Hearing aid comprising an array of microphones
AssigneesTechnische Universiteit Delft, Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen
InventorsMarinus Marias Boone, Augustinus Johannes Berkhout, Ivo Léon Diane Marie Merks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Hearing aid for improving the hearing ability of the hard of hearing, comprising an array of microphones, the electrical output signals of which are fed to at least one transmission path belonging to an ear. Means are provided for deriving two array output signals from the output signals of the microphones, the array having two main sensitivity directions running at an angle with respect to one another and each of which is associated to an array output signal. Each array output signal is fed to its own transmission path belonging to one ear of a person who is hard of hearing.
Claims59
A hearing aid for improving the hearing ability of a user, comprising:
- an array of microphones, each producing a respective microphone output signal;
- each left and right summing structures, each receiving as inputs a subset of the microphone output signals, being constructed so as to generate left and right array output signals, respectively;
- and
- left and right transmissions paths, each carrying a corresponding one of the left and right array output signals to a corresponding ear of the user;
- wherein each of the left and right summing structures acts on a corresponding said subset of microphone output signals so that the different left and right array output signals correspond respectively to two distinct main sensitivity directions that are associated with two distinct main sensitivity lobes and lie at an angle to one another, which angle deviates from 0°.
A hearing aid for improving the hearing ability of a user, comprising:
- an array of microphones, each producing a respective microphone output signal;
- means for converting a first subset of the microphone output signals to a left array output signal;
- means for converting a second subset of the microphone output signals to a right array output signal;
- left and right transmissions paths, each carrying a corresponding one of the left and right array output signals to a corresponding ear of the user;
- wherein each means for converting acts on a corresponding said subset of microphone output signals so that the different left and right array output signals correspond respectively to two distinct main sensitivity directions that are associated with two distinct main sensitivity lobes and lie at an angle to one another, which angle deviates from 0°.
A hearing aid for improving the hearing ability of a user, comprising:
- an array of microphones, each producing a respective microphone output signal;
- left and right summing structures, each receiving as inputs a subset of the microphone output signals, each being constructed so as to generate left and right array output signals, respectively;
- left and right transmissions paths, each carrying a corresponding one of the left and right array output signals to a corresponding ear of the user;
- wherein each of the left and right summing structures acts on its subset of microphone output signals so that the different left and right array output signals correspond respectively to two distinct main sensitivity directions that are associated with two distinct main sensitivity lobes and lie at an angle to one another, which angle deviates from 0°;
- and
- wherein each of the left and right summing structures operates so that the array output signals include low, mid, and high audio frequency components.
The hearing aid of 34, wherein the mid-frequency components include signals having a frequency of 2000 Hz.
The hearing aid of 38, wherein the high-frequency components include signals having a frequency of 4000 Hz.
The hearing aid of 39, wherein the low-frequency components include signals having a frequency of 500 Hz.
A hearing aid for improving the hearing ability of a user, comprising:
- an array of microphones, each producing a respective microphone output signal;
- means for converting a first subset of the microphone output signals to a left array output signal that corresponds to a first main sensitivity direction that is associated with a first main sensitivity lobe;
- means for converting a second subset of the microphone output signals to a right array output signal that corresponds to a second main sensitivity direction that is associated with a second main sensitivity lobe and lies at an angle to the first main sensitivity direction, which angle deviates from 0°;
- and
- left and right transmissions paths, each carrying a corresponding one of the different left and right array output signals to a corresponding ear of the user;
- wherein each means for converting operates so that the array output signals include low, mid, and high audio frequency components.
The hearing aid of 47, wherein the mid-frequency components include signals having a frequency of 2000 Hz.
The hearing aid of 51, wherein the high-frequency components include signals having a frequency of 4000 Hz.
The hearing aid of 51, wherein the low-frequency components include signals having a frequency of 500 Hz.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.