Hearing Aid Microphone Orientation Sensing for Stable Directionality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing aids magnetically or partially implanted in the skull face challenges in maintaining consistent spatial resolution due to rotational symmetry, leading to incorrect microphone positioning and compromised sound directionality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of multiple microphones arranged in specific geometric structures and sensor elements to detect and adjust microphone pairs based on the hearing aid's rotational position, ensuring optimal spatial resolution by selecting appropriate signal paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the hearing aid uses rotational symmetry for fixation, then the device can be easily attached to the skull, but the microphone orientation becomes undefined and spatial resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric features into the otherwise rotationally symmetric hearing aid design. Specifically, it uses asymmetric acoustic ports, non-circular microphone housings, or asymmetric positioning of acoustic elements to create a unique orientation reference. This allows the microphones to maintain a fixed spatial relationship with the user's head, ensuring that the front-facing microphones consistently capture sounds from the intended direction while preserving the ease of magnetic attachment.
2Manufacturing precision
If the microphones are fixed in a specific position, then spatial resolution is optimized, but the device cannot adapt to rotational movements or incorrect fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic orientation detection and compensation mechanisms. It uses sensors (such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, or magnetometers) to continuously monitor the hearing aid's orientation relative to the user's head. Based on the detected orientation, the system dynamically adjusts the beamforming parameters and microphone signal processing to maintain optimal spatial resolution regardless of the device's rotational position or potential displacement during movement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the hearing aid allows free rotation, then the device is flexible and comfortable, but the beamforming algorithm cannot correctly emphasize front sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where sensors continuously monitor the actual orientation of the hearing aid, and this information is fed back to the signal processing unit. The system uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the beamforming algorithm's reference directions and weighting factors. This closed-loop control ensures that even when the hearing aid rotates or shifts position, the beamforming consistently emphasizes sounds from the user's front by compensating for the changed microphone orientations.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~3B
AI summary
A hearing aid (2) for enhancing a user's hearing ability when receiving acoustic signals from the user's environment, wherein the hearing aid (2) is arranged to be magnetically or mechanically attached to a fixture implanted in the skull bone. The hearing aid (2) comprises at least three microphones (4, 6, 8, 9) and a sensor element for detecting an orientation of the at least three microphones (4, 6, 8, 9). The output signals of at least two microphones are selected depending on the detected orientation of the at least three microphones.