WO2022013603A1 - Alerte auditive - Google Patents

Alerte auditive Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022013603A1
WO2022013603A1 PCT/IB2020/056701 IB2020056701W WO2022013603A1 WO 2022013603 A1 WO2022013603 A1 WO 2022013603A1 IB 2020056701 W IB2020056701 W IB 2020056701W WO 2022013603 A1 WO2022013603 A1 WO 2022013603A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
wuw
wearer
hearing
directionality
person
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/IB2020/056701
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Iden Shams
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to PCT/IB2020/056701 priority Critical patent/WO2022013603A1/fr
Publication of WO2022013603A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022013603A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Electric hearing aids
    • H04R25/40—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic
    • H04R25/402—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic using contructional means
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/31—Aspects of the use of accumulators in hearing aids, e.g. rechargeable batteries or fuel cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/43—Signal processing in hearing aids to enhance the speech intelligibility
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R2225/00—Details of deaf aids covered by H04R25/00, not provided for in any of its subgroups
    • H04R2225/61—Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Electric hearing aids
    • H04R25/40—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic
    • H04R25/405—Arrangements for obtaining a desired directivity characteristic by combining a plurality of transducers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
    • H04R25/00—Electric hearing aids
    • H04R25/55—Electric hearing aids using an external connection, either wireless or wired
    • H04R25/554—Electric hearing aids using an external connection, either wireless or wired using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils

Definitions

  • hearing aids do not have directionality. They collect sound only based on the orientation of the individual wearing the aids. Hearing aids with two (dual) microphones are, in principle, able to detect the directions of sounds based on the principle that sounds arriving from behind will reach the back microphone before the front one, and vice-versa.
  • the hearing aid can then focus on speech and away from noise (if they are arriving from different directions).
  • Hearing aids are therefore available in a variety of formats with an associated degree of complexity and relevent cost. These are fixed directionality devices; when the hearing aid only picks up all sounds directly in front of you.
  • Adaptive directionality is when the hearing aid continuously monitors the listening environment in search of speech before focusing in that direction and away from noise (again if they are arriving from different directions).
  • Narrow directionality compared to fixed and adaptive directionality, narrow directionality devices use a much more focused beam with directional beamforming. It suppresses sounds at angles outside of the very narrow beam and by doing so provides additional focus on speech.
  • Directionality in hearing aids is therefore designed to maximise signal-to-noise ratio for speech coming from a particular direction without respect for the intent of the listener and can be an intrusion on the intensions of the person wearing the hearing aids.
  • Directionality in hearing aids is best suited to those with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) losses in the mild-to- moderate (4-8dB SNR loss) range. For those with greater SNR losses, directionality can still provide the benefit of listening comfort and can help with the understanding of speech in a noisy environment as long as contextual and speech cues are available.
  • SNR signal-to-noise ratio
  • Individuals with hearing loss do not rely solely on the use of hearing aids. They like to be able to see the person clearly and combine the audio signals they receive with elements of lip reading and contextualisation.
  • Wake-up-word (WUW) speech recognition can be incorporated into a hearing aid system that would enable the person being addressed to identify quickly the direction of the speech and face the person addressing them to improve their understanding and communication.
  • the system comprises two devices that may be incorporated into the hearing aids or may be worn independently of the hearing aids on either side of the body, for example as bracelets or other body adornments.
  • the devices are paired to each other and will process the signal of the WUW to alert the wearer to the direction of the sound i.e. that they are being addressed.
  • This communicable alert may be in the form of an aural signal to the person wearing the hearing aids, a visual signal on the device or a tactile signal e.g.
  • a series of vibrations that has a directional context such as a single vibration for 'forward', a double vibration for 'rear', a triple vibration for 'left' and a quadruple vibration for 'right' or similar or even the left device alone emits a signal for 'left' and similarly the right device alone emits a signal for 'right'.
  • the device is a single unit that operates on a WUW system and alerts the wearer that someone is talking to them via an aural, visual or tactile signal.
  • the inventors are aware that this is a suboptimal embodiment of the invention since directionality cannot be obtained from a single sensor.
  • the inventors have created a second embodiment of the WUW device that alerts the wearer to the directionality of a person who is addressing them.
  • the device is ideally worn bilaterally on the body e.g. bracelets, rings, independent of the hearing aids or may be incorporated into the hearing aids themselves or into clothing.
  • the bilateral nature of the device renders to it the directional functionality.
  • the device comprises of a signal detector means, a WUW detector means, a device pairing means, for example Bluetooth, and a signal processing means resulting in a directional alert to the wearer.
  • Said alert signal may be aural, visual or tactile - that may not be mutually exclusive.
  • the devices are initially paired together and operate in unison via a wireless means.
  • the devices are programmed to recognise the WUW through a single input or multiple inputs to provide improved accuracy of recognition of the WUW e.g. the person's name.
  • the WUW once detected, enables the devices to process the signal and through the bilateral configuration, determine if the WUW has originated from a source to the front, rear, or to the left or right side of the wearer.
  • the signal processing for the WUW is designed to recognise multiple accents and dialects to provide an accurate interpretation of when the individual is being addressed (Kepuska 2011).
  • the device may comprise a power indicator and be powered by a replaceable battery power supply or may be rechargeable.
  • the hearing alert device may also be programmed to recognise additional alarms that safeguard the individual and improve quality of life.
  • the device may be programmed to alert to a doorbell ring, a telephone call or a smoke/fire alarm and other systems that are used in everyday life.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Neurosurgery (AREA)
  • Otolaryngology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Emergency Alarm Devices (AREA)

Abstract

Dans un mode de réalisation, l'invention concerne une unité unique qui fonctionne sur un système WUW et alerte le porteur qu'une personne est en train de lui parler par l'intermédiaire d'un signal sonore, visuel ou tactile. Cet agencement ne présente pas de directivité. De préférence, un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention alerte le porteur de la directivité d'une personne qui lui parle. Le dispositif est idéalement porté bilatéralement sur le corps, par exemple avec des bracelets, indépendant des prothèses auditives ou peut être incorporé dans les prothèses auditives elles-mêmes ou dans des vêtements. Les dispositifs sont initialement appariés, fonctionnent ensemble et sont programmés pour reconnaître le WUW par l'intermédiaire d'une entrée unique ou de multiples entrées pour fournir une précision améliorée de reconnaissance du WUW, par exemple le nom de la personne. Le dispositif d'alerte auditive peut également être programmé pour reconnaître des alarmes supplémentaires qui protègent l'individu et améliorent la qualité de vie.
PCT/IB2020/056701 2020-07-16 2020-07-16 Alerte auditive Ceased WO2022013603A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2020/056701 WO2022013603A1 (fr) 2020-07-16 2020-07-16 Alerte auditive

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2020/056701 WO2022013603A1 (fr) 2020-07-16 2020-07-16 Alerte auditive

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2022013603A1 true WO2022013603A1 (fr) 2022-01-20

Family

ID=72178839

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2020/056701 Ceased WO2022013603A1 (fr) 2020-07-16 2020-07-16 Alerte auditive

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2022013603A1 (fr)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2472907A1 (fr) * 2010-12-29 2012-07-04 Oticon A/S Système d'écoute comportant un dispositif d'alerte et dispositif d'écoute
US20200054490A1 (en) * 2017-01-17 2020-02-20 Karl Allen Dierenbach Tactile Interface System

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2472907A1 (fr) * 2010-12-29 2012-07-04 Oticon A/S Système d'écoute comportant un dispositif d'alerte et dispositif d'écoute
US20200054490A1 (en) * 2017-01-17 2020-02-20 Karl Allen Dierenbach Tactile Interface System

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
LI CHENXING ET AL: "Recurrent Neural Network Based Small-footprint Wake-up-word Speech Recognition System with a Score Calibration Method", 2018 24TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PATTERN RECOGNITION (ICPR), IEEE, 20 August 2018 (2018-08-20), pages 3222 - 3227, XP033457368, DOI: 10.1109/ICPR.2018.8546063 *
VETON KEPUSKA: "Wake-Up-Word Speech Recognition, Speech Technologies", 2011, INTECH

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