JP3480696B2 - Environmental sound presentation device and environmental sound recording device used therefor - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an environmental sound presenting apparatus for performing hearing aid fitting in consideration of environmental sounds and an environmental sound recording apparatus for recording environmental sounds. Here, the environmental sound refers to ambient sound that the hearing aid wearer frequently encounters in daily life, for example, voice and / or noise in office, factory, train, home, etc.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hearing aid fitting is a work for setting the degree of adjustment (adjustment value) of each adjuster of a hearing aid to an optimum value for an individual who has a hearing loss. Is performed by calculating the adjustment value of each adjuster of the hearing aid. Examples of each adjuster of the hearing aid include a volume adjuster, an output limiter, a sound quality adjuster (a frequency characteristic changing unit mainly using a filter), an automatic gain adjuster (AGC), and the like.

However, in the above-mentioned hearing aid fitting method, the hearing-impaired person actually uses the hearing aid for a certain period of time under the actual environmental sound after adjustment, and based on the subjective evaluation and impression of the hearing-impaired person. Since it is necessary to readjust the adjuster of, there is a problem that it takes time.

It is considered that the reason why the fitting adjustment takes time is that the hearing aid fitting is not performed in consideration of the environmental sound. For example, a hearing aid fitting that aims to listen to sound in a relatively quiet environment such as an office, and a hearing aid fitting that aims to listen to sound in a noisy environment such as a factory This is because the content of the adjustment is different. Further, the content of the fitting adjustment is different between the case where the focus is on reducing the annoyance of noise included in the environmental sound and the case where the focus is on improving the listening ability of the sound included in the environmental sound.

In order to solve such a problem, it has been proposed to perform hearing aid fitting by an environmental sound presentation device that presents a virtual environmental sound. As shown in FIG. 4, the virtual environment sound presentation device includes a soundproof room 101 for presenting the virtual environment sound to the hearing aid user 100, a tape recorder 102 for recording and reproducing the actual environment sound, an amplifier 103, a speaker 104, and the like. Composed of.

[0006] Hearing aid fitting under virtual environmental sound is performed by adjusting various adjusters of the hearing aid while presenting the environmental sound while the hearing aid wearer wears the hearing aid.
Therefore, when the hearing aid wearer complains that the noise included in the environmental sound is noisy, the hearing aid wearer presents the noise and makes an adjustment so as not to feel the noise. On the other hand, when the voice is difficult to hear, the voice is presented and adjustment is made so that the voice can be heard clearly. In many cases, these steps are repeated and adjustments are made until the hearing aid wearer is dissatisfied.

[0007]

However, since this virtual environment sound presenting device is large-scale, it is not suitable for installation in a site where hearing aid fitting is performed, such as a hearing aid retail store or a hospital such as an otolaryngology department. There is. In addition, there is also a problem that specialized knowledge regarding sound field calibration and the like is required when operating this device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to easily install a hearing aid fitting on site and to manage and operate it easily. The present invention proposes a new environmental sound presentation device and an environmental sound recording device used for the same.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to an environmental sound storage means for storing a plurality of environmental sounds, and a plurality of environmental sounds stored in the environmental sound storage means. The environmental sound signal selecting means for selecting any one of the environmental sound signals from the signals is provided, and the environmental sound signal selected by the environmental sound signal selecting means is input to the external input terminal of the hearing aid.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the environmental sound presentation device according to the first aspect, the environmental sound storage means and the environmental sound signal selection means are connected via a communication line.

The invention according to claim 3 is provided with a sound detecting means arranged at the entrance of the ear canal and a recording means for recording the output of the sound detecting means.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an environmental sound presentation device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration and a usage state of the environmental sound recording device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a usage state of the environmental sound recording device. Is.

As shown in FIG. 1, the environmental sound presentation device according to the present invention comprises an environmental sound file storage unit 1, an environmental sound signal conversion unit 2, a calibrator 3 and an environmental sound signal selection unit 4. Reference numeral 5 is a hearing aid, which includes a microphone 5a, an external input terminal 5b, an amplifier 5c, a hearing aid processing unit 5d, and an earphone 5.
It consists of e.

When a plug (not shown) connected to the output end of the calibrator 3 is inserted into the external input terminal 5b, the connection state between the output side of the microphone 5a and the input side of the amplifier 5c is cut off and the calibrator 3's Output terminal and amplifier 5c
It has a structure to connect with the input side of.

The environmental sound file storage unit 1 stores a plurality of environmental sound files in which environmental sounds that are likely to be encountered by a hearing aid wearer are digitally recorded and a calibration signal sound.

The environmental sound signal conversion unit 2 is based on the control signal from the environmental sound signal selection unit 4 and is based on the environmental sound file storage unit 1.
In addition to having a function of calling the environmental sound file stored in, the digital data stored in the environmental sound file is converted into an analog environmental sound signal. The output end of the environmental sound signal converter 2 is connected to the calibrator 3.

The calibrator 3 has a function of inputting an environmental sound signal to the external input terminal 5b of the hearing aid 5, and
It has a function of adjusting the output level of the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2 to a level at which the hearing aid can be properly received. This level adjustment is performed using the calibration signal stored in the environmental sound file storage unit 1.

The environmental sound signal selection unit 4 comprises a control unit 4a for outputting a control signal and the like to the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2 and an input / output unit 4b having a function of an input / output device such as a display or a keyboard.

The environmental sound file storage unit 1, the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2 and the environmental sound signal selection unit 4 can be constructed by a personal computer. That is, the built-in hard disk of the personal computer is responsible for the function of the environmental sound file storage unit 1, and the CPU (central processing unit) and the predetermined program function as the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2 and the control unit 4a of the environmental sound signal selection unit 4. Therefore, the display and the keyboard serve as the input / output unit 4b of the environmental sound signal selection unit 4. Here, the environmental sound file is, for example, WA.
It is composed of digital data such as the V file format.

The environmental sound file stored in the environmental sound file storage unit 1 is created by the environmental sound recording device shown in FIG. The environmental sound recording device includes a sound detector 10, a sound recorder 11, and a cord 1 connecting the sound detector 10 and the sound recorder 11.
It consists of two.

The sound detecting section 10 is formed with an ear insertion member 10a which fits an ear hole such as a shell portion of an ear hole type hearing aid, and a sound hole 10c is provided on a surface 10b facing the outside of the ear insertion member 10a. A sound intake hole of the microphone 10d is connected to the sound hole 10c. Microphone 10
The output end of d is connected to the input end of the sound recording unit 11.

The sound recording unit 11 digitally records the output voltage of the sound detecting unit 10, for example, DAT (Digital Audio).
Taperecorder) is a portable recorder such as. As shown in FIG. 3, the environmental sound recording device inserts the sound detection unit 10 into the ear canal (the entrance to the ear canal) as in the ear canal type hearing aid, and the sound recording unit 1
Store 1 in a pocket and use it. In the case of stereo recording, the sound detection unit 10 may be attached to both ears.

As described above, in the ambient sound recording apparatus, the microphone 10d is arranged at the entrance of the ear canal, and the output of the microphone 10d is recorded by the sound recording unit 11. Therefore, the sound is recorded under the same acoustic condition as that of the ear hole type hearing aid. Can be collected. For example,
In the collection of sounds in the low frequency region, it is possible to collect sounds that take into account the effects of sound diffraction by the skull, and to record environmental sounds with a sense of realism.

The operation of the environmental sound presenting apparatus and the environmental sound recording apparatus used therefor according to the present invention configured as above will be described. In advance, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of environmental sound files (digital data) are created by digitally recording the environmental sound using an environmental sound recording device. Further, these environmental sound files are stored in the environmental sound file storage unit 1 by operating the input / output unit 4b of the environmental sound signal selection unit 4.

Then, in order to present the environmental sound to the hearing aid wearer, first, the plug connected to the output end of the calibrator 3 is inserted into the external input terminal 5b of the hearing aid 5 for connection. Next, the input / output unit 4b of the environmental sound signal selection unit 4 is operated to read the environmental sound file from the environmental sound file storage unit 1,
The digital signal of the environmental sound file is converted into the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2
To convert it to an analog signal.

Then, the analog ambient sound signal converted by the ambient sound signal converter 2 is input to the amplifier 5c of the hearing aid 5 via the calibrator 3 and the external input terminal 5b,
Environmental sounds are presented to the wearer of the hearing aid 5.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to virtually present the actual environmental sound to the hearing aid wearer with a relatively simple structure without requiring large-scale equipment such as a soundproof room.

In the embodiment of the invention described above, the case where the environmental sound file storage unit 1 is installed at the same location as the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2, the environmental sound signal selection unit 4, etc. has been described. However, in the environmental sound presentation device according to the present invention, the environmental sound file storage unit 1 may be installed separately from the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2, the environmental sound signal selection unit 4, and the like.

In this case, the environmental sound file storage unit 1 is configured by the built-in hard disk of one personal computer, and the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2, the environmental sound signal selection unit 4, and the like are configured by another personal computer.

By connecting these personal computers to each other via a communication line, the environmental sound file storage unit 1 is installed at the service base of the hearing aid fitting, and the environmental sound signal conversion unit 2 and the environmental sound signal selection unit are installed. Four
Can be installed at each hearing aid store. This makes it possible to share environmental sound files and facilitate management and operation of environmental sound files.

[0031]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, the environmental sound presentation device can be easily installed at the hearing aid fitting site without the need for a soundproof room.
Moreover, it is possible to present a realistic environment sound to the hearing aid wearer.

According to the invention of claim 2, since the environmental sound storage means and the environmental sound signal selection means are connected by the communication line,
The environmental sound storage means can be centrally managed at a hearing aid fitting service base or the like, and the complexity of the management and operation of the environmental sound storage means can be reduced.

According to the invention of claim 3, as if the hearing aid wearer were to encounter the real environment,
It is possible to record realistic environmental sounds.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an environmental sound presentation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration and usage of the environmental sound recording device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a usage state of the environmental sound recording device.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional environmental sound presentation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Environmental sound file storage unit, 2 ... Environmental sound signal conversion unit, 3
... calibrator, 4 ... environmental sound signal selection section, 5 ... hearing aid, 5b ... external input terminal of hearing aid, 10 ... sound detection section, 1
1 ... Sound recording unit.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. Environmental sound storage means for storing a plurality of environmental sounds, and environmental sound signal selection means for selecting one environmental sound signal from the plurality of environmental sound signals stored in the environmental sound storage means. An environmental sound presentation device, comprising: inputting the environmental sound signal selected by the environmental sound signal selecting means to an external input terminal of the hearing aid. 2. The environmental sound presentation device according to claim 1, wherein the environmental sound storage means and the environmental sound signal selection means are connected via a communication line. 3. Sound detection means arranged at the entrance of the ear canal,
An environmental sound recording device comprising recording means for recording the output of the sound detecting means.