Hearing Aid Sound Outputting Apparatus Spatial Noise Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Binaural hearing aids face challenges in accurately calculating noise signal power, leading to residual noise or distortion in sound signals, which affects the perceptibility of users with hearing difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for sound outputting devices that involve receiving a sound, extracting noise and desired signals, estimating the direction of arrival (DoA) of the desired signal, and adjusting the DoA of the noise signal based on the estimated direction to improve perceptibility without distorting the speech signal. This includes adjusting the noise signal's angle to be opposite or behind the user, using time and level differences between microphones to enhance sound separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If binaural hearing aids calculate noise component power using traditional methods (valley detection, Minima statistics, histograms, Wiener filters), then noise reduction is attempted, but residual noise or distortion occurs when calculation accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension of analysis by estimating the direction of arrival (DoA) of sound sources and using this spatial information to separate noise from desired signals. Instead of relying solely on frequency-domain power calculations, the system uses spatial filtering based on DoA estimation to achieve superior noise reduction without distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses DoA estimation as an intermediary mechanism between the microphone array and the noise reduction process. By first estimating the directional characteristics of sound sources and then applying this information to filter noise, the system achieves more accurate separation without the distortion problems of traditional methods.
2Productivity
If noise component power is calculated using traditional methods, then processing is performed, but the speech signal may be distorted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal into different spatial components based on direction of arrival. By separating signals according to their spatial origin rather than processing them uniformly, the system can apply different processing strategies to different spatial components, preserving speech fidelity while removing noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating different spatial regions differently. Instead of uniform processing, the system adjusts processing parameters based on the estimated DoA of each signal component, applying appropriate filtering and gain control locally for each directional component to maintain speech quality.
3Ease of operation
If traditional noise power calculation methods are used, then hearing aid processing is enabled, but user perceptibility is reduced due to residual noise and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances hearing aid functionality by adding a spatial dimension to noise reduction processing. By estimating DoA and using this spatial information for signal separation, the system achieves both operational effectiveness and improved perceptibility, resolving the contradiction between functionality and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A sound outputting apparatus and a method of controlling the same are provided. A method of controlling a sound outputting apparatus includes extracting a noise signal and a desired signal, estimating a direction of arrival (DoA) of the extracted desired signal, and outputting sound.