Abstract: A hearing aid processing apparatus includes audio input units that receive input audio; hearing aid signal processing units that generate first and second output signals each having different frequency characteristics, from the input audio received by the audio input units, based on the characteristics of the band pass filter having the greatest bandwidth among virtual band pass filters composing an auditory filter of a listener. A first audio output unit outputs, as an audio, the first output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit to the left ear of the listener; and a second audio output unit outputs, as an audio, the second output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit to the right ear of the listener.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes: a first microphone configured to generate a first input signal from an input sound; a second microphone configured to generate a second input signal from the input sound; a signal processing unit configured to generate an output signal from the first input signal and the second input signal; and a receiver configured to play an output sound from the output signal. The signal processing unit determines time responses of the first input signal and the second input signal based on a contact sound generated when the hearing aid is contacted in a predetermined time period, and distinguishes a plurality of settings of the hearing aid and changes the setting based on the time responses.

Abstract: A hearing aid comprises a noise suppressor that calculates noise suppression gain, an adjustment amount calculator that calculates an adjustment amount on the basis of a signal strength and a noise component strength, and a nonlinear compressor that calculates a reference gain on the basis of a signal strength and specific reference gain information and adjusts the reference gain on the basis of an adjustment amount, thereby calculating a nonlinear compression gain.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes: a first microphone configured to generate a first input signal from an input sound; a second microphone configured to generate a second input signal from the input sound; a signal processing unit configured to generate an output signal from the first input signal and the second input signal; and a receiver configured to play an output sound from the output signal. The signal processing unit determines time responses of the first input signal and the second input signal based on a contact sound generated when the hearing aid is contacted in a predetermined time period, and distinguishes a plurality of settings of the hearing aid and changes the setting based on the time responses.

Abstract: A hearing aid that can reflect setting change of the hearing aid responsive to a sound environment by the user as intended, prevent the user from feeling inconvenience or displeasure caused by changing setting of the hearing aid, and enable the user to easily change the setting is provided. A hearing aid of the invention includes a microphone 101 configured to generate an input signal from an input sound, a signal processing unit 120 configured to process the input signal and generating an output signal, and a receiver 103 configured to play an output sound from the output signal. The signal processing unit 120 determines a time response of the input signal based on a contact sound generated when the hearing aid is contacted in a predetermined time period, and changes setting of the hearing aid based on the time response.

Abstract: A hearing aid that can reflect setting change of the hearing aid responsive to a sound environment by the user as intended, prevent the user from feeling inconvenience or displeasure caused by changing setting of the hearing aid, and enable the user to easily change the setting is provided. A hearing aid of the invention includes a microphone 101 configured to generate an input signal from an input sound, a signal processing unit 120 configured to process the input signal and generating an output signal, and a receiver 103 configured to play an output sound from the output signal. The signal processing unit 120 determines a time response of the input signal based on a contact sound generated when the hearing aid is contacted in a predetermined time period, and changes setting of the hearing aid based on the time response.

Abstract: A hearing aid comprises a noise suppressor that calculates noise suppression gain, an adjustment amount calculator that calculates an adjustment amount on the basis of a signal strength and a noise component strength, and a nonlinear compressor that calculates a reference gain on the basis of a signal strength and specific reference gain information and adjusts the reference gain on the basis of an adjustment amount, thereby calculating a nonlinear compression gain.

Abstract: A hearing aid processing apparatus (100) includes: audio input units (101, 121) configured to receive an input audio; hearing aid signal processing units (104, 124) configured to generate first and second output signals each having different frequency characteristics, from an input signal of the input audio received by the audio input units (101, 121), based on the characteristics of the band pass filter having the greatest bandwidth among virtual band pass filters composing an auditory filter of a listener: a first audio output unit (106) configured to output, as an audio, the first output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit (104) to the left ear of the listener; and a second audio output unit (126) configured to output, as an audio, the second output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit (124) to the right ear of the listener.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sound image localization apparatus capable of localizing a sound image at an intended sound image location unaffected by the physical feature of the listener. The sound image localization apparatus comprises filter coefficient storage means (4) for storing therein candidates of filter coefficients, filter coefficient selection means (5) for selecting filter coefficients from among the candidates of the filter coefficients stored in the filter coefficient storage means (4), and sound image localization means (6) for performing filter processing to a sound signal on the basis of the filter coefficients selected by the filter coefficient selection means (5) to localize a sound image of a sound reproduced in accordance with the sound signal.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a sound processing apparatus which can allow a user to hear a sound with improved intelligibility even if the sound is hard to hear. The analyzing means 15 is adapted to analyze the input signal from the A/D converter 12, to detect, on the basis of an analysis of the input signal, a frequency band corresponding to a masking sound and a frequency band corresponding to a masked sound, and to change the cutoff frequencies of the lowpass and highpass filters 13 and 14 on the basis of the analysis of the input signal to ensure that the frequency band corresponding to a masking sound is included in a signal from one of the first and second sound output means 18 and 19, and the frequency band corresponding to a masked sound is included in a signal from the other of the first and second sound output means 18 and 19.

Abstract: A sound image localization device (10) comprising: band division means (11) for dividing an inputted acoustic signal to a high-band acoustic signal and a low-band acoustic signal; a first filter (12) and a second filter (13) for localizing the high-band acoustic signal; low-band localization means (16) having a third filter (14) and a fourth filter (15) for localizing the low-band acoustic signal; a first adder (17) for adding the output signals of the first filter (12) and the third filter (14), and a second adder (18) for adding the output signals of the second filter (13) and the fourth filter (15). The sound image localization device (10) having such a configuration mitigates the limit of the listening position as compared to the conventional one and enables localization of the sound image in any direction around a listener.

Abstract: A howling control apparatus and howling control method for controlling time up to the cancellation of howling suppression according to a howling occurrence situation, thereby eliminating the repetition of howling suppression and cancellation. A howling detecting section (104) detects howling based on the band level and the band level average value and measures time for which no howling occurs, a waiting time setting section (105) decides waiting time to be set this time from time for which no howling occurs and a previous waiting time, and a gain control section (106) causes a gain that is set to a howling suppressing section (107) to be retuned to a normal value during the waiting time.

Abstract: A level of a sound signal including a voice signal and an environmental noise signal is detected and a level (power level) is sampled in response to a clock signal. It is detected whether the presently sampled level increases from the previously sampled level. An environmental noise level is estimated such that, when the presently sampled level increases from the previously sampled level, difference between the presently and previously estimated environmental noise levels is lower than a predetermined value. When the presently sampled level decreases, the presently estimated environmental noise level is equalized to the presently sampled value. The environmental noise level is estimated only when the detected level is smaller than the predetermined value. The sampling interval may be smaller than 250 msec. Estimation may be stopped in the presence of voice signal. An environmental noise level may be estimated when the detected level is smaller than a reference.

Abstract: A howling control apparatus and howling control method for controlling time up to the cancellation of howling suppression according to a howling occurrence situation, thereby eliminating the repetition of howling suppression and cancellation.