Hearing Aid Noise Reduction Using External Parameter Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing aids face limitations in computational power and battery capacity, preventing the execution of computationally demanding noise reduction algorithms like deep neural networks, and external processing devices introduce transmission delays in noise reduction systems.
Innovation Solution
A hearing system comprising a hearing aid and an external processing device, where noise reduction parameters are determined locally or externally, or a combination thereof, using a noise reduction controller to integrate these parameters efficiently, with the external device providing enhanced noise reduction parameters via a communication link.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If noise reduction based on large deep neural networks is executed in the hearing aid, then noise reduction capability is improved, but computational power and battery power limitations prevent execution
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the noise reduction functionality into two segments: a lightweight local noise reduction system executed within the hearing aid for continuous operation, and an external processing device that performs computationally intensive deep neural network processing. This segmentation allows the hearing aid to maintain basic noise reduction capability while offloading heavy computational tasks to the external device, thus preserving battery power.
Solution Approach 2:
An external processing device acts as an intermediary between the hearing aid and the user's acoustic environment. This intermediary performs the computationally demanding noise reduction algorithms externally and transmits the processed audio signal back to the hearing aid, enabling advanced noise reduction without consuming the hearing aid's limited battery resources.
2Reliability
If audio is transmitted from the hearing aid microphone to the external device for enhancement and back, then noise reduction is improved, but transmission delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary noise reduction processing locally within the hearing aid before audio is transmitted to the external device. This preliminary action ensures that basic noise reduction is already applied, reducing the amount of subsequent processing needed externally and minimizing the overall transmission delay while maintaining effective noise reduction performance.
3Reliability
If computationally demanding algorithms are executed in the hearing aid, then noise reduction capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the computationally demanding deep neural network processing functionality from the hearing aid and relocates it to an external processing device. This extraction allows the hearing aid to maintain a simpler, more power-efficient architecture while still benefiting from advanced noise reduction algorithms executed externally.
Data Source
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AI summary
A hearing system comprises at least one hearing aid (HA) configured to be worn by a user at or in an ear of the user, and an external, portable processing device (EPD). The at least one hearing aid comprises a) at least one HA-input transducer for providing at least one HA-electric input signal representing sound in the environment of the hearing aid; b) a configurable noise reduction system for reducing noise in the at least one HA-electric input signal or in a signal originating therefrom based on a resulting set of noise reduction parameters; c) a noise reduction controller configured to determine a local set of noise reduction parameters; and d) a data receiver configured to receive data via a communication link from the external processing device. The external processing device comprises A) at least one EPD-input transducer for providing at least one EPD-electric input signal representing sound in the environment of the external processing device; B) a parameter estimator for providing an external set of noise reduction parameters configured to reduce noise in the at least one EPD-electric input signal, or in the at least one HA-electric input signal, or in a signal originating therefrom; and C) a data transmitter configured to transmit data, including said external set of noise reduction parameters, via said communication link to the hearing aid. The noise reduction controller is configured to determine said resulting set of noise reduction parameters based on said local set of noise reduction parameters, or on said external set of noise reduction parameters, or on a mixture thereof, in dependence of a noise reduction control signal. A hearing aid and a method of operating a hearing system is further disclosed.