Multi-Band Audio Compression for Personalized Hearing Enhancement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hearing aid processing methods, relying on linear filtering techniques, are inadequate for providing an enhanced audio experience for hearing-impaired individuals, especially when consuming audio content with limited dynamic range, as they fail to effectively address the unique hearing profiles and non-linear nature of human hearing.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves obtaining a user's masking contour curve, deriving a target masking contour curve, and parameterizing a digital compression system to enhance audio signals, allowing for personalized audio processing based on individual hearing profiles, including those with mild, moderate, severe, or profound hearing loss, by using multi-band compression techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If linear filtering techniques (equalization) are used to compensate for hearing loss, then frequency gain can be adjusted according to user's hearing profile, but the method is only applicable to conductive hearing loss and cannot effectively address sensorineural hearing loss or non-linear hearing impairment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplicability to different hearing loss typesVSAvoideffectiveness for sensorineural hearing loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental processing parameter from linear filtering to non-linear compression. By applying compression with different ratios, thresholds, and attack/release times to different frequency bands, the system can effectively process both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, addressing the limitation of linear equalization techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the audio spectrum into multiple frequency bands and applies independent compression processing to each band. This segmentation allows tailored processing for different frequency regions affected by hearing loss, improving adaptability to various hearing profiles including sensorineural loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional hearing aid processing (wide dynamic range compression) is applied to recorded audio content, then faint sounds can be amplified, but the processing degrades the perceived quality of audio content with already compressed dynamic range

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamplification of faint soundsVSAvoiddegradation of audio quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies compression selectively and partially to recorded audio content. By using higher thresholds and lower ratios for pre-compressed content compared to live audio, the system provides beneficial processing only where needed (for very faint sounds) while avoiding excessive compression that would degrade overall audio quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic processing parameters that adapt to the input signal characteristics. The compression ratio, threshold, and other parameters are adjusted based on whether the content is live audio or recorded audio, and based on the instantaneous dynamic range of the signal, allowing optimal processing without permanent quality degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If linear equalization is used for sound personalization, then frequency response can be corrected, but the approach fails to account for the non-linear nature of human auditory system and hearing impairment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency response correctionVSAvoidaccounting for non-linear hearing characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from linear parameter adjustment (equalization gains) to non-linear parameter control (compression ratios, thresholds, and curves). This allows the system to model and compensate for the non-linear characteristics of hearing impairment, including threshold shifts and recruitment, providing more accurate sound personalization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Manufacturing precision

If digital compression system is parameterized based on masking contour curves, then audio signal can be enhanced according to user's specific hearing abilities, but the system complexity increases compared to simple equalization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio signal enhancement accuracyVSAvoidcompression system parameterization

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary analysis to obtain the user's masking contour curve and derives compression parameters in advance. This pre-processing step allows the complex compression system to be configured once based on hearing profile measurements, after which the enhanced processing can be applied without real-time complexity during audio playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10398360B1Method to enhance audio signal from an audio output device

Publication Date: 2019.09.03 MIMI HEARING TECHNOLOGIES GMBH

AI summary

A method of enhancing an audio signal from an audio output device is provided. For a frequency band, a user masking contour curve covering at least a part of said frequency band is obtained, a target masking contour curve is derived from the user masking contour curve, and a multi-band digital compression system is parameterized based on the sound level of the target masking contour curve at a given frequency and the sound level of the user masking contour curve at the same given frequency. The obtained parameters are outputted to provide an enhanced audio signal.