Hearing Aid Delay Compensation via Wireless Backlink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing assistance systems face challenges in achieving precise synchronicity between acoustic and wireless audio streams due to propagation delays, particularly in systems where the acoustic stream is delayed to compensate for image processing, leading to degraded audio quality and the need for manual adjustments that are not user-friendly.
Innovation Solution
A wireless back link from the listening device to the streaming device allows for measuring the distance and providing a reference signal to apply a suitable compensation delay, enabling the streaming device to enhance synchronicity between the acoustic and wireless audio streams without requiring significant resources in the listening device, thus avoiding manual adjustments and improving sound quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the acoustic stream is delayed to compensate for image processing, then lip synchronization is improved, but audio quality deteriorates due to propagation delay between TV loudspeaker and hearing device
Solution Approach 1:
The hearing device measures the actual propagation delay by analyzing the acoustic stream received from the TV loudspeaker and sends this delay information back to the streaming device. The streaming device then applies precise compensation delay to the wireless audio stream, creating a feedback loop that dynamically adjusts synchronization based on actual listening conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the propagation delay through the acoustic stream path before final playback. By measuring the delay characteristics in advance and pre-calculating the compensation value, the system can apply the correct delay compensation to the wireless audio stream before it reaches the hearing device, ensuring synchronization without requiring manual adjustment.
2Reliability
If manual delay adjustment is implemented, then synchronization can be corrected, but user convenience deteriorates due to repeated adjustments needed when changing listening location
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic delay measurement and compensation without requiring user intervention. The hearing device autonomously measures the propagation delay through the acoustic stream and communicates this information to the streaming device, which then automatically adjusts the wireless audio stream delay. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for manual adjustment when users change listening locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The delay compensation is made dynamic rather than static. The system continuously monitors the propagation delay and automatically adjusts the compensation value based on the user's current listening position and environmental conditions. This dynamic adaptation ensures optimal synchronization regardless of changes in listening location or room acoustics.
3Reliability
If delay compensation is implemented in the hearing device, then synchronization is improved, but device complexity increases due to resource constraints in the listening device
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the delay compensation functionality into two separate components: the hearing device performs only the measurement of propagation delay through the acoustic stream, while the streaming device performs the actual delay compensation of the wireless audio stream. This segmentation allows the resource-constrained hearing device to perform only simple measurement tasks, while the more powerful streaming device handles the computationally intensive compensation operations.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
There is provided a system for providing hearing assistance to a user (10), comprising a streaming device (14) configured to receive an audio source signal as a non-acoustic first audio signal from an audio source device (12), to apply, by a delay application unit (26, 26A, 26B) of the streaming device, a compensation delay provided by a delay control unit (52, 54, 55) of the streaming device to the received first audio signal and to wirelessly transmit, via a wireless interface (28) of the streaming device, he delayed first audio signal (27), as a wireless audio stream (30); and an audio listening device (16) including a microphone arrangement (42) for receiving the audio source signal as an acoustic stream from the audio source device and capturing a second audio signal (38) from the acoustic stream; a wireless interface (32) configured to receive the wireless audio stream containing the first audio signal from the streaming device and to transmit a reference signal (46) obtained from the second audio signal to the streaming device; and an output transducer (36) for stimulating the user's hearing according to the first audio signal received from the wireless audio stream. The delay control unit is configured to determine the compensation delay based on the first audio signal received from the audio source device and the reference signal received from the audio listening device in a manner so as to enhance synchronicity between the stimulation of the user's hearing by the acoustic stream and the stimulation of the user's hearing by the output transducer.