Hearing Aid Noise Suppression With Coarse Analysis Triggering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing instruments face challenges in efficiently and precisely suppressing noise, particularly stationary noise, which can interfere with speech and music signals, due to the limitations of current noise reduction algorithms that fail to distinguish between stationary and non-stationary noise components.
Innovation Solution
A method involving frequency-band-wise noise suppression is applied, where stationary noise is detected in each frequency band, and gain factors are set accordingly, using an analysis with lower frequency resolution to trigger noise reduction, and speech onset detection resets the noise suppression to prevent co-modulation of noise with speech signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If frequency-band-wise noise suppression is applied with high frequency resolution, then noise suppression precision is improved, but device complexity and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The audio signal is divided into multiple frequency bands using a filter bank, and noise suppression is applied independently to each band. This segmentation allows the system to achieve frequency-band-specific noise reduction while managing computational complexity through parallel processing of independent bands.
Solution Approach 2:
Different noise suppression characteristics are applied to different frequency bands based on their specific properties. The system adjusts gain factors and suppression parameters locally for each frequency band, optimizing noise reduction effectiveness while adapting to the specific noise characteristics present in each band.
2Measurement precision
If complex noise detection algorithms are used to distinguish stationary and non-stationary noise, then noise detection precision is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the audio signal to detect the presence of stationary noise before applying full noise suppression. This preliminary detection phase classifies noise types and sets appropriate gain factors in advance, allowing the main noise suppression process to execute more efficiently without unnecessary computational overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The noise suppression system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time detection of stationary versus non-stationary noise. When stationary noise is detected, the system applies appropriate gain factors and suppression characteristics; when non-stationary noise or speech is detected, the system adapts its behavior to preserve speech components while maintaining noise reduction.
3Reliability
If noise suppression is applied continuously, then noise reduction effectiveness is improved, but speech signals may be distorted or co-modulated with noise
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the audio signal and uses feedback to detect speech onsets and changes in noise characteristics. When speech is detected, the system adjusts or pauses noise suppression to prevent distortion of speech components. This feedback mechanism ensures that noise suppression is applied only when necessary and does not interfere with speech intelligibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The noise suppression system dynamically switches between different operating modes based on real-time signal analysis. When stationary noise is present without speech, the system applies noise suppression with appropriate gain factors. When speech is detected, the system dynamically adjusts its behavior to preserve speech quality while maintaining noise reduction effectiveness.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention describes a method for noise reduction in a hearing instrument (1), wherein an acousto-electrical input transducer (E1) of the hearing instrument (1) generates an input signal (E1) from ambient sound (2), wherein a frequency-bandwise noise reduction (21) is applied to a processing signal (V1) derived from the input signal (E1), in which stationary noise in the respective frequency band (Bj, Bk) is detected, and depending on the detected stationary noise, a gain factor (Gk) of the processing signal (V1) for the respective frequency band (Bj, Bk) is set, wherein an analysis (12) is applied to the processing signal (V1), which is configured to detect both stationary and non-stationary noise, wherein said analysis (12) has a lower frequency resolution than the frequency-bandwise noise reduction (21).and wherein, in the case of a detected presence (Y) of stationary and/or non-stationary noise in said analysis (12) of the processing signal (V1), the stationary noise in the frequency-bandwise noise suppression (21) is assumed to be detected in each frequency band (Bj, Bk), and the corresponding gain factors (Gk) are set.