Abstract: An audio processor (200) for a hearing device has a noise estimator (100), an adaptive noise canceller (110), and a dynamic range compressor (120) to provide a gain according to a signal strength of an input signal. A signal strength processor (130) determines a signal strength dependent noise cancellation parameter, and the adaptive noise canceller provides noise cancellation of the input signal according to an estimated noise from the noise estimator, and according to the signal strength dependent noise cancellation parameter, so as to provide less noise cancellation when the input signal has higher signal strength than when the input signal has a lower signal strength. This helps retain the desirable environment or ambient type noise, present when the signal strength is higher, while providing more cancellation of undesirable circuit type noise when there is low input signal strength.

Abstract: For monitoring acoustic energy experienced by a user of a headset (20, 25), a processor (30) and a user interface (90) are provided, the processor having a monitoring part (40) to obtain an accumulated acoustic energy already experienced, to determine (60) a remaining allowable acoustic energy up to a maximum allowable daily threshold. A predicted remaining listening time is determined (70) based on an actual rate of acoustic energy, and on the remaining allowable acoustic energy, and is output visually or acoustically using the user interface. This helps enable the user to control their exposure with or without prior user input of an expected period of listening time. It can be updated after a change in volume control by the user. A gain control mode involves controlling the gain to cause the accumulated acoustic energy to reach the maximum allowable daily threshold at the end of a user defined period.

Abstract: An audio processor (200) for a hearing device has a noise estimator (100), an adaptive noise canceller (110), and a dynamic range compressor (120) to provide a gain according to a signal strength of an input signal. A signal strength processor (130) determines a signal strength dependent noise cancellation parameter, and the adaptive noise canceller provides noise cancellation of the input signal according to an estimated noise from the noise estimator, and according to the signal strength dependent noise cancellation parameter, so as to provide less noise cancellation when the input signal has higher signal strength than when the input signal has a lower signal strength. This helps retain the desirable environment or ambient type noise, present when the signal strength is higher, while providing more cancellation of undesirable circuit type noise when there is low input signal strength.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for searching the frequency range of a digital data receiving device, said method including the steps in one embodiment of firstly identifying and disregarding analogue carrier frequencies in the range, then proceeding to estimate the initial starting frequency for a digital carrier by dynamic real-time pre-processing of the spectrum profile and then obtaining successive samples of the frequency range from the start position for the carrier until the center frequency for the carrier is located. In one embodiment the method includes the prediction of the center frequency estimations of all digital carriers for respective channels in the range prior to the search commencing. The method reduces the possibility of locking to analogue carriers, and can reduce the time required to perform a search in comparison to the current digital carrier frequency “search & lock” procedure.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improvement in receivers for receiving broadcast video data for generating a video display from said data and also to the method of displaying said data. The invention provides for a memory into which received data can be directed and said data may also at the same time or previously have been used to generate a video display on a display screen. The data in the memory can be called up to generate a video display thereafter and the speed of the display may be selected so as to provide, for example, a slow motion or freeze frame display. The facility allows the user to select to regenerate a display which they may already have seen at the initial video display and further to generate the display in a slow motion sequence. The memory can be updated with newly received data.