Method for determining an acoustic environment situation, application of the method and hearing aid

• Main Author: SILVIA ALLEGRO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.04.2008
• Subjects: ACOUSTICS; DEAF-AID SETS; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKEACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; PHYSICS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS; SPEECH ANALYSIS OR SYNTHESIS; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING; SPEECH RECOGNITION; STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS

The invention relates to a method and a device for determining an acoustic environment situation. The method consists of processing an acoustic input signal (IN) that is preferably picked up with the help of at least one microphone in at least two processing stages (S1, ..., Sn). At least one of the two processing stages (S1, ..., Sn) comprises an extraction phase in which characteristic features are extracted from the input signal (IN) and each of the processing stages (S1, ..., Sn) comprises an identification phase in which extracted characteristic features are classified. Class information (KI1, ..., KIn; KI1', ..., KIn') characterising or identifying the acoustic environment situation is generated based on the classification of said features in at least one processing stage (S1, ..., Sn). The invention also relates to applications of the inventive method in hearing aids and to a hearing aid.