Personalized Hearing Filter for Restoring BTE Pinna Cues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing impaired individuals using behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing devices do not receive natural pinna-shaped sound cues due to microphones being outside the ear, leading to degraded sound localization and externalization performance, as generic pinna restoration patterns fail to account for individual variations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using a first acoustic input transducer in-the-ear and one or more second acoustic input transducers behind-the-ear to determine personalized filter values, compensating for reduced spectral pinna cues by analyzing and equalizing sound signals to enhance localization and externalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If generic pinna restoration patterns are used to shape sound signals from BTE microphones, then sound processing can be implemented, but sound localization and externalization performance is degraded due to not accounting for individual pinna variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurement of the user's individual pinna acoustic characteristics using in-the-ear microphones before normal hearing aid operation. This preliminary action captures the user-specific pinna impulse response, which is then stored and used to create personalized filtering patterns that account for individual anatomical variations, thereby improving sound localization while maintaining ease of implementation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the filtering parameters from generic fixed patterns to user-specific dynamic patterns based on measured pinna characteristics. The system adapts the frequency response and temporal characteristics of the sound processing filter to match the individual user's pinna acoustics, thereby improving localization precision without complicating the manufacturing process
2Measurement precision
If MIE microphone is used to obtain natural pinna-shaped sound cues, then sound localization performance is improved, but feedback issues and gain limitations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the MIE microphone as an intermediary measurement tool rather than a primary signal source. The in-the-ear microphone captures pinna acoustic characteristics for filter personalization, but the actual hearing aid operation uses BTE microphones with personalized filtering applied. This intermediary approach allows the system to benefit from MIE's accurate pinna characterization while avoiding its feedback and gain limitations during normal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The MIE microphone performs preliminary characterization of pinna acoustics during a calibration phase, after which the collected data is used to create personalized filters for BTE microphone processing. This separates the measurement function (where MIE excels) from the operational function (where BTE with personalized filtering performs reliably without feedback issues)
3Reliability
If BTE microphones are used for sound reception, then feedback margin is improved, but spectral pinna cues are reduced leading to degraded localization performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spectral and temporal parameters of the sound signal from BTE microphones by applying personalized filtering based on measured pinna characteristics. This filtering modifies the frequency response and impulse response to replicate natural pinna shaping, thereby restoring spectral pinna cues and improving localization performance while maintaining the reliability benefits of BTE microphone placement
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method at a system comprising a hearing device comprising a first acoustic input transducer and one or more second acoustic input transducers. The method comprises the steps of receiving by the first and the one or more second acoustic input transducers a configuration sound signal originating from a direction, providing from the first acoustic input transducer an in-the-ear received signal and from the one or more second acoustic input transducers a behind-the-ear received signal, determining filter values of a hearing device personalized configuration filter and compensating, by the hearing device, for reduced spectral pinna cues of sound signals received by the one or more second acoustic input transducers, thereby personalizing a sound processing of the hearing device.