Hearing Emulations, LLC

Becs Technology, Inc.

Julius L Goldstein

A hearing aid device providing instantaneous gain compression for sound signals and adaptive control of nonlinear waveform distortion, the device comprising: (a) at least one bandpass nonlinearity (BPNL) amplifier comprising a first bandpass filter, a second bandpass filter, and a memoryless nonlinear (MNL) compressive audio amplifier configured to receive a sound signal from the first bandpass filter and provide an MNL compressive audio amplifier output to the second bandpass filter, wherein the MNL compressive audio amplifier is configured to produce the MNL compressive audio amplifier output by providing memoryless gain compression directly on a sound signal that is (1) received from the first bandpass filter and (2) exhibits instantaneous amplitudes greater than a compression threshold, the BPNL amplifier thereby producing a desired gain compression on the received sound signal at an output of the second bandpass filter, and (b) a controller in communication with the BPNL amplifier, the controller being configured to adjust the compression threshold of the MNL compressive audio amplifier. Adjustment of the compression threshold in each BPNL amplifier may be achieved at least partially in response to a user input and/or to sound signal changes. By adaptively controlling the compression threshold, performance of the device can by optimized to match its environment.

Hearing aids based on models of cochlear compression using adaptive compression thresholds

Methods and devices for audio amplification suitable for hearing aid, hearing aid fitting, and diagnostic purposes include audio amplification having at least one variable gain channel configured to provide relatively higher gain at low levels, rapid gain compression at intermediate levels converging to linear gain at high signal levels, and slow feedback control of the compressive gain. Several such audio channels may be provided in a hearing aid or diagnostic device, and instantaneous gain compression is preferred. An analog implementation provides nonlinear elements in a feedback path to simulate a multiple feedback band-pass non-linearity cochlear filterbank hearing model (MFBPNL), while a digital implementation uses logarithmic representations of signals to minimize functional components in a multiple band-pass non-linearity cochlear filterbank hearing model (MBPNL). When used as a hearing aid, annoying amplification of weak sounds during brief interruptions of sustained intense sounds is prevented. Moreover, the quality of processing of intense sounds is improved, while still protecting the ear from uncomfortable, sudden intense sounds that occur too rapidly for effective correction by conventional automatic gain control.

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University City, MO, United States of America

Julius L Goldstein