Audio Signal Frequency Transposition for Hearing Impairment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for enhancing audio signals for hearing impairments, particularly in specific frequency ranges, suffer from loss of relevant frequency components due to insufficient amplification and frequency transposing techniques.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that selectively transpose input sub-band signals from a source range to a target range based on a predefined rule, using a perceptual model to detect and replace relevant sub-band signals, and adjust the spectral envelope to minimize discontinuities, thereby enhancing audio signals for hearing impairments across different frequency bands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If frequency compression is used to compress input frequencies to output frequencies below the crossover frequency, then audibility in the lower frequency range is improved, but loss of relevant frequency components occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency spectrum is divided into multiple bands (first frequency band above crossover frequency, second frequency band below crossover frequency, and third frequency band). Different processing strategies are applied to each band: frequency transposition for the first band, frequency compression for the second band, and no processing for the third band. This segmentation allows preserving relevant frequency components while improving audibility in specific ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality enhancement strategies are applied to different frequency regions based on their specific characteristics and the user's hearing impairment profile. The system applies frequency transposition locally to the first frequency band where hearing loss is most severe, frequency compression locally to the second frequency band, and leaves the third frequency band unchanged. This local quality approach ensures optimal enhancement without unnecessary processing that could cause information loss.
2Illumination intensity
If frequency transposing is used to replace frequency components below crossover frequency with corresponding frequency components above crossover frequency, then audibility in the higher frequencies is improved, but loss of relevant frequency components in the target range occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The frequency spectrum is segmented into distinct bands with different processing applied to each. The first frequency band (above crossover) undergoes transposition to the second frequency band (below crossover), while the third frequency band remains unchanged. This segmentation prevents loss of relevant frequency components by applying transposition only where hearing impairment exists.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of compressing all frequencies uniformly, the system inverts the conventional approach by selectively transposing specific frequency bands. The first frequency band is transposed to the second frequency band, and the third frequency band is preserved without transposition, thereby inverting the typical frequency lowering approach to avoid information loss in the target range.
3Illumination intensity
If amplification is used to increase audibility in higher frequencies, then the audibility of a person is improved, but it does not specifically take into account hearing impairment in specific frequency ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different enhancement strategies to different frequency regions based on the user's specific hearing impairment profile. Frequency transposition is applied to the first frequency band where high-frequency hearing loss is present, frequency compression to the second frequency band, and no processing to the third frequency band. This local quality approach ensures adaptability to specific hearing impairments rather than uniform amplification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes processing parameters based on the user's hearing impairment characteristics. The crossover frequency is determined based on the user's audiogram, and different frequency bands are defined and processed accordingly. This parameter adaptation allows the system to specifically address the user's hearing impairment in certain frequency bands while leaving other bands unchanged.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, a system and a computer program product are disclosed for enhancing an audio signal in relation to a hearing impairment. An input signal is obtained comprising input sub-band signals in a frequency range comprising a source range and a target range. The input sub-band signals in the source range are selectively transposed into transposed sub-band signals in the target range according to a predefined transposing rule. A masking threshold is determined based on a predefined perceptual model and perceptually relevant sub-band signals of the transposed sub-band signals in the target range exceeding the masking threshold are detected. Input sub-band signals in the target range are selectively replaced with corresponding detected perceptually relevant sub-band signals of the transposed sub-band signals in the target range.