136results about "Electronic input selection/mixing" patented technology

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

A hearing system comprises a hearing device configured to be worn by a wearer, the hearing device comprising one or more microphones, an acoustic transducer, audio circuitry coupled to the one or more microphones and the acoustic transducer, and a controller coupled to the audio circuitry. The controller is configured to detect a wearer interaction with the hearing device, determine a context of the wearer's use of the hearing device, obtain user data for groups of a population of hearing device users based on user interaction with, and context of use of, the users' hearing devices, determine an operational change to the hearing device based on the wearer interaction, the context, and the user data that corresponds to the wearer's interaction and context, and apply the operational change to the hearing device.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

A method for noise suppression in a hearing instrument includes using an acousto-electric input transducer of the hearing instrument to generate an input signal from ambient sound. A frequency-band-wise noise suppression is applied to a processing signal derived from the input signal. Stationary noise is detected in the respective frequency band, and depending on the detected stationary noise, an amplification factor of the processing signal is set for the relevant frequency band. An analysis adapted to detect stationary and non-stationary noise is applied to the processing signal. The analysis has a lower frequency resolution than the frequency-band-wise noise suppression and, upon detected presence of stationary and / or non-stationary noise in the analysis of the processing signal, the stationary noise in the frequency-band-wise noise suppression is presumed to be detected in each frequency band, and the corresponding amplification factors are set.

The present application discloses an active echo canceller for a hearing device, where the hearing device comprises an output interface configured to output a first sound based on a far-end signal, an input interface configured to provide a plurality of input audio signals indicative of the first sound and a near-end sound, and one or more processors, a filter configured to: filter a first filter input signal based on a far-end signal using a first filter to provide a first filtered signal, the first filter configured to estimate an echo signal originating from a first sound; combining the first filtered output signal with a first input signal to provide a first output signal; filtering a second filter input signal based on the plurality of input audio signals using a second filter to provide a second filtered signal, the second filter configured to attenuate the near-end sound; combining the second filtered output signal with the first filtered output signal to provide an update signal; one or more first filter coefficients of the first filter are updated based on the update signal.

The present invention relates to an over-ear headset-type hearing aid that has a Bluetooth audio function and that is configured to prevent howling, and provides: an over-ear headset-type hearing aid with a Bluetooth audio function, which is equipped with over-ear type headsets that cover ears of a user, a headband that connects the headsets and elastically supports same, and a head cushion, and which has microphones embedded between the head cushion and respective microphone holes in the headband; and an embodiment of a circuit configuration.

The invention describes a method for noise reduction in a hearing instrument (1), wherein an acousto-electrical input transducer (E1) of the hearing instrument (1) generates an input signal (E1) from ambient sound (2), wherein a frequency-bandwise noise reduction (21) is applied to a processing signal (V1) derived from the input signal (E1), in which stationary noise in the respective frequency band (Bj, Bk) is detected, and depending on the detected stationary noise, a gain factor (Gk) of the processing signal (V1) for the respective frequency band (Bj, Bk) is set, wherein an analysis (12) is applied to the processing signal (V1), which is configured to detect both stationary and non-stationary noise, wherein said analysis (12) has a lower frequency resolution than the frequency-bandwise noise reduction (21).and wherein, in the case of a detected presence (Y) of stationary and / or non-stationary noise in said analysis (12) of the processing signal (V1), the stationary noise is assumed to be detected in the frequency-bandwise noise suppression (21) in each frequency band (Bj, Bk), and the corresponding gain factors (Gk) are set.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a hearing device. The hearing device can filter a first filter input signal to provide a first filtered signal, where filtering is performed to estimate an echo in a first input signal. The hearing device can combine a first filtered output signal with the first input signal to provide a first output signal, the first filtered output signal is based on the first filtered signal. The hearing device can filter a second filter input signal to provide a second filtered signal, where the filtering is performed to attenuate a near-end sound. The hearing device can combine the second filtered output signal with the first filtered output signal to provide an update signal, where the second filtered output signal is based on the second filtered signal. The hearing device can update one or more filter coefficients based on the update signal.

A method for a wireless personal communication using a hearing system (10) with a hearing device (12) comprises: monitoring and analyzing the user's acoustic environment by the hearing device (12) to recognize one or more speaking persons based on content-independent speaker voiceprints saved in the hearing system (10); and presenting a user interface to the user for notifying the user about a recognized speaking person and for establishing, joining or leaving a wireless personal communication connection between the hearing device (12) and one or more communication devices used by the one or more recognized speaking persons.

The invention relates to a method (14) for operating a hearing device (2), in which an input signal (20) is generated as a function of ambient sound (18). A first signal component (32) and a second signal component (43) are extracted from the input signal (20), the first signal component (32) corresponding to speech (22) of a user and the second signal component (34) corresponding to speech (24) of another person. A first processed signal (42) is generated from the first signal component (32) and the first amplification factor (40), and a second processed signal (54) is generated from the second signal component (34) and the second amplification factor (52). The two processed signals (42, 54) are combined into an output signal (80). In this case, the second amplification factor (52) is selected as a function of a difference (48) between a level of the first processed signal (42) and a level of the second processed signal (54). The invention also relates to a hearing device (2).

An apparatus can include a first ear simulator coupler configured to receive a first hearing device within a first aperture, with an acoustic microphone provided below the first aperture to capture first audio input data associated with the first ear simulator coupler. A second ear simulator coupler can comprise a second aperture configured to receive a contact hearing device ear tip, the second ear simulator coupler including a receive coil configured to obtain a second audio input data corresponding to a transmitted signal from the contact hearing device ear tip when inserted within the second ear simulator coupler. The apparatus can include an audio output port can be connected by a switch to a selected one of a first audio processing path corresponding to a simulated hearing experience of the first hearing device, or a second audio processing path corresponding to a simulated hearing experience of the contact hearing device.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a hearing aid system. The hearing aid system can include a hearing aid configured to be worn by a user. A remote input unit can be configured to provide a remote audio signal. One or more processing units can be configured to obtain the plurality of local input audio signals, obtain the remote audio signal, beamform the plurality of local input audio signals to determine a front-facing beamformed signal, and determine a prime candidate signal based on the front-facing beamformed signal and the remote audio signal.

Improved hearing systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a hearing system includes memory device(s), audio input device(s) configured to receive audio input signals including audio information arising from a plurality of sound sources, audio output device(s), and processing device(s). During an inference mode, the processing device(s) are configured to operate in accordance with the first neural network to generate intermediate output signals that, to a higher degree than in the audio information, reflect or emphasize at least one desired sound source component of the audio information arising from a desired one of the sound sources of the plurality of sound sources determined to be the desired one of the sound sources at least indirectly based upon a first undershot angle evident from the audio information. The audio output device(s) are configured to generate audio output signals based at least indirectly upon the intermediate output signals.

Various implementations include hearing assist devices and systems for processing audio signals. In particular implementations, a process includes receiving an input signal via a microphone; performing a sound pressure level (SPL) shift that decreases a gain of the input signal to generate a gain reduced audio signal; amplifying the gain reduced audio signal using dynamic range compression to generate an amplified audio signal; generating a noise reduced amplified signal using active noise reduction that simultaneously processes the input signal; and outputting the noise reduced amplified signal to an electrodynamic transducer.

The invention describes a method for noise reduction in a hearing instrument (1), wherein an acousto-electrical input transducer (E1) of the hearing instrument (1) generates an input signal (E1) from ambient sound (2), wherein a frequency-bandwise noise reduction (21) is applied to a processing signal (V1) derived from the input signal (E1), in which stationary noise in the respective frequency band (Bj, Bk) is detected, and depending on the detected stationary noise, a gain factor (Gk) of the processing signal (V1) for the respective frequency band (Bj, Bk) is set, wherein an analysis (12) is applied to the processing signal (V1), which is configured to detect both stationary and non-stationary noise, wherein said analysis (12) has a lower frequency resolution than the frequency-bandwise noise reduction (21).and wherein, in the case of a detected presence (Y) of stationary and / or non-stationary noise in said analysis (12) of the processing signal (V1), the stationary noise in the frequency-bandwise noise suppression (21) is assumed to be detected in each frequency band (Bj, Bk), and the corresponding gain factors (Gk) are set.

A method for a wireless personal communication using a hearing system (10) with a hearing device (12) comprises: monitoring and analyzing the user's acoustic environment by the hearing device (12) to recognize one or more speaking persons based on content-independent speaker voiceprints saved in the hearing system (10); and presenting a user interface to the user for notifying the user about a recognized speaking person and for establishing, joining or leaving a wireless personal communication connection between the hearing device (12) and one or more communication devices used by the one or more recognized speaking persons.

An electronic apparatus may include a memory, a communication interface configured to perform communication with an external server and at least one processor including processing circuitry, and the at least one processor may be configured to obtain audio data for ambient sound, obtain a target audio signal of a preset type from the audio data, obtain sound quality information of the target audio signal, based on the sound quality information being not equal to or greater than a threshold grade, transmit the target audio signal to the external server through the communication interface, receive a source audio signal corresponding to the target audio signal from the external server through the communication interface, identify a playback time of the source audio signal based on the target audio signal, and provide a synthesized audio signal in which an inversion signal corresponding to the audio data and the source audio signal are synthesized based on the playback time.

A hearing aid configured to be worn by a user is provided. The hearing aid comprises a wireless receiver unit configured to receive, at least when said hearing aid is in a wireless reception mode, a wireless signal from a transmitter of another device or system, to provide an audio input signal based thereon, and to identify said audio input signal as originating from one of a multitude of different types of audio transmitters. The hearing aid comprises a first noise reduction system for reducing noise in at least one electric input signal picked up from an environment of the user and for providing a noise reduced signal. The hearing aid comprises an own voice detector configured to provide an own voice control signal indicative of whether or not or with what probability the user's own voice is present in said sound from the environment of the user. The hearing aid comprises an input gain controller configured to apply an input gain to the noise reduced signal in dependence of said own voice control signal and said type of audio transmitter.

A hearing device is disclosed. The hearing device comprises an interface and a processor. The hearing device is configured to obtain a microphone input signal from a microphone of the hearing device. The hearing device is configured to obtain a transceiver input signal from a transceiver of the interface. The hearing device is configured to determine a time offset between the microphone input signal and the transceiver input signal. The hearing device is configured to determine a time delay based on the time offset. The hearing device is configured to process the transceiver input signal for providing an output signal, wherein processing the transceiver input signal comprises applying the time delay to the transceiver input signal for providing a delayed transceiver input signal. The hearing device is configured to provide the output signal to a receiver of the hearing device for providing an audio output signal.

A hearing aid configured to be worn by a user comprises an input processing unit comprising at least one input transducer for providing at least one input audio signal representative of sound, the input processing unit providing at least one processed input audio signal in dependence of said at least one input audio signal; a sound scene analyzer for analyzing said sound in said at least one input audio signal and providing a sound scene control signal indicative of a current sound environment; a notification unit configured to provide a notification signal in response to a notification request signal indicative of a request for conveying a specific message to the user; an output processing unit for presenting stimuli perceivable as sound to the user in dependence of said at least one processed input audio signal and said notification signal. The notification signal is determined in response to said notification request signal and the sound scene control signal.

The invention relates to the technical field of intelligent auditory enhancement and digital signal processing, in particular to an intelligent hearing aid mode switching system and method, and the system comprises a panoramic sound field sensing unit which is used for calculating a sound field uncertainty index; the body motion intention capturing unit is used for resolving gaze point transfer intensity and a real-time motion vector; the heterogeneous feature decoupling and fusion unit is used for being connected with the capturing unit; when the sound field uncertainty index is greater than a preset sound field uncertainty threshold value and the fixation point transfer intensity is greater than a preset fixation point transfer intensity threshold value, generating a parameter freezing signal; the parameter freezing signal is used for calculating a beam lead compensation angle; the wave beam pointing is driven to perform same-direction advanced deflection; the auditory perception feedback optimization unit is used for generating a correction feedback signal when the definition index is reduced; according to the method, the problem of frequent mistaken switching in a high-dynamic complex environment is solved, and the continuity and the stability of auditory perception of a user in a sound source searching process are ensured.

A method of audio signal processing, a hearing system and a hearing device. A primary input audio signal is obtained using an audio input unit of a hearing device. A secondary input audio signal is obtained using a second device of the hearing system. The secondary input audio signal is transmitted from the second device to the hearing device. A level feature is determined based on the primary and secondary input audio signals using a feature estimation unit of the hearing device. An output audio signal is obtained by an audio processing unit, wherein the level feature is used for steering at least one audio processing routine of the audio processing unit. The output audio signal is outputted by an audio output unit of the hearing device.

A method for calibrating an implantable adaptive body noise reduction system includes capturing an externally generated body noise reference signal with at least one sound sensor and at least one vibration sensor; operating the implantable adaptive body noise reduction system based on the externally generated body noise reference signal; monitoring the operation of the implantable adaptive body noise reduction system to identify a convergence point; and setting one or more parameters of the implantable adaptive body noise reduction system based on the convergence point.

The invention relates to a voice data processing method and a binaural hearing aid. The method is applied to the binaural hearing aid, the binaural hearing aid comprises a first hearing aid and a second hearing aid, and the method comprises the following steps: respectively acquiring voice data acquired by the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid, extracting voiceprint features in the voice data under the condition of judging that potential self-talking voice exists in the voice data, the voiceprint features are compared with stored standard voiceprint features of the user, a comparison result is obtained, the standard voiceprint features are obtained by processing voice sample data of the user, and the voice sample data comprise near-talking voice data collected by a first hearing aid close to the mouth of the user; and if the comparison result shows that the self-talking voice exists in the voice data, performing enhancement processing on the voice data. By adopting the method, more accurate self-talking voice detection can be realized.

A hearing device comprises a first microphone for provision of a first microphone input signal, and a second microphone for provision of a second microphone input signal; a voice detector module for processing the first and second microphone input signals, the voice detector module configured to detect own-voice of a user; a processor for provision of an electrical output signal; and a receiver for providing an audio output signal, wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine a direction parameter indicative of a direction of a sound source based on first and / or second microphone input signal; determine whether a direction criterion based on the direction parameter is satisfied; determine a first distance parameter indicative of a distance to the sound source; determine whether a distance criterion based on the first distance parameter is satisfied; and provide a voice detector output.

A hearing aid system comprising a hearing aid configured to be worn by a user configured to provide a plurality of local input audio signals. A remote input unit configured to provide a remote audio signal. One or more processing units configured to obtain the plurality of local input audio signals, obtain the remote audio signal, beamform the plurality of local input audio signals to determine a front-facing beamformed signal, and determine a prime candidate signal based on the front-facing beamformed signal and the remote audio signal.

A hearing system comprises: a first hearing device; and a second hearing device; wherein the first hearing device comprises a first microphone system configured to provide a first microphone signal, a first processing unit, a first communication unit, and a first antenna; wherein the second hearing device comprises a second processing unit, a second communication unit, a second antenna, and a receiver configured to provide an audio output; wherein the first hearing device has a first and a second mode of operation; wherein, when the first hearing device is in the first mode of operation, the first hearing device is configured to transmit a first microphone signal or an audio signal based on the first microphone signal to the second hearing device over the wireless communication link; and wherein the wireless communication link is disabled when the first hearing device is in the second mode of operation.

Improved hearing systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a hearing system includes memory device(s), audio input device(s) configured to receive audio input signals including audio information arising from a plurality of sound sources, audio output device(s), and processing device(s). During an inference mode, the processing device(s) are configured to operate in accordance with the first neural network to generate intermediate output signals that, to a higher degree than in the audio information, reflect or emphasize at least one desired sound source component of the audio information arising from a desired one of the sound sources of the plurality of sound sources determined to be the desired one of the sound sources at least indirectly based upon a first undershot angle evident from the audio information. The audio output device(s) are configured to generate audio output signals based at least indirectly upon the intermediate output signals.