# US 2016/0261963 A1 · Techniques for increasing processing capability in hear aids > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0261963 A1 - Document ID: US20160261963A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/061,320 - Filed: 2016-03-04 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-04 - Assignees: Starkey Laboratories, Inc. - Inventors: William S. Woods; Martin McKinney; Tao Zhang; Ivo Merks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160261963A1 ## CPC - H04R 25/50: {Customised settings for obtaining desired overall acoustical characteristics} - H04R 25/505: {using digital signal processing} - H04R 25/554: {using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils} - H04R 2225/39: Aspects relating to automatic logging of sound environment parameters and the performance of the hearing aid during use, e.g. histogram logging, or of user selected programs or settings in the hearing aid, e.g. usage logging - H04R 2225/41: Detection or adaptation of hearing aid parameters or programs to listening situation, e.g. pub, forest - H04R 2225/61: Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning - H04R 2460/05: Electronic compensation of the occlusion effect - H04R 2460/07: Use of position data from wide-area or local-area positioning systems in hearing devices, e.g. program or information selection - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) ## Abstract The signal processing functions of a hearing aid as described above necessarily cause some delay between the time the audio signal is received by the microphone or wireless receiver and the time that the audio is actually produced by the output transducer. In some situations, signal processing incorporating longer delays may be better able to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or other functional parameters for a hearing aid wearer, but a balance should be struck between these positive effects of delay and other negative effects. The techniques described herein address the problem of to balancing the positive and negative effects of delay. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hearing aid, comprising: a microphone to convert an audio input into an input signal; processing circuitry to process the input signal to produce an output signal in a manner that compensates for a user's hearing deficit; a speaker to convert the output signal into an audio output; wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select from two or more processing algorithms that differ in delay time to produce the output signal and to select the processing algorithm according to an estimated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the audio signal received by the microphone; and, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select a processing algorithm with a delay of 10 milliseconds or less when the SNR is greater than +5 dB. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select a processing algorithm with a delay of 30 milliseconds or more when the SNR is between 0 and +5 dB. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select a processing algorithm with a delay of 50 milliseconds or more when the SNR is between −5 and 0 dB. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select a processing algorithm with a delay of 100 milliseconds or more when the SNR is less than −5 dB. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 further comprising: a wireless receiver interfaced to the processing circuitry; and, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select a processing algorithm based upon global positioning system (GPS) signals received by the wireless receiver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The hearing aid of claim 5 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a processing algorithm according to the location of the user as determined from the GPS signals. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The hearing aid of claim 5 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a processing algorithm according to an estimated speed of the user as determined from the GPS signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a processing algorithm according to an estimated direct to reverberant ratio of the audio signal received by the microphone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a processing algorithm according to an estimate of sound field diffuseness in the audio signal received by the microphone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a processing algorithm according to an estimate of relative levels of the user's voice and other sound received by the microphone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 further comprising; a programming interface interfaced to the processing circuitry; and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select a processing algorithm based upon signals received from the user via the programming interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The hearing aid of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select different processing algorithms in identical environments over time and receive user preferences for those different processing algorithms via the programming interface. ### Claim 13 A method for operating a hearing aid, comprising: converting an audio input into an input signal; processing the input signal to produce an output signal in a manner that compensates for a user's hearing deficit; converting the output signal into an audio output; selecting from two or more processing algorithms that differ in delay time to produce the output signal and selecting the processing algorithm according to an estimated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the audio signal received by the microphone; and, selecting a processing algorithm with a delay of 10 milliseconds or less when the SNR is greater than +5 dB. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting a processing algorithm with a delay of 30 milliseconds or more when the SNR is between 0 and +5 dB. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting a processing algorithm with a delay of 50 milliseconds or more when the SNR is between −5 and 0 dB. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting a processing algorithm with a delay of 100 milliseconds or more when the SNR is less than −5 dB. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting a processing algorithm based upon global positioning system (GPS) signals received by a wireless receiver. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising selecting a processing algorithm according to the location of the user as determined from the GPS signals. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising selecting a processing algorithm according to an estimated speed of the user as determined from the GPS signals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising selecting a processing algorithm according to an estimated direct to reverberant ratio of the audio signal received by the microphone.