EP0772375A2 - Hearing aid and supplementary apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement has, in addition to a microphone (10) for direct sound acquisition and generation of corresp. electrical signals, at least one other signal transducer (11,12) operating on another principle for alternative generation of a sound signal. The selected sound signal is output via the loudspeaker (64) after suitable amplification. A monitoring device (25), which monitors the sound signals from the microphone and all signal transducers, checks the sound signals for signal quality and, using a switching device (20), selects the sound signal with the best quality at the time for amplification.

Description

The present invention relates to a hearing device according to the preamble of claims 1 and 17 and an additional device for a hearing device according to claim 10.

A conventional hearing device according to the preamble of claim 17 contains, as is known, a microphone which directly records the ambient sound and generates a corresponding electrical sound signal. This electrical sound signal is output via a loudspeaker after suitable amplification, the respective user of the hearing device being able to adjust the amplification factor and thus the volume.

Hearing aids according to the preamble of claim 1 are also known which, in addition to a microphone for direct sound recording, also have at least one further signal pickup which operates on a different recording principle and likewise generates a sound signal which can be output via the loudspeaker. Such signal pickups are, for example, inductive pickups which are capable of receiving the electromagnetic signals output by a telephone, ring lines or computers with inductive loops via an inductive coupling and converting them into a corresponding electrical output signal. By using such an inductive signal pickup, it is thus possible to record the sound signals output by the devices mentioned directly, ie without going through the telephone loudspeaker or the computer loudspeaker, so that, under certain circumstances, a significantly better signal quality can be achieved. For example, it is also possible to provide an inductive switching source in a concert hall or the like, which inductively transmits the recorded concert into the hall, so that the wearer of the hearing device has a significantly better listening experience than with the built-in hearing aid microphone. In rooms with poor acoustics or in the context of lectures, such inductive transmission systems could even be used by people who do not have hearing problems per se.

In addition to such inductive signal recorders, infrared, ultrasound or radio signal recorders are now also used in some hearing aids, so that the hearing aid wearers can also perceive such modulated sound sources.

In conventional hearing aids of this type, which, in addition to the microphone, have at least one further signal pickup operating according to one of the alternative recording principles mentioned, a selector switch is provided with which the wearer of the hearing aid can determine which of the respective sound signals, i.e. the sound signal of the microphone or the of another signal pickup to be heard. A major disadvantage of this type of signal switching is that in the vast majority of cases, the wearer of the hearing aid will use the microphone for direct sound recording, since the inductive sound sources and the like are naturally much less available. There is therefore a risk that the wearer of the hearing device will, for reasons of convenience, refrain from switching to the corresponding signal pickup in the presence of an inductive sound source. In many cases, the wearer of such a hearing device is simply forgotten that their hearing device offers the possibility of such an alternative signal recording. As a result, the possibilities of such a combination hearing device are used only incompletely or the wearer of the hearing device often does not enjoy the better signal quality of the inductive signal pickup or the like.

People with impaired hearing who wear a hearing aid often face the problem that they are very quiet or distant signal sources, such as. B. the doorbell, the phone, an egg timer, a baby call system, etc. cannot be easily heard, since such distant and quiet noises and sounds are not amplified by the hearing aid, or not sufficiently.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which enables people with hearing aids to perceive distant or quiet noises or tones and also makes it easier for people without hearing impairment to monitor the operating state of various devices.

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1, 10 and 17.

The invention accordingly proposes to provide a monitoring device which monitors the sound signals of the microphone and all other signal recorders, checks these sound signals for their respective signal quality and selects at least the sound signal which has the best signal quality for further amplification by means of a switching device. It is thus achieved with the invention that the hearing aid automatically switches over to the signal pickup that delivers the best signal quality depending on the respective sound source. When the hearing aid wearer begins to make calls, for example, the monitoring device according to the invention detects on the basis of the output signal of the inductive signal pickup that the signal quality of the inductive sound source in the form of the telephone device is better than the signal quality which can be achieved with the microphone and amplifies the output signal of the instead of the microphone output signal inductive signal pickup. The wearer of the hearing aid therefore does not have to switch manually to the desired signal source, which on the one hand makes the hearing aid much more convenient to operate leads and on the other hand offers the advantage that the possibilities of the hearing aid are used much better or an optimal listening pleasure can always be achieved.

According to a development of the invention, the monitoring device uses the switching device to generate an audio signal that corresponds to a signal mixture of several audio signals of approximately the same good signal quality. It is thus possible, for example, to mix the direct sound of a telephone recorded with the microphone with the sound signal of the inductive signal pickup and thus to improve the overall signal quality if necessary.

The monitoring device according to the invention determines the signal quality of the respective audio signal, for example by comparison with a reference value specific for the audio signal in question. However, it is also possible to provide a signal processor or the like which compares the sound signal in question with a specific envelope or determines by spectral analysis whether the signal is of sufficient quality. Furthermore, there is the possibility (with the exception of the sound signal of the microphone originating from natural sound sources) to insert an identifier into the artificially generated inductive, infrared, radio signals, etc., which can be detected by the monitoring device with little technical effort and which indicates that the relevant Signal has a suitable signal quality.

Switching from one sound signal to another or changing the mixing ratio of several sound signals is preferably carried out according to the invention with a predetermined hysteresis or delay time, in order to prevent the timbre of the sound output by the loudspeaker from changing too often, thus causing irritation to the wearer of the Hearing aid can be reduced or avoided completely. The type or duration of the hysteresis can, if necessary can be set or changed by the user of the hearing aid at will.

The microphone of the hearing aid and the signal recorder (s) working according to the other recording principle generally deliver sound signals with different output levels. The invention therefore provides a level adjustment device which allows a separate level adjustment for the sound signals of the microphone and all other signal recorders, the monitoring device controlling the level adjustment device in such a way that when switching from one sound signal to another or when mixing a plurality of sound signals, essentially the same output volume can be achieved. This largely prevents irritation of the wearer of the hearing device when switching over or changing the mixing ratio.

Another aspect of the invention is that when using a signal pickup that works according to the inductive recording principle, the hearing aid can also be used as a hands-free device for a telephone. Such a type of hands-free device works even if the loudspeaker of the telephone is completely reduced during hands-free calling, so that only the wearer of the hearing aid is able to hear the subscriber on the other end of the telephone line. In the event that the telephone does not transmit the incoming call inductively, but by means of infrared, ultrasound or another suitable transmission medium, the hands-free function also functions via a signal receiver in the hearing device designed for the respective transmission medium.

Such a "hearing aid" is not only suitable for people with hearing loss, but for people without hearing loss as a hands-free device such. B. in motor vehicles or in the office for "frequent callers". A A particularly preferred application of such a “hearing aid” according to the invention is the provision of an additional communication channel for computer or PC users. Many PCs today are equipped with a so-called sound card, which can also be used to generate speech. If these sound signals are output inductively, by means of IR or ultrasound, etc. by the PC, an acoustic communication channel is provided with the computer, which does not disturb any other person in the immediate vicinity. The reaction of the computer user can take place via the keyboard, so that there is also no interference with other people. Such a hearing aid according to the invention is also suitable for computer and video games, which are often very annoying with the background noise they produce.

This opens up a completely new market for a "hearing aid" according to the present invention. It is also important here that the hands-free function is also given when only a single signal pickup, for. B. an inductive transducer is available. This would be the case of an atypical hearing aid without a microphone.

Another independently claimed aspect of the invention resides in a device for detecting and identifying various pilot signals which are contained in signals which are received via a correspondingly designed signal receiving device. The pilot signals contained in the received signals are analyzed and identified by means of a pilot signal detection device. The identified pilot signals are converted in the conversion device into an identification signal characteristic of the respective pilot signal, e.g. B. converted into a certain beep, which can be perceived directly by the user of the device according to the invention. Said identification signal can be, for example, a specific beep, for each of the devices mentioned, a different frequency and / or a different rhythm and / or a different melody of this beep can be selected, so that the wearer of the hearing device immediately recognizes on the basis of the beep in question which of the devices has output the pilot tone.

A large number of devices and devices can be used as the source for the various pilot signals. For example, a doorbell system can be provided with a small additional device in the form of a pilot signal transmitter which, when the doorbell is actuated, emits a specific pilot signal in the form of an acoustic signal with a specific frequency or in the form of a radio signal etc. This characteristic for the doorbell system pilot signal is identified by the device according to the invention and it takes place, for. B. the acoustic radiation of a sequence of tones that the user knows that this means "it has rang".

In the same way, the ringing of the telephone, the response to a baby call system etc. can be made more noticeable.

The identification signals can be acoustic, optical or also in the form of vibration signals or a combination thereof.

The signal receiving device can advantageously be designed to receive pilot signals in the form of optical, acoustic and / or electromagnetic waves or radio waves etc.

Alternatively, it is also possible to output the identification signal for the pilot tone via an external device, such as a wristwatch. In this case, the wristwatch can generate a corresponding acoustic signal and / or an optical signal when the pilot tone occurs Output the display on his display and / or generate a mechanical vibration that the wearer of the watch perceives over the skin. In this case too, the appropriate device, for example the telephone, can be identified by the type of acoustic signal or by suitable coding, possibly a color coding of the display. If the watch in question has a high-resolution display, the device in question can even be shown in text form.

The pilot tone detection according to the invention can also be used in a conventional hearing aid which has no further signal pickup apart from the microphone. In addition, the pilot tone detection according to the invention can also be advantageous for people who do not normally need a hearing aid.

The pilot signal detection device can advantageously also be used to select the signal pickup that delivers the best quality sound signal. If a pilot signal in a signal detected by a specific signal pickup is recognized by the pilot signal detection device, this means that this signal source delivers sound signals of sufficient or good quality.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a plurality of pilot signals of different signal strength are added to the signals originating from a specific signal source. The number of pilot signals detected and identified by the pilot signal detection device is thus an indication of the quality of the sound signals delivered by the respective signal pickups.

• Fig. 1 ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung;
• Fig. 2 ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel, bei dem eine Pegelanpassungseinrichtung vorgesehen ist;
• Fig. 3 ein Blockschaltbild der Vorrichtung zum Erfassen und Identifizieren von verschiedenen Pilotsignalen gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• Fig. 4 ein Detail der Ausführungsform nach Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5 ein weiteres Detail der Ausführungsform nach Fig. 3;
• Fig. 6 ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel, bei dem zusätzlich Pilotsignale erkannt werden.

The invention is explained below with reference to the description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. Show it:

• Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention.
• 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment in which a level adjustment device is provided;
• 3 shows a block diagram of the device for detecting and identifying various pilot signals according to the present invention;
• FIG. 4 shows a detail of the embodiment according to FIG. 3;
• FIG. 5 shows a further detail of the embodiment according to FIG. 3;
• Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment in which pilot signals are additionally recognized.

According to FIG. 1, the hearing aid according to the invention has a microphone 10 for direct sound recording as well as two further signal pickups 11 and 12 as sound signal sources. The microphone 10 is, for example, an electrostatic microphone and generates an electrical audio signal in a known manner. The first signal pickup 11 is, for example, an inductive pickup that is capable of inductively picking up electromagnetic waves and generating a corresponding sound signal. The signal pickup 11 can thus be used to record the electromagnetic signals output by a telephone. The second signal pickup 12 is, for example, an infrared pickup that receives suitably modulated infrared signals and converts them into a sound signal.

The respective sound signal of the microphone 10 and of the two signal pickups 11 and 12 is present at an assigned input connection of a switching device 20. The switching device 20 is able to select one of the sound signals present and to generate a corresponding output signal which is fed to an amplifier 30. The amplifier 30 has a known structure, so that further explanations are unnecessary. The switching device 20 is also able to generate a signal mixture from at least two of the supplied audio signals, which is then fed to amplifier 30. The output signal of the amplifier 30 is present on a loudspeaker 64, so that the wearer of the hearing aid is able to hear the amplified sound signal or sound signal mixture.

According to the invention, a monitoring device 25 is also provided, on which the respective sound signal of the microphone 10 and of the two signal pickups 11 and 12 is also present. The monitoring device 25 monitors these sound signals for their respective signal quality and selects at least the sound signal which currently has the best signal quality for further amplification via the switching device 20. If two or all three of these signal sources have an approximately equally good signal quality, the monitoring device 25 causes the switching device 20 to generate a suitably mixed sound signal. In order to determine the signal quality of each audio signal, the monitoring device 25 compares each audio signal with a reference value specific for the audio signal in question, an adequate signal quality being assumed only when the relevant reference value is exceeded. However, the signal quality can also be determined by means of a signal processor by means of spectral analysis or the like. If the signal in question contains an identifier that is only transmitted if the quality is sufficient, the monitoring device 25 can contain a circuit that responds to such an identifier (possibly continuously contained or only transmitted at the start of the transmission) and, as it were, "releases" the relevant signal ".

In order to avoid that the user is disturbed by switching the sound signals too often or changing the mixing ratio of several sound signals too often, the monitoring device 25 contains a circuit which each Changes only after a predetermined period of time or with a certain hysteresis. According to a development of the invention, this hysteresis can be changed by the user by means of a selector switch or the like, so that each user of the hearing device can choose the optimal mode of operation of the monitoring device 25.

2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the invention, which differs from the first exemplary embodiment only in that a level adjustment device 21, 22 or 23 is provided for each sound signal. The further elements of this hearing aid correspond to those of the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, which is why a further explanation of these elements is dispensed with. The microphone 10 generally has a different sensitivity than the two signal pickups 11 and 12. However, with the aid of the additional level adjustment devices 21 to 23, it is possible for the monitoring device 25 to adjust the output level of the sound signals so that when switching from one sound signal to another or when mixing several sound signals, essentially the same output volume can be achieved. From Fig. 2 it can also be seen that the level-changed output signal of each level adjustment device 21 to 23 is supplied to a device 24 which carries out the selection or mixing of these balanced signals.

With both embodiments - FIGS. 1 and 2 - a hands-free function for the hearing aid wearer can be implemented in a simple manner in cooperation with the hands-free device on the telephone. The voice of the person on the other end of the line is transmitted to the hearing aid. What is said by the hearing aid wearer is transmitted via the microphone of the hands-free device on the phone to the subscriber on the other end of the line. The wearer of the hearing device according to the invention can thus use the hands-free system of conventional telephones.

3 shows a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the device for detecting and identifying pilot signals according to the present invention, which is particularly suitable as an auxiliary device for a hearing aid. The device shown in FIG. 3 comprises a signal receiving device 40, which is followed by a pilot signal detection device 50, which in turn is followed by a conversion device 60. The pilot signal detection device 50 is also connected to operating elements 52.

The structure of the signal receiving device 40 is shown in more detail in FIG. 4. 4, the signal receiving device 40 comprises a signal processing device 42 which is connected to a detector or receiver 44 for optical signals, a detector 46 for acoustic signals and a detector 48 for radio signals. The detector 44 for optical signals can be designed for the detection of signals in the visible range or preferably for the detection of signals in the infrared spectral range. The acoustic signal detector 46 can be designed for the detection of acoustic signals in the audible range, but preferably it responds to signals in the ultrasonic range. The detector 48 for radio signals can be designed for any frequency range, but it is advisable to design the detector 48 for radio signals in the radio frequency range, VHF, KW etc., since there are very inexpensive receivers or detectors for this.

5 shows the conversion device 60 in detail. The conversion device 60 accordingly comprises a pilot signal processing device 62, which has an acoustic output device in the form of a loudspeaker 64. An optical output device in the form of an LCD display 66 and a Output element in the form of a vibration element 68 is connected downstream.

Corresponding signals are captured by the detectors 42, 44 and 46 and processed in the signal processing device 42 for the pilot signal detection device 50. In the pilot signal detection device 50, the collected and processed signals are evaluated and it is determined whether a specific pilot signal is contained therein. If this is the case, this pilot signal is fed to the conversion device 60, which generates an acoustic signal, a visual display or a vibration signal or a combination thereof in accordance with predetermined criteria. The control elements 52 can be used to set which pilot signals should result in which identification signals.

The exemplary embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6 shows the integration of the device shown in FIG. 3 into a hearing device according to FIG. 1. In this case, only the pilot signal detection device 50 is to be integrated into the hearing device as an additional component, since the signal sensors 10, 11 and 12 together with the switching device 20 and the monitoring device 25 take over the function of the signal receiving device 40, while the amplifier 30, the loudspeaker 64 and a transmitter 61 take over the function of the conversion device 60. The pilot signal detection device 50 checks the sound signal generated by the microphone 10 and / or by one of the other sound recorders 11 and 12 to determine whether a pilot signal is contained, such as is emitted by a radio, a television, a door bell system or the like. As soon as the detection device 50 detects that such a pilot signal is present, it generates a warning signal or identification signal in the form of a beep or the like, which is fed to the loudspeaker 64 via the amplifier 30 is so that the wearer of the hearing aid is made aware of the corresponding pilot signal.

The recognition device 50 is able to recognize a number of different pilot signals or pilot signals from a number of different devices, with each device or each pilot signal being assigned a different beep as the identification signal, so that the wearer of the hearing aid immediately recognizes on the basis of the respective beep, which device generated the pilot signal.

The transmitter 61 is connected to the pilot signal detection device 50 and supplies an external device, such as a wristwatch, with a control signal assigned to the respective detected pilot signal, so that this external device is able to detect the occurrence of the pilot signal, for example with the built-in buzzer and / or to signal or report via the digital display and / or by means of a vibration element acting on the skin of the wearer.

Claims (16)

1. Hearing aid which, in addition to a microphone (10) for direct sound recording and generation of a corresponding electrical sound signal, has at least one further signal pick-up (11, 12) operating according to a different recording principle for alternative generation of such a sound signal, the respectively selected sound signal being suitable Amplification can be output via a loudspeaker (64),
marked by
a monitoring device (25) which monitors the sound signals of the microphone (10) and all signal pickups (11, 12), checks these sound signals for their respective signal quality and selects at least the sound signal for amplification which currently has the best signal quality by means of a switching device (20) having. 2. Hearing aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the monitoring device (25) by means of the switching device (20) generates an audio signal which corresponds to a signal mixture of several audio signals of approximately equally good signal quality. 3. Hearing aid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the monitoring device (25) determines the signal quality of the respective sound signal by comparison with a specific reference value for the sound signal in question. 4. Hearing aid according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the monitoring device (25) determines the signal quality of the respective sound signal by detecting an identifier contained in the sound signal in question, which can be detected with sufficient signal quality. 5. Hearing aid according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device (25) carries out the switching from one sound signal to another or the change in the mixing ratio of a plurality of sound signals with a predetermined or user-changeable hysteresis. 6. Hearing aid according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a level adjustment device (21, 22, 23) is provided which allows a separate level adjustment for the sound signals of the microphone (10) and all signal pickups (11, 12), wherein the monitoring device (25) controls the level adjustment device (21, 22, 23) in such a way that when switching from one sound signal to another or when mixing several sound signals, essentially the same output volume can be achieved. 7. Hearing aid according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the signal recorders (11) works on the inductive recording principle and / or that one of the signal recorders (12) responds to ultrasound and / or the infrared and / or radio signals. 8. Hearing aid according to claim 7, characterized in that in particular the sound signal of the signal pick-up (11) working according to the inductive recording principle is used in conjunction with a telephone to use the hearing aid as a hands-free device for the telephone or the computer. 10. Device for detecting and identifying various pilot signals, in particular as an additional device for a hearing aid according to at least one of the preceding claims a signal receiving device (40), a pilot signal recognition device (50) for recognizing and identifying pilot signals contained in the signals received by the signal receiving device, and a conversion device (60) for converting the identified pilot signals into identification signals which are characteristic of the respective pilot signals and can be perceived directly by a person, or into control signals for a downstream component. 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the conversion device (60) comprises a loudspeaker (64) and each pilot signal is assigned a tone sequence characterizing the respective pilot signal. 12. The apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the conversion device (60) comprises an optical display (66) and each pilot signal is associated with an optical display characterizing the respective pilot signal. 13. The device according to at least one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the conversion device (60) comprises a vibration element (68) arranged on the body of a user of the device. 14. The device according to at least one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the assignment of pilot signal to identification or command signal is freely selectable by the user. 15. The device according to at least one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the device is integrated in a wristwatch. 16. Hearing aid according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by a device according to at least one of claims 10 to 14. 17. Hearing aid with at least one signal pick-up (10, 11, 12) operating according to a certain recording principle for generating a sound signal which can be output via a loudspeaker (64) after suitable amplification,
marked by
a pilot signal detection device (50) according to at least one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the at least one signal pickup (10) is part of the signal reception device (40) and the conversion device (60) controls the loudspeaker (64).

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