Hearing Aid Volume Compensation for Spatial Perception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing assistance devices distort sound volume between the two ears, preventing hearing-impaired individuals from determining sound orientation and spatial perception, which can affect daily life and safety.
Innovation Solution
A hearing assistance system with dual assisting devices that perform audio processing and volume compensation, considering the hearing loss level and sound volume of each ear, to maintain the volume relationship between the source sounds, allowing correct sound orientation determination and spatial perception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hearing assistance devices perform compensation on source sounds of two ears separately, then hearing loss of each ear is addressed, but volume relationship between sounds heard by two ears is distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the audio processing of both ears into a unified system where the first audio processing unit processes audio for the first ear and the second audio processing unit processes audio for the second ear, with both units receiving and considering the same source audio signal. This ensures that the volume relationship between sounds heard by both ears is maintained consistent with the original source sound, while still providing individualized hearing compensation for each ear's hearing loss characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having each audio processing unit receive the source audio signal and adjust the audio output based on the other ear's processing results. The first audio processing unit adjusts the first audio output signal based on the second audio output signal, and vice versa, ensuring that the volume relationship between the two ears remains consistent with the source sound while providing individualized hearing compensation.
2Device complexity
If volume compensation is performed without considering sound volume heard by both ears, then hearing loss compensation is simplified, but spatial perception capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio processing into distinct functional units: a first audio processing unit for the first ear, a second audio processing unit for the second ear, and a communication unit for signal transmission. Each segment handles specific aspects of audio processing while maintaining awareness of the overall volume relationship, enabling spatial perception without excessive complexity.
3Reliability
If separate compensation is applied to each ear, then individual hearing loss is addressed, but sound orientation determination is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the audio output signals based on the hearing loss parameters of each ear while maintaining the volume relationship parameters consistent with the source sound. The first audio processing unit and second audio processing unit modify audio parameters (gain, frequency response) according to individual hearing loss characteristics while preserving the inter-ear volume relationship, enabling both hearing loss compensation and sound orientation determination.
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing assistance system is provided. The hearing assistance system includes a first assisting device and a second assisting device. The first assisting device includes a first sound collection module, a first audio processing unit, a first audio output module and a first communication unit. The second assisting device includes a second sound collection module, audio processing module, a second audio output module, a processor unit and a second communication unit. The processor unit outputs a second control signal according to a first audio signal and a second audio signal by mutual communication between the communication units. The audio processing module outputs a second output audio signal to the second audio output module in accordance with the second control signal, so that the second audio output module outputs the second sound in accordance with the second output audio signal.