EP4738889A1

EP4738889A1 - A hearing aid utilizing a camera signal

Info

Publication number: EP4738889A1
Application number: EP25171975.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lars Riemer
Original assignee: Oticon AS
Current assignee: Oticon AS
Priority date: 2025-04-23
Filing date: 2025-04-23
Publication date: 2026-05-06

Abstract

A hearing aid is disclosed. The hearing aid comprising an input unit configured to convert a sound in an environment of the hearing aid to an electrical input signal representative of the sound, and a processor configured to obtain a camera signal indicative of the environment, determine, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal, and apply, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation and/or other modification to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to the field of hearing aids.

SUMMARY

A hearing aid:

In an aspect of the present application, a hearing aid is provided. The hearing aid includes an input unit. The input unit is configured to convert a sound in an environment of the hearing aid to an electrical input signal representative of the sound. The hearing aid includes a processor. The processor can be configured to obtain a camera signal indicative of the environment. The processor can be configured to determine, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal. The processor can be configured to apply, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal. In certain examples, the processor can be configured to apply, based on the classification, other modifications to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal.
Previously, putting a camera in a hearing aid was prohibitive in cost, size, power usage, and processing demands. But now (and in the near future), it will be possible. Cost, size and power usage of cameras has gone down thanks to smartphone development. Processing demands can be partly solved by using artificial intelligence for classifying sound sources, and partly by the increasing processing power available to hearing aids.
A camera signal can be indicative of the same scene as what a user is seeing, and the placement on/in the ears is very close to the hearing aid user's eyes. This makes a camera signal an excellent choice for getting more information about the environment that the user is listening to. Further the camera signal can provide information about the user's intent and orientation relative to sound sources. By adding a camera signal to the already-captured audio, new possibilities are opened. For example, the camera signal can help classify who a speaker is talking to - hearing aid user or other persons. The camera signal can help classify noise sources - is it "just" noise from a machine that can be ignored, or is it noise that indicates a car is approaching? The camera signal can add fine detail to the sounds - an end-goal could be lip-reading to enhance the speech presented to the user.
In certain examples, when a camera is incorporated into the hearing aid, the camera placement also makes it easy to train a neural network, as much video (movie/TV/YouTube...) is shot from a person's perspective. Moreover, the camera signal has audio processing to ensure that speech is easy to understand. Moreover, if the camera signal has captioning, the neural network can even learn what is spoken.
The hearing aid may be 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 more frequency ranges to one or more other frequency ranges, e.g. to compensate for a hearing impairment of a user. The hearing aid may comprise a signal processor for enhancing the input signals and providing a processed output signal.
The hearing aid may comprise an input unit for providing an electric input signal (e.g., at least one electric input signal, a plurality of electric input signals) representing sound. The input unit may comprise an input transducer, e.g. a microphone, for converting an input sound to an electric input signal. The input unit may comprise a wireless receiver for receiving a wireless signal comprising or representing sound and for providing an electric input signal representing said sound. The input unit can be configured to convert a sound in an environment of the hearing aid to an electrical input signal (e.g., input signal) representative of the sound.
The hearing aid includes a processor (e.g., processors, one or more processors). The hearing aid can include a plurality of processors. The processor can be used, for example, to modify the electrical input signal. The processor can be configured to perform further actions as well.
In some examples, the processor can be configured to obtain (e.g., receive) a camera signal (e.g., at least one camera signal, optical signal, visual signal) indicative of the environment. The camera signal can include image data. The camera signal can include video data. The camera signal can include data representative of images of the environment. The camera signal can be indicative of a field of view of the environment.
The camera signal can be indicative of visible light. The camera signal can be indicative of ultraviolet light. The camera signal can be indicative of infrared light. Using light other than visible light can give otherwise hidden information. It will also make it possible to install e.g. infrared beacons for an extra layer of information (like location (relative or absolute), warning signs, or other).
The camera signal can be associated with the electrical input signal. For example, the camera signal and the electrical input signal can be obtained at the same (or essentially the same) time. The processor can then use information from the camera signal on how to modify the electrical input signal.
The processor can be configured to determine, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal.
The hearing aid may comprise a classification unit configured to classify the current situation (e.g., current environment) based on input signals from (at least some of) detectors (such as a camera), and possibly other inputs as well. For example, the classification unit can be configured to classify the current situation based on the camera signal. The classification unit may be a part of the processor. The processor may comprise the classification unit. The processor may be in communication with the classification unit.
In the present context 'a current situation' may be taken to be defined by one or more of

a) the visual environment (e.g., included in the camera signal);
b) the physical environment (e.g. including the current electromagnetic environment, e.g. the occurrence of electromagnetic signals (e.gz. comprising audio and/or control signals) intended or not intended for reception by the hearing aid, or other properties of the current environment than acoustic);
c) the current acoustic situation (input level, feedback, etc.), and
d) the current mode or state of the user (movement, temperature, cognitive load, etc.);
e) the current mode or state of the hearing aid (program selected, time elapsed since last user interaction, etc.) and/or of another device in communication with the hearing aid.

The classification unit may be based on or comprise a neural network, e.g. a recurrent neural network, e.g. a trained neural network. In certain example hearing aids, the neural network can incorporate face recognition.
Example classifications can include environment classification such as "meal at home", "restaurant", "public transportation", "large crowd", or "chatting with friends". Other classifications can be used as well.
The classification can include, for example, speaker or non-speaker. The classification can include noise or non-noise. A number of different classifications can be used.
In one or more example hearing aids, to determine the classification comprises to determine, by a neural network, the classification. The processor can comprise the neural network. The hearing aid can comprise the neural network. The processor can be in communication with the neural network.
The processor can be configured to determine a classification of a speaker when the camera signal is indicative of, for example, a speaker's mouth opening and/or closing, tongue movement, etc. The camera signal can be indicative of fine-structure movements.
The camera signal can be indicative of fast-moving objects (e.g., cars). The processor can determine a classification of a warning environment in accordance with the camera signal being indicative of the fast-moving objects.
The processor can be configured to output environmental data to the user of the hearing aid based on the camera signal. For example, the processor can use the camera signal as a navigation aid for a vision-impaired user.
In one or more example hearing aids, to determine the classification comprises to determine the electrical signal as a human signal or a non-human signal.
Human sounds can be processed as speech, while non-human sounds can be attenuated as noise. Accordingly, the processor can be configured to apply gain to human signals and attenuate non-human signals. In one or more examples, the processor is configured to attenuate the non-human signal. In one or more examples, the processor is configured to apply gain to the human signal.
For example, the processor can determine that the electrical input signal should be classified as a human signal. The processor can then apply gain to this electrical input signal.
For example, the processor can determine that the electrical input signal should be classified as a non-human signal. The processor can then apply attenuation to this electrical input signal.
In some example hearing aids, the processor can assign the classification to the electrical input signal.
In one or more examples, to determine the classification comprises comparing the camera signal to a saved database.
The hearing aid may include the saved database. For example, the hearing aid may include the saved database in memory of the hearing aid. The hearing aid may be able to access the saved database. For example, the saved database may be located on a third-party device, such as a smartphone. The hearing aid is configured to access the saved database.
The saved database may include data indicative of a number of different sound scenes associated with a particular classification.
The processor is configured to compare the camera signal to a saved database to find a match. If the camera signal matches data in the saved database, the processor can obtain the associated classification.
The processor can be configured to apply, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal (e.g., processed electrical input signal, electrical output signal, processed output signal).
The processor can be configured to apply, based on the classification, other modifications to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal (e.g., processed electrical input signal, electrical output signal, processed output signal). For example, other modifications can include delays, filtering, converting, etc.
The processor can be configured to apply, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation and/or other modifications to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal (e.g., processed electrical input signal, electrical output signal, processed output signal).
In one or more example hearing aids, the camera signal comprises a plurality of images. In one or more example hearing aids, the camera signal comprises a video. The processor can be configured to determine the classification based on determining whether the plurality of images is indicative of movement. For example, the processor can process the plurality of images (for example, in sequence of time) of the camera signal for detecting movement, gross and/or fine. For example, the processor can process the plurality of images (for example, covering different areas) of the camera signal for better area coverage of the camera signal.
The hearing aid may comprise an output unit for providing a stimulus perceived by the user as an acoustic signal based on the output signal. The output unit may include a vibrator of a bone conducting hearing aid. The output unit may comprise an output transducer. The output transducer may comprise a receiver (loudspeaker) for providing the stimulus as an acoustic signal to the user (e.g. in an acoustic (air conduction based) hearing aid). The output transducer may comprise 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 aid). The output unit may (additionally or alternatively) comprise a (e.g. wireless) transmitter for transmitting sound picked up-by the hearing aid to another device, e.g. a far-end communication partner (e.g. via a network, e.g. in a telephone mode of operation).
In one or more example hearing aids, the hearing aid further comprises ae camera (e.g., image sensor, image detector, optical sensor, optical detector). The camera can be an image camera. The camera can be a video camera. The camera is configured to determine the camera signal based on the environment. The camera can be configured to obtain images of the environment. The camera can be configured to take images (e.g., optical data). The camera can capture one or more of visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light.
The camera (e.g., image sensor, device to capture and/or store visual images and/or videos) may be a part of the hearing aid. The camera can be integrated with the hearing aid. For example, the camera may be located on a faceplate of the hearing aid. The camera may be located on a behind-the-ear component of the hearing aid. The hearing aid can include one or more cameras. The hearing aid may include a plurality of cameras.
In certain examples, for receiver in-the-ear (RITE) or BTE hearing aids, one forward-looking camera per hearing aid can give coverage of the environment. For ITE hearing aids, one outward-looking camera in each hearing aid can work together to give coverage. In certain examples, one that one camera can be incorporated into the hearing aid. For example, a forward-looking camera can be used with or without a backward-looking camera. This can allow for wider coverage of the environment.
In one or more example hearing aids, the hearing aid can include a light guide. The light guid can be in front of the camera and can be used to give better coverage by moving the camera input away from the hearing aid while being almost invisible.
In certain examples, the hearing aid can be configured to obtain the camera signal from a camera. The camera can be separate from the hearing aid. The camera can be an accessory device. The hearing aid can be configured to communicate with the camera.
In certain example hearing aids, the hearing aid is configured to communicate with smart glasses having the camera. The hearing aid can be configured to receive the camera signal from the smart glasses.
In certain examples, the hearing aid can include a wireless receiver and/or transmitter (e.g., wireless transceiver). The wireless receiver and/or transmitter may e.g. be configured to receive and/or transmit an electromagnetic signal in the radio frequency range (3 kHz to 300 GHz). The wireless receiver and/or transmitter may e.g. be configured to receive and/or transmit an electromagnetic signal in a frequency range of light (e.g. infrared light 300 GHz to 430 THz, or visible light, e.g. 430 THz to 770 THz).
The wireless receiver and/or transmitter may be configured to obtain (e.g., receive) the camera signal. For example, if the camera is separate from the hearing aid, the wireless receiver and/or transmitter can obtain the camera signal from the camera.
The camera and the hearing aid can be part of the same system in certain embodiments. For example, the hearing aid and camera can be part of a smart glasses system.
In one or more example hearing aids, the camera can be configured to obtain images at one or more of a slow rate, a fast rate, or a variable rate for provision of the camera signal. Different rates can balance power, processing, and information requirements of the hearing aid. The camera can be configured to determine the camera signal based on the obtained images. The camera can be a camera integrated with the hearing aid. The camera can be a camera in communication with the hearing aid.
In certain examples, the hearing aid can balance processing time, power usage, and quality. A fast rate could be the "native" frame rate of the camera - 50 or 60 frames per second. This rate can be used, for example, for speaker determination or lip reading. An example slow rate could be 1 frame per second. The slow rate can be used for checking environmental changes. The variable rate could be used for following environment changes.
In one or more example hearing aids, the camera signal comprises a plurality of camera signals. In certain examples the camera signal is indicative of a plurality of images of the environment.
In one or more example hearing aids, the hearing aid can be a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid. In one or more example hearing aids, the hearing aid can be an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid. The hearing aid can be a bone anchored hearing system.
In one or more example hearing aids, the hearing aid further comprises an accelerometer. For example, the processor can be configured to receive acceleration data from the accelerometer. The acceleration data can be indicative of an acceleration of the hearing aid. Combining the camera signal with an accelerometer data can make multiple image processing better, more precise, and/or more efficient by the processor.
In certain examples, the processor can be configured to receive the acceleration data. In accordance with the acceleration data being indicative of an acceleration, the processor can be configured to obtain the camera signal. In other words, the processor only uses the camera signal if there is some acceleration. This can prevent power wastage. In certain implementations, the processor can use the acceleration data to increase the resolution of any head movement detection.
The processor can, based on the accelerometer data, determine whether the hearing aid is moving and/or whether the environment is moving. As an example, whether the train is starting to move with the user on it, or whether the user is standing next to a moving train.
In certain examples, the hearing aid can be a part of a hearing aid system. For example, the hearing aid can be part of a binaural hearing aid system.
For example, disclosed herein are embodiments of a hearing aid system. The hearing aid system comprises the hearing aid disclosed herein. The hearing aid system can include a second hearing aid having a second processor configured to obtain a second camera signal indicative of the environment. The second hearing aid can include any and/or all of the elements discussed above with respect to the hearing aid. The hearing aid and the second hearing aid can be configured to communicate with one another.
Advantageously, by having a second camera, better coverage and/or full coverage of the environment can be achieved. This can allow improved classification and processing by the hearing aid.
The hearing aid may comprise a directional microphone system adapted to spatially filter sounds from the environment and thereby enhance a target acoustic source among a multitude of acoustic sources in the local environment of the user wearing the hearing aid. The directional system may be adapted to detect (such as adaptively detect) from which direction a particular part of the microphone signal originates. This can be achieved in various different ways, e.g. described in the prior art. In hearing aids, a microphone array beamformer is often used for spatially attenuating background noise sources. The beamformer may comprise a linear constraint minimum variance (LCMV) beamformer. Many beamformer variants can be found in literature. The minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformer is widely used in microphone array signal processing. Ideally the MVDR beamformer keeps the signals from the target direction (also referred to as the look direction) unchanged, while attenuating sound signals from other directions maximally. The generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) structure is an equivalent representation of the MVDR beamformer offering computational and numerical advantages over a direct implementation in its original form.
Most sound signal sources (except the user's own voice) are located far way from the user compared to dimensions of the hearing aid, e.g. a distance d_mic between two microphones of a directional system. A typical microphone distance in a hearing aid is of the order 10 mm. A minimum distance of a sound source of interest to the user (e.g. sound from the user's mouth or sound from an audio delivery device) is of the order of 0.1 m (> 10 d_mic). For such minimum distances, the hearing aid (microphones) would be in the acoustic near-field of the sound source and a difference in level of the sound signals impinging on respective microphones may be significant. A typical distance for a communication partner is more than 1 m (>100 d_mic). The hearing aid (microphones) would be in the acoustic far-field of the sound source and a difference in level of the sound signals impinging on respective microphones is insignificant. The difference in time of arrival of sound impinging in the direction of the microphone axis (e.g. the front or back of a normal hearing aid) is ΔT= d_mic/v_sound=0.01/343 [s]=29 µs, where v_sound is the speed of sound in air at 20°C (343 m/s).
The hearing aid may comprise antenna and transceiver circuitry allowing a wireless link to an entertainment device (e.g. a TV-set), a communication device (e.g. a telephone), a wireless microphone, a separate (external) processing device, or another hearing aid, etc. The hearing aid may thus be configured to wirelessly receive a direct electric input signal from another device. Likewise, the hearing aid may be configured to wirelessly transmit a direct electric output signal to another device. The direct electric input or output signal may represent or comprise an audio signal and/or a control signal and/or an information signal.
In general, a wireless link established by antenna and transceiver circuitry of the hearing aid can be of any type. The wireless link may be 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 may be based on far-field, electromagnetic radiation. Preferably, frequencies used to establish a communication link between the hearing aid and the other device is below 70 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. in the 900 MHz range or in the 2.4 GHz range or in the 5.8 GHz range or in the 60 GHz range (ISM=Industrial, Scientific and Medical, such standardized ranges being e.g. defined by the International Telecommunication Union, ITU). The wireless link may be based on a standardized or proprietary technology. The wireless link may be based on Bluetooth technology (e.g. Bluetooth Low-Energy technology, e.g. LE audio), or Ultra WideBand (UWB) technology.
The hearing aid may be constituted by or form part of a portable (i.e. configured to be wearable) device, e.g. a device comprising a local energy source, e.g. a battery, e.g. a rechargeable battery. The hearing aid may e.g. be a low weight, easily wearable, device, e.g. having a total weight less than 100 g, such as less than 20 g, such as less than 5 g.
The hearing aid may comprise a 'forward' (or 'signal') path for processing an audio signal between an input and an output of the hearing aid. A signal processor may be located in the forward path. The signal processor may be adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain according to a user's particular needs (e.g. hearing impairment). The hearing aid may comprise an 'analysis' path comprising functional components for analyzing signals and/or controlling processing of the forward path. Some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the forward path may be conducted in the frequency domain, in which case the hearing aid comprises appropriate analysis and synthesis filter banks. Some or all signal processing of the analysis path and/or the forward path may be conducted in the time domain.
An analogue electric signal representing an acoustic signal may be 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 48 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_b of bits, N_b being e.g. in the range from 1 to 48 bits, e.g. 24 bits. Each audio sample is hence quantized using N_b bits (resulting in 2^Nb different possible values of the audio sample). A digital sample x has a length in time of 1/f_s, e.g. 50 µs, for f_s = 20 kHz. A number of audio samples may be arranged in a time frame. A time frame may comprise 64 or 128 audio data samples. Other frame lengths may be used depending on the practical application.
The hearing aid may comprise an analogue-to-digital (AD) converter to digitize an analogue input (e.g. from an input transducer, such as a microphone) with a predefined sampling rate, e.g. 20 kHz. The hearing aids may 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.
The hearing aid, e.g. the input unit, and or the antenna and transceiver circuitry may comprise a transform unit for converting a time domain signal to a signal in the transform domain (e.g. frequency domain or Laplace domain, Z transform, wavelet transform, etc.). The transform unit may be constituted by or comprise a TF-conversion unit for providing a time-frequency representation of an input signal. The time-frequency representation may comprise 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 may comprise 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 may comprise a Fourier transformation unit (e.g. a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) algorithm, or a Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) algorithm, or similar) for converting a time variant input signal to a (time variant) signal in the (time-)frequency domain. The frequency range considered by the hearing aid from a minimum frequency f_min to a maximum frequency f_max may comprise 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. Typically, a sample rate f_s is larger than or equal to twice the maximum frequency f_max, f_s ≥ 2f_max. A signal of the forward and/or analysis path of the hearing aid may be split into a number NI of frequency bands (e.g. of uniform width), 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 may be 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 may be configured to operate in different modes, e.g. a normal mode and one or more specific modes, e.g. selectable by a user, or automatically selectable. A mode of operation may be optimized to a specific acoustic situation or environment, e.g. a communication mode, such as a telephone mode. A mode of operation may include a low-power mode, where functionality of the hearing aid is reduced (e.g. to save power), e.g. to disable wireless communication, and/or to disable specific features of the hearing aid.
The hearing aid may comprise a number of detectors configured to provide status signals relating to a current physical environment of the hearing aid (e.g. the current acoustic environment), and/or to a current state of the user wearing the hearing aid, and/or to a current state or mode of operation of the hearing aid. Alternatively or additionally, one or more detectors may form part of an external device in communication (e.g. wirelessly) with the hearing aid. An external device may e.g. comprise another hearing aid, a remote control, and audio delivery device, a telephone (e.g. a smartphone), an external sensor, etc. A camera may be considered a detector.
One or more of the number of detectors may operate on the full band signal (time domain). One or more of the number of detectors may operate on band split signals ((time-) frequency domain), e.g. in a limited number of frequency bands.
The number of detectors may comprise a level detector for estimating a current level of a signal of the forward path. The detector may be configured to decide whether the current level of a signal of the forward path is above or below a given (L-)threshold value. The level detector operates on the full band signal (time domain). The level detector operates on band split signals ((time-) frequency domain).
The hearing aid may comprise a voice activity detector (VAD) for estimating whether or not (or with what probability) an input signal comprises a voice signal (at a given point in time). A voice signal may in the present context be 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 activity detector unit may be 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 (or mainly) comprising other sound sources (e.g. artificially generated noise). The voice activity detector may be adapted to detect as a VOICE also the user's own voice. Alternatively, the voice activity detector may be adapted to exclude a user's own voice from the detection of a VOICE.
The hearing aid may comprise an own voice detector for estimating whether or not (or with what probability) a given input sound (e.g. a voice, e.g. speech) originates from the voice of the user of the system. A microphone system of the hearing aid may be adapted to be able to differentiate between a user's own voice and another person's voice and possibly from NON-voice sounds.
The number of detectors may comprise a movement detector, e.g. an acceleration sensor or accelerometer. The movement detector may be configured to detect movement of the user's facial muscles and/or bones, e.g. due to speech or chewing (e.g. jaw movement) and to provide a detector signal indicative thereof.
The hearing aid may comprise an acoustic (and/or mechanical) feedback control (e.g. suppression) or echo-cancelling system. Adaptive feedback cancellation has the ability to track feedback path changes over time. It is typically 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.
The hearing aid may further comprise other relevant functionality for the application in question, e.g. compression, noise reduction, etc.
The hearing aid may comprise 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.

A method:

In an aspect, a method of operating a hearing aid is furthermore provided by the present application. The method can comprise receiving a sound from the environment. The method can comprise converting the sound into an electrical input signal representative of the sound; obtaining a camera signal indicative of the environment. The method can comprise determining, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal; and applying, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal.
It is intended that some or all of the structural features of the hearing aid described above, in the 'detailed description of embodiments' or in the claims can be combined with embodiments of the method, when appropriately substituted by a corresponding process and vice versa. Embodiments of the method have the same advantages as the corresponding hearing aids.

A hearing system:

In a further aspect, a hearing system comprising a hearing aid as described above, in the 'detailed description of embodiments', and in the claims, AND an auxiliary device is moreover provided. The auxiliary device can be, for example, a camera.
The hearing system may be adapted to establish a communication link between the hearing aid and the auxiliary device to provide that information (e.g. control and status signals, possibly audio signals) can be exchanged or forwarded from one to the other.
The auxiliary device may be constituted by or comprise another hearing aid (e.g., second hearing aid). The hearing system may comprise two hearing aids adapted to implement a binaural hearing system, e.g. a binaural hearing aid system.

Definitions:

In the present context, a hearing aid, e.g. a hearing instrument, refers to a 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. Such audible signals may e.g. be provided in the form of acoustic signals radiated into the user's outer ears and/or 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.
The hearing aid 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 an output transducer, e.g. 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, e.g. a vibrator, attached to a fixture implanted into the skull bone, etc. The hearing aid may comprise a single unit or several units communicating (e.g. acoustically, electrically or optically) with each other. The loudspeaker may be arranged in a housing together with other components of the hearing aid, or may be an external unit in itself (possibly in combination with a flexible guiding element, e.g. a dome-like element).
A hearing aid may be adapted to a particular user's needs, e.g. a hearing impairment. A configurable signal processing circuit of the hearing aid may be adapted to apply a frequency and level dependent compressive amplification of an input signal. A customized frequency and level dependent gain (amplification or compression) may be determined in a fitting process by a fitting system based on a user's hearing data, e.g. an audiogram, using a fitting rationale (e.g. adapted to speech). The frequency and level dependent gain may e.g. be embodied in processing parameters, e.g. uploaded to the hearing aid via an interface to a programming device (fitting system), and used by a processing algorithm executed by the configurable signal processing circuit of the hearing aid.
A 'hearing system' refers to a system comprising one or two hearing aids, and a 'binaural hearing system' refers to a system comprising two hearing aids 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 aid(s) and affect and/or benefit from the function of the hearing aid(s). Such auxiliary devices may include at least one of a remote control, a remote microphone, an audio gateway device, an entertainment device, e.g. a music player, a wireless communication device, e.g. a mobile phone (such as a smartphone) or a tablet or another device, e.g. comprising a graphical interface. Hearing aids, 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. Hearing aids or hearing systems may e.g. form part of or interact with public-address systems, active ear protection systems, handsfree telephone systems, car audio systems, entertainment (e.g. TV, music playing or karaoke) systems, teleconferencing systems, classroom amplification systems, etc.
The invention is set out in the appended set of claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The aspects of the disclosure may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they just show details to improve the understanding of the claims, while other details are left out. Throughout, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding parts. The individual features of each aspect may each be combined with any or all features of the other aspects. These and other aspects, features and/or technical effect will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the illustrations described hereinafter in which:

FIG. 1 shows an example hearing aid according to the disclosure,
FIG. 2 shows an example hearing aid according to the disclosure,
FIG. 3 shows an example block diagram of a hearing aid according to the disclosure, and
FIG. 4 shows an example method of operating a hearing aid according to the disclosure.

The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity, and they just show details which are essential to the understanding of the disclosure, while other details are left out. Throughout, the same reference signs are used for identical or corresponding parts.
Further scope of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only. Other embodiments may become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. Several aspects of the apparatus and methods are described by various blocks, functional units, modules, components, circuits, steps, processes, algorithms, etc. (collectively referred to as "elements"). Depending upon particular application, design constraints or other reasons, these elements may be implemented using electronic hardware, computer program, or any combination thereof.
The electronic hardware may include micro-electronic-mechanical systems (MEMS), integrated circuits (e.g. application specific), microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, printed circuit boards (PCB) (e.g. flexible PCBs), and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functionality described throughout this disclosure, e.g. sensors, e.g. for sensing and/or registering physical properties of the environment, the device, the user, etc. 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 aids.
FIG. 1 shows an example hearing aid 10 according to the disclosure. The hearing aid 10 is configured to be worn behind the user's ears and comprises a behind-the-ear part 12 and an in-the-ear part 14. The behind-the-ear part 12 is connected to the in-the-ear part 14 via connecting member 16. However, the hearing aid 10 may be configured in other ways e.g., as completely-in-the-ear hearing aids. The behind-the-ear part 12 can include an input unit. The input unit can be configured to convert a sound in an environment of the hearing aid 10 to at least one electrical input signal representative of the sound. The in-the-ear part 14 can include an output unit.
As shown, the hearing aid 10 can be configured to obtain a camera signal 24. For example, a processor of the hearing aid 10 can be configured to obtain the camera signal 24. The hearing aid 10 can include a transceiver for obtaining the camera signal from, for example, a third-party accessory device.
The hearing aid 10 can further include a processor (shown in FIG. 3) configured obtain the camera signal 24 indicative of the environment, determine, based on the camera signal 24, a classification of the electrical input signal, and apply, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal
FIG. 2 shows an example hearing aid 10 according to the disclosure. As shown, the hearing aid 10 itself includes a camera 20. The camera can be configured to determine the camera signal 24 which is obtained by the processor.
FIG. 3 shows an example block diagram of an example hearing aid 10 according to the disclosure. The hearing aid 10 comprises an input unit 111, an output unit 112, a man-machine interface unit 114, a memory 115, a wireless communication unit (WLC unit) 116, a battery 117 and a processor 120 (e.g., signal processor). The battery may be a single-use battery or a rechargeable battery. The processor 120 may comprise a unit 121 configured to perform hearing loss compensation, a unit 122 configured to perform noise reduction, and a unit (MMI control) 123 for controlling man-machine interfacing. The processor 120 can be configured to determine, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal. The processor 120 can be configured to apply, based on a classification, gain and/or attenuation to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal.
The input unit 111 is configured convert a sound in an environment of the hearing aid 10 to an electrical input signal representative of the sound. The input unit 111 may comprise an input transducer, e.g., one or more microphones, for converting an input sound to the electrical input signal. The input unit 111 may comprise a wireless receiver for receiving a wireless signal comprising or representing sound and for providing the electrical input signal representing sound.
The output unit 112 may comprise an output transducer. The output transducer may comprise a speaker and/or a loudspeaker (sometimes denoted a receiver) for providing an acoustic signal to the user of the hearing aid. The output unit 112 may, additionally or alternatively, comprise a transmitter for transmitting sound picked up by the hearing aid to another device. The output unit 112 can output the output signal provided by the processor 120.
One or both of the input unit 111 and the noise reduction unit 122 may comprise a directional microphone system. The directional microphone system is adapted to spatially filter sounds from the surroundings of the user wearing the hearing aid, and thereby enhance a target acoustic source among a multitude of acoustic sources in the surroundings of the user. The directional system may be adapted to detect, e.g., adaptively detect, from which direction a particular part of the microphone signal originates. This can be achieved in different ways as described e.g., in the prior art. In hearing aids, a microphone array beamformer is often used for spatially attenuating background noise sources. The beamformer may comprise a linear constraint minimum variance (LCMV) beamformer. Many beamformer variants can be found in literature. The minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamformer is widely used in microphone array signal processing. Ideally the MVDR beamformer keeps the signals from the target direction (also referred to as the look direction) unchanged, while attenuating sound signals from other directions maximally. The generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) structure is an equivalent representation of the MVDR beamformer offering computational and numerical advantages over a direct implementation in its original form.
In certain examples, the hearing aid 10 can include a camera 20. The camera 20 can be configured to determine the camera signal. The input unit 111 can be a directional microphone having adaptable directionality, wherein the signal processor 120 is configured to adjust the directionality of the directional microphone based on a camera signal from camera 20.
The man-machine interface unit 114 may comprise one or more hardware elements, e.g., one or more buttons, one or more accelerometers and one or more microphones, to detect user interaction.
The wireless communication unit 116 may include a short-range wireless radio e.g., including a controller in communication with the processor.
The processor 120 may be configured with a signal processing path receiving audio data via the input unit with one or more microphones and/or via a radio unit; processing the audio data to compensate for a hearing loss; and rendering processed audio data via an output unit e.g., comprising a loudspeaker. The signal processing path may comprise one or more control paths and one or more feedback paths. The signal processing path may comprise a multitude of signal processing stages.
The hearing aid 10 can be constituted by or comprising an air-conduction type hearing aid, a bone-conduction type hearing aid, a cochlear implant type hearing aid, or a combination thereof.
FIG. 4 shows an example method 400 of operating a hearing aid according to the disclosure. The method 400 includes receiving 402 a sound from the environment. The method 400 can include converting 404 the sound into an electrical input signal representative of the sound. The method 400can include obtaining 406 a camera signal indicative of the environment. The method can include determining 408, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal. The method 400can include applying 410, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal. The method 400, in certain examples, includes outputting the output signal.
It is intended that the structural features of the devices described above, either in the detailed description and/or in the claims, may be combined with steps of the method, when appropriately substituted by a corresponding process.
As used, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well (i.e. to have the meaning "at least one"), unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "includes," "comprises," "including," and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, but an intervening element may also be present, unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, "connected" or "coupled" as used herein may include wirelessly connected or coupled. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The steps of any disclosed method are not limited to the exact order stated herein, unless expressly stated otherwise.
It should be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" or "an aspect" or features included as "may" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined as suitable in one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather "one or more." Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term "some" refers to one or more.

Claims

A hearing aid comprising:
an input unit configured to convert a sound in an environment of the hearing aid to an electrical input signal representative of the sound; and

a processor configured to:
obtain a camera signal indicative of the environment;

determine, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal; and

apply, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation and/or other modification to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal.
The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid further comprises a camera configured to determine the camera signal based on the environment.
The hearing aid of claim 2, wherein the camera is configured to obtain images at one or more of a slow rate, a fast rate, or a variable rate for provision of the camera signal.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, wherein the cameral signal comprises a plurality of camera signals.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, wherein to determine the classification comprises to determine, by a neural network, the classification.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, wherein to determine the classification comprises to determine of the electrical input signal as a human signal or a non-human signal.
The hearing aid of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to attenuate the non-human signal.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, wherein to determine the classification comprises comparing the camera signal to a saved database.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, wherein the hearing aid is a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid or an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, wherein the hearing aid is configured to communicate with smart glasses having the camera, and wherein the hearing aid is configured to receive the camera signal from the smart glasses.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, wherein the camera signal comprises a plurality of images, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the classification based on determining whether the plurality of images are indicative of movement.
The hearing aid of any one of the previous claims, further comprising an accelerometer.
A hearing aid system comprising the hearing aid according to any one of the previous claims and a second hearing aid having a second processor configured to obtain a second camera signal indicative of the environment.
A method of operating a hearing aid, the method comprising:
receiving a sound from the environment;

converting the sound into an electrical input signal representative of the sound;

obtaining a camera signal indicative of the environment; and

determining, based on the camera signal, a classification of the electrical input signal; and

applying, based on the classification, gain and/or attenuation and/or other modification to the electrical input signal for provision of an output signal.