Hearing Assistive Device Personalized DSP Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing assistive devices, such as hearing aids and over-the-counter sound enhancement earbuds, are expensive and inaccessible to many individuals with hearing impairments, and existing technologies often cause loudness discomfort due to inadequate signal processing techniques that fail to address the unique challenges of hearing loss, particularly in noisy environments.
Innovation Solution
A method for generating a user hearing profile through hearing tests like masked threshold tests, which calculates digital signal processing (DSP) parameters for ambient sound enhancement algorithms on mobile devices, allowing for real-time processing and output of enhanced audio signals, incorporating directional processing and noise reduction to improve sound clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If wide spectrum gain or simple equalization is applied to enhance sound for hearing impaired listeners, then speech comprehension is improved, but loudness discomfort occurs and long-term hearing health is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different gain adjustments to different frequency bands rather than uniform wide spectrum gain. The system identifies specific frequency regions where hearing thresholds are elevated and applies targeted enhancement only to those regions, leaving other frequencies unchanged. This localized approach enhances speech comprehension in affected frequency ranges while avoiding over-amplification that would cause loudness discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts equalization parameters based on real-time analysis of the acoustic environment and the listener's specific hearing profile. Rather than applying static gain settings, the equalization handoff application continuously adapts frequency-specific gains to match the listener's thresholds and the characteristics of the ambient noise, optimizing speech comprehension while preventing discomfort across varying listening conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hearing assistive devices provide sound enhancement, then accessibility is improved, but device cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal hearing assessment and equalization system that can be deployed across multiple device types including smartphones, tablets, and personal computers. The equalization handoff application leverages existing audio hardware and processing capabilities of general-purpose devices, eliminating the need for specialized expensive hearing aid hardware. The same core algorithm serves diverse user needs across different platforms, making hearing assistance accessible through devices people already possess.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to independently complete hearing threshold assessments and receive personalized equalization profiles without requiring professional audiologist intervention. The automated hearing test and profile generation allows users to self-configure optimal sound enhancement settings, eliminating the need for costly professional fitting services and making the technology immediately accessible upon purchase.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple equalization is used to address hearing thresholds, then implementation is simplified, but masking effects in noisy environments are not addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio signal into multiple frequency bands and applies independent equalization and noise reduction processing to each band. By dividing the complex audio processing task into frequency-specific segments, the system can address masking effects in different spectral regions separately. This segmented approach maintains implementation feasibility while significantly improving sound clarity in noisy environments compared to simple broadband equalization.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are systems and methods for ambient sound enhancement on a mobile device. A user hearing profile is generated and a set of ambient sound enhancement digital signal processing (DSP) parameters is calculated for a sound enhancement algorithm, based at least in part on the user hearing profile. In response to a user initiating an ambient sound enhancement function on a mobile computing device, at least one set of calculated ambient sound enhancement DSP parameters is retrieved. Ambient sound is captured with a microphone of the mobile computing device and processed with an ambient sound enhancement DSP. The ambient sound enhancement DSP is parameterized with the retrieved set of calculated ambient sound enhancement DSP parameters and the DSP enhanced processed audio signal is outputted to a transducer of the mobile device.