms are then preferably assigned to different raw data records or data sets or both, which expediently only contain those data which were recorded in the respective room, ie at the respective location. Overall, in particular, all microphone signals or individual reverberation times in a particular area are thus combined to form a single, in particular, location-dependent raw data record or data record. The embodiment in which the microphone signals, ie the raw data are provided directly with a location information, has the advantage that each hearing system can then perform the analysis of the raw data and the determination of the general reverberation time itself at a given location and in particular individually or user-dependent. Conversely, the provision of individual reverberation times with location information in the hearing system correspondingly saves computing power.

In order to assign or select the data to be used in a location-dependent manner, these are associated with location information, i. provided with a place stamp, for example by means of GPS. The location information then preferably consists of GPS coordinates. In particular, each microphone signal or each individual reverberation time is provided with its own location information. In this case, the same location information is suitably used for several microphone signals or Nachallzeiten the same place or at sufficiently the same places.

Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, only embodiments which use the individual reverberation times will be mentioned. As an alternative to the individual reverberation times or in addition to this, however, the microphone signals are used directly in a suitable variant. Accordingly, the statements also apply mutatis mutandis to embodiments and developments in which alternatively or in addition to the individual reverberation times, the microphone signals are used directly and in particular if, alternatively or in addition to a record of individual reverberation times present a raw data set of microphone signals.

The provision of location information, i. the marking of an individual Nachallzeit with a location information, preferably in a smartphone, which usually already has a GPS receiver. Alternatively or additionally, the hearing system has a GPS receiver and provides the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times determined therefrom with a location stamp. Alternatively, only the data record is provided with a location stamp and the data is then added directly to the associated data record, depending on the location.

It is expedient to combine all or some of the abovementioned device-dependent, owner-dependent, time-dependent and location-dependent weighting of the data in order to obtain a particularly optimal selection and to determine the general reverberation time optimally.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times of a location are stored and used in a temporally later re-arrival at that same place to determine the general reverberation time. This is based in particular on the idea that individual reverberation times, which have once been determined at a certain location, are profitably used when the location is later re-searched, in particular in addition to newly determined individual reverberation times. The hearing system is then evaluated taking into account the previously determined, i. older reverberation times set much faster optimal than if only newly determined individual reverberation times were available.

Expediently, the individual reverberation times for this purpose are each provided with location information as described above, so that the hearing system or another device compares the current location of the user with the location information and, with sufficient agreement, additionally includes the corresponding stored individual reverberation times for determining the general reverberation time. In a variant, if, for example, a determination of further individual reverberation times is not possible, at least the already stored individual reverberation times are used to obtain the general Reverberation time to determine. The place is, for example, a certain room. The subsequent re-arrival at the place can in principle be arbitrarily long after the previous arrival or leaving the place. The individual reverberation times are stored correspondingly long. The place can be visited regularly, for example, a restaurant or a workplace daily, with certain days, such as weekends are excluded. Additionally or alternatively, the location may be visited irregularly, for example a concert hall at intervals of up to several weeks, months or years. Even shorter intervals, for example, single or several minutes, hours or days are conceivable.

Particularly in the context of location-dependent weighting, but also generally, it is advantageous to add additional individual reverberation times to the data set. Thus, in an advantageous embodiment, additional reverberation times, or at least an additional reverberation time, are measured by means of a calibration measurement and added to the data set. In the calibration measurement in particular the highest possible possible microphones are used to achieve the best possible measurement result. A given space or location is thus in particular measured in advance in terms of the reverberation time and the data obtained thereby stored to be accessible to a user later. This eliminates in particular any adjustment time for the hearing system even when entering the room for the first time, since there are already data for this room. For example, the calibration measurement takes place in a theater hall by its operator. The additional reverberation time is expediently provided online and then retrieved from the server or the smartphone or directly from the hearing system. The above statements regarding the use of stored individual reverberation times in case of later re-arrival at the same location apply mutatis mutandis to the use of additional data from a calibration measurement and vice versa.

In an advantageous development, the microphone signals or the individual reverberation times are each provided with a time stamp, in particular the recording time mentioned above, and the general reverberation time is determined. by only those microphone signals or individual reverberation times are taken into account whose time stamp is not earlier than a predetermined maximum duration. This results in particular the advantage that far past data, which are probably unusable, virtually forgotten and at least not taken into account. The duration indicates the maximum period of time taken into consideration. The duration is, for example, one or more hours, days, weeks or months. In a further development, the duration is chosen differently depending on the location, in order to optimally take into account environments that vary rapidly.

An inventive hearing system is designed for operation by means of a method as described above. The hearing system is a binaural hearing system and has two hearing aids, which each have at least one microphone, for receiving a sound signal and for generating a microphone signal from the sound signal. The hearing system also has a control unit, which is designed such that the hearing system is set as a function of a general reverberation time. In particular, the control unit is designed such that a method is carried out as described above. The general reverberation time is either determined locally by the hearing instrument itself or externally by an accessory, e.g. a smartphone or server. Depending on the embodiment, the hearing system has a connection device for data transmission in order, if necessary, to exchange data with an additional device, as described above in connection with the method.

• Fig. 1 ein Hörsystem sowie weitere Geräte und
• Fig. 2 ein Verfahren zum Betrieb des Hörsystems.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. In each case schematically show:

• Fig. 1 a hearing system and other devices and
• Fig. 2 a method for operating the hearing system.

In Fig. 1 For example, one of several possible configurations is shown in which a hearing system 2 is tuned optimally using multiple microphones 4. The shown Hearing 2 is binaurally formed and has two hearing aids 6, which each have a microphone 4 and a control unit 8. Both hearing aids 6 are connected to a smartphone 10, for example via a Bluetooth connection. The smartphone 10 also has a microphone 4, which, however, is not necessarily identical to the microphones 4 of the hearing system 2. The smartphone 10 is in turn connected to a server 12, for example via the Internet. The smartphone 10 and the server 12 are each an accessory. The hearing aids 6, the smartphone 10 and the server 12 are each generally referred to as a device.

A method for operating the hearing system 2 will be described below in connection with the in Fig. 2 shown flowchart explained in more detail. From a sound source Q goes out a sound signal S, which is measured in a step S1 by means of a plurality of microphones 4. The microphones 4 are installed in different devices 6, 10, for example in a hearing aid 6, a smartphone 10, a telephone, a television or a computer. In principle, several microphones 4 can also be installed in one device. Each of the microphones 4 receives the sound signal S and generates a microphone signal M in step S1. For each of the microphone signals M, but at least for the microphone signals M of the microphones 4 of the hearing aids 6, an individual reverberation time indN is then determined in a step S2. The individual reverberation times indN are combined in a data set D in a step S3, from which in turn a general reverberation time gengN is determined in a step S4.

Preferably, the individual reverberation time indN of a respective microphone 4 is determined by means of the device 6, 10 in which the microphone 4 is installed. In this way, the amount of data to be transferred is reduced. In the example of Fig. 1 the hearing aids 6 and the smartphone 10 each receive the sound signal S, generate microphone signals M and determine from these in particular locally an individual reverberation time indN. All individual reverberation times indN are transmitted to the smartphone 10 and combined there to the data record D, from which the general reverberation time gengN is then determined, preferably by means of a statistical method. Depending on the general Reverberation time general, an operating parameter of the hearing system 2 is then set in a step S5. In the example of Fig. 1 For this purpose, the general reverberation time is generally transmitted to the hearing system 2, in particular to the control units 8.

Next is in Fig. 1 a server 12 shown as an attachment. This takes over depending on the design of various tasks. In one variant, the data record D is transmitted to the server 12 and then there the general reverberation time gengN determined and sent back to the hearing aid 2 via the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 then needs to do no evaluation itself. However, an evaluation of the data record 12 can also take place, as it were, redundantly on both additional devices 10, 12. However, the server 12 preferably serves as a cloud-based solution for merging data, ie microphone signals M and / or different individual reverberation times in a plurality of devices. The server 12 then collects and merges the data M, indN of the various devices in a centralized manner, so that a particularly fast and reliable determination of the general reverberation time gengN and the setting of the hearing system 2 is ensured. In a variant, in particular a crowd-based evaluation is realized in which the data M, indN of several hearing systems 2 are brought together by different users, so that the users can profit from each other from the data M, indN of the other users.

In particular, the data M, indN are weighted so that different data M, indN are considered to different degrees in the determination of the general reverberation time gengN. A weighting is in particular device-dependent, time-dependent, location-dependent or owner-dependent. For this purpose, the data M, indN are provided with suitable stamps or meta tags, which are read out during the evaluation.

Particularly in the context of a location-dependent weighting, but also in general, additional individual reverberation times are added to the data record in particular. These are determined by means of a calibration measurement E, in which high-quality microphones are used in order to obtain the best possible results To obtain measurement result. A given space is then measured in advance for the reverberation time and the data obtained thereby stored, eg on the server 12, to be later accessible to a user. This eliminates in particular any adjustment time for the hearing system 2 even when entering a room for the first time. For example, the calibration measurement E takes place in a theater hall by its operator.

In a variant, individual reverberation times indN after a certain period of time or duration are forgotten and removed from the data record D.

The procedure is not on the in Fig. 1 limited configuration shown. Rather, other, but not shown configurations are suitable. For example, the hearing aids 6 are connected directly to each other. In a variant, the hearing system 2 is connected directly to the server 12. In an alternative, no server 12 is used, but any evaluation is carried out by the hearing system 2 itself and / or by the smartphone 10 or by another device.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

hearing

4

microphone

6

hearing Aid

8th

control unit

10

Smartphone

12

server

allgN

general reverberation time

D

record

e

calibration measurement

Indn

individual reverberation time

M

microphone signal

Q

sound source

S

sound signal

S1 to S5

steps

zusN

additional, individual reverberation time

Claims (15)

Method for operating a hearing system (2), wherein a sound signal (S) originating from a sound source (Q) is measured by means of a plurality of microphones (4), - wherein the microphones (4) in different devices (6, 10) are installed, - wherein the hearing system (2) is binaural and wherein two of the devices (6, 10) each as a hearing aid (6) of the hearing system (2) are formed, wherein each of the microphones (4) receives the sound signal (S) and generates a microphone signal (M) therefrom, - Wherein an individual reverberation time (indN) is determined for at least the two microphone signals (M) of the microphones (4) of the hearing aids (6), - wherein the individual reverberation times (indN) are combined in a data set (D), from which a general reverberation time (allgN) is determined, and - Wherein an operating parameter of the hearing system (2) as a function of the general reverberation time (allgN) is set. Method according to the preceding claim,
characterized,
that the microphone signals (M) are combined to form a raw data record and stored externally with respect to the hearing system, that the hearing system (2) accesses the raw data and first determines the individual reverberation time (indN) and then the general reverberation time ( allgN). Method according to the preceding claim,
characterized,
in that at least two of the microphones (4) are arranged in different hearing systems (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that one of the microphones (4) is arranged in one hearing aid (6) and another one of the microphones (4) in a smartphone (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the individual reverberation times (indN) on an external auxiliary device (10, 12) are combined to form the data record (D), wherein previously the individual reverberation times (indN) of the microphone signals (M) of a respective microphone (4) are preferably determined by means of the device (6 , 10) in which the microphone (4) is installed. Method according to the preceding claim,
characterized,
that the auxiliary device (10, 12) from the data set (D) has the general reverberation time (allgN) is determined and this to the hearing instrument (2) is transmitted. Method according to one of the two preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the additional device (10, 12) is a smartphone (10) and / or that the additional device (10, 12) is a server (12) on which the data record (D) is stored. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the overall reverberation time (allgN) is determined by dividing the microphone signals (M) or the individual reverberation times (Indn) are weighted depending on the device. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the overall reverberation time (allgN) is determined by dividing the microphone signals (M) or the individual reverberation times (Indn) are weighted depending owner. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the overall reverberation time (allgN) is determined by dividing the microphone signals (M) or the individual reverberation times (Indn) are weighted time-dependent. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the microphone signals (M) or the individual reverberation times (indN) are provided with location information. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the microphone signals (M) or the individual reverberation times (indN) of a location are stored and are used for determining the general reverberation time (gen) in the event of a later recurrence at the same location. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that additional reverberation times (zusN) are measured by means of a calibration measurement (E) and added to the data record (D). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the microphone signals (M) or the individual reverberation times (indN) are respectively provided with a time stamp and that the general reverberation time (gen) is determined by only such microphone signals (M) or individual reverberation times (indN) whose timestamp is not earlier than a predetermined maximum duration. Hearing system (2), which is binaural and which is designed for operation by means of a method according to one of the preceding claims, with at least two hearing aids (6), each having at least one microphone (4) for receiving a sound signal (S) and the Producing a microphone signal (M) thereof, and with a control unit (8), which is designed such that the hearing system (2) is set in response to a general reverberation time (gengN).

Images