Hearing Aid Frequency Correction for Voice Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hearing aid technologies face challenges in real-time voice recognition due to the variation in frequency characteristics based on sound arrival direction, leading to deteriorated recognition precision, especially with methods like CMS and MAP-CMS that require post-phonation processing or immediate frame correction.
Innovation Solution
A hearing aid apparatus with multiple microphones, sound arrival direction estimation, frequency characteristic correction, and directivity synthesis units to correct and distinguish conversation partner voices from other sounds in real-time, ensuring accurate recognition without compromising precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If CMS method is used to correct frequency characteristic, then recognition precision is improved, but real-time processing is disabled because mean of cepstrum must be obtained after phonation is completed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores correction values for frequency characteristics in a lookup table during an offline phase. During real-time operation, the system only needs to retrieve pre-computed correction values based on current acoustic conditions, eliminating the need for time-consuming real-time cepstral mean calculation while maintaining high recognition precision.
2Productivity
If MAP-CMS method is used to enable real-time processing, then processing speed is improved, but recognition precision deteriorates because immediate frame correction is not conducted
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes correction values for multiple acoustic conditions and stores them in a lookup table. During real-time operation, the system retrieves the appropriate pre-computed correction values based on current acoustic conditions, achieving both real-time processing speed and high recognition precision without the need for immediate frame correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors acoustic conditions and adjusts the selection of correction values from the lookup table. This feedback loop ensures that the most appropriate pre-computed corrections are applied in real-time, maintaining both processing speed and recognition precision.
3Measurement precision
If frequency characteristic correction is applied to call voice, then recognition precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple processing units required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs frequency characteristic correction in an offline phase by pre-calculating correction values for various acoustic conditions and storing them in a lookup table. During real-time operation, the system simply retrieves and applies the appropriate pre-computed corrections, significantly reducing the computational complexity of the device while maintaining high recognition precision.
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
Enables real-time detection and differentiation of conversation partner voices and other sounds without degrading recognition precision, allowing for effective voice output and sound localization.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of microphones (101a, 101b) that convert sounds including a voice of a conversation partner, a call voice other than the conversation partner voice, and various sound into audio signals
Implementation Method 2
a frequency characteristic correction processing unit that corrects a frequency characteristic of the call voice other than the conversation partner voice, based on the audio signals converted by the respective microphones and the arrival direction of the call voice other than the conversation partner voice
Implementation Method 3
a voice output means that outputs the call voice other than the conversation partner voice based on the directivity formed by the direction-except-conversation-partner-direction directivity synthesis means
Data Source
AI summary
A call other than a conversion partner call and various sounds are detected by input audio signals from plural microphones without deteriorating a voice recognition precision. A hearing aid apparatus according to the present invention corrects a frequency characteristic of the call voice other than the conversation partner voice based on an arrival direction of the call voice other than the conversation partner voice, which is estimated based on the audio signal converted by the plural microphones, checks a call word standard pattern representing features of a phoneme and a syllabic sound based on other voice data picked up by using the microphones having one characteristic against a call voice other than the conversation partner voice in which the frequency characteristic is corrected by the frequency characteristic correction processing unit to determine whether the call voice is a call word, and forms a directivity in the direction other than the arrival direction of the voice of the conversation partner. Then, the hearing aid apparatus according to the present invention corrects the frequency characteristic of the call voice other than the conversation partner voice so as to provide the same characteristic as that of the microphones at the time of creating the audio standard pattern.