Hearing Aid Acoustic Shock Control With Dual-Stage Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing devices struggle to effectively control acoustic shocks without introducing noticeable latency or distortion, as current methods either react too slowly or cause sound quality issues, and there is a need for adaptive shock control that maintains natural sound awareness while preventing hearing damage.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device with an acoustic shock controller that determines first and second gain factors based on shock detection information, using these to attenuate audio signals in a way that ensures shock events remain perceivable while preventing discomfort, utilizing a dual-attenuation approach before and after signal limiting, and adjusting gains according to environmental and personal preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If peak-clipping in the time-domain is used to quickly reduce acoustic shock, then the response speed is improved, but sound quality deteriorates due to serious distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the acoustic shock control into two separate stages: a first gain factor applied before the output limiter and a second gain factor applied after the output limiter. This segmentation allows each stage to handle different aspects of shock control, with the first stage preventing saturation and the second stage refining the output, thereby maintaining sound quality while achieving fast response.
Solution Approach 2:
The output limiter acts as an intermediary element between the audio signal processing chain and the final output. By placing gain control stages on both sides of this intermediary, the system can manage acoustic shocks without directly clipping the signal, thus preserving sound quality while maintaining fast response capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If wide dynamic range compression is used to control acoustic shock, then sound quality is maintained, but the response speed becomes too slow to be effective
Solution Approach 1:
The first gain factor is calculated and applied in advance, before the output limiter processes the signal. This preliminary action prevents the signal from reaching saturation levels in the first place, enabling fast response without the need for slow compression algorithms. The system anticipates and prevents acoustic shocks rather than reacting to them after they occur.
3Manufacturing precision
If maximum power output in the frequency-domain is applied to prevent overshooting, then sound quality is preserved, but the response speed is too slow to effectively handle acoustic shocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional frequency-domain maximum power output approach with a time-domain based gain calculation system. By using the absolute shock index (a time-domain parameter) to drive gain factors applied at strategic points in the processing chain, the system achieves fast time-domain response while maintaining the quality-preserving benefits of controlled power output.
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
The solution provides adaptive and intelligent acoustic shock control that minimizes shock impact, maintains natural sound awareness, and keeps shock events within a comfortable loudness range, ensuring the user perceives acoustic events without distortion or discomfort, even in heavily saturated conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an input transducer (1) structured and configured to receive an audio signal and to convert the received audio signal into an input audio signal
Implementation Method 2
an output transducer (3) structured and configured to convert a signal applied to an input of the output transducer into an output audio signal
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing device for being worn at or at least partly within an ear of a user and including an acoustic shock detector for detecting an acoustic shock event present in an input audio signal from an input transducer and providing shock detection information related to the acoustic shock event. The hearing device further includes an acoustic shock controller for determining a first gain factor (Gb) and a second gain factor (Gp) in dependence of the shock detection information, a first attenuator for attenuating a processed input audio signal by the first gain factor (Gb) and providing an attenuated audio signal to an output limiter providing a limited audio signal, and a second attenuator for attenuating the limited audio signal by the second gain factor (Gp) and providing a further attenuated audio signal to an output transducer. A corresponding method for acoustic shock control in a hearing device.