Hearing Aid Audio Stream Classification and Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing assistive devices struggle to balance amplifying sound for hearing-impaired users while protecting their hearing from potentially damaging levels of entertainment audio, especially when receiving audio streams from external devices.
Innovation Solution
A hearing assistive device with a wireless transceiver, audio stream analyzer, and attenuator that classifies audio streams as utility or entertainment and applies attenuation to prevent hearing damage, using Bluetooth technology to stream audio and adjust sound levels based on predefined thresholds and sound dosimeter measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If audio streams are amplified to compensate for hearing loss, then hearing-impaired users can perceive sound better, but their hearing may be damaged from potentially damaging levels of entertainment audio
Solution Approach 1:
The audio stream is segmented into different types (utility audio and entertainment audio) based on classification. This segmentation allows different processing strategies to be applied to different segments: utility audio receives standard amplification while entertainment audio receives attenuation, resolving the contradiction between improving hearing perception and preventing hearing damage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality processing is applied to different parts of the audio stream based on its type. Utility audio maintains normal amplification quality for communication needs, while entertainment audio applies attenuation to protect hearing. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing beneficial amplification where needed while preventing harmful amplification where not needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If entertainment audio is attenuated to protect hearing, then hearing safety is improved, but audio quality and user experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The audio stream is segmented into entertainment audio and utility audio. This segmentation ensures that only the entertainment portion undergoes attenuation, while utility audio maintains full quality. The contradiction is resolved by applying quality reduction selectively only where it serves the protective function, not across the entire audio stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The attenuation level is dynamically adjusted based on classification results and sound dosimeter measurements. The system changes the attenuation parameter adaptively, applying minimal necessary attenuation to protect hearing while preserving audio quality as much as possible. This resolves the contradiction by making attenuation adjustable rather than fixed.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If audio streams are classified and processed differently, then hearing protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The audio processing system is segmented into distinct functional modules: audio stream analyzer for classification, attenuator for volume control, and sound dosimeter for monitoring. This modular segmentation makes the complex system more manageable and maintainable, resolving the contradiction by organizing complexity into separate, well-defined components rather than a monolithic processor.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio stream is classified in advance before main processing occurs. The audio stream analyzer performs preliminary classification to identify entertainment vs. utility audio, allowing the rest of the system to apply appropriate processing without complex real-time analysis. This preliminary action reduces overall processing complexity while maintaining effective hearing protection.
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
Effectively protects users' hearing by ensuring entertainment audio is attenuated to safe levels, aligning with health recommendations, while allowing utility audio to be reproduced at normal levels, thus enhancing user experience and safety.
Implementation Method 1
an input transducer converting sound from the acoustic environment into an audio signal
Implementation Method 2
an output transducer converting the compensated audio signal into sound
Implementation Method 3
an attenuator associated with said processor applying attenuation to the compensated audio signal
Implementation Method 4
a sound dosimeter measuring the sound level output by the output transducer accumulated over a period of time
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing assistive device (10; 60) having an input transducer (12; 61) converting sound into an audio signal applied to a processor (14; 66), the processor (14; 66) is configured to compensate a hearing loss of a user of the hearing assistive device and to output a compensated audio signal, and an output transducer (16; 65) converting the compensated audio signal into sound. The hearing assistive device (10; 60) further comprises a wireless transceiver (21; 67) enabling audio streaming from an external device (30; 80) to the hearing assisting device; an attenuator (23; 66a) associated with said processor (14; 66) applying attenuation to the compensated audio signal; and an audio stream analyzer (22a; 68a) classifying the audio stream received via said wireless transceiver. The attenuator (23; 66a) is controlled in accordance to the audio stream classification from the audio stream analyzer (22a; 68a). The invention further provides a method of operating a hearing assisting device.