Method of operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system

#The present invention relates to a method of operating a hearing aid system. The invention more specifically relates to a method of generating enriched sound. The invention also relates to a hearing aid system.

#Generally a hearing aid system according to the invention is understood as meaning any device which provides an output signal that can be perceived as an acoustic signal by a user or contributes to providing such an output signal, and which has means which are customized to compensate for an individual hearing loss of the user or contribute to compensating for the hearing loss of the user. They are, in particular, hearing aids which can be worn on the body or by the ear, in particular on or in the ear, and can be fully or partially implanted. However, those devices whose main aim is not to compensate for a hearing loss but which have, however, measures for compensating for an individual hearing loss are also concomitantly included, for example consumer electronic devices (televisions, hi-fi systems, mobile phones, MP3 players etc.).

#Within the present context a traditional hearing aid can be understood as a small, battery-powered, microelectronic device designed to be worn behind or in the human ear by a hearing-impaired user. Prior to use, the hearing aid is adjusted by a hearing aid fitter according to a prescription. The prescription is based on a hearing test, resulting in a so-called audiogram, of the performance of the hearing-impaired user's unaided hearing. The prescription is developed to reach a setting where the hearing aid will alleviate a hearing loss by amplifying sound at frequencies in those parts of the audible frequency range where the user suffers a hearing deficit. A hearing aid comprises one or more microphones, a battery, a microelectronic circuit comprising a signal processor, and an acoustic output transducer. The signal processor is preferably a digital signal processor. The hearing aid is enclosed in a casing suitable for fitting behind or in a human ear.

#By way of example, there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other embodiments, and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. In the drawings:

#FIG. 1 illustrates highly schematically a hearing aid system according to a first embodiment of the invention; and

#FIG. 2 illustrates highly schematically a hearing aid system according to a second embodiment of the invention.

#In the present context the terms frequency band and frequency band signal may be used interchangeably. Furthermore the term signal level may in the following be used to mean the predicted sound output level. Hereby improving the ease of reading the disclosure e.g. when discussing the signal level relative to the hearing threshold.

#Reference is first made to FIG. 1, which illustrates highly schematically a hearing aid system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention.

#The hearing aid system 100 comprises an acoustical-electrical input transducer 101, a digital signal processor (DSP) 102 adapted to alleviate a hearing deficit, an electrical-acoustical output transducer 103, a white noise generator 104, a filter bank 105, a signal level estimator 106, a signal expander 107, a gain equalizer 110 an inverse filter bank 108 and a summing node 109.