Directional Hearing Aid Beamforming for Own-Voice Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing aids with directional hearing modes struggle to effectively suppress the user's own voice, leading to an unnatural amplification that masks desired environmental sounds.
Innovation Solution
A hearing assistance device with a beamforming filter that suppresses the user's own voice by applying two beamforming filters: one that emphasizes sounds within a selected angular range and another that suppresses user-generated sounds, detected through relative power level comparison.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If directional beamforming is applied to improve speech intelligibility in noisy environments, then the contribution of acoustic waves from the target direction is increased, but the user's own voice is also amplified creating an unnatural hearing experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the audio signal processing into two separate beamforming filters: a first beamforming filter for emphasizing target direction sounds, and a second beamforming filter specifically for suppressing own-voice frequencies. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each function without interference between them.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the outputs of the first beamforming filter (target direction emphasis) and the second beamforming filter (own-voice suppression) into a single processed audio output. This merging integrates both functions to achieve simultaneous speech intelligibility improvement and own-voice mitigation.
2Ease of operation
If the user's own voice is suppressed using a second beamforming filter, then the natural hearing experience is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the frequency parameters of the second beamforming filter dynamically based on the user's speech detection. When own-voice is detected, the filter is activated with specific frequency characteristics tailored to suppress the user's voice range, while remaining inactive or less active during non-speech periods, thus adapting complexity to actual needs.
3Reliability
If two beamforming filters are applied simultaneously, then own-voice mitigation and target direction emphasis are achieved, but the processing time and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic detection of the user's speech state to dynamically control activation of the second beamforming filter. Instead of continuously processing both filters at full capacity, the system periodically assesses whether own-voice suppression is needed and activates/deactivates the second filter accordingly, reducing unnecessary computational load during non-speech periods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the natural hearing experience by minimizing the amplification of the user's own voice and improving sound clarity in noisy environments.
Implementation Method 1
beamforming technology to combine multiple microphone inputs into a single, directional audio output channel. The output channel has spatial characteristics that increase the contribution of acoustic waves arriving from the target direction relative to those of the acoustic waves from other directions.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for hearing assistance includes an array of microphones, which are configured be mounted in proximity to a head of a user of the system and to output electrical signals in response to first acoustic waves that are incident on the microphones. A speaker is configured for mounting in proximity to an ear of the user and configured to output second acoustic waves in response to a drive signal applied to the speaker. Processing circuitry is configured to generate the drive signal by amplifying and filtering the electrical signals using a beamforming filter that emphasizes first sounds that impinge on the array of microphones within a selected angular range while suppressing second sounds that are spoken by the user.