JP6193844B2 - Hearing device with selectable perceptual spatial sound source positioning - Google Patents

Description

  The present application relates to hearing devices and methods of use thereof.

  A novel hearing device system is disclosed herein. The hearing device system comprises a hearing device and a control device that allows a user to select the perceived direction of arrival of a selected audio signal transmitted towards the hearing device.

  The hearing device may be a headset, headphones, earphones, ear defenders, ear muffs, etc., which are ear-mounted type, in-ear type, on-ear type, type that covers the ear, type that turns the back of the neck, helmet type, Any type such as a head guard type may be used.

  The hearing device may be a binaural hearing aid. Binaural hearing aids are of the ear (BTE) type, receiver insertion (RIE) type, ear hole (ITE type), ear canal insertion (ITC) type, complete ear canal insertion (CIC) type, etc. Also good.

  The control device is a computer such as a PC such as a stationary PC or a portable PC, or a handheld device such as a tablet PC such as IPAD (registered trademark) or a smartphone such as Iphone (registered trademark) or Android (registered trademark). It may be a phone, a Windows (registered trademark) phone, or the like.

  Hearing impaired people often experience at least two distinct problems. 1) hearing loss, which is an increase in hearing threshold level, and 2) loss of ability to understand conversations under noisy compared to normal hearing. For most hearing impaired patients, performance in noisy speech intelligibility tests is inferior to that of normal hearing, even when the audibility of the incoming sound is restored by amplification. Speech Listening Threshold (SRT) is a performance measure for the loss of ability to understand speech and is the signal-to-noise required in signals presented to achieve 50% correct word recognition in a noisy hearing test. Defined as a ratio.

  To correct hearing loss, current digital hearing aids typically use multi-channel and compressed signal processing to restore the hearing ability of the hearing impaired. In this way, the patient's hearing is improved by making it possible to hear conversation cues that were previously unheard.

  However, the loss of ability to understand conversations under noisy, including conversations in an environment with multiple speakers, remains a major problem for most hearing aid users.

  One tool available to hearing aid users to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of conversations originating from a particular speaker is to increase the conversation from the target speaker by bringing it closer to the speaker. A microphone picked up with a signal-to-noise ratio (often referred to as a spous microphone) is attached to a target speaker. The Spurs microphone converts the speech into a corresponding audio signal with a high signal-to-noise ratio and transmits this signal, preferably wirelessly, to a hearing aid that performs deafness correction. In this way, the conversation signal is provided to the user with a signal to noise ratio that is well above the SRT of the intended user.

  Hearing aid users, such as speakers talking to a large number of people in public places such as churches, auditoriums, theaters, movie theaters, etc., or in stations, airports, shopping malls, etc. Another way to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of a conversation from a desired speaker is by using telecoils, for example, telephones, FM systems (using neck loops), and inductive loop systems (also called "Hyarin Group") )) Magnetically pick up the audio signal generated.

  In this way, speech can be transmitted to the hearing aid with a high signal-to-noise ratio well above the hearing aid user's SRT.

  However, in situations where a user of a conventional binaural hearing aid or other type of hearing device wants to hear more than one of the above mono audio signal sources at the same time, the user must separate one signal source from another. Will feel difficult.

  In U.S. Pat. No. 8,208,642, binaural hearing aids are used to hear the sound from a single mono signal source in order to obtain the benefits of binaural listening when listening to a mono signal source. A method and apparatus for a binaural hearing aid presented to both ears of a user is disclosed. The sound presented to one ear is phase shifted with respect to the sound presented to the other ear, and the sound presented to one ear is at a different level than the sound presented to the other ear. Can also be set. In this manner, the monaural signal's lateralization and volume are controlled. For example, the telephone signal may be received at the appropriate phase and level to properly bias the voice of the person making the call in order to benefit from the reception of both ears of the call, for example. It may be presented to both ears by conveying the caller's voice to the ear to which the phone is not directed.

  Hearing aids generally reproduce sound so that the user perceives that the sound source is positioned within the head. It can be said that the voice is not internalized but internalized.

  Hearing aid users' common dissatisfaction with “listening in a noisy conversation” is said, even if the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is sufficient to provide the required speech intelligibility. It is very difficult to understand that. A major contributor to this fact is that the hearing aid reproduces the internal sound field. This increases the cognitive load of the hearing aid user, causes fatigue due to listening, and may ultimately result in the user removing one or more hearing aids.

  Accordingly, there is a need for a new hearing device system with improved sound source positioning, i.e., a new hearing that can provide perceptual spatial information of the direction and possibly distance of each sound source to the wearer of the hearing device system. There is a need for equipment systems.

  A person with normal hearing will also experience the benefits of externalizing and improving the positioning of the sound source by using the hearing device and enjoying the reproduced sound with the externalized sound source.

  In the following, a method for positioning a sound source in a desired perceptual spatial direction or position within a human sound environment is disclosed.

  The novel method includes the ability of the human auditory system to distinguish sound sources located in different spatial directions or locations within the sound environment, and selected one or more of the spatially separated sound sources. Utilize the ability to focus on.

  A novel hearing device system using the novel method is also disclosed.

  According to the novel method, signals from different sound sources are presented to the human ear so that humans perceive that the sound sources are located in different spatial positions or directions within the human sound environment. In this way, the binaural signal processing of the human auditory system is used to separate signals from different sound sources and he or she concentrates on listening to the desired one of the sound sources, or more than one of the sound sources Improve your ability to listen and understand at the same time.

  When speech signals are presented in human ears with opposite phases, i.e., 180 ° shifted relative to each other, the specific direction of arrival of the signals is not perceived, but many users present them in opposite phases. It has also been found that the transmitted conversation signal feels easy to separate from other sound sources and easy to understand. This effect can be obtained by a phase shift in the range of 150 ° to 210 °.

  Humans detect and position sound sources in a three-dimensional space by using human binaural sound positioning capability.

  The input to the hearing consists of two signals, the sound pressure at each eardrum, hereinafter referred to as the binaural audio signal. Therefore, if the sound pressure in the eardrum generated by a certain spatial sound field is accurately reproduced by the eardrum, the human auditory system will regenerate the reproduced sound and the actual sound generated by the spatial sound field itself. I can't distinguish.

Transmission of sound waves from a sound source located in a direction and distance to the listener's left and right ears includes two transmissions including some linear distortion such as timbre changes, interaural time differences, and interaural spectral differences. It is expressed in the form of a function (one for the left ear and the other for the right ear). Such a set of two transfer functions, one for the left ear and the other for the right ear, is called the head related transfer function (HRTF). Each HRTF transfer function is the ratio of the sound pressure p generated by plane waves at a particular point in or near the relevant ear canal (p _L for the left ear canal and p _R for the right ear canal) to the reference. Defined. Criteria chosen traditionally is a listener absent state, a sound pressure p _l which would be generated by a plane wave at a position just middle of the head.

  The HRTF contains all information related to sound transmission to the listener's ears, including diffraction around the head, reflections from the shoulder, reflections in the ear canal, and so on, and therefore the HRTF is different for each person.

  Hereinafter, for convenience, one of the transfer functions of HRTF is also referred to as HRTF.

  The HRTF varies with the direction and distance of the sound source relative to the listener's ears. The HRTF can be measured in any direction and distance, and the HRTF can be simulated electronically, eg, using a filter. When such a filter is inserted in the signal path between an audio signal source, such as a microphone, and a speaker worn by the listener for radiating sound towards each ear of the listener, the listener Because the sound pressure inside is reproduced as it is, the sound generated by the speaker is from a sound source located at a distance and direction defined by the transfer function of the filter that simulates the target HRTF Can perceive.

  Binaural processing by the brain in interpreting spatially encoded information has some positive effects: improved source separation, improved direction of arrival (DOA) estimation, and improved depth / Distance perception occurs.

  Although it is not completely known how the human auditory system derives information about the distance and direction to the sound source, it is known that the human auditory system uses multiple cues in this decision. Among these cues are spectral cues, reverberation cues, interaural time difference (ITD), interaural phase difference (IPD), and interaural level difference (ILD).

  The most important cues in binaural processing are interaural time difference (ITD) and interaural level difference (ILD). ITD results from the difference in distance from the sound source to both ears. This cue is mainly useful up to about 1.5 kHz, beyond which the auditory system can no longer analyze the ITD cue.

  The level difference is the result of diffraction and is determined by the relative position of both ears compared to the sound source. Although this cue is dominant above 2 kHz, the auditory system is equally sensitive to changes in ILD across the entire spectrum.

  It has been argued that hearing-impaired people benefit most from ITD cues, as hearing loss tends to lighten at lower frequencies.

  The directional transfer function is a head-related transfer function or an approximation of the head-related transfer function. The approximation of the head-related transfer function is such that a person listening to a binaural audio signal based on the output signal of a binaural filter with a directional transfer function perceives that the sound is emitted from a sound source that exists in the direction defined by the direction cue. Further, a direction queue is added to the input signal.

A novel method is provided to give humans a perception of the direction or position of a sound source. The method is
Displaying on the display at least one movable symbol indicating the position of the sound source relative to the user;
Moving the at least one movable symbol to a desired position to select a perceptual direction of the sound source;
Selecting a binaural filter comprising a directional transfer function corresponding to the perceived direction of the selected sound source;
Radiating a binaural audio signal to the human ear based on an output signal of the binaural filter comprising the selected directional transfer function, whereby the audio signal is located in the selected direction; And allowing the human to perceive that it is emitted from the sound source.

  According to the new method, monaural audio signals radiated by a specific sound source, such as monophonic audio signals from spous microphones, media players, hyaline group systems, video conferencing systems, radios, televisions, telephones, alarmed devices, etc. Are filtered using a binaural filter so that the heard mono audio signal is perceived by humans as radiated by respective sound sources located in directions in the selected space.

In addition, a novel hearing device system is provided. The hearing device system
A hearing device comprising a first housing that houses a first speaker and a second housing that houses a second speaker, wherein each of the users of the hearing device system from the first and second speakers. A hearing device configured such that the first and second housings are worn on the respective ears of the user for emitting sound toward the ears;
A binaural filter having an input signal, connected to the first and second speakers, and having a directional transfer function for providing a binaural signal to the first and second speakers; Thereby the input signal radiated from a sound source located in a direction defined by the directional transfer function and a binaural filter perceived by the user;
A control device configured to control the hearing device system,
A display configured to display at least one movable symbol indicating a position of at least one sound source relative to the user;
A processor connected to control the display;
A user interface for a user to position the at least one movable symbol on the display;
A controller configured to control selection of the directional transfer function of the binaural filter based at least in part on a position of the at least one movable symbol on the display; Prepare.

  The first and second speakers may be part of a binaural hearing aid. In other words, the left and right ear receivers of the binaural hearing aid may constitute the first and second speakers, respectively.

  The binaural filter may be configured to provide output signals that are equal to the input signal but are shifted in phase by different amounts, thereby shifting the phases relative to each other.

  The binaural filter may alternatively or additionally be configured to provide an output signal that is equal to the input signal but multiplied by different gains.

  The binaural filter may have a head-related transfer function.

  A hearing device system may have multiple binaural filters with different directional transfer functions applied to different input signals coming from different signal sources. One of those binaural filters is the binaural filter described above.

  A device including a signal source that generates an input signal may be a spous microphone, a media player, a hyaline group system, a video conference system, a radio, a television, a telephone, a local broadcast, an alarmed device, or the like.

  One or more of the binaural filters may be housed in the first and / or second housing.

  An apparatus including a signal source may include a binaural filter.

  The hearing device may include a data interface for transmitting data from the control device.

  The data interface may be a wired interface, such as a USB interface, or a wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth® interface, such as a low energy Bluetooth Low Energy interface.

  The hearing device may comprise an audio interface for receiving an audio signal from a control device or other device comprising a signal source capable of transmitting an audio signal to the hearing device to provide an input signal.

  The audio interface may be a wired interface or a wireless interface.

  The data interface and the audio interface may be incorporated into a single interface such as a USB interface or a Bluetooth interface.

  The hearing device, for example, exchanges audio data between a low energy Bluetooth data interface for exchanging control data between the hearing device and the control device, and other devices comprising the hearing device, the control device and the signal source. A wired audio interface.

  The control device and some or all of the devices with signal sources may each have a binaural filter with a directional transfer function that can be controlled by the control device in a manner similar to the control of the binaural filter of the hearing device. Good. The binaural audio signal output by the control device and the binaural filter of some or all devices comprising a signal source is transmitted to the hearing device. This ensures that binaural filters are not required inside the hearing device for these signals, thereby saving power and signal processing resources within the hearing device.

  Perceptual spatial separation of different signal sources helps the user of the hearing device system understand the conversation of mono audio signals emitted from those signal sources and focus on listening to the desired one of the audio signals. .

  For example, the first binaural filter may reduce the first interaural time difference by which the perceived position of the corresponding first sound source is shifted laterally with respect to the user of the hearing device system to the outside of the head. For introduction, it may be configured to output signals for the right and left ears of a user of the hearing device system that are phase shifted relative to each other.

  When the right and left ear output signals are 180 ° phase shifted with respect to each other, the sense of direction is lost, but many people believe that speech signals that are 180 ° phase shifted with respect to each other have other signal sources. It is easy to separate from and feel easy to understand.

  By providing an additional binaural filter, other monaural signals such as a second monaural signal received from a second spous microphone, media player, hyaline group system, video conferencing system, radio, television, telephone, alarmed device, etc. The received second mono audio signal is radiated by a sound source located at the second position, different from other selected perceived positions and directions, and / or from a second direction in space. Further separation of the sound source may be obtained by filtering with a second binaural filter so that the user perceives that it has arrived.

  For example, to introduce a second interaural time difference whereby the corresponding position of the second sound source is shifted laterally with respect to the user of the hearing device system, preferably in the opposite direction of the first sound source. In addition, the second binaural filter may be configured to output signals for the right and left ears of a user of the hearing device system that are phase shifted relative to each other.

  Alternatively or additionally, a first interaural level difference is obtained to thereby obtain a first interaural level difference in which the corresponding perceived position of the first sound source is shifted laterally with respect to the user of the hearing device system. Configuring the first binaural filter to output signals for the right and left ears of a user of the hearing device system equal to an audio input signal multiplied by a first right gain and a first left gain, respectively May be.

  Alternatively or additionally, the second binaural, whereby the corresponding perceived position of the second sound source is shifted laterally with respect to the user of the hearing device system, preferably in the opposite direction of the first sound source. Signal for the right ear and left ear of the user of the hearing device system equal to the second audio input signal multiplied by a second right gain and a second left gain, respectively, The second binaural filter may be configured to output.

  In order for a user of the new hearing device system to perceive that the first audio signal source and the second audio signal source are located at different positions in the surroundings, the first interaural time difference and the first interaural time The pair of level differences needs to be different from the second interaural time difference and the second interaural level difference pair, for example, the first and second interaural level differences are If the second interaural time difference is different, it may be the same or vice versa.

  The perceptual spatial separation of the perceptual signal source of the audio signal, both perceived as being outside the user's head, allows the user to understand the conversation of the first and second monaural audio signals so that the user can Helps you focus on listening to the desired one of the mono audio signal.

  The directional transfer function may be a head-related transfer function or an approximation of the head-related transfer function.

  For example, the head-related transfer function may be determined using a mannequin such as KEMAR. In this way, an approximation of each person's head-related transfer function is provided that can be accurate enough to maintain the sense of direction when the user of the hearing device system is wearing the hearing device. .

  The azimuth angle is a perceived azimuth angle with respect to the sound source projected on the horizontal plane with respect to the user's forward viewing direction. The forward viewing direction is defined by a virtual line drawn through the center of the user's head and the center of the user's nose. Accordingly, a sound source located in the forward viewing direction has an azimuth value of 0 °, and a sound source located in the opposite direction has an azimuth value of 180 °. A sound source located on the left side of the vertical plane perpendicular to the user's forward viewing direction has an azimuth angle value of −90 °, and a sound source located on the right side of the vertical plane perpendicular to the user's forward viewing direction is , With an azimuth value of + 90 °.

  Throughout this disclosure, when one signal is a function of the other signal, for example, one signal may be formed by analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog conversion of the other signal, or one signal. May be formed by the conversion of an acoustic signal into an electronic signal or vice versa, or one signal may be formed by analog or digital filtering or mixing of the other signal, or one signal may be In this case, one of the signals is said to represent the other signal.

  In addition, signals processed by a particular circuit, for example in a signal processor, are used to identify an analog or digital signal that forms part of the signal path of the signal in question from the circuit input to the circuit output It may be specified by a name that can be done. For example, a microphone output signal, ie, a microphone audio signal (including a processed microphone audio signal) may be used to identify an analog or digital signal that forms part of the signal path from the microphone output to the speaker input. Good.

  The novel hearing device system includes a binaural hearing aid comprising a multi-channel first and / or second hearing aid that distributes the input signal to a plurality of frequency channels that individually process at least a portion of the input signal in each frequency channel. You may have.

  The plurality of frequency channels may include a distorted frequency channel. For example, all of the frequency channels may be distorted frequency channels.

  Binaural hearing aids add circuitry used in response to other conventional methods of hearing loss correction so that a new circuit or other conventional circuit can be selected to operate appropriately for different types of sound environments It may be provided. Different sound environments may include conversations, conversations with chatter, restaurant noise, music, traffic noise, and the like.

  A binaural hearing aid may include, for example, a digital signal processor (DSP), the processing of which is controlled by a selectable signal processing algorithm, each having various parameters for adjusting the actual signal processing performed. Is done. The gain in each frequency channel of a multichannel hearing aid is an example of such a parameter.

  One of the selectable signal processing algorithms operates according to a novel method.

  For example, various algorithms may be provided for conventional noise suppression, ie, attenuation of unwanted signals and amplification of desired signals.

  Microphone output signals obtained from different sound environments may have very different characteristics, such as average and maximum sound pressure level (SPL) and / or frequency components. Thus, specific settings of algorithm parameters of the signal processing algorithm may associate each type of sound environment with a specific program that provides processed speech with optimal signal quality in the specific sound environment. Such a set of parameters generally includes parameters related to wideband gain, corner frequency or slope of the frequency selective filter algorithm, and parameters that control, for example, the knee point and compression ratio of the automatic gain control (AGC) algorithm. May be included.

  The signal processing characteristics of each algorithm are determined at the first fitting of the hearing aid dispenser at the office and may be programmed into the non-volatile memory area of the binaural hearing aid.

  The binaural hearing aid can be selected, for example, from a hearing aid housing or remote control device button, toggle switch, so that the user of the binaural hearing aid can select one of the signal processing algorithms available to obtain the desired hearing loss correction in the targeted sound environment. Etc. may be provided.

  One or both hearing aids may include a telecoil. The telecoil converts the magnetic field in the telecoil into a corresponding analog audio signal. The instantaneous voltage of the audio signal changes continuously with the strength of the magnetic field in the telecoil. Telecoil is a communication signal from a speaker who is talking to a large number of people in public places such as churches, auditoriums, theaters, movie theaters, etc., or in the station, airport, shopping mall, etc. Increase the noise ratio. The conversation from the speaker is converted to a magnetic field using an inductive loop system (also referred to as a “hyalin group”), and the telecoil is used to magnetically pick up the magnetically transmitted conversation signal.

  The output audio signal of the telecoil may be input to a binaural filter having a directional transfer function selected by the control device. Thereby, the perceived direction of the arrival of the telecoil signal is set so that the user perceives that the telecoil signal reproduced in the user's ear is emitted from a sound source located in the direction defined by the directional transfer function. Can be selected.

  One or both hearing aids select one or more microphones, telecoils, eg omnidirectional microphone signals, or directional microphone signals, or telecoil signals, alone or in any combination, as audio signals You may provide the switch for doing.

  Typically, an analog audio signal is made suitable for digital signal processing by conversion to a corresponding digital audio signal in an analog-to-digital converter, whereby the amplitude of the analog audio signal is represented in binary. . Thus, a discrete time discrete amplitude digital audio signal in the form of a sequence of digital values represents a continuous time continuous amplitude analog audio signal.

  The controller processor is configured to control the controller display to display identifiable symbols representing various devices capable of transmitting audio signals to the hearing device. Accordingly, each device capable of transmitting an audio signal to the hearing device can be represented by a symbol different from the symbols representing other devices. One symbol represents a user.

  The user can move the symbol to a desired position on the display using the user interface of the controller. For example, as is well known in the smartphone art, the display may be a touch-sensitive display that allows the user to move the symbol by dragging the symbol touched by the user.

  When the symbol is moved to a desired position on the display, the processor selects a corresponding binaural filter to select a directional transfer function corresponding to the position on the display of the symbol representing the sound source for the symbol representing the user. Is connected to each input signal from the sound source represented by the symbol. Thereby, the user perceives that the sound source is located in the direction indicated by the position of each symbol on the display or in the position.

  Preferably, the direction indicated by the position of each symbol on the display is shown relative to the user's forward viewing direction.

  The hearing device may include a posture sensor unit for detecting the posture of the user's head when the user wears the hearing device in its intended operating position on the user's head, the processor Furthermore, the selection of the directional transfer function of the binaural filter may be adjusted based at least in part on the detected posture of the user's head.

  In this way, at least one sound source is perceived to remain fixed with respect to the user's environment regardless of changes in the user's head posture after selection of the directional transfer function of the binaural filter. Will be done. Thus, if the user rotates his head 30 ° to the left, the processor will cause the user to perceive that the at least one sound source remains in a fixed position in the sound environment, i.e. in the perceptual direction. Even if the directional transfer function is selected such that the perceived direction of the corresponding at least one sound source rotates 30 ° to the right so that the changing speed corresponds to the changing speed of the posture of the user's head. Good.

  The posture of the user's head may be defined as the orientation of a head coordinate system having a vertical axis and two horizontal axes at the user's current position relative to a reference coordinate system fixed with respect to the environment.

  The head coordinate system is defined such that its center is located at the center of the user's head. The center of the user's head is defined as the midpoint of the line connecting the centers of the ear drums of the user's left and right ears.

  The X-axis of the head coordinate system points forward through the center of the user's nose, the Y-axis points through the center of the eardrum of the left ear toward the left ear, and the Z-axis is upward Pointing.

  The head yaw is the projection of the current X-axis onto the horizontal plane at the user's position and the horizontal reference direction, e.g., the forward viewing direction when a directional transfer function is selected, or magnetic north or true north. Is the angle between. The head pitch is the angle between the current X axis and the horizontal plane. The head roll is the angle between the Y axis and the horizontal plane. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the head coordinate system are also expressed as the head X-axis, head Y-axis, and head Z-axis.

  The posture sensor unit may include an accelerometer for determining the posture of the hearing device. The attitude sensor unit is based on the determination of the individual displacements of two accelerometers spaced apart to detect the same horizontal displacement when the user is wearing a hearing device. The yaw of the part can be determined. Such a determination is accurate if the head pitch and head roll do not change while the yaw value is changing.

  Alternatively or additionally, the attitude sensor unit is a first gyroscope arranged to detect rotation of the projection of the head X axis onto the horizontal plane at the user's position relative to the horizontal reference direction, For example, a solid state or MEMS gyroscope may be used to determine head yaw.

  Similarly, the attitude sensor unit is a further accelerometer for determining the head pitch and / or head yaw when the user wears the hearing device in the intended operating position on the user's head. And / or may have additional gyroscopes.

  The attitude sensor unit may further include a compass such as a magnetometer to facilitate determination of head yaw relative to true north or magnetic north, for example.

  Accordingly, the attitude sensor unit provides information on the head yaw, or the head yaw and the head pitch, or the head yaw, the head pitch, and the head roll, respectively. Or you may have a 3-axis sensor.

  Thus, the hearing device is a complete attitude and orientation reference device (AHRS) for determining the posture of the user's head, having either a solid state or MEMS gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetometer for all three axes. May be provided. The AHRS processor provides digital values for head yaw, head pitch and head roll based on the sensor data.

  Accordingly, the processor compensates for a change in the yaw of the user's head posture so that the user perceives that the at least one sound source remains in a fixed position in the sound environment. The selected directivity transfer function may be selected.

  Likewise, the processor compensates for changes in the pitch of the user's head posture so that the user perceives that at least one sound source remains in a fixed position in the sound environment. It may be configured to select the changed directional transfer function.

  Similarly, the processor has a perceptual roll that compensates for changes in the user's head posture roll so that the user perceives that at least one sound source remains in a fixed position in the sound environment. It may be configured to select the changed directional transfer function.

  The selection of the directional transfer function of the binaural filter can be made, for example, by touching a selected symbol on the display, or by not allowing the movable symbol to move for a predetermined period of time, for example 5 seconds, or by another suitable method. It may be executed when a user enters a specific user command using the user interface.

  As is well known in the smartphone art, a symbol can be deleted from the display by dragging the symbol to the edge of the display. As is well known in the smartphone art, adding a new symbol to the display by dragging a palette of selectable symbols from the edge of the display and dragging the selected symbol from the palette onto the display. it can.

  Throughout this disclosure, the term “audio signal” is used to identify any analog or digital signal that forms part of the signal path from the output of a microphone or telecoil or other input signal to the input of the processor. obtain.

  Throughout this disclosure, the term “deafness corrected audio signal” may be used to identify any analog or digital signal that forms part of the signal path from the output of the signal processor to the input of the output transducer. Binaural hearing aids may be able to automatically classify a user's sound environment into one of a number of sound environment categories, such as conversations, conversations with chatter, restaurant noise, music, traffic noise, etc. Thus, as known in the art, an appropriate signal processing algorithm may be automatically selected.

  Signal processing in the new hearing device system may be performed by dedicated hardware, may be performed by one or more signal processors, or the dedicated hardware and one or more signal processors May be executed in combination.

  As used herein, the terms “processor”, “signal processor”, “controller”, “system”, etc. are either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or running software. Are intended to refer to CPU-related components.

  For example, a “processor”, “signal processor”, “controller”, “system”, etc. may be, but is not limited to, a process, processor, object, executable, thread of execution, and / or program running on the processor. It will never be done.

  By way of example, the terms “processor”, “signal processor”, “controller”, “system”, etc. refer to both applications and hardware processors running on the processor. One or more “processors”, “signal processors”, “controllers”, “systems”, etc., or any combination thereof may exist within a process and / or execution thread. Multiple “processors”, “signal processors”, “controllers”, “systems”, etc., or any combination thereof, on one hardware processor, possibly in combination with other hardware circuits And / or distributed between two or more hardware processors and possibly in combination with other hardware circuits.

  A processor (or similar terminology) can also be any component capable of performing signal processing, or any combination of such multiple components. For example, the signal processor may be an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) processor, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) processor, a general purpose processor, a microprocessor, a circuit element, or an integrated circuit.

  The hearing device system is a hearing device including a first housing that houses a first speaker and a second housing that houses a second speaker, and the user is connected to the first speaker and the second speaker. A hearing device in which the first housing and the second housing are configured to be worn on the respective ears of the user for radiating sound toward the respective ears; A binaural filter connected to the first speaker and the second speaker, the directional transfer function for providing a binaural signal to the first speaker and the second speaker Whereby the input signal is radiated by a sound source located in a direction defined by the directional transfer function and the user A binaural filter that is perceived by: a control device configured to control the hearing device system, wherein the control device displays at least one movable symbol indicating a position of at least one sound source relative to the user A display, a processor, and a controller comprising a user interface for the user to position the at least one symbol on the display, wherein the processor is movable on the display. The directional transfer function of the binaural filter is determined based at least in part on the position of a simple symbol.

  In some cases, the binaural filter is configured to provide an output signal equal to the input signal phase shifted by different values.

  In some cases, the binaural filter is configured to provide an output signal equal to the input signal multiplied by a different gain.

  In some cases, the directional transfer function is a head-related transfer function.

  In some cases, the hearing device system includes a plurality of binaural filters each having a different directional transfer function, one of which is the binaural filter.

  In some cases, the input signal is generated by a device selected from the group consisting of a spurious microphone, a media player, a hearing group system, a video conference system, a radio, a television, a telephone, a local broadcast, and an alarmed device.

  In some cases, one of the first hearing aid housing and the second hearing aid housing contains the binaural filter.

  In some cases, the binaural filter is configured to generate the input signal.

  In some cases, the first speaker and the second speaker are part of a binaural hearing aid.

  In some cases, the binaural hearing aid includes a telecoil configured to provide a telecoil output signal as the input signal.

  A method for providing a hearing device user with a perception of a position of a sound source includes: displaying at least one movable symbol indicating the position of the sound source relative to the user on a display; and for selecting a perception direction of the sound source. Moving the at least one movable symbol to a desired position; selecting a binaural filter comprising a directional transfer function corresponding to the selected perceptual direction of the sound source; and the directional transfer function Radiating a binaural audio signal to the user's ear based on the selected binaural filter, whereby the audio signal is emitted from the sound source located in the selected perceptual direction And the step of perception by the user.

  These and other aspects and features will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

An example of a user's situation is shown roughly. 1 schematically shows an example of a novel hearing device system. 1 schematically shows an example of a novel hearing device system. 1 schematically shows an example of a novel hearing device system. 1 schematically shows an example of a novel hearing device system. 1 schematically shows an example of a novel hearing device system.

  Various embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention or as a limitation on the scope of the invention. Also, the described embodiments need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. The aspects or advantages described in connection with a particular embodiment are not necessarily limited to that embodiment, and may be described in any other manner, even if not described or otherwise specified. The present invention can also be applied to the embodiment.

  A more complete description of the novel method and hearing device system will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings showing various examples of the novel hearing device system. However, the novel method and hearing device system can be implemented in different forms and should not be considered limited to the examples described herein.

  Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Accordingly, detailed description of similar elements will not be made with respect to the description of each drawing.

  The upper part of FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a meeting, where a single participant 100 is equipped with a binaural hearing aid (not shown) and his or her smartphone 110 that controls the binaural hearing aid. A hearing device system (not shown) is used. The smartphone 110 is illustrated in the lower part of FIG. The other participants 102, 104, 106 of the conference are wearing a Spaus microphone (not shown) that transmits the conversation from each conference participant to the binaural hearing aid of participant 100. In addition, participants at remote locations also participate in the conference using a video conference system (not shown).

  Participant 100's smartphone 110 is controlled by a processor (not shown) and is a movable symbol 100 ', 102', 104 ', 106', 108 ', 110, which is at least one movable symbol. It has a display 120 for displaying '. The position on the display 120 of each symbol 100 ′, 102 ′, 104 ′, 106 ′, 108 ′, 110 ′ is the corresponding participant 102, 104, 106 and device, ie television, for the user, ie participant 100. The desired perceived positions of the conference system 108 (not shown) and the smartphone 110 are shown.

  The user 100 touches the target symbol with a fingertip by a method well-known in the field of smartphones, moves the fingertip to a desired position on the display 120, and releases the fingertip from the display 120. The respective symbols 100 ′, 102 ′, 104 ′, 106 ′, 108 ′, 110 ′ can be moved to each other.

  As is well known in the smartphone art, a symbol can be deleted from the display by dragging the symbol to the edge of the display. Adding a new symbol by dragging a palette of selectable symbols from the edge of the display 120 and dragging the selected symbol from the palette onto the display 120, as is well known in the art of smartphones. Can do.

  In FIG. 1, the user 100 has a table in the conference so that the user 100 perceives that the conversation from the participants 102, 104, 106 has come from the real direction of each participant 102, 104, 106. The symbols 102 ′, 104 ′, 106 of the other participants 102, 104, 106 are arranged at positions relative to the symbol 100 ′ of the user 100 corresponding to the relative positions of the surrounding participants.

  In addition, the user 100 indicates that a conversation from a remote participant (not shown) using the video conference system comes from a person seated on the right side of the participant 106 (as viewed from the user) As perceived by 100, a video conference system 108 (not shown) symbol 108 'is placed to the right of the participant 106 symbol 106'.

  Finally, the user 100 listens to his or her smartphone 110 as if the message from his or her smartphone 110 is coming from a person located to the right of the user 100 at the conference table. The symbol 110 ′ is arranged on the right side.

  Each audio signal from participants 102, 104, 106 and devices 108, 110 associated with symbols 102 ', 104', 106 ', 108', 110 'is represented by a corresponding respective symbol 102', 104 ', The smartphone 110 is binaural of the user 100 so as to be filtered by a binaural filter having a directional transfer function corresponding to the position on the display 120 relative to the user's symbol 100 ′ of 106 ′, 108 ′, 110 ′. In a hearing aid with a directional transfer function corresponding to the position of the movable symbol 102 ', 104', 106 ', 108', 110 'relative to the user symbol 100' on the display at the hearing aid (not shown) of the hearing aid Control for selecting binaural filters It is connected using a Bluetooth wireless data interface of a low energy for transmitting the items. Accordingly, the display 120 shows a participant and device map showing the direction of arrival perceived by the user 100 of the audio from the illustrated participants and devices.

  FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the novel hearing device system 10. The hearing device system 10 includes a binaural hearing aid comprising a first hearing aid 10A for the right ear and a second hearing aid 10B for the left ear, a binaural hearing aid 10A, 10B via a data interface, and an audio interface. In order to transmit an audio signal via the control device, a control device, that is, a smartphone 110 interconnected with the binaural hearing aids 10A and 10B is provided. The illustrated hearing device system 10 may use speech synthesis to issue messages and instructions to the user, or speech recognition to receive verbal commands from the user.

  The first hearing aid 10A includes a first microphone 12A for providing a first microphone audio signal 14A in response to sound received by the first microphone 12A. The microphone audio signal 14 </ b> A may be prefiltered in a first prefilter 16 </ b> A well known in the art and input to the signal processor 18.

  The first microphone 12A may include two or more microphones with signal processing circuitry for coupling the microphone signal to the microphone audio signal 14A. For example, the first hearing aid 10A includes two microphones and a beamformer for combining the microphone signal into a microphone audio signal 14A having a desired directional pattern, as is well known in the hearing aid field. May be.

  The first hearing aid 10A is output by a first sound source (not shown) that is not part of the first hearing aid 10A, and the first audio input signal 24A representing the sound received at the first input 20A. The first input 20A is also included.

  The first sound source may be a spous microphone (not shown) carried by a person 102, 104, 106 that the hearing aid user wants to listen to. The spurious microphone output signal is encoded for transmission to the first hearing aid 10A using wireless or wired data transmission. Transmission data representing a Spurus microphone audio signal is received by a receiver and decoder 22A for decoding into a first audio input signal 24A.

  The second hearing aid 10B includes a second microphone 12B for providing a second microphone audio signal 14B in response to the sound received by the second microphone 12B. The microphone audio signal 14B may be prefiltered in a second prefilter 16B well known in the art and input to the signal processor 18.

  The second microphone 12B may include two or more microphones with signal processing circuitry for coupling the microphone signal into the microphone audio signal 14B. For example, the second hearing aid 10B has two microphones and a beamformer for combining the microphone signal into a microphone audio signal 14B having a desired directional pattern, as is well known in the hearing aid field. May be.

  Binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B are output by a second sound source (not shown) and have a second input 26 for providing a second audio input signal 30 representing the sound received at the second input 26. Including.

  The second sound source may be a second Spurs microphone (not shown) carried by the second person 102, 104, 106 that the hearing aid user wishes to listen to. The output signal of the second Spaus microphone is encoded for transmission to binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B using wireless or wired data transmission. Transmitted data representing the Spurs microphone audio signal is received by a receiver and decoder 28 for decoding into a second audio input signal 30.

  The second input 26 and the receiver and decoder 28 may be housed in the first hearing aid 10A or the second hearing aid 10B.

  The binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B, like the second input 26, are further audio inputs that represent the sound output by a further sound source (not shown) that does not form part of the first and second hearing aids 10A, 10B. Additional inputs (not shown) may be provided for providing signals.

  Additional inputs and receivers and decoders may be housed in the first hearing aid 10A or in the second hearing aid 10B.

  The received signals 20A, 26 are deafness corrected, as is well known in the field of hearing aids, and a perceptual spatial separation with respect to the signal source is imparted to the received signal. That is, the user of the hearing system 10 perceives that the corresponding signal source is externalized, i.e., located at a different location in his or her environment away from the center of the user's head. In addition, the audio input signals 24A, 30 are filtered using binaural filters 32A-R, 32A-L, 34-R, 34-L.

  The resulting perceptual spatial separation of the sound source allows the binaural signal processing of the user's auditory system to separate the audio signal so that he or she concentrates on the desired one of the audio signal, or more than one audio Improves ability to hear and understand signals simultaneously. As used herein, the term “signal” (eg, “binaural signal” or “binaural audio signal”, etc.) means one or more signals (eg, different signals to each ear).

  It is also possible to present one audio signal in antiphase. When a speech signal is presented in the user's two ears in anti-phase, i.e., 180 ° shifted relative to each other, the specific direction of arrival of the speech signal is not perceived, but many users are in anti-phase. It has also been found that the conversation signal presented in is easy to separate and understand from other signals.

  In the illustrated novel binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B, a set of two filters 32A-R, 32A-L, and a set of two filters 34-R, 34-L are respectively included in the respective receiver and decoder 22A, 28. Inputs connected to outputs 24A, 30 respectively, outputs 36A-R, 36A-L, and outputs 38-R, 38-L (one of which is output to the right ear) The other, 36A-L, 38-L provide the output signal to the left ear). A set of two filters 32A-R, 32A-L, 34-R, 34-L provides a directional transfer function, such as HRTF 32A, HRTF 34, that provides the selected perceived direction of arrival to the first and second sound sources. Respectively. Although only two audio inputs 20A, 26 with associated circuitry are shown in FIG. 2, the hearing aid 10A, 10B has a further similar audio input (not shown) with similar circuitry (not shown). )It is included.

  The outputs of the filters 32A-R, 32A-L, 34-R, 34-L are processed by the signal processor 18 for deafness correction and the processor output signal 40A intended to be transmitted to the right ear is: Intended to be transmitted to the left ear, connected to the first receiver 42A of the first hearing aid 10A for conversion into an acoustic signal transmitted to the eardrum of the right ear of the user of the binaural hearing aid 10A, 10B. The processed processor output signal 40B is connected to the second receiver 42B of the second hearing aid 10B for conversion into an acoustic signal that is transmitted to the eardrum of the user's left ear of the binaural hearing aid 10A, 10B.

  The directional transfer function of the binaural filter may be determined for each user of the hearing device system 10 so that the HRTF is diffraction around the head that causes HRTF variation between different users. All information related to sound transmission to the user's ears, including reflections from the shoulder, reflections in the ear canal, etc., so that the user is not perceived in the direction of the various sound sources 102, 104, 106, 108, 110 The sense of direction and direction becomes clear.

  A good sense of direction can also be obtained by approximation to an HRTF determined for each person, such as an HRTF determined for a mannequin such as a KEMARK head. Similarly, the approximation is similar to people with specific physical similarities (eg, people of the same age or age group, people of the same race, pinna size similarity) that lead to corresponding similarities in each person's HRTF. HRTFs determined as the average of HRTFs for each of the people in the selected group.

  Good directional sensation is constituted by a binaural filter with a directional transfer function that applies only one or more directional cues, eg interaural time difference (ITD) and / or interaural level difference (ILD), to the input signal. Can also be obtained by approximation to the HRTF determined for each person.

  It should be noted that the binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B shown in FIG. 2 may be constituted by other types of hearing devices, including the binaural hearing aids shown in FIGS.

  In addition, binaural hearing aids 10A and 10B shown in FIG. 2 are ear-hook type, inner-ear type, on-ear type, ear-covering type, neck-turning type, helmet-type, and head guard type, and headsets and headphones. It should be noted that other types of hearing devices may be constructed, such as earphones, ear defenders, and ear muffs.

  The illustrated binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B may be any type of hearing aid, for example, ear-hook (BTE) type, receiver insertion (RIE) type, ear hole (ITE) type, ear canal insertion (ITC) type. The hearing aid may be a complete external auditory canal (CIC) type hearing aid. The illustrated binaural hearing aid may be configured by a single monaural hearing aid worn on one of the user's ears. In that case, the voice in the other ear is a natural voice and inherently includes the HRTF characteristics of each individual user.

  The illustrated binaural hearing aids 10A and 10B have a user interface (not shown) with a push button and a dial, which are also known in conventional hearing aids, for example. With this user interface, the user controls and adjusts the binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B and possibly controls and adjusts the smartphone 110 interconnected to the binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B, eg, selecting media to be played. .

  Further, the microphones of the binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B may be used to receive voice commands from the user. The voice commands are used by the smart phone 110 to recognize the voice, to decode the voice commands, and to control the hearing device system 10 to perform an action defined by each voice command. 110 (not shown).

  The smartphone 110 has a touch screen 120 that is controlled by the processor 130 to display movable symbols, as already described in connection with FIG.

  Depending on the placement of the movable symbols on the touch screen, the processor 130 may have binaural filters 32A-R, 32A-L, 34 with directional characteristics corresponding to the relative positions of the symbols on the touch screen 120. In order to select -R, 34-L, etc., a control signal 140 is transmitted to the binaural hearing aid 10 via the data interface.

  The data interface may be a wired interface, such as a USB interface, or a wireless interface, such as a Bluetooth interface, such as a low energy Bluetooth interface.

  All or some of the binaural filters 32A-R, 32A-L, 34-R, 34-L, etc. are transmitted from the processor with the generated audio signal as a binaural audio signal to the binaural hearing aid 10 via its audio interface. May be internal to the device that generates the audio signal for transmission to the binaural hearing aid 10 such that the corresponding control signal is transmitted to the device comprising the binaural filter of interest.

  Similarly, the processor 130 is a binaural filter housed in the smartphone 110 with a directional characteristic, preferably a head-related transfer function, corresponding to the relative position of the smartphone 110 'symbol relative to the user 100' (see FIG. 1). 150, that is, the filter set 150-L, 150-R, and the binaural output signal 160-L for the left ear and the binaural output signal 160-R for the right ear of the binaural filter 150 are converted into an acoustic binaural signal. Transmit to the processor 18 of the binaural hearing aid 10 via the audio interface for conversion and emission to the user's respective ear.

  The smartphone 110 may output an audio signal representing an arbitrary type of sound such as a conversation from an audio book or a radio, music, a tone sequence, or the like.

  For example, the user may decide to listen to a radio broadcast station while walking, and the smartphone 110 outputs binaural audio signals 160-L and 160-R obtained by reproducing a signal transmitted from a desired radio broadcast station. The binaural audio signals 160-L and 160-R indicate the HRTF specified by the user using the touch screen 120 so as to perceive that the user is listening to the desired radio broadcast station from the direction corresponding to the selected HRTF. Filtering is performed by the provided binaural filter 150, that is, by the filter sets 150-L and 150-R.

  The audio interface may be a wired interface or a wireless interface.

  The data interface and the audio interface may be incorporated into a single interface, such as a USB interface, a Bluetooth interface, or the like.

  A binaural hearing aid may have, for example, a low energy Bluetooth data interface that exchanges control data between the hearing device and the device, and a wired audio interface that exchanges audio signals between the hearing device and the device.

  The illustrated smartphone 110 may include a GPS receiver, a mobile phone, and a WiFi (registered trademark) interface 170.

  FIG. 3 shows the first and second sound sources by introducing a delay equal to the ITD in the direction of arrival of the desired azimuth in the signal path from the first receiver and decoder 22A to one ear of the user. 2 shows another example of a novel hearing device system 10 that is similar to the hearing device system shown in FIG. 2 except for the fact that sufficient perceptual spatial separation is obtained. In the illustrated example, the filter 32A-R introduces a time delay between its input signal 24A and the output signal 36A-R for the user's right ear, but the filter 32A-L shown in FIG. Configured by a direct connection between input 24A and outputs 36A-L.

  An additional audio input (not shown) similar to the audio input 20A, with similar associated circuitry (not shown) that introduces different perceptual orientations for the arrival of the received audio signal, is one of the hearing aids 10A, 10B. Or both.

  In this way, the perceived azimuth of the arrival direction of the first sound source is shifted to, for example, −45 °, but the signal from the second sound source is presented in monaural to the user's ear, ie, the receiver. The output 30 of the decoder 28 is input to the signal processor 18 as a monaural signal and output to both ears of the user. Thus, the first sound source is perceived as being located in the direction determined by the delays 32A-R, for example, at an azimuth angle of 45 °, while the second sound source is perceived as being located at the center in the user's head. Therefore, perceptual space separation between the first sound source and the second sound source can be obtained.

  FIG. 4 shows that the first sound source and the first source by introducing a further delay equal to the ITD in the direction of arrival of the desired second azimuth in the signal path from the second receiver and decoder 28 to one ear of the user. Another example of a novel hearing device system 10 similar to the example shown in FIG. 3 is shown except for the fact that improved perceptual spatial separation between the two sound sources is obtained. For example, filter 34-L introduces a time delay between its input signal 30 and the output signal 38-L for the user's left ear, while filter 34-R shown in FIG. It is constituted by a short circuit between R.

  In this way, the perceived azimuth angle of the arrival direction of the second sound source is shifted to + 45 °, for example, but the perceived azimuth angle of the arrival direction of the first sound source remains shifted to −45 °, for example. . Thus, while the first sound source is perceived to be located in the direction determined by the delays 32A-R, for example, at an azimuth angle of -45 °, the second sound source is the direction determined by the delay 34-L. For example, since it is perceived to be located at an azimuth angle of + 45 °, an improved perceptual space separation between the first sound source and the second sound source can be obtained.

  2, 3 and 4, the dotted lines indicate the housings of the first and second hearing aids 10A, 10B that house the components of the binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B. Each housing includes one or more microphones 12A, 12B that receive sound at each ear of the user that each hearing aid 10A, 10B intends to correct for hearing loss, and each eardrum of the user's right and left ears. Each receiver 42A, 42B that converts each output signal 40A, 40B of the signal processor 18 into an acoustic signal that is transmitted towards is accommodated.

  The remaining circuitry may be arbitrarily distributed between the two hearing aid housings depending on the design choices made by the designer of the hearing device system 10. The respective signals in the binaural hearing aids shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 may be transmitted between the hearing aids 10A and 10B by wired or wireless transmission in a manner well known in the field of signal transmission.

  FIG. 5 shows that the second hearing aid 10B does not have a signal processor 18 and provides a first audio input signal and a second audio input signal that represent sounds from the first sound source and the second sound source, respectively. FIG. 3 shows another example of the novel hearing device system 10 shown in FIG. 2 that has no input to do. The second hearing aid 10B is required to transmit the microphone audio signal 14B for signal processing at the one or more second microphones 12B, the second receiver 42B, and the first hearing aid 10A. Only an encoder and a transmitter (not shown) and a receiver and decoder (not shown) for receiving the output signal 40B of the signal processor 18A are included. The remaining circuitry shown in FIG. 1 is housed in the housing of the first hearing aid 10A.

  FIG. 6 shows another example of the novel hearing device system 10 shown in FIG. 2 where the first hearing aid 10A and the second hearing aid 10B together include a microphone, a receiver, and a hearing aid processor.

Therefore, the illustrated novel binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B
A first input 20A for providing a first audio input signal 24A representative of the sound output by the first sound source and received at the first input 20A;
Equal to the first audio input signal for filtering the first audio input signal 24A multiplied by a first left gain different from the first right gain and the first right gain, respectively, and / or Output first right-ear signal 36A-R for the right ear and first left-ear signal 36A-L for the left ear that are separately phase shifted to result in a first phase shift relative to each other. First binaural filters 32A-R, 32A-L configured to:
A first ear receiver 42A for converting the first ear receiver input signal 40A into an acoustic signal for transmission toward the eardrum of the user's first ear of the binaural hearing aids 10A, 10B;
A second input 26B for providing a second audio input signal 30B representative of the sound output by the second sound source and received at the second input 26B;
Equal to the second audio input signal for filtering the second audio input signal 30B multiplied by a second left gain different from the second right gain and the second right gain, respectively, and / or The second right-ear signal 38B-R for the right ear and the second for the left ear, phase-shifted separately to each other resulting in a second phase shift that is different from the first phase shift. Second binaural filters 34B-R, 34B-L configured to output a left ear signal 38B-L;
Including a first hearing aid 10A including
First and second right ear signals 36A-R, 38B-R are provided to first ear receiver input 40A;
The first and second left ear signals 36A-L, 38B-L are provided to the second ear receiver input 40B.

  While specific embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention described in the claims, and are described in the claims. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The claimed invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

Claims (12)

Hearing aid system:
A first hearing aid comprising a first housing for housing a first speaker and a second hearing aid comprising a second housing for housing a second speaker, wherein the first speaker and the second hearing aid The first housing and the second housing are configured to be attached to the respective ears of the user for radiating sound from the speaker toward the respective ears of the user. A second hearing aid and a second hearing aid;
A binaural filter having an input signal and connected to the first speaker and the second speaker, the directivity for providing a binaural signal to the first speaker and the second speaker A binaural filter having a transfer function so that the input signal is radiated by a sound source located in a direction defined by the directional transfer function and perceived by the user;
A controller configured to control the hearing aid system, comprising:
A display for displaying at least one movable symbol indicating a position of at least one sound source relative to the user;
A processor connected to control the display;
A control device comprising a user interface for the user to position the at least one symbol on the display;
With
The processor is configured to determine the directional transfer function of the binaural filter based at least in part on a position of the at least one movable symbol on the display;
A hearing aid system, wherein the input signal is generated by a Spurus microphone.   The hearing aid system of claim 1, wherein the binaural filter is configured to provide an output signal equal to a phase shift of the input signal by different values.   The hearing aid system of claim 1, wherein the binaural filter is configured to provide an output signal equal to an input signal multiplied by a different gain.   The hearing aid system of claim 1, wherein the directional transfer function is a head-related transfer function.   The hearing aid system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of binaural filters each having a different directional transfer function, one of which is the binaural filter.   The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the input signal is generated by a device selected from the group consisting of a Spurus microphone, a media player, a hyaline group system, a video conferencing system, a radio, a television, a telephone, a local broadcast, and an alarmed device. system.   The hearing aid system of claim 1, wherein one of the first housing and the second housing contains the binaural filter.   The hearing aid system of claim 1, wherein the device for generating the input signal comprises the binaural filter. A posture sensor unit for detecting the posture of the user's head;
The binaural filter is based on the sensed posture of the user's head at least in part so that the user perceives that the at least one sound source remains in a fixed position. The hearing aid system of claim 1, wherein the hearing aid system is configured to determine another directional transfer function.   The hearing aid system of claim 1, wherein the first speaker and the second speaker are part of a binaural hearing aid.   The hearing aid system of claim 10, wherein the binaural hearing aid comprises a telecoil configured to provide a telecoil output signal as the input signal. To the user of the hearing aid system of claim 1, a method of giving the perception of the position of the spa mouse microphone:
Displaying said at least one movable symbols indicating the location of the spa mortar microphone for said user on said display;
Moving the at least one movable symbol to a desired position to select a perceptual direction of the spous microphone;
And selecting the binaural filter comprising said directional transfer function corresponding to the selected perceived direction of the spa mouse microphone;
Based on the binaural filters the selected comprising said directional transfer function, comprising the steps of emitting binaural audio signals to the ear of the user, said that thereby located perceived direction in which the sound signal is said selected A method comprising the step of perceiving by the user as being emitted from a spous microphone.

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