Hearing device comprising a low-latency sound source separation unit

Abstract

The application relates to a hearing device comprising a) an input unit for delivering a time varying electric input signal representing an audio signal comprising at least two sound sources, b) a cyclic analysis buffer unit of length A adapted for storing the last A audio samples, c) a cyclic synthesis buffer unit of length, where L is smaller than A, adapted for storing the last L audio samples, which are intended to be separated in individual sound sources, d) a database having stored recorded sound examples from said at least two sound sources, each entry in the database being termed an atom, the atoms originating from audio samples from first and second buffers corresponding in size to said synthesis and analysis buffer units, where for each atom, the audio samples from the first buffer overlaps with the audio samples from the second buffer, and where atoms originating from the first buffer constitute a reconstruction dictionary, and where atoms originating from the second buffer constitute an analysis dictionary. The application further relates to a method of separating audio sources, and e) a sound source separation unit for separating said electric input signal to provide separated signals representing said at least two sound sources, the sound source separation unit being configured to determine the most optimal representation (W) of the last A samples given the atoms in the analysis dictionary of the database, and to generate said at least two sound sources by combining atoms in the reconstruction dictionary of the database using the optimal representation (W). The invention may e.g. be used for hearing devices, e.g. hearing aids, headsets, ear phones, active ear protection systems, handsfree telephone systems, mobile telephones, teleconferencing systems, public address systems, classroom amplification systems, etc.