Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – Hearing aids – electrical
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2004-02-24
Tran, Sinh (Department: 2743)
Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices
Hearing aids, electrical
C381S091000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06697494
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for generating a predetermined or predeterminable receiving characteristic of a digital hearing aid comprising at least two microphones, the outputs of which are subjected to analog-digital conversion and the digitized signals are superposed in additive manner after at least one of them has been subjected to a prescribed or adjustable time delay, the analog-digital conversion of the at least one time-delayed signal being implemented by oversampling.
The invention also relates to a digital hearing aid comprising at least two microphones, each followed by an analog-digital converter. At least one converter is operationally connected, by a delay device, to an additive superposition unit and at least the analog-digital converter acting through the delay device on the superposition unit is designed as an oversampling analog-digital converter.
The so-called “delay-and-add” method is known to generate predetermined or predeterminable receiving characteristics, particularly for digital hearing aids comprising at least two microphones.
Such a procedure is known from the German patent document 198 14 180, wherein the signal delay is implemented immediately after the sigma/delta conversion, i.e., the delay device immediately follows the sigma/delta converter. Oversampling takes place during sigma/delta conversion. Such a procedure offers the advantage that the time delay can be adjusted in fine steps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the present invention is a procedure of the abovementioned sort wherein the time delay and signal matching can be optimally combined. In accordance with the present invention, following down-sampling, the oversampled converted digital signal is both time-delayed and level-matched. Alternatively, the delay device of the hearing aid is designed as a down-sampled filter element at which level-matching of the signals fed to the superposition unit also shall take place.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4635061 (1987-01-01), Lepere et al.
patent: 5400409 (1995-03-01), Linhard
patent: 5825898 (1998-10-01), Marash
patent: 6041127 (2000-03-01), Elko
patent: 6178248 (2001-01-01), Marash
patent: 198 14 180 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 0 419 9200 (1992-07-01), None
Klootsema Ronald
van Oerle Gerard
Pearne & Gordon LLP
Phonak AG
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