AUTOMATED DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE FOR HEARING AID COMPANION MICROPHONE

摘要

A hearing aid system is described that includes a hearing aid and a companion microphone, separate from the hearing aid itself, for improving the understanding of speech spoken by a particular person or produced by a particular sound source. Also described are techniques for dealing with the problem of how to make a robust directional microphone that requires no user input as to the orientation of the companion microphone.

主权项

1. A hearing assistance system, comprising:
a hearing aid for wearing by a hearing aid user and a companion microphone for wearing by a companion user; wherein the hearing aid comprises a microphone for converting an audio input into a first input signal, a wireless receiver for receiving a wireless signal to be used as a second input signal, a digital signal processor for processing the first input signal and the second input signal to produce an output signal in a manner that compensates for the patient's hearing deficit, and a speaker for converting the output signal into an audio output; wherein the companion microphone comprises a microphone array that includes a plurality of microphones, processing circuitry for configuring the microphone array to produce the second input signal, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the second input signal to the wireless receiver of the hearing aid, and an accelerometer; and, wherein the processing circuitry of the companion microphone is configured to configure the microphone array to have a polar pattern with a directionality pointed upward as indicated by signals received from the accelerometer.