Hearing aid

Abstract

To provide a hearing aid that improves the effect of hearing compensation.SOLUTION: A hearing aid 10 includes a signal input module 100 that receives an initial sound and converts the initial sound into an electrical signal, a signal processing module 200 that processes the electrical signal to generate a control signal, and at least one output transducer 300 that converts the control signal into user's bone-conducted sound waves and air-conducted sound waves that can be heard by user's ears. The sound intensity of the air-conducted sound audible to the user's ear is within a target frequency range. The air-conducted sound wave is transmitted to the user's ear, so that it is higher than the sound intensity of the initial sound received by the signal input module.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present application relates to the field of acoustics, and in particular to hearing aids. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional hearing aids can provide users with hearing compensation through bone conduction or air conduction. In some hearing aids (e.g., hearing aids), the bone conduction sound transmission method causes the strength of the vibration signal generated in some frequency bands to be insufficient due to the performance of the bone conduction vibrator, so the effect of hearing compensation through bone conduction is not ideal. In addition, for conductive hearing loss, the conventional air conduction hearing aids may cause a situation where the difference in air conduction sound threshold is large in some frequency bands, making it difficult to perform hearing compensation through air conduction, and when a user needs to hear sounds in a wide frequency range or multiple frequency bands, the above problem will cause a poor listening experience for the user. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a hearing aid device that performs hearing compensation by combining bone conduction and air conduction methods, which can improve the hearing compensation effect in a specific frequency band of a user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] A hearing assistance device according to one embodiment of the present application includes a signal input module configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electrical signal, a signal processing module configured to process the electrical signal to generate a control signal, and at least one output transducer configured to convert the control signal into a user's bone-conducted sound waves and air-conducted sound waves audible to the user's ear, wherein within a target frequency range, the air-conducted sound waves are transmitted to the user's ear such that the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound audible to the user's ear is higher than the sound intensity of the initial sound received by the signal input module.

[0005] In some embodiments, the target frequency range is between 200 Hz and 8000 Hz.

[0006] In some embodiments, the target frequency range is between 500 Hz and 6000 Hz.

[0007] In some embodiments, the target frequency range is between 750 Hz and 1000 Hz.

[0008] In some embodiments, the signal processing module includes a signal processing unit including a frequency division module configured to divide the electrical signal into high frequency band components and low frequency band components, a high frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a high frequency output signal based on the high frequency band components, and a low frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a low frequency output signal based on the low frequency components.

[0009] In some embodiments, the electrical signal includes a high-frequency output signal corresponding to a high-frequency band component of the initial sound and a low-frequency output signal corresponding to a low-frequency band component of the initial sound, and the signal processing unit includes a high-frequency signal processing module configured to generate a high-frequency output signal based on the high-frequency band component, and a low-frequency signal processing module configured to generate a low-frequency output signal based on the low-frequency band component.

[0010] In some embodiments, the signal processing module further comprises a power amplifier configured to amplify the high frequency output signal or the low frequency output signal into the control signal.

[0011] In some embodiments, the output transducer includes a first vibrating component electrically connected to the signal processing module to receive the control signal and generate the bone-conducted sound waves based on the control signal, and a housing coupled to the first vibrating component to generate the air-conducted sound waves upon driving the first vibrating component.

[0012] In some embodiments, the connection between the housing and the first vibrating component is a rigid connection.

[0013] In some embodiments, the housing and the first vibrating component are connected to the first vibrating component by a resilient member.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first vibrating component includes a magnetic circuit system configured to generate a first magnetic field, a diaphragm connected to the housing, and a coil connected to the diaphragm and electrically connected to the signal processing module to receive the control signal and generate a second magnetic field based on the control signal, wherein the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field interact with each other, causing the diaphragm to generate the bone conduction sound waves.

[0015] In some embodiments, the diaphragm and the housing define a cavity, the magnetic circuit system is located within the cavity, and the magnetic circuit system is connected to the housing by a resilient member.

[0016] In some embodiments, the vibration output force level corresponding to the bone conducted acoustic waves is greater than 55 dB.

[0017] In some embodiments, the hearing aid device further includes at least one second vibrating component configured to generate additional air-conducted sound waves, which in a target frequency range increase the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear.

[0018] In some embodiments, the at least one second vibrating component is a vibrating membrane structure connected to the housing, and the at least one output transducer excites the vibrating membrane structure to generate the additional air-conducted sound waves.

[0019] In some embodiments, the at least one second vibratory component is an air conducted speaker configured to generate the additional air conducted sound waves based on the control signal.

[0020] In some embodiments, the hearing aid device further includes a fixation structure configured to mount the hearing aid device so that the hearing aid device is positioned on the mastoid process, temporal bone, parietal bone, frontal bone, pinna, within the ear canal or concha of the user's head. Effect of the Invention

[0021] An auditory assistance device according to one embodiment of the present application includes a signal input module configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electrical signal, a signal processing module configured to process the electrical signal to generate a control signal, and at least one output transducer configured to convert the control signal into a user's bone-conducted sound waves and air-conducted sound waves heard by the user's ear, wherein the auditory assistance device includes an operating state and a non-operating state, generates the air-conducted sound waves in the operating state and does not generate the air-conducted sound waves in the non-operating state, and within a target frequency range, the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear in the operating state is higher than the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear in the non-operating state.

[0022] The present application will be further illustrated by exemplary embodiments, which are not limiting and are illustrated in the figures, in which like numbers refer to like structures. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a hearing aid device according to some embodiments of the present application; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a signal processing unit according to some embodiments of the present application. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an output transducer according to some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a frequency response diagram of the maximum force level (OFL60) of the bone conduction component output from a hearing assistance device according to some embodiments of the present application in a reference sound environment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a frequency response diagram of the maximum sound-force sensitivity level (AMSL) of the bone-conducted component output from a hearing aid device according to some embodiments of the present application in a reference environment. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the sound pressure level of the air conduction component output in a reference environment from a hearing assistance device shown in some embodiments of the present application. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a gain diagram of the air conduction component output from a hearing aid device according to some embodiments of the present application in a reference environment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the position distribution of hearing assistance devices according to some embodiments of the present application when worn. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] In order to more clearly describe the technical means of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings necessary for the description of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can apply the present application to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without creative efforts. Unless otherwise clear from the language environment or described otherwise, the same numbers in the drawings indicate the same structures or operations.

[0025] It should be understood that the terms "system," "apparatus," "unit," and / or "module" used herein are ways of distinguishing between different levels of assemblies, elements, parts, portions, or constructions, however, other terms may be used in place of the above terms if they accomplish the same purpose.

[0026] As used in this application and the claims, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, terms such as "a," "one," "one kind," and / or "the" do not specifically refer to the singular but may include the plural. In general, the terms "comprise" and "containing" are intended to indicate only the inclusion of explicitly identified steps and elements, and these steps and elements are not intended to be an exclusive listing, and a method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0027] In the field of hearing aids, air conduction hearing aids or bone conduction hearing aids are usually used to provide hearing compensation to hearing-impaired people. Conventional air conduction speakers provide hearing compensation to hearing-impaired people by amplifying air conduction sound signals. However, for conductive hearing-impaired people, the difference in air conduction sound thresholds in some frequency bands may be large, which makes it difficult to provide hearing compensation using air conduction sound. Bone conduction hearing aids provide hearing compensation to hearing-impaired people by converting sound signals into vibration signals (bone conduction sound). However, bone conduction hearing aids are subject to performance influences, so the strength of the vibration signals generated in some frequency bands is insufficient, making it difficult to achieve ideal compensation effects, or bone conduction hearing aids cause discomfort to users if excessive vibration occurs in some frequency bands.

[0028] In order to improve the hearing compensation effect of the hearing aid device, the hearing aid device according to the present application provides hearing compensation to a user simultaneously in a bone conduction manner and an air conduction manner. In some embodiments, the hearing aid device may include a signal input module, a signal processing module, and at least one output transducer. The signal input module is configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electrical signal, the signal processing module is configured to process the electrical signal to generate a control signal, and the at least one output transducer is configured to convert the control signal into a bone conduction sound wave of a user and an air conduction sound wave heard by the user's ear. Within a target frequency range (e.g., 200Hz to 8000Hz), the air conduction sound wave is transmitted to the user's ear, so that the sound intensity of the air conduction sound heard by the user's ear is higher than the sound intensity of the initial sound received by the signal input module. In this case, the air conduction sound wave generated by the hearing aid device is superimposed on the bone conduction sound wave to increase the sound intensity of the sound perceived by the user's ear, thereby improving the hearing compensation effect of the hearing aid device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the bone-conducted sound waves and the air-conducted sound waves may be generated by the same output transducer (e.g., a bone-conducted vibration component). The output transducer converts a control signal into air-conducted sound waves audible to the user's ear, which may be understood as the housing of the hearing aid generating air-conducted sound waves (which may be referred to as leakage sound of the hearing aid) by driving the output transducer. In addition, the housing of the hearing aid may further be formed with a sound guide hole that satisfies certain conditions. The sound guide hole can conduct sound within the housing of the hearing aid and be superimposed with the leakage sound caused by the vibration of the housing to jointly form air-conducted sound waves audible to the user's ear.

[0030] In some embodiments, the hearing aid device may include a bone conduction vibration part (also referred to as a first vibration part) and an air conduction vibration part (also referred to as a second vibration part) at the same time. The bone conduction sound wave and the air conduction sound wave may be generated by the bone conduction vibration part and the air conduction vibration part, respectively. During use, the signal processing module processes the electric signal for generating the air conduction sound wave and the electric signal for generating the bone conduction sound wave according to the actual situation, respectively, so as to meet different requirements for hearing compensation in different environments of different hearing-impaired people or the same hearing-impaired people.

[0031] 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a hearing prosthesis according to some embodiments of the present application. As shown in FIG. 1, the hearing prosthesis 10 may include a signal input module 100, a signal processing module 200, and at least one output transducer 300.

[0032] The signal input module 100 is configured to receive an initial sound and convert the received initial sound into an electrical signal. In some embodiments, the signal input module 100 may include a microphone 110 or / and an audio interface 120. In some embodiments, the microphone 110 may include an air conduction microphone, a bone conduction microphone, a remote microphone, a digital microphone, etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the remote microphone may include a wired microphone, a wireless microphone, a broadcast microphone, etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the number of microphones 110 may be one or more, and when the number of microphones 110 is multiple, the type of microphone 110 may be one or more. In some embodiments, the initial sound may include a sound transmitted from an external environment to the signal input module 100 in an air conduction manner. For example, the microphone 110 may convert the collected air vibration into an analog signal (electrical signal). The audio interface 120 is configured to receive the digital or analog signal of the microphone 110. In some embodiments, audio interface 120 may include an analog audio interface, a digital audio interface, a wired audio interface, a wireless audio interface, etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, signal input module 100 may directly receive electrical signals transmitted in a wired or wireless manner. For example, audio interface 120 may receive any digital or analog signal corresponding to audio from an external device in a wired or wireless manner.

[0033] The signal processing module 200 may be configured to process the electrical signal input by the signal input module 100 to generate a control signal. The control signal controls the bone-conducted sound waves and / or air-conducted sound waves output by the output transducer 300. In the embodiments herein, bone-conducted sound waves refer to sound waves in which mechanical vibrations are conducted through bone to the cochlea of ​​a user and perceived by the user (also referred to as "bone-conducted sound"), and air-conducted sound waves refer to sound waves in which mechanical vibrations are conducted through air to the cochlea of ​​a user and perceived by the user (also referred to as "air-conducted sound").

[0034] In some embodiments, the signal processing module 200 may include a signal processing unit 210. The signal processing unit 210 may process the received electrical signal. For example, the signal processing unit 210 may perform frequency-based processing on the electrical signal to classify the electrical signal in different frequency bands. Also, for example, the signal processing unit 210 may perform noise reduction processing on the electrical signal to remove noise in the electrical signal (e.g., the electrical signal corresponding to the noise received by the signal input module 100). In some embodiments, the signal processing module 200 may further include at least one power amplifier 220. The power amplifier 220 may amplify the received electrical signal. In some embodiments, the order in which the signal processing unit 210 and the power amplifier 220 process the signals in the signal processing module 200 is not limited. For example, in some embodiments, the signal processing unit 210 may process the electrical signal output by the signal input module 100 to be one or more signals, and then the power amplifier 220 may amplify the one or more signals to generate the control signal. In some alternative embodiments, the power amplifier 220 may amplify the electrical signal output by the signal input module 100, and then the signal processing unit 210 may process the amplified electrical signal to generate one or more control signals. In some embodiments, the signal processing unit 210 may be located between multiple power amplifiers 220. For example, the power amplifier 220 may include a first power amplifier and a second power amplifier, and the signal processing unit 210 is located between the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier, and the first power amplifier amplifies the electrical signal output by the signal input module 100, and then the signal processing unit 210 processes the amplified electrical signal to generate one or more control signals, and then the second power amplifier performs power method processing based on the one or more control signals. In other embodiments, the signal processing module 200 may only include the signal processing unit 210 and not include the power amplifier 220. More details about the signal processing module 200 can be found elsewhere in this application (e.g., FIG. 2 and related descriptions), and therefore will not be repeated here.

[0035] At least one output transducer 300 may be configured to convert the control signals generated by the signal processing module 200 into bone-conducted sound waves and air-conducted sound waves audible to the user's ear. In this application, a transducer refers to a component that can convert an electrical signal into a vibration signal.

[0036] In some embodiments, at least one output transducer 300 includes a bone conduction vibration component. The bone conduction vibration component fits to the user's face, thereby transmitting a vibration signal to the cochlea through the skull. At the same time, the vibration signal can vibrate the housing of the bone conduction vibration component to generate air-conducted sound waves that are heard by the user's ear. In some embodiments, by designing the structure of the bone conduction vibration component and adjusting the processing manner of the electrical signal by different modules of the signal processing module 200, the air-conducted sound waves generated by the bone conduction vibration component meet certain requirements, for example, within a target frequency range (e.g., 200Hz to 8000Hz), the air-conducted sound waves generated by the bone conduction vibration component are transmitted to the user's ear (cochlea), so that the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user when the hearing aid 10 is worn is higher than the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user when the hearing aid 10 is not worn. That is, the bone conduction vibration component generates bone conduction sound waves and amplifies the air conduction sound heard by the user, thereby simultaneously providing hearing compensation to the user through bone conduction and air conduction. When the user wears the hearing assistance device 10, the hearing assistance device may be considered to be in an operating state, and when the user does not wear the hearing assistance device 10, the hearing assistance device 10 may be considered to be in a non-operating state. For a specific description of the operating state and the non-operating state, reference may be made to FIG. 5 and related contents of the present application, and therefore no further limitations will be provided here.

[0037] In some embodiments, at least one output transducer 300 includes a bone conduction vibration component and an air conduction vibration component, which converts the control signal generated by the signal processing module 200 into additional air conduction sound waves, and further provides hearing compensation to the user in an air conduction manner. A more detailed description of the output transducer 300 can be found elsewhere in this application (e.g., FIG. 3 and related descriptions), and will not be repeated here.

[0038] 2 is a block diagram of a signal processing unit according to some embodiments of the present application. As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the signal processing unit 210 may include a frequency division module 211, a high-frequency signal processing module 212, and a low-frequency signal processing module 213. The frequency division module 211 can directly divide the electrical signal into corresponding different frequency band components, for example, the frequency division module 211 can divide the initial voice into a high-frequency band component and a low-frequency band component. The high-frequency signal processing module 212 is coupled to the frequency division module 211 and configured to generate a high-frequency output signal (high-frequency electrical signal) based on the high-frequency band component, and the low-frequency signal processing module 213 is coupled to the frequency division module 211 and configured to generate a low-frequency output signal (low-frequency electrical signal) based on the low-frequency band component. In the embodiments of the present application, the high-frequency component may refer to a high-frequency electrical signal, and the low-frequency component may refer to a low-frequency electrical signal. The high frequency signal processing module 212 can process or adjust high frequency electrical signals, and the low frequency signal processing module 213 can process low frequency electrical signals. In some embodiments, the high frequency signal processing module 212 and the low frequency signal processing module 213 can be an equalizer, a dynamic range controller, a phase processor, etc. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the hearing aid device may only include the frequency division module 211, and may determine whether the high frequency signal processing module 212 and the low frequency signal processing module 213 are installed according to the actual situation. In the embodiments of the present specification, the low frequency may refer to a frequency band of approximately 20Hz to 150Hz, the mid frequency may refer to a frequency band of approximately 150Hz to 5kHz, the high frequency band may refer to a frequency band of approximately 5kHz to 20kHz, the mid-low frequency may refer to a frequency band of approximately 150Hz to 500Hz, and the mid-high frequency refers to a frequency band of 500Hz to 5kHz. It should be noted that the above frequency bands are merely examples for providing intervals, and the definitions of the above frequency bands may be changed according to different industries, different application scenarios, and different classification standards.For example, in some other application scenarios, low frequency may refer to a frequency band of approximately 20 Hz to 80 Hz, low-mid frequency may refer to a frequency band of approximately 80 Hz to 160 Hz, medium frequency may refer to a frequency band of approximately 160 Hz to 1280 Hz, medium-high frequency may refer to a frequency band of approximately 1280 Hz to 2560 Hz, and high frequency band may refer to a frequency band of approximately 2560 Hz to 20 kHz.

[0039] In some embodiments, the frequency division module 211 can also directly divide the electrical signal into frequency components corresponding to multiple frequency bands, and at the same time, the signal processing unit 210 may include signal processing units corresponding to multiple frequency bands, so as to obtain frequency output signals corresponding to multiple frequency bands. For example, the frequency division module 211 can divide the electrical signal into one or more of a low frequency band component, a mid frequency band component, and a high frequency band component, or divide the initial sound into a mid-low frequency band component, a mid-high frequency band component, etc.

[0040] In some embodiments, the signal processing module 200 may only include a frequency division module 211, which can perform frequency division processing on the electrical signal output by the signal input module 100 to obtain electrical signals of each frequency band (e.g., low-frequency electrical signals, high-frequency electrical signals, etc.), and directly output them to a power amplifier for amplification.

[0041] It should be noted that the division of the electrical signal by the frequency division module 211 may be performed according to actual conditions or user settings, and is not limited to the manner described above. In some embodiments, the frequency division module may include several filters / filter groups, so as to process the electrical signal to output a control signal including different frequency components, and further control the output of air conduction sound or bone conduction sound, respectively. In some embodiments, the filters / filter groups include, but are not limited to, analog filters, digital filters, passive filters, active filters, etc.

[0042] In some embodiments, the signal input module 100 may perform frequency division processing on the initial sound in advance. For example, the signal input module 100 may include a high-frequency microphone and a low-frequency microphone. The high-frequency microphone can receive the high-frequency sound of the initial sound and convert the high-frequency sound into high-frequency components, and the low-frequency microphone can receive the low-frequency sound of the initial sound and convert the low-frequency sound into low-frequency components, so that the frequency division processing is completed before the electrical signal is transmitted to the signal processing module 200. In some embodiments, the signal processing unit 210 may also include a high-frequency signal processing module and a low-frequency signal processing module directly coupled to the signal input module 100 to generate corresponding high-frequency output signals and low-frequency output signals based on the high-frequency components and low-frequency components, respectively.

[0043] In some embodiments, the signal processing unit 210 may include only a full-frequency signal processing module, and does not need to perform frequency division processing on the electrical signal input by the signal input module 100. That is, the frequency division module 211, the high-frequency signal processing module 212, and the low-frequency signal processing module 213 can be replaced with a full-frequency signal processing module. The full-frequency signal processing module may include an equalizer, a dynamic range controller, a phase processor, etc. The equalizer may be configured to apply individual gain or attenuation to the electrical signal according to a specific frequency band. The dynamic range controller may be configured to compress and amplify the electrical signal, for example, so that a voice sounds softer or louder. The phase processor may be configured to adjust the phase of the electrical signal. In some embodiments, the electrical signal may be processed to become an output signal through the equalizer, the dynamic range controller, and the phase processor. For example, in some scenes, the user's ears may be more sensitive to air-conducted sounds in some frequency ranges (e.g., low, medium, or high frequencies), so the output transducer 300 outputs air-conducted sounds with higher sound intensity within the frequency ranges by emphasizing the electrical signals in the frequency ranges by the full-frequency signal processing module. In other scenes, strong bone-conducted sound waves in low frequencies may cause discomfort to the user, so such discomfort can be alleviated by attenuating the low-frequency electrical signals by the full-frequency signal processing module. Preferably, the full-frequency signal processing module further appropriately emphasizes electrical signals in other frequency ranges than the low frequencies to compensate for the attenuated low-frequency signals and avoid a decrease in the overall sound intensity of the sounds heard by the user.

[0044] In some embodiments, the signal processing module 200 may further include at least one power amplifier 220. The power amplifier 220 may amplify and generate a control signal based on the electrical signal output by the signal input module 100 or the electrical signal processed by the signal processing unit 210 (e.g., a high-frequency output signal or a low-frequency output signal). In some embodiments, the signal processing module 200 may include two power amplifiers 220. For example, the power amplifier may include a first power amplifier and a second power amplifier, where the first power amplifier is configured to amplify the high-frequency output signal into a corresponding control signal, and the second power amplifier amplifies the low-frequency output signal into a corresponding control signal. In some embodiments, when the frequency division module 211 can divide the electrical signal into frequency components corresponding to multiple frequency bands, the signal processing module 200 may include multiple power amplifiers 220 to respectively amplify the output signals corresponding to the frequency components corresponding to the multiple frequency bands into control signals. In some embodiments, a power amplifier may be used in combination with the full frequency signal processing module to selectively amplify certain frequency ranges of the initial sound for final transmission to the user via bone-conducted and air-conducted sound waves.

[0045] The signal processing module 200 can improve the hearing compensation effect of the hearing aid. For illustrative purposes only, if the hearing aid is a bone conduction hearing aid, the hearing aid can output vibration or bone conduction sound in the full frequency range by an output transducer (e.g., a vibration speaker) to generate hearing for humans in the form of bone conduction. In some cases, the bone conduction hearing aid has a high sound compensation effect in a specific frequency range (e.g., 200Hz to 8000Hz). In some embodiments, an amplification process can be performed on an electrical signal in the specific frequency range to further enhance the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid in the specific frequency range. In some embodiments, an amplification process can be performed on an electrical signal outside the specific range (e.g., 20Hz to 200Hz, 8000Hz to 20kHz), and thus the hearing aid can have a high sound compensation effect in the specific range and guarantee the sound compensation effect in other frequency bands, so that the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid has good uniformity in all frequencies, improving the user experience. In some embodiments, the output transducer of the hearing aid generates bone-conducted sound waves and corresponding air-conducted sound waves. The air-conducted sound waves may be used as sound compensation other than bone-conducted sound waves of the hearing aid. By performing power amplification processing on the electrical signal in a certain frequency band range, the compensation amount of bone-conducted sound waves in the frequency band can be improved and the air-conducted sound waves can be additionally increased, so as to further improve the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid. It should be noted that the frequency range selected for the power amplification is merely an exemplary description, and those skilled in the art can adjust the frequency range corresponding to the power amplification according to the actual application situation, and is not further limited here.

[0046] It should be noted that the signal processing unit 210 may not perform frequency division processing, and in this case, the signal processing unit 210 may not include the frequency division module 211, the high frequency signal processing module 212, and the low frequency signal processing module 213. In some embodiments, the signal processing unit 210 may process the electrical signal based on the time frequency, frequency domain, or sub-bands of the electrical signal. In some embodiments, the signal processing unit 210 may include an equalizer, a dynamic range controller, a phase processor, a non-linear processor, etc. The equalizer may be configured to apply a separate gain or attenuation to the electrical signal according to a particular frequency band. The dynamic range controller may be configured to compress and amplify the electrical signal, for example, so that a voice sounds softer or louder. The phase processor may be configured to adjust the phase of the electrical signal. The non-linear processor may be configured to reduce noise signals of the electrical signal. In some embodiments, the electrical signal may be processed to become an output signal via the equalizer, the dynamic range controller, the phase processor, and the non-linear processor.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an output transducer according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3, the output transducer 300 may include a first vibration part and a housing 350. The first vibration part is electrically connected to the signal processing module 200 to receive a control signal generated by the signal processing module 200, and can generate bone-conducted sound waves based on the control signal. Specifically, the first vibration part can perform mechanical vibration based on the control signal, and the mechanical vibration can generate bone-conducted sound waves. For example, the first vibration part may be any element (e.g., a vibration motor, an electromagnetic vibration device, etc.) that converts an electric signal (e.g., a control signal from the signal processing module 200) into a mechanical vibration signal, and the signal conversion method includes, but is not limited to, electromagnetic (moving coil type, moving iron type, magnetostrictive type), piezoelectric type, electrostatic type, etc. The internal structure of the first vibration part may be a single resonance system or a complex resonance system. When a user wears a hearing aid device, a part of the structure of the first vibration part fits to the skin of the user's head to conduct bone-conducted sound waves to the user's cochlea through the user's skull. The housing 350 is coupled to a first vibrating component such that activation of the first vibrating component is capable of generating air-conducted acoustic waves.

[0049] In some embodiments, the housing 350 may be connected to the first vibrating component by a connecting member 330. In some embodiments, the response of the housing 350 to the vibration of the first vibrating component can be adjusted by adjusting the connecting member 330 between the housing 350 and the first vibrating component, i.e., the generating effect of the air-conducted sound waves of the housing 350 is adjusted by adjusting the connecting member 330. In some embodiments, the connecting member 330 may be rigid or flexible. When the connecting member 330 is rigid, the connection between the housing 350 and the first vibrating component may be a rigid connection. In other embodiments, the connecting member 330 may be an elastic member such as a spring or a dome.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first vibration component may include a magnetic circuit system 310, a diaphragm 320, and a coil 340. The magnetic circuit system 310 may be configured to generate a first magnetic field, the diaphragm 320 may be connected to the housing 350 by a connecting member 330, and the coil 340 may be connected to the diaphragm 320 and electrically connected to the signal processing module 200. Specifically, the coil 340 receives a control signal generated by the signal processing module 200 and generates a second magnetic field based on the control signal, and the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field interact with each other, and the coil 340 receives a biasing force F, thereby exciting the diaphragm 320 to vibrate and generate bone-conducted sound waves at the user's face. In addition, the vibration of the diaphragm 320 can generate air-conducted sound waves by driving the housing 350 to vibrate. Specifically, in the mid-low frequency band, the vibration amplitude of the housing 350 is greater than or equal to the vibration amplitude of the diaphragm 320, and since the housing 350 does not directly contact the skin, the vibration of the housing 350 cannot transmit sound in a bone conduction manner, but the vibration of the housing 350 generates air-conducted sound waves, which are transmitted to the eardrum through the ear canal path so that the user can hear the sound, thereby improving the sound compensation effect. At the same time, since the vibration sensation of the housing 350 in the mid-low frequency band is stronger than the vibration sensation of the diaphragm 320, if the vibration amplitude of the diaphragm 320 is small, the vibration sensation during use of the user can be effectively reduced and comfort can be improved. In the high frequency band, the vibration amplitude of the diaphragm 320 is significantly greater than the vibration amplitude of the housing 350, and thus the first vibration part can effectively transmit sound in a bone conduction manner through the vibration of the diaphragm 320, and at the same time, since the vibration amplitude of the housing 350 is much smaller than the vibration of the diaphragm 320, the leakage sound of the housing 350 in the high frequency band can be effectively reduced. In some embodiments, by adjusting the mass and elastic modulus of each portion of the first vibrating component, the frequency range and width over which sound is transmitted by air or bone conduction can be adjusted.

[0051] In some embodiments, the diaphragm 320 and the housing 350 define a cavity, and the magnetic circuit system 310 is located in the cavity and connected to the housing 350 by a connecting member 330 or other elastic member (not shown in FIG. 3 ). Under interaction with the coil 340, the magnetic circuit system 310 also generates a corresponding vibration. The vibration of the magnetic circuit system 310 relative to the housing 350 promotes air vibration in the cavity. In some embodiments, when one or more sound guide holes are formed in the housing 350, the air in the cavity can be guided out of the housing 350 and superimposed with the sound generated by the vibration of the housing 350 to jointly form air-conducted sound waves that are heard by the user's ear. The number, position, shape and / or size of the sound guide holes in the housing 350 further enhances the air-conducted sound heard by the user by satisfying certain conditions so that the sound transmitted from the sound guide holes and the sound generated by the vibration of the housing 350 interfere with each other and are enhanced at the user's ear.

[0052] 3 and its related description, bone-conducted sound waves are generated by the diaphragm 320 of the output transducer 300, and air-conducted sound waves are generated by the housing 350 (or the sound guide hole of the housing 350). In some embodiments, the control signal may include different frequency components, and the vibration of the diaphragm 320 based on the control signal may include vibrations of different frequencies. Therefore, the bone-conducted sound waves and the air-conducted sound waves generated by the hearing aid device cover different frequency ranges, so that the hearing aid device can provide a certain sound compensation effect in both different frequency ranges.

[0053] In addition, since the diaphragm 320 and the housing 350 have different response levels to vibrations of different frequencies, the sound compensation effects provided by the generated bone-conducted sound waves and air-conducted sound waves at different frequencies are also different. Taking air-conducted sound waves as an example, the vibration of the housing 350 can increase the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user within the target frequency range. That is, within the target frequency range, the air-conducted sound waves generated by the vibration of the housing 350 are transmitted to the user's ear, so that the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear is higher than the sound intensity of the initial sound received by the signal input module. The target frequency range is related to the structure of the housing 350 and the processing method of the signal by the signal processing module 200. In some embodiments, the target frequency range may be 200Hz to 8000Hz, or 500Hz to 6000Hz, or 750Hz to 1000Hz, or any other frequency range. It can be considered that the hearing aid has a high sound compensation effect within the target frequency range. In some specific scenarios, the sound compensation effect within the target frequency range can be further improved by amplifying the control signal corresponding to the target frequency range more in the signal processing module 200. In other application scenarios, for example, when the frequency range of the sound received by the user is wider than the target frequency range, the sound compensation effect within the target frequency range of the hearing aid device is obvious, so that the control signal outside the target frequency range is amplified more at this time to make the hearing effect of the user uniform in each frequency band, reduce the energy consumption of the hearing aid device, and ensure the use time of the hearing aid device.

[0054] For example, when amplifying the electrical signal of a high frequency band and the electrical signal of a low frequency band, the amplification degree of the electrical signal of the high frequency band and the electrical signal of the low frequency band may be the same or different. For example, under the premise that the high frequency sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device is higher than the low frequency sound compensation effect, the electrical signal of the low frequency band is amplified, that is, the low frequency output signal is made stronger than the high frequency output signal, thereby ensuring that the hearing aid device has a uniform sound compensation effect in the entire frequency band. Also, under the premise that the high frequency sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device is higher than the low frequency sound compensation effect, the amplification degree of the electrical signal of the high frequency band may be greater than the amplification degree of the electrical signal of the low frequency band in order to further emphasize the hearing effect of the hearing aid device in the high frequency output signal. In some embodiments, the electrical signals of the entire frequency band may be amplified to the same degree. Note that in some embodiments, the high frequency output signal or the low frequency output signal may be determined with respect to the target frequency. For example, when the target frequency range is 20Hz-1000Hz, the low frequency may be a frequency band of 20Hz-100Hz, a frequency band of 20Hz-150Hz, a frequency band of 20Hz-200Hz, etc., and the high frequency may be a frequency band of 900Hz-1000Hz, a frequency band of 850Hz-1000Hz, a frequency band of 800Hz-1000Hz, etc. In some embodiments, the high frequency output signal and the low frequency output signal may be determined for the entire frequency band as described elsewhere in this application. Also, the high frequency output signal and the low frequency output signal here are described with respect to both, and those skilled in the art can adjust them according to the actual application scene, and are not further limited here.

[0055] To further explain the hearing effect of the hearing aid device within a certain frequency range (eg, 200 Hz to 8000 Hz), the following describes a combination of bone conduction component test results and air conduction component test results for the hearing aid device.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows the maximum force level (OFL) output from a hearing aid according to some embodiments of the present application in a reference environment. 60) Frequency response diagram. In the embodiment of the present specification, the reference environment may be the sound intensity value (also called reference sound pressure level) received by the ear simulator of the artificial head when the hearing aid is in a non-operating state. OFL 60 is the output power level of the hearing aid device under the condition that the reference sound pressure level is 60 dB. For ease of explanation, the sound intensity value corresponding to the reference environment in the examples of this specification is 60 dB. As can be seen from FIG. 4, when the sound intensity of the sound in the reference environment is 60 dB, the vibration power levels of the bone conduction components output by the hearing aid device are all 76 dB or more in the frequency range of 250 Hz to 8000 Hz. When the frequency range is 250 Hz to 2000 Hz, the vibration power levels of the bone conduction components output by the hearing aid device are all 85 dB or more. When the frequency range is 500 Hz to 1500 Hz, the vibration power levels of the bone conduction components output by the hearing aid device are all 90 dB or more. When the frequency range is 750 Hz to 1000 Hz, the vibration power levels of the bone conduction components output by the hearing aid device are all 92 dB or more. In some embodiments, considering that the vibration power levels of bone conduction components of different frequencies are different for a sound with a certain reference sound pressure level (e.g., 60 dB), the signal processing module 200 can amplify electrical signals of different frequencies to different degrees. For example, since the vibration power level of the bone conduction component in the range of 1000 Hz to 1500 Hz exceeds the vibration power levels in other ranges, the signal processing module 200 can amplify the frequency band components in the range of 1000 Hz to 1500 Hz more in order to further improve the bone conduction sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device. Alternatively, since the vibration power level of the bone conduction component at about 4000 Hz is smaller than the vibration power levels in other ranges, the signal processing module 200 can amplify the frequency band components at about 4000 Hz more in order to uniform the compensation effect of each frequency range of bone conduction sound of the hearing aid device.

[0057] 5 is a frequency response diagram of the maximum sound-force sensitivity level (AMSL) of the bone-conducted component output from a hearing aid according to some embodiments of the present application. In the embodiments of the present specification, the sound-force sensitivity level is calculated by dividing the maximum sound force level by the difference between the maximum sound force level and the reference sound pressure level, for example, the OFL in FIG. 60 and a reference sound pressure level (e.g., 60 dB). As can be seen from FIG. 5, when the reference sound pressure level of the hearing aid is 60 dB and the frequency range is 250 Hz to 8000 Hz, the sound-force sensitivity level of the bone conduction component is 15 dB or more. When the frequency range is 250 Hz to 2000 Hz, the sound-force sensitivity level of the bone conduction component is 25 dB or more. When the frequency range is 500 Hz to 1500 Hz, the sound-force sensitivity level of the bone conduction component is 30 dB or more. When the frequency range is 750 Hz to 1000 Hz, the sound-force sensitivity level of the bone conduction component is 32 dB or more. In some embodiments, the signal processing module 200 can amplify electrical signals of different frequencies to different degrees, taking into account that the sound-force sensitivity levels of the bone conduction component of different frequencies (or frequency bands) are different for a sound of a certain sound intensity (e.g., 60 dB). For example, since the sound-force sensitivity level of the bone-conducted component in the range of 1000Hz to 1500Hz exceeds the sound-force sensitivity level in other ranges, the signal processing module 200 can amplify the frequency band components in the range of 1000Hz to 1500Hz more in order to further improve the bone-conducted sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device. Alternatively, since the sound-force sensitivity level of the bone-conducted component at about 8000Hz is smaller than the sound-force sensitivity level in other ranges, the signal processing module 200 can amplify the frequency band components at about 8000Hz more in order to uniformize the compensation effect of each frequency range of the bone-conducted sound of the hearing aid device. Note that the sound intensity value corresponding to the reference environment in the embodiments of this specification is not limited to the above 60dB, and the sound intensity value corresponding to the reference environment here is set to 60dB for illustrative purposes only. In other embodiments, the sound intensity value corresponding to the reference environment can be adaptively adjusted according to the actual situation, and is not further limited here.

[0058] In some embodiments, the output of the air conduction component of the hearing prosthesis can be tested using an artificial head with an ear simulator. Only the output of the air conduction component is tested for the ear simulator. When testing the output of the air conduction component, a single frequency sound (e.g., 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 750 Hz, 1000 Hz, 1500 Hz, 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz, 4000 Hz, 6000 Hz, 8000 Hz) at a specific sound pressure level (e.g., a reference sound pressure level of 60 dB) can be used as the test sound source. During the test, the artificial head with the ear simulator is placed at the test point, and the hearing aid is not attached, and then the test sound source is activated to obtain the sound pressure level (air conduction component output) measured in the ear simulator in this situation, which may also be called the "non-operating state" sound pressure level; in addition, the hearing aid is placed on the artificial head according to the wearing method in actual use, and the test sound source is activated to obtain the sound pressure level measured in the ear simulator in this situation, which may also be called the "operating state" sound pressure level, and the gain of the air conduction component of the hearing aid is the difference between the "operating state" sound pressure level and the "non-operating state" sound pressure level. In some embodiments, the test point is set at a position 1.5 m away from the test sound source directly in front of the test sound source, and the face of the artificial head is directly facing the test sound source. Note that the above method of air conduction sound pressure testing of the hearing aid is merely an illustrative explanation, and those skilled in the art can adaptively adjust the experimental method according to the actual situation.

[0059] By testing the output of the air conduction component of the hearing aid device, sound pressure level diagrams and gain diagrams of the hearing aid device in the operating state and the non-operating state at the reference sound pressure level can be obtained. Specifically, FIG. 6 is a sound pressure level diagram of the air conduction component output in the reference environment from the hearing aid device shown in some embodiments of the present application, and FIG. 7 is a gain diagram of the air conduction component output in the reference environment from the hearing aid device according to some embodiments of the present application. In the embodiments of the present specification, the gain of the output air conduction component may be the difference between the sound pressure level of the air conduction component output by the hearing aid device in the operating state and the sound pressure level of the air conduction component output by the hearing aid device in the non-operating state at each frequency. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, when the hearing aid device is in the non-operating state, the frequency range is 250Hz to 8000Hz, and the reference sound pressure level is 60dB, the sound pressure level of the air conduction component measured in the ear simulator inside the artificial head is approximately 60dB, that is, the sound pressure level of the air conduction component measured in the ear simulator inside the artificial head is basically equal to the sound pressure level of the test sound source. When the hearing aid is in operation and the frequency range is 250Hz-6000Hz, the sound pressure level of the air conduction component measured at the ear simulator inside the artificial head is greater than 60dB, and when the frequency range is 6000Hz-8000Hz, the sound pressure level of the air conduction component measured at the bone simulator inside the artificial head is approximately 60dB, so that when the hearing aid is in operation and the frequency range is 250Hz-6000Hz, the hearing aid can generate air conduction sound waves different from the test sound source, and the air conduction sound waves can generate a higher sound intensity than the test sound source, thereby improving the air conduction hearing compensation effect of the hearing aid. In some embodiments, considering that the gain of the air conduction component of different frequencies is different for a sound of a certain sound intensity (e.g., 60dB SPL), the signal processing module 200 can amplify electrical signals of different frequencies (or frequency bands) to different degrees. For example, since the gain of the air conduction component at approximately 750 Hz exceeds the gain in other ranges, the signal processing module 200 can amplify the frequency band components within the 750 Hz range more to further improve the air conduction sound compensation effect of the hearing assistance device.Alternatively, since the gain of the air-conducted components above 6000 Hz is smaller than the gain in other ranges, the signal processing module 200 can amplify the frequency band components above 6000 Hz more in order to uniformly compensate for each frequency range of the air-conducted sound of the hearing assistance device.

[0060] Combining the contents shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 7, in a specific frequency range, the bone-conducted sound waves and the air-conducted sound waves output by the hearing aid device have a high hearing compensation effect. For example, when the frequency range is 250 Hz to 8000 Hz, the bone-conducted sound waves output by the hearing aid device have a high gain effect with respect to the reference sound pressure level. Also, for example, when the frequency range is 250 Hz to 6000 Hz, the air-conducted sound waves output by the hearing aid device have a high gain effect with respect to the reference sound pressure level (e.g., 60 dB SPL). As described above, the hearing aid device has a high bone-conducted gain and an air-conducted gain within the target frequency range. In some embodiments, the target frequency range is 200 Hz to 8000 Hz. Preferably, the target frequency range is 500 Hz to 6000 Hz. More preferably, the target frequency range is 750 Hz to 1000 Hz. Note that by adjusting the frequency range, the sound compensation effect of the bone-conducted sound waves and / or the air-conducted sound waves of the hearing aid device can be improved. For example, in the frequency range of 250Hz to 500Hz, the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device for bone-conducted sound waves is high, but in this frequency range, the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device for air-conducted sound waves is low. In this case, the power amplifier 220 performs power amplification processing on the electrical signal in this frequency range to improve the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device for bone-conducted sound waves in this frequency range. In addition, in the frequency range of 3000Hz to 4000Hz, the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device for air-conducted sound waves is high, but in this frequency range, the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device for bone-conducted sound waves is low. In this case, the power amplifier 220 amplifies the electrical signal in this frequency range to improve the sound compensation effect of the hearing aid device for air-conducted sound waves in this frequency range. Furthermore, for example, in the range of 750 Hz to 1500 Hz, the sound compensation effect of the hearing assistance device for both air conducted sound waves and bone conducted sound waves is high. In this case, the power amplifier 220 can amplify the electrical signal in that frequency band to improve the sound compensation effect of the hearing assistance device for bone conducted sound waves and air conducted sound waves in that frequency band, thereby emphasizing the sound compensation effect of the hearing assistance device in that frequency band.In another embodiment, in order to ensure uniformity of the listening effect in each frequency band of the hearing aid device, power amplification processing can be performed on frequency band signals other than 750 Hz to 1500 Hz. In another embodiment, the frequency range and width in which sound is transmitted by air conduction or bone conduction can be adjusted by adjusting the mass and elastic modulus of each part of the first vibration component (e.g., the magnetic circuit system 310, the diaphragm 320, the connection member 330).

[0061] In some further embodiments, the hearing prosthesis may be provided with additional vibration components to improve the compensation effect of the air-conducted sound waves of the hearing prosthesis. Referring again to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the hearing prosthesis 10 may further include at least one second vibration component (not shown) configured to generate additional air-conducted sound waves, which further increase the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear within a target frequency range.

[0062] In some embodiments, the at least one second vibrating part may be a vibrating membrane structure (e.g., a passive vibrating membrane) and may be connected to the housing 350 so that the vibration of the first vibrating part excites the vibrating membrane structure to generate additional air-conducted sound waves. Specifically, when the diaphragm 320 of the output transducer vibrates to generate bone-conducted sound waves, it drives the vibration of the air inside the housing 350 to act on the vibrating membrane structure, and the vibrating membrane structure vibrates with the vibration of the air inside the housing 350 to generate additional air-conducted sound waves, which are emitted to the outside through at least one sound emission hole provided in the housing 350. The additional air-conducted sound waves can be transmitted to the user's ear together with the air-conducted sound waves generated by the vibration of the housing 350, thereby further increasing the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound received by the user.

[0063] In some embodiments, the second vibration component may be an air conduction speaker configured to generate additional air conduction sound waves based on the control signal. The additional air conduction sound waves generated by the air conduction speaker may be emitted to the outside through at least one sound emission hole provided in the housing 350. In some embodiments, when the user wears the hearing aid, the at least one sound emission hole is close to the ear of the human body. In some embodiments, the control signal controlling the air conduction speaker may be the same as or different from the control signal controlling the output transducer. For example, when the control signal controlling the air conduction speaker is the same as the control signal controlling the output transducer, the air conduction speaker can enhance the hearing effect in the same frequency range as the output transducer by supplementing the sound waves in the same frequency range as the output transducer for the hearing aid. Also, for example, when the control signal controlling the air conduction speaker is different from the control signal controlling the output transducer, the air conduction speaker can supplement the hearing effect in another frequency range of the hearing aid by supplementing the sound waves in a different frequency range from the output transducer for the hearing aid.

[0064] In some embodiments, the hearing prosthesis may further include a fixation structure configured to mount said hearing prosthesis such that the hearing prosthesis (shaded area in FIG. 8 ) is located on the mastoid process 1, temporal bone 2, parietal bone 3, frontal bone 4, pinna 5, concha 6, or within the ear canal (not shown) of the user's head as shown in FIG 8. In other embodiments, the hearing prosthesis may be located in other areas of the user's head, without further limitation herein.

[0065] In some embodiments, the hearing aid may be combined with a product such as glasses, headphones, a head-mounted display, or an AR / VR helmet, and in this case, the fixing structure may be a member (e.g., a connecting member) of the product. The hearing aid may be fixed near the user's ear in a hanging or clamping manner. In some alternative embodiments, the fixing structure may be a hook, and the hearing aid may be independently attached to the user's ear by the hook, with the shape of the hook conforming to the shape of the pinna. The independently attached hearing aid may be communicatively connected to a signal source (e.g., a computer, a mobile phone, or other mobile device) in a wired or wireless (e.g., Bluetooth) manner. For example, both the left and right hearing aids may be directly communicatively connected to the signal source in a wireless manner. Also, for example, the left and right hearing aids may include a first output device and a second output device, the first output device may be communicatively connected to the signal source, and the second output device may be wirelessly connected to the first output device in a wireless manner, and the first output device and the second output device may realize synchronization of audio playback by one or more synchronization signals. The wireless connection method includes, but is not limited to, Bluetooth, a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless personal area network, short range wireless communication, etc., or any combination thereof.

[0066] In some embodiments, the fixing structure may be a housing structure having a shape that matches the human ear, such as a ring, an ellipse, a polygon (regular or irregular), a U-shape, a V-shape, a semicircle, etc., so that it can be directly hung on the user's ear. In some embodiments, the fixing structure may include an ear hook, a head beam, or an elastic band, so that the hearing prosthesis can be better secured to the user and prevented from falling off during use by the user. For example, merely as an exemplary illustration, the elastic band may be a headband that may be configured to be worn around a head region. In some embodiments, the elastic band may be a continuous band and may be elastically pulled and worn on the user's head, and at the same time, pressure may be applied to the user's head to securely fix the hearing prosthesis to a specific position on the user's head. In some embodiments, the elastic band may be a discontinuous band. For example, the elastic band may include a rigid portion and a flexible portion, and the rigid portion may be made of a rigid material (e.g., plastic or metal) and may be secured to the housing of the hearing prosthesis in the manner of a physical connection (e.g., a lock, a screw connection, etc.). The flexible portion may be made of an elastic material (eg, fabric, composite material or / and chloroprene rubber).

[0067] Although the basic concept has been described above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that the detailed disclosure above is merely provided as an example and does not limit the present application. Although not explicitly described herein, those skilled in the art can make various changes, improvements and modifications to the present application. These changes, improvements and modifications are intended to be suggested by the present application and therefore are within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0068] Furthermore, certain terms are used herein to describe embodiments of the present application. For example, "one embodiment," "an embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of the present application. Thus, it is emphasized and understood that references to two or more of "one embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "one alternative embodiment" in various parts of this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. Also, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the present application may be combined as appropriate.

[0069] Also, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, aspects of the present application may be illustrated and described in several patentable classes or contexts, including any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or combination of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereto. Thus, aspects of the present application may be implemented entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or a combination of hardware and software. Any of the above hardware or software may be referred to as a "data block," "module," "engine," "unit," "assembly," or "system." Also, aspects of the present application may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable medium(s) containing computer-readable program code.

[0070] The computer storage medium may include a propagated data signal, propagated on baseband or as part of a carrier wave, for carrying the computer program code. The propagated signal may include various forms, such as electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or suitable combinations. The computer storage medium may be any computer readable medium other than a computer readable storage medium, which may be connected to an instruction execution system, device, or equipment to realize the communication, propagation, or transmission of the program used. The program code on the computer storage medium may be transmitted via any suitable medium, including wireless, cable, fiber optic cable, RF, or similar media, or any combination of the above media.

[0071] The computer program code necessary for the operation of each part of this application may be coded in one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Scala, Smalltalk, Eiffel, JADE, Emerald, C++, C#, VB.NET, Python, traditional procedural programming languages ​​such as C, Visual Basic, Fortran 2003, Perl, COBOL 2002, PHP, ABAP, dynamic programming languages ​​such as Python, Ruby and Groovy, or other programming languages. The program code may run entirely on the user's computer, on the user's computer as a separate software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer by any form of network, such as a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet), may be in a cloud computing environment, may be used as a service, such as Software as a Service (SaaS).

[0072] Additionally, unless expressly stated in the claims, the order of enumeration of processing elements or sequences described herein, the use of alphanumeric characters, or the use of other designations, do not limit the order of procedures and methods of the present application. While the above disclosure describes through various examples what are presently believed to be various useful embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that such details are merely for the purpose of illustration and that the appended claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary are intended to cover all modifications and equivalent combinations that are within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application. For example, the system assembly described above may be implemented by a hardware device, but may also be implemented as a software-only solution, for example, by installing the described system on an existing server or mobile device.

[0073] Similarly, in the foregoing description of embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that various features may be grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and facilitating an understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention. This method of disclosure, however, should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are recited in each claim. In fact, an embodiment may include fewer than all features of a single embodiment disclosed above.

[0074] In some embodiments, numbers describing the number of components and attributes are used, and it is understood that the numbers describing such embodiments are modified in some instances by the modifiers "about," "approximately," or "generally." Unless otherwise specified, "about," "approximately," or "generally" indicate that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Thus, in some embodiments, all numerical parameters used in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending on the characteristics required for a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should be applied with the stated number of significant digits and ordinary rounding techniques. In some embodiments, the numerical ranges and parameters determining the ranges are approximations; however, in specific embodiments, such numerical values ​​are set as precisely as possible.

[0075] All patents, patent applications, published patent applications, and other materials, such as articles, books, specifications, publications, documents, etc., referenced in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, except for prosecution history documents that are inconsistent or inconsistent with the content of this application, and documents that may have a limiting effect on the broadest scope of the claims of this application (now or later related to this application). In addition, if the explanations, definitions, and / or use of terms in the accompanying materials of this application are inconsistent or inconsistent with the content set forth in this application, the explanations, definitions, and / or use of terms in this application shall control.

[0076] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments of the present application. Other variations may be within the scope of the present application. Thus, by way of example, and not of limitation, alternative configurations of the embodiments of the present application may be considered consistent with the teachings of the present application. Thus, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to the embodiments expressly introduced and described herein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 10. Hearing Assistance Devices 100 Signal Input Module 110 Microphone 120 Audio Interface 200 Signal Processing Module 210 Signal Processing Unit 211 Frequency Division Module 212 High Frequency Signal Processing Module 213 Low Frequency Signal Processing Module 220 Power Amplifier 300 Output Transducer 310 Magnetic Circuit System 320 diaphragm 350 Housing 330 Connection parts 340 Coil

Claims

1. a signal input module configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electrical signal; a signal processing module configured to process the electrical signal to generate a control signal; at least one output transducer configured to convert the control signal into bone-conducted sound waves of a user and into air-conducted sound waves audible to the user's ear; A hearing assistance device characterized in that, within a target frequency range, the air-conducted sound waves are transmitted to a user's ear, so that the sound intensity of the air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear is higher than the sound intensity of the initial sound received by the signal input module.

2. 2. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the target frequency range is from 200 Hz to 8000 Hz.

3. 2. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the target frequency range is from 500 Hz to 6000 Hz.

4. 2. The hearing aid device of claim 1, wherein the target frequency range is from 750 Hz to 1000 Hz.

5. The signal processing module includes a signal processing unit, the signal processing unit comprising: a frequency division module configured to divide the electrical signal into a high frequency band component and a low frequency band component; a high frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a high frequency output signal based on the high frequency band components; 2. The hearing aid device of claim 1, further comprising: a low-frequency signal processing module coupled to the frequency division module and configured to generate a low-frequency output signal based on the low-frequency band components.

6. The electrical signal includes a high-frequency output signal corresponding to a high-frequency band component of the initial sound and a low-frequency output signal corresponding to a low-frequency band component of the initial sound, and the signal processing unit: a high frequency signal processing module configured to generate a high frequency output signal based on the high frequency band components; and a low-frequency signal processing module configured to generate a low-frequency output signal based on the low-frequency band components.

7. 7. A hearing aid device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the signal processing module further comprises a power amplifier configured to amplify the high frequency output signal or the low frequency output signal into the control signal.

8. The output transducer comprises: a first vibration component electrically connected to the signal processing module to receive the control signal and generate the bone-conducted sound wave based on the control signal; 2. The hearing aid device of claim 1, further comprising: a housing coupled to the first vibrating component, the housing generating the air-conducted sound waves upon activation of the first vibrating component.

9. 9. The hearing aid device of claim 8, wherein the connection between the housing and the first vibrating component is a rigid connection.

10. The hearing aid device according to claim 8 , wherein the housing and the first vibrating part are connected to the first vibrating part by an elastic member.

11. The first vibration component is a magnetic circuit system configured to generate a first magnetic field; a diaphragm connected to the housing; The audio output device of claim 10, further comprising: a coil connected to the diaphragm, electrically connected to the signal processing module, receiving the control signal, and generating a second magnetic field based on the control signal, the coil causing the diaphragm to generate the bone conduction sound waves by interaction between the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field.

12. 12. The audio output device of claim 11, wherein the diaphragm and the housing define a cavity, the magnetic circuit system is located within the cavity, and the magnetic circuit system is connected to the housing by an elastic member.

13. 2. The hearing aid of claim 1, wherein the vibration output force level corresponding to the bone-conducted sound waves is greater than 55 dB.

14. 2. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, further comprising at least one second vibrating component configured to generate additional air-conducted sound waves, wherein in a target frequency range, the additional air-conducted sound waves increase the sound intensity of air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear.

15. 15. The hearing assistance device of claim 14, wherein the at least one second vibrating component is a vibrating membrane structure connected to the housing, and the at least one output transducer excites the vibrating membrane structure to generate the additional air-conducted sound waves.

16. 15. The hearing aid device of claim 14, wherein the at least one second vibratory component is an air-conducted speaker configured to generate the additional air-conducted sound waves based on the control signal.

17. The hearing assistance device of claim 1, further comprising a fixing structure configured to mount the hearing assistance device so that the hearing assistance device is positioned on the mastoid process, temporal bone, parietal bone, frontal bone, pinna, within the ear canal or concha of the user's head.

18. a signal input module configured to receive an initial sound and convert the initial sound into an electrical signal; a signal processing module configured to process the electrical signal to generate a control signal; at least one output transducer configured to convert the control signal into bone-conducted sound waves of a user and into air-conducted sound waves audible to the user's ear; A hearing assistance device comprising an operating state and a non-operating state, generating air-conducted sound waves in the operating state and not generating air-conducted sound waves in the non-operating state, wherein, within a target frequency range, the sound intensity of air-conducted sound heard by a user's ear in the operating state is higher than the sound intensity of air-conducted sound heard by the user's ear in the non-operating state.

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