Own Voice Detection in Hearing Devices Using Band-Pass Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hearing devices struggle to accurately detect a user's own voice, leading to unnatural sound amplification and interference with other sound sources, particularly in environments using beamforming technologies.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device equipped with two input transducers and a voice detection module that processes electric input signals using band-pass filters and a processing unit to detect own voice based on specific detection criteria, thereby adapting signal processing accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If beamforming technologies are used to suppress sound sources from other directions, then sound source suppression from other directions is improved, but own voice amplification becomes excessive and unnatural
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing direction-specific signal processing: beamforming suppresses sounds from certain directions while own voice detection identifies and processes the user's voice separately. The system applies different processing gains to different sound sources based on their origin, ensuring natural own voice perception while maintaining suppression of unwanted sounds from other directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes processing parameters dynamically based on detected sound source characteristics. When own voice is detected through the voice activity detector, the system adjusts the processing gain specifically for that sound source, reducing over-amplification while maintaining suppression of other sounds. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between suppression effectiveness and natural voice perception.
2Reliability
If processing schemes are activated continuously to detect own voice, then own voice detection reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by using voice activity detectors that continuously monitor input signals for voice characteristics. Rather than processing all signals at full power, the system periodically detects voice activity and activates enhanced processing only when own voice is detected. This periodic detection approach maintains reliability while significantly reducing average power consumption compared to continuous full-processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the input signals themselves to trigger processing activation. The voice activity detectors analyze the incoming audio signals and automatically determine when own voice processing should be activated, eliminating the need for external control or continuous high-power operation. The system serves itself by using its own input to control its processing state.
Data Source
AI summary
A bilateral hearing device system includes a hearing device. The hearing device includes a first input transducer configured for providing a first electric input signal, a second input transducer configured for providing a second electric input signal, a voice detector module configured to detect own voice of a user, the voice detector comprising a first band-pass filter configured for band-pass filtering the first electric input signal and a second band-pass filter configured for band-pass filtering the second electric input signal. The hearing device comprises a processing unit configured to provide a first electric output signal based on the first and second electric input signals; and an output transducer configured to provide an acoustic output signal, wherein the voice detector module is configured for notifying a detection of the own voice to the processing unit if one or more detection criteria are satisfied.