US 12,137,323 B2
Hearing aid determining talkers of interest
Michael Syskind Pedersen, Smørum (DK); Jesper Jensen, Smørum (DK); Jan M. De Haan, Smørum (DK); and Poul Hoang, Smørum (DK)
Assigned to Oticon A/S, Smørum (DK)
Filed by Oticon A/S, Smørum (DK)
Filed on Mar. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/691,898.
Claims priority of application No. 21161933 (EP), filed on Mar. 11, 2021; and application No. 21193936 (EP), filed on Aug. 31, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0295191 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. H04R 25/00 (2006.01); G10L 21/0216 (2013.01)
CPC H04R 25/505 (2013.01) [G10L 21/0216 (2013.01); H04R 25/453 (2013.01); G10L 2021/02166 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Hearing aid adapted for being located at or in an ear of a hearing aid user, or for being fully or partially implanted in the head of a hearing aid user, the hearing aid comprising:
an input unit for providing at least one electric input signal representing sound in an environment of the hearing aid user, said electric input signal comprising no speech signal, or one or more speech signals from one or more speech sound sources and additional signal components, termed noise signal, from one or more other sound sources,
an own voice detector (OVD) for repeatedly estimating whether or not, or with what probability, said at least one electric input signal, or a signal derived therefrom, comprises a speech signal originating from the voice of the hearing aid user, and providing an own voice control signal indicative thereof,
a voice activity detector (VAD) for repeatedly estimating whether or not, or with what probability, said at least one electric input signal, or a signal derived therefrom, comprises the no speech signal, or the one or more speech signals from speech sound sources other than the hearing aid user, and providing a voice activity control signal indicative thereof,
a talker extraction unit configured to determine and/or receive the one or more speech signals as separated one or more speech signals from speech sound sources other than the hearing aid user and to detect the speech signal originating from the voice of the hearing aid user, and where the talker extraction unit is further configured to provide separate signals, each comprising, or indicating the presence of, one of said one or more speech signals, and
a noise reduction system configured to determine a speech overlap and/or gap between said speech signal originating from the voice of the hearing aid user and each of said separated one or more speech signals; wherein
the noise reduction system is further configured to determine said speech overlap and/or gap based on an error estimator for estimating the speech overlap and/or gap between said speech signal originating from the own voice of the hearing aid user and each of said separated one or more speech signals.