Media system and method of amplifying audio signal using audio filter corresponding to hearing loss profile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11418894-B2
Application number	US-202016872068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2020
Priority date	Jun 1, 2019
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A media system and a method of using the media system to accommodate hearing loss of a user, are described. The method includes selecting a personal level-and-frequency dependent audio filter that corresponds to a hearing loss profile of the user. The personal level-and-frequency dependent audio filter can be one of several level-and-frequency-dependent audio filters having respective average gain levels and respective gain contours. An accommodative audio output signal can be generated by applying the personal level-and-frequency dependent audio filter to an audio input signal to enhance the audio input signal based on an input level and an input frequency of the audio input signal. The audio output signal can be played by an audio output device to deliver speech or music that the user perceives clearly, despite the hearing loss of the user. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of enhancing an audio input signal to accommodate hearing loss, comprising:
outputting, by one or more processors of a media system, an audio signal using a plurality of audio filters, wherein the plurality of audio filters have respective gain contours corresponding to particular hearing loss profiles, wherein the plurality of audio filters includes two or more of a flat audio filter, a notched audio filter, or a sloped audio filter having the respective gain contours, wherein at a first frequency band a gain of a first audio filter of the plurality of audio filters is higher than a gain of a second audio filter of the plurality of audio filters, and wherein at a second frequency band the gain of the second audio filter is higher than the gain of the first audio filter;
receiving, by the one or more processors in response to outputting the audio signal using the plurality of audio filters, a selection of a personal gain contour corresponding to one of the particular hearing loss profiles;
selecting, by the one or more processors, a personal audio filter based in part on the personal audio filter having the personal gain contour; and
generating, by the one or more processors, an audio output signal by applying the personal audio filter to the audio input signal, wherein the personal audio filter amplifies the audio input signal based on an input level and an input frequency of the audio input signal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective gain contours of the plurality of audio filters are different from each other.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the audio signal represents music.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of audio filters includes the flat audio filter, the notched audio filter, and the sloped audio filter, wherein at a low frequency band a gain of the flat audio filter is higher than gains of the notched audio filter and the sloped audio filter, wherein at an intermediate frequency band a gain of the notched audio filter is higher than gains of the flat audio filter and the sloped audio filter, and wherein at a high frequency band a gain of the sloped audio filter is higher than gains of the flat audio filter and the notched audio filter.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising enabling, by the one or more processors, volume adjustment of the media system during output of the audio signal.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors, a personal audiogram;
determining, by the one or more processors, the particular hearing loss profiles based on the personal audiogram; and
determining, by the one or more processors, the plurality of audio filters having respective gain contours corresponding to the particular hearing loss profiles.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors, a personal audiogram; and
selecting a personal hearing loss profile from the particular hearing loss profiles based on the personal audiogram;
wherein the personal audio filter corresponds to the personal hearing loss profile.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the audio output signal to an audio output device for playback by the audio output device.

9. A media system, comprising:
a memory configured to store particular hearing loss profiles and a plurality of audio filters, wherein the plurality of audio filters have respective gain contours corresponding to the particular hearing loss profiles, wherein the plurality of audio filters includes two or more of a flat audio filter, a notched audio filter, or a sloped audio filter having the respective gain contours, wherein at a first frequency band a gain of a first audio filter of the plurality of audio filters is higher than a gain of a second audio filter of the plurality of audio filters, and wherein at a second frequency band the gain of the second audio filter is higher than the gain of the first audio filter; and
one or more processors configured to:
output an audio signal using the plurality of audio filters;
receive, in response to outputting the audio signal using the plurality of audio filters, a selection of a personal gain contour corresponding to one of the particular hearing loss profiles;
select a personal audio filter based in part on the personal audio filter having the personal gain contour, and
generate an audio output signal by applying the personal audio filter to an audio input signal, wherein the personal audio filter amplifies the audio input signal based on an input level and an input frequency of the audio input signal.

10. The media system of claim 9 , wherein the respective gain contours of the plurality of audio filters are different from each other.

11. The media system of claim 10 , wherein the audio signal represents music.

12. The media system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of audio filters includes the flat audio filter, the notched audio filter, and the sloped audio filter, wherein at a low frequency band a gain of the flat audio filter is higher than gains of the notched audio filter and the sloped audio filter, wherein at an intermediate frequency band a gain of the notched audio filter is higher than gains of the flat audio filter and the sloped audio filter, and wherein at a high frequency band a gain of the sloped audio filter is higher than gains of the flat audio filter and the notched audio filter.

13. The media system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to enable volume adjustment of the media system during output of the audio signal.

14. The media system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a personal audiogram;
determine the particular hearing loss profiles based on the personal audiogram; and
determine the plurality of audio filters having the respective gain contours corresponding to the particular hearing loss profiles.

15. The media system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a personal audiogram; and
select a personal hearing loss profile from the particular hearing loss profiles based on the personal audiogram;
wherein the personal audio filter corresponds to the personal hearing loss profile.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a media system, cause the media system to perform a method comprising:
outputting, by the one or more processors, an audio signal using a plurality of audio filters, wherein the plurality of audio filters have respective gain contours corresponding to particular hearing loss profiles, wherein the plurality of audio filters includes two or more of a flat audio filter, a notched audio filter, or a sloped audio filter having the respective gain contours, wherein at a first frequency band a gain of a first audio filter of the plurality of audio filters is higher than a gain of a second audio filter of the plurality of audio filters, and wherein at a second frequency band the gain of the second audio filter is higher than the gain of the first audio filter;
receiving, by the one or more processors in response to outputting the audio signal using the plurality of audio filters, a selection of a personal gain contour corresponding to one of the particular hearing loss profiles;
selecting, by the one or more processors, a personal audio filter based in part on the personal audio filter having the personal gain contour; and
generating, by the one or more processors, an audio output signal b

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Woodruff John
• Azmi Yacine
• Fisch Ian M
• Xia Jing

Classifications

• H03G5/005

  of digital signals · CPC title

• H04R25/70 Primary

  Adaptation of deaf aid to hearing loss, e.g. initial electronic fitting · CPC title

• H04R25/505 Primary

  using digital signal processing · CPC title

• H04R2430/01

  Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems · CPC title

• G10L21/10

  Transforming into visible information · CPC title