EP3373599B1 - Verfahren zur frequenzverzerrung eines audiosignals und nach diesem verfahren arbeitende hörvorrichtung - Google Patents

Verfahren zur frequenzverzerrung eines audiosignals und nach diesem verfahren arbeitende hörvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3373599B1
EP3373599B1 EP18151664.2A EP18151664A EP3373599B1 EP 3373599 B1 EP3373599 B1 EP 3373599B1 EP 18151664 A EP18151664 A EP 18151664A EP 3373599 B1 EP3373599 B1 EP 3373599B1
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frequency
signal
signal component
component
low
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP3373599A1 (de
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Tobias Daniel Rosenkranz
Tobias Wurzbacher
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Sivantos Pte Ltd
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Sivantos Pte Ltd
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/45—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback
    • H04R25/453—Prevention of acoustic reaction, i.e. acoustic oscillatory feedback electronically
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/35—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception using translation techniques
    • H04R25/353—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
    • H04R25/00—Deaf-aid sets, i.e. electro-acoustic or electro-mechanical hearing aids; Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception
    • H04R25/50—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics
    • H04R25/505—Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics using digital signal processing
    • 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
    • H04R2430/00—Signal processing covered by H04R, not provided for in its groups
    • H04R2430/03—Synergistic effects of band splitting and sub-band processing

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 for the frequency distortion of an audio signal.
  • the invention further relates to a hearing aid operating according to the preamble of claim 7.
  • hearing device is generally referred to a device that a supplied or by recording ambient sound generated audio signal (hereinafter referred to as "input signal”) - amplified and / or modified in any other way - as a sound signal in a perceptible form for the user (eg in the auditory canal fed airborne sound or as structure-borne noise).
  • input signal ambient sound generated audio signal
  • the hearing aids also include, in particular, hearing aids.
  • a “hearing aid device” is generally referred to as a portable hearing device which serves to improve the perception of the ambient sound that is being applied to the ear of a user.
  • hearing aids subclass of hearing aids is designed to care for the hearing impaired who suffer from hearing loss in the medical sense.
  • hearing aids such as behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE), hearing aids with external listeners (RIC, Receiver in the Canal), in-the-ear hearing aids (IDO), or Concha Hearing Aids or Canal Hearing Aids (ITE, CIC).
  • BTE behind-the-ear hearing aids
  • RIC hearing aids with external listeners
  • IDO in-the-ear hearing aids
  • ITE Concha Hearing Aids or Canal Hearing Aids
  • the hearing aids listed by way of example are worn on the outer ear or in the ear canal.
  • bone conduction hearing aids, implantable or vibro-tactile devices are also on the market Hearing aids available. In these, the stimulation of the damaged hearing is either mechanical or electrical.
  • PSAD Personal Sound Amplification Devices
  • the input signal supplied is frequently frequency-distorted, in particular frequency-shifted and / or frequency-compressed reproduced.
  • the frequency distortion is often used in the context of feedback suppression and, in this connection, enables a better estimation of the feedback signal and thus better feedback suppression and reduced artifacts in the reproduced signal.
  • the frequency distortion in hearing aids is often used to allow the hearing impaired an improved sound perception (in particular of speech sound) by high-frequency noise components, which are often perceived particularly badly by the minor hearing, are mapped to lower frequencies.
  • the frequency distortion is generally not applied to the entire tone spectrum, but only to a high-frequency signal portion of the same, which exceeds a predetermined cutoff frequency.
  • a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and a hearing device according to the preamble of claim 7 are made EP 2 244 491 B2 known.
  • an input signal by means of a crossover in a high-frequency Split signal component and a low-frequency signal component, wherein the high-frequency signal component is frequency-distorted.
  • the low-frequency signal component and the frequency-distorted high-frequency signal component are then superimposed to form an output signal.
  • the document EP 2 244 491 B2 The problem is that the two signal components always have a certain spectral overlap due to the inaccuracy of real crossovers in the area of the cutoff frequency.
  • the frequency distortion can be known to lead to characteristic artifacts, especially if the input signal has dominant frequencies (ie spectral peaks, especially loud sinusoids) in the overlap region. Namely, in this case, part of the dominant frequency is frequency-distorted with the high-frequency signal component, while another part of the dominant frequency remains undistorted with the low-frequency signal component.
  • the dominant frequency of the input signal is thus mapped to two closely adjacent frequencies of the output signal, which cause an audible and often bothersome beating. According to EP 2 244 491 B2 this problem is alleviated by shifting the cut-off frequency such that artifacts in the output signal are reduced.
  • a hearing device which divides an input signal by means of a crossover into a low-frequency and a high-frequency frequency band and controls the amplitude of the signals of the two frequency bands by means of two AGCs.
  • the compression rate of the AGCs is adjusted via a control signal, wherein increasing the one compression rate causes a simultaneous lowering of the other compression rate.
  • the two amplified frequency bands are superimposed with a summer.
  • a method for suppressing an acoustic feedback in a hearing aid is known.
  • a frequency range to be transmitted by the hearing aid is divided into two frequency ranges separated by a pitch frequency.
  • a transfer function of a feedback path is estimated in a frequency domain and evaluated for its behavior at the division frequency.
  • the pitch frequency is lowered or raised and in the upper frequency range applied a phase and / or frequency change to the feedback suppression.
  • the invention has for its object to provide a method for frequency distortion of an audio signal with which artifacts of the type described above can suppress particularly effective.
  • the invention is further based on the object of specifying a hearing device in which artifacts of the type described above are particularly effectively suppressed.
  • the object is achieved according to the invention by a method having the features of claim 1.
  • the object is further achieved according to the invention by a hearing device with the features of claim 7.
  • the method according to the invention serves to frequency-distort an audio signal, in particular during operation of a hearing device.
  • This audio signal hereinafter referred to as “input signal”
  • LF component low-frequency signal component
  • HF component high-frequency signal component
  • the frequency at which these two signal components adjoin one another is referred to below as the "limit frequency”.
  • low-frequency signal component (“low-frequency component”) and “high-frequency signal component” (“high-frequency component”) merely describe the spectral position of these signal components relative to one another in the sense that the spectral center of gravity of the high-frequency signal component is at a higher frequency lies as the spectral center of gravity of the low-frequency signal component.
  • the LF component and the HF component completely cover the spectrum of the input signal.
  • the input signal is therefore only divided into the two signal components mentioned.
  • further signal components can also be derived from the input signal in addition to the LF component and the HF component, which are in the audio spectrum above the HF component and / or below the LF component and from the adjacent ones Signal components in each case differ by the type of frequency distortion.
  • the HF component is frequency-distorted, in particular frequency-shifted or compressed.
  • frequency shift designates an image of the HF component of the input signal to another spectral range of equal spectral expansion.
  • compression refers to a mapping of the HF component to a spectral region of smaller spectral extent.
  • the frequency distortion in the context of the invention may alternatively also be expressed in an "elongation", i. an image of the RF component to a spectral region of greater spectral extent, even if such a frequency distortion in hearing devices is currently uncommon.
  • the LF content is preferably not frequency-distorted, so left unchanged in terms of its spectral position and extent.
  • the NF component may also be subject to frequency distortion, which in this case, however, is different from the frequency distortion of the HF component.
  • the LF component and the frequency-distorted HF component are superimposed according to the method in order to form an output signal.
  • one or more of the input signal before the frequency division into the LF component and the HF component or between the frequency distribution and the superimposition of the LF component and the frequency-distorted HF component (and here either before or after the frequency distortion) other signal processing steps, such as analog-to-digital conversion, frequency-dependent amplification, feedback suppression, etc. made.
  • the output signal in the context of the invention, a further signal processing (eg, a digital-to-analog conversion and / or amplification) are subjected.
  • an associated amplification factor is changed, ie increased or decreased, at least for a spectral edge area of the HF component and / or the NF component which contains the cutoff frequency, so that a level difference between a signal level of the NF component and a signal level of the frequency-distorted HF component is enlarged. If the change in the amplification factor does not relate to the entire NF or HF component, but only to the edge region thereof, then a signal level from this edge region is to be used when determining the level difference. In particular, the signal levels of the LF component and of the HF component are compared with one another at a dominant frequency in order to determine the control difference. The change in the amplification factor is expediently carried out in such a way that audible beats in an overlap region of the HF component and the NF component are eliminated or at least reduced.
  • the invention is based on the recognition that the artifacts described above are all the more noticeable, the more similar the signal level of a dominant frequency of the input signal in the LF component and the frequency-distorted HF component is pronounced. Due to the inventive enlargement of the level difference between the NF component and the HF component, at least in the edge region of these signal components, it is recognized that the perceptibility of artifacts is particularly effectively reduced.
  • the input signal for example by means of a crossover, as in EP 2 244 491 B2 is described - exactly in two (even not further subdivided) signal components, namely the NF component and the RF component is divided.
  • a filter bank is used for the division of the input signal, which divides the input signal into a plurality (ie significantly more than two, but at least four) frequency bands. For example, in a typical embodiment of such a filter bank, the input signal is divided into 48 frequency bands.
  • a number of high-frequency frequency bands lead to the HF component. Accordingly, these high-frequency frequency bands are frequency-distorted in the manner described above. A number of low frequency bands, however, leads to the NF component. Accordingly, these frequency bands are either not frequency-distorted or frequency-distorted in a variety of ways as compared to the RF component.
  • the terms "high-frequency” (“HF”) and “low-frequency” (“NF”) are again to be understood as relative indications.
  • further frequency bands with frequencies above the "high-frequency” frequency bands or below the low-frequency frequency bands may be present, which are assigned neither to the HF component nor to the low-frequency component, but stand out as further signal components as a result of different frequency distortion.
  • the edge region of the high-frequency signal component is optionally formed by a subset of the high-frequency frequency bands which adjoin the low-frequency frequency bands. Additionally or alternatively, the edge region of the low-frequency signal component is formed by a subset of the low-frequency frequency bands which adjoin the high-frequency frequency bands.
  • subset of frequency bands refers to a number of frequency bands that is smaller than the total number of frequency bands of the associated signal component and in the limiting case may include only a single frequency band.
  • this limiting case in which the respective edge region of the HF or NF component is formed by a single frequency band represents a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • the plural "frequency bands" is to be understood in this sense as the case of a single frequency band is included therein.
  • the respective edge region and the frequency bands associated therewith are characterized in that - in contrast to the other frequency bands of the HF or NF component - only in the frequency bands of the respective edge region the amplification factor is changed to increase the level difference relative to the signal level of the other signal component.
  • the edge region of the low-frequency component and / or the high-frequency component is chosen in particular such that its spectral expansion includes the spectral overlap region of the low-frequency component and the high-frequency component. If the input signal is divided into a plurality of frequency bands, the respective edge region is formed in particular by those frequency bands that include the overlap region.
  • the edge region, in which the amplification factor is changed to increase the level difference is defined for only one of the two signal components (that is, either only for the HF component or only for the low-frequency component), while the amplification factor in the each other signal component is kept constant.
  • an edge region is defined both for the NF component and for the HF component. The amplification factor in these two edge regions is always changed in opposite directions.
  • the amplification factor is thus increased, while the amplification factor in the edge region of the second signal component (ie the LF component or the HF component) is lowered ,
  • the amplification factor in the second signal component is thereby reduced in such a way that the increase of the amplification factor in the first signal component is compensated thereby.
  • the amplification factors in the two edge regions are thus changed in opposite directions such that the signal level averaged over both edge regions or the signal power averaged over both edge regions remain constant (ie unaffected by the change in the amplification factor).
  • the change of the amplification factor thus leads to a significant reduction or even elimination of artifacts of the frequency distortion, without in turn having a negative effect on the reproduction quality of the input signal.
  • sinusoids in the vicinity of the cutoff frequency are reproduced at almost the same volume as in conventional methods, although the beats of these sine tones usually caused by the frequency distortion are eliminated entirely or at least largely.
  • the increase in the level difference according to the invention is not unconditionally made, but only if (or to the extent that) this really makes sense, namely when audible artifacts are expected in the output signal (or accordingly the strength of the expected artifacts).
  • Audible artifacts are known to be expected if the input signal has a high tonality in the spectral overlap range of the HF component and the LF component, ie if dominant frequencies (in particular loud sine tones) are present in this overlap region. Therefore, in this development of the method, a parameter is detected which is characteristic of the tonality of the input signal in the overlap region (ie, in other words, forms an estimation or comparison value for the tonality of the input signal in the overlap region).
  • the change according to the invention of the amplification factor and thus the increase in the level difference between the HF component and the NF component are carried out according to the method as a function of this parameter.
  • the increase in the level difference is only carried out if this parameter fulfills a predetermined criterion, in particular exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
  • the increase in the level difference in dependence on this Weighted indicator (linear or non-linear).
  • the parameter characteristic for the tonality of the input signal in the overlapping region is hereby preferably determined by autocorrelation of the input signal in the overlap region.
  • the parameter is formed by the amount of the (in the mathematical sense complex) autocorrelation function.
  • the hearing device according to the invention is generally set up to automatically carry out the method according to the invention described above.
  • the above-described embodiments and further developments of the method correspondingly correspond to associated embodiments and further developments of the device, wherein advantages of these method variants can also be transferred to the corresponding embodiments of the hearing device.
  • the hearing device according to the invention comprises a frequency splitter which is adapted to divide a received signal into a low-frequency signal component (low-frequency component) and a high-frequency signal component (high-frequency component), these two signal components being adjacent to one another at a limiting frequency.
  • the hearing device further comprises a signal processor which is adapted to frequency-distort the high-frequency signal component and a synthesizer which is adapted to superimpose the low-frequency signal component and the frequency-distorted high-frequency signal component to form an output signal.
  • the signal processor is set up to change an associated amplification factor, at least for a spectral edge area of the HF component and / or the NF component containing the cutoff frequency, so that a level difference between a signal level of the low frequency component and a signal level of the frequency-distorted HF component is enlarged.
  • the frequency splitter is preferably formed by an (analysis) filter bank which is set up to split the input signal into a multiplicity of frequency bands.
  • the synthesizer in this embodiment is accordingly formed by a (synthesis) filter bank, which then allocates the frequency bands after the frequency distortion (and possibly further signal processing steps) merges the output signal.
  • the hearing device according to the invention is, in particular, a hearing aid device, and here again preferably a hearing device designed to supply hearing impaired persons.
  • Fig. 1 shows a hearing device in the form of a hearing aid 2.
  • the hearing aid 2 comprises as essential components an input transducer 4, a subtractor 6, an (analysis) filter bank 8, a signal processor 10, a (synthesis) filter bank 12, an output transducer 14 and an electrical Feedback path 16 with an (adaptive) filter 18 disposed therein.
  • the (in the present case exemplified by a microphone) input transducer 4 converts an incoming from the environment sound signal S i in an (original) input signal E i .
  • an electrical compensation signal K which is generated in the electrical feedback path 16, is subtracted from the original input signal E i in the subtracter 6.
  • the subtraction of the input signal E i and the compensation signal K results in a (compensated) input signal E k , which is fed to the (analysis) filter bank 8.
  • the input signal E k is spectrally divided into a plurality of frequency bands F j .
  • the parameter j is a counting index with which the frequency bands F j are numbered consecutively.
  • the filter bank 8 divides the input signal E k into substantially more (eg 48) frequency channels F j .
  • the input signal E k split into the frequency bands F j is processed in a frequency band-specific manner.
  • the output signal A is supplied on the one hand to the (for example, by a speaker or "earpiece” formed) output transducer 14, which converts the output signal A into an outgoing sound signal S a .
  • the output signal A is fed via the electrical feedback path 16 to the adaptive filter 18, which determines the compensation signal K therefrom.
  • the adaptive filter 18 is additionally supplied with the compensated input signal E k as a reference variable.
  • the sound signal S a is either output directly into the auditory canal of a hearing aid wearer or supplied to the auditory canal via a sound tube.
  • a part of the output sound signal S a but inevitably on an acoustic Studcckopplungspfad 20 (eg via a vent channel of the hearing aid 2 or structure-borne sound) as a feedback signal R. fed back to the input transducer 4, where the feedback signal R is superimposed with ambient sound to the incoming sound signal S i .
  • the sound signals S i , S a and the feedback signal R are original sound signals, in particular airborne sound and / or structure-borne noise.
  • the input signals E i , E k , the processed signal P, the output signal A and the compensation signal K are audio signals, ie electrical signals which carry sound information.
  • the relevant audio signals namely the input signal E k and the processed signal P, as mentioned, are spectrally split in the frequency bands F j and F j '.
  • the hearing device 2 is, in particular, a digital hearing device in which the signal processing in the signal processor 10 takes place by means of digital technology.
  • the analog-digital converter 22 of the filter bank 8 is immediately upstream and thus acts on the compensated input signal E k , while the digital-to-analog converter 24 of the filter bank 12 is connected downstream.
  • the electrical feedback path 16 carries the output signal A and the compensation signal K in the form of analog signals.
  • the analog-to-digital converter 22 is connected between the input converter 4 and the subtractor 6 and thus acts on the original input signal E i (not shown).
  • the electrical feedback path 16 expediently carries the output signal A and the compensation signal K in the form of digital signals.
  • the subtractor 6 of the analysis filter bank 8 is connected downstream.
  • the adaptive filter 18 is supplied with the frequency bands F j 'or the output signal A which is spectrally split by means of a further frequency analysis.
  • the adaptive filter 18 includes a corresponding number of channels.
  • the signal processor 10 subjects the input signal E k supplied in the frequency bands F j in the signal processing processes that are typical for hearing aids, in particular a frequency band-specific varying gain in order to adapt the reproduction of the input signal E i to the individual needs of a hearing aid user who is hearing the hearing aid close. Furthermore, the signal processor 10 performs frequency distortion which decorrelates the output signal A from the input signal E i to provide improved feedback suppression.
  • Fig. 2 the frequency response of the analysis filter bank 8 is shown in a diagram of the frequency-dependent signal gain g (also: Gain) versus the frequency f.
  • Fig. 2 the magnitude frequency response of the (in the example simplified six) frequency bands F j , which are divided into three low-frequency frequency bands F 1 , F 2 and F 3 and three high-frequency frequency bands F 4 , F 5 and F 6 .
  • the low-frequency frequency bands F 1 -F 3 carry a low-frequency signal component NF of the input signal E k
  • the high-frequency frequency bands F 4 -F 6 carry a high-frequency signal component HF of the input signal E k .
  • Fig. 2 In addition to the frequency bands F j fed to the signal processor 10, in Fig. 2 also the frequency bands F j 'are entered, which lead the signal P output from the processor 10, and in which the frequency distortion made by the signal processor 10 is reflected. How out Fig. 2 It can be seen here, the frequency distortion acts only on the high-frequency signal component HF, ie on the high-frequency frequency bands F 4 '-F 6 ' by these frequency bands F 4 '-F 6 ' compared to the corresponding original frequency bands F 4 -F 6 at the same Bandwidth are each slightly shifted to high frequencies f out.
  • HF high-frequency signal component
  • the bandwidth of the frequency bands F 1 -F 6 and the corresponding frequency bands F 1 '-F 6 ' is given in particular by the half-width.
  • the Half-value level corresponds in the illustration according to Fig. 2 for example, the baseline (abscissa) of the chart.
  • Fig. 2 Out Fig. 2 is also apparent that the frequency bands F 1 to F 6 , and thus the signal components NF and HF overlap spectrally.
  • An overlap region U of the signal components NF and HF is formed by the spectral distance of the respective outer half-value limits of the respective outer frequency bands F 3 and F 4 of the low-frequency signal component NF or the high-frequency signal component HF (see Fig. 2 ).
  • the center of the overlapping area U at which the curves of the magnitude frequency response of the frequency bands F 3 and F 4 intersect, defines a limit frequency f g of the signal components NF and HF.
  • the two adjacent frequency bands F 3 and F 4 form an edge region R L of the low-frequency signal component NF or an edge region R H of the high-frequency signal component HF, in which the overlap region U is respectively recorded.
  • the signal processor 10 changes the respectively assigned amplification factors for the near-border frequency bands F 3 'and F 4 ' (and thus for the edge regions R L and R H ) according to a method which is described in Fig. 3 outlined in an exemplary training.
  • the curves of the frequency bands F 3 'and F 4 ' respectively associated magnitude frequency response are determined by this change in the associated gain factors in the illustration Fig. 2 thus almost shifted up or down, s. Fig. 4 , And 5.
  • the signal processor 10 receives the input signal E k , which as described above through the filter bank 8 in the frequency bands F j , and thus implicitly in the Signal components NF and HF was split.
  • the signal processor 10 forms the frequency bands F 3 and F 4 adjacent to the boundary (and thus over the respective edge regions R L and R H the signal components NF and HF respectively) the autocorrelation function in order to obtain a parameter which represents a quantitative measure of the tonality of the input signal E k in the edge regions R L and R H.
  • the term "tonality” designates a property of the input signal E k which determines the dominance of a single frequency f 0 (FIG. 4 and 5 ) in the frequency range covered by the frequency bands F 3 and F 4 .
  • a high tonality is given when the input signal E k in the edge regions R L and R H is characterized by a dominant tone (eg a violin tone) with a specific frequency at which the frequency-resolved signal level significantly exceeds the averaged signal level.
  • the tonality is low when the signal of the near-border frequency bands F 3 and F 4 is dominated by broadband noise components (eg noise, traffic noise, speech noise, etc.).
  • the method uses the knowledge that the autocorrelation function is a good measure of tonality.
  • the filter bank 8 is a DFT modulated filter bank (ie, a discrete Fourier transform based filter bank) or similar implementation
  • a sinusoidal signal in the frequency bands F 3 and F 4 corresponds to a rotating one complex pointer that rotates at a constant frequency with constant angular jumps between successive time steps.
  • this rotating pointer is mapped to a complex pointer having a constant phase angle corresponding to the angular step.
  • the amount of this complex-valued autocorrelation function is used by the signal processor 10 as a measure of the tonality.
  • the variance of the complex pointer or phase angle is used as a measure of tonality, taking advantage of the fact that a small variance indicates a stable frequency, and hence high tonality.
  • a step 34 the signal processor 10 performs the frequency distortion by - as in Fig. 2 represented - the original frequency bands F 4 -F 6 are transferred to the frequency-shifted frequency bands F 4 '-F 6 '.
  • the signal processor 10 checks whether the previously determined measure of the tonality, for example, the amount of the determined autocorrelation function in the frequency bands F 3 and F 4 , falls below a predetermined threshold value.
  • the signal processor 10 recognizes this as an indication that no disturbing artifacts due to the frequency distortion are to be expected. Accordingly, the signal processor 10 jumps in this case in the process execution to a step 38 in which it outputs the frequency-distorted signal P (possibly after performing further signal processing steps) in frequency bands F j 'for the synthesis of the output signal A to the filter bank 12.
  • the signal processor 10 estimates the level difference ⁇ L (step S) in a step 40 (FIG. 4 and 5 ) in the near-border frequency bands F 3 'and F 4 ' at the dominant frequency f 0 and at the shifted dominant frequency f 0 'from.
  • the signal processor 10 checks whether the previously determined level difference ⁇ L exceeds a predetermined limit value.
  • the signal processor 10 recognizes this as an indication that disturbing artifacts due to the frequency distortion due to the inherently high level difference ⁇ L are not to be expected. Accordingly, the signal processor 10 in this case jumps back to the step 38 in the method implementation.
  • the increase in the level difference is limited according to a predetermined criterion. The increase in the level difference is thus made in this case such that a predetermined maximum value is not exceeded.
  • the gain factors, before and / or after the change may also have values less than one and thus produce a frequency-selective attenuation of the input signal E K , even if this is atypical for classical hearing aids.
  • the signal processor 10 jumps back to the step 38 in the method implementation.
  • the dominant tone in the output signal A is heard with approximately the same strength as if the level adjustment had not been made in step 44 .
  • the dominant tone is heard either with the unshifted frequency f 0 or with the shifted frequency f 0 '.
  • the increased level difference ⁇ L ' however, disturbing artifacts in the form of beats between the frequencies f 0 and f 0 ' are suppressed.
  • the frequency distortion (step 34) may also be performed elsewhere in the process flow, eg after the level change (step 42).
  • a plurality of further signal processing steps can be performed between steps 30 and 38, in particular steps for the frequency-selective amplification of the input signal E k , for noise suppression, etc.
  • the effect of the level change according to the invention in the near-border frequency bands F 3 'and F 4 ' is based on 4 and 5 again clarified. It is particularly clear from the comparison of these two figures that the direction of the level change is dependent on the spectral position of the dominant frequency f 0 . If the dominant frequency as shown in Fig. 4 is predominantly in the high-frequency signal component HF (f 0 > f g ), the signal level L 2 of the high-frequency near-border frequency band F 4 'is increased and the signal level L 1 of the low frequency near-border frequency band F 3 ' is lowered to increase the level difference .DELTA.L.
  • the dominant frequency f 0 predominantly lies in the low-frequency signal component NF (f 0 ⁇ f g )

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Tone Control, Compression And Expansion, Limiting Amplitude (AREA)
  • Circuit For Audible Band Transducer (AREA)
EP18151664.2A 2017-03-06 2018-01-15 Verfahren zur frequenzverzerrung eines audiosignals und nach diesem verfahren arbeitende hörvorrichtung Active EP3373599B1 (de)

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US11978468B2 (en) * 2022-04-06 2024-05-07 Analog Devices International Unlimited Company Audio signal processing method and system for noise mitigation of a voice signal measured by a bone conduction sensor, a feedback sensor and a feedforward sensor

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DK3373599T3 (da) 2019-11-25
AU2018200907A1 (en) 2018-09-20
CN108540913A (zh) 2018-09-14
US10674283B2 (en) 2020-06-02
DE102017203630B3 (de) 2018-04-26
EP3373599A1 (de) 2018-09-12
CN108540913B (zh) 2020-08-11

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