Method for operating a hearing device and a hearing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9363612-B2
Application number	US-201013994326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2010
Priority date	Dec 20, 2010
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

The present invention proposes a method for operating a hearing device capable of receiving a plurality of input signals (i 1 , . . . , i 5 ). The method comprises the steps of extracting source identification information embedded in one or more of the input signals (i 1 , . . . , i 5 ), wherein the source identification information identifies a signal source (S 1 , . . . , S N ) from which a particular input signal (i 1 , . . . , i 5 ) originates, and/or extracting audio type information embedded in one or more of the input signals (i 1 , . . . , i 5 ), wherein the audio type information provides an indication of the type of audio content present in a particular input signal (i 1 , . . . , i 5 ), selecting from the plurality of input signals (i 1 , . . . , i 5 ) one or more selected signals to be processed (u 1 , . . . , u M ), processing the selected signals (u 1 , . . . , u M ), and generating an output signal (o) of the hearing device by said processing of the selected signals (u 1 , . . . , u M ). Thereby, the step of selecting is at least partly dependent on the extracted source identification information and/or the extracted audio type information, and/or wherein the step of processing is at least partly dependent on the extracted source identification information and/or the extracted audio type information. A corresponding hearing device is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a hearing aid capable of receiving a plurality of input signals, the method comprising the steps of:
extracting source device identification information embedded in one or more of the input signals, wherein the source device identification information identifies a specific signal source device from which a particular input signal originates;
selecting from the plurality of input signals one or more selected signals to be processed;
processing the selected signals using one or more hearing programs; and
generating an output signal of the hearing aid by said processing of the selected signals;

wherein the step of selecting is at least partly dependent on the extracted source device identification information, or wherein the step of processing is at least partly dependent on the extracted source device identification information,
wherein said source device identification information that identifies the specific signal source device is at least one of the following:
a media access control address;
an international mobile subscriber identity number;
a mobile subscriber identity number;
an Internet protocol address;
a telephone number;
a person's or device's name;
a serial number; and
a geographical position.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a hearing program is associated with one or more signal source devices identifiable by the source device identification information.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the associating the hearing program with a signal source device is performed prior to use of the hearing aid by a user of the hearing aid as part of a hearing aid fitting process.

4. The method according to one of claims 2 or 3 , wherein the associating of the hearing program with a signal source device is modified dependent on user interaction with the hearing aid during use of the hearing aid.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of processing is at least partly dependent on a further step of analysing and classifying one or more of the selected signals into sound classes, wherein a hearing program is associated with each sound class.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of analysing and classifying takes into account the source device identification information extracted from the respective selected signal.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the step of processing comprises
modifying each of the selected signals according to the hearing program associated with the signal source device identified by the source device identification information embedded in the respective selected signal, thus yielding one or more modified signals, and
forming a weighted sum of the one or more modified signals, wherein the weighting is at least partly dependent on at least one of the extracted source device identification information and the sound class.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting is at least partly dependent on a selection priority list, wherein the selection priority list comprises assignments of priorities to the signal source devices identifiable by the source device identification information, or that the processing of the selected one or more signals is at least partly dependent on a processing priority list, wherein the processing priority list comprises assignments of priorities to the signal source devices identifiable by the source device identification information.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the assigning of priorities to the signal source devices as provided by the selection priority list or the processing priority list is performed prior to use of the hearing aid by a user of the hearing aid as part of a hearing aid fitting process.

10. The method according to one of claims 8 or 9 , wherein the assigning of priorities to the signal source devices as provided by the selection priority list or the processing priority list is modified based on user interaction with the hearing aid during use of the hearing aid.

11. A hearing aid comprising:
input receiving means for receiving a plurality of inputs signals;
selecting means for selecting from the plurality of input signals one or more selected signals to be processed;
processing means for processing the selected signals, the processing means being adapted to process the selected signals using one or more hearing programs; and
output generating means for generating an output signal of the hearing aid by said processing of the selected signals;
extracting means for extracting source device identification information embedded in one or more of the input signals, wherein the source device identification information identifies a specific signal source device from which a particular input signal originates;

wherein the extracting means and selecting means are operationally connected to one another for transferring extracted source device identification information or audio type information, or
wherein the extracting means and the processing means are operationally connected to one another for transferring extracted source device identification information,
wherein said source device identification information that identifies the specific signal source device is at least one of the following:
a media access control address;
an international mobile subscriber identity number;
a mobile subscriber identity number;
an Internet protocol address;
a telephone number;
a person's or device's name;
a serial number; and
a geographical position.

12. The hearing aid according to claim 11 , characterised in that the processing means provides a plurality of hearing programs, wherein at least one hearing program is selectable dependent on the extracted source device identification information.

13. The hearing aid according one of the claim 11 or 12 , further comprising classifying means for analysing and classifying one or more of the selected signals into sound classes, wherein the extracting means and the classifying means are operationally connected to one another for transferring extracted source device identification information.

14. The hearing aid according to claim 13 , characterised in that the processing means is configured to modify each selected signal according to the hearing program assigned to the respective selected signal, thus yielding one or more modified signals, and in that the processing means further comprises weighting means for forming a weighted sum of the modified signals, wherein the weighting is at least partly dependent on at least one of the source device identification information and a sound class.

15. The hearing aid according to claim 11 , characterised in that the selecting means is configured to select the selected signals at least partly dependent on a selection priority list, wherein the selection priority list comprises assignments of priorities to the signal source devices identifiable by the source device identification information, or in that the processing means is configured to process the selected signals at least partly dependent on a processing priority list, wherein the processing priority list comprises assignments of priorities to the signal source devices identifiable by the source device identification information.

Assignees

• Meier Hilmar
• Sonova Ag

Inventors

• Meier Hilmar

Classifications

• H04R25/43 Primary

  Electronic input selection or mixing based on input signal analysis, e.g. mixing or selection between microphone and telecoil or between microphones with different directivity characteristics (H04R25/407 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R25/55

  using an external connection, either wireless or wired · CPC title

• H04R2420/01

  Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2225/41

  Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest · CPC title

• H04R1/1091

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title