Abstract: The invention provides a method for generating output filters to a plurality of loudspeakers at respective positions for playback of a plurality of different input signals in respective spatially different sound zones by means of a processor system. The method comprising computing spatio-temporal correlation matrices in response to spatial information, e.g. measured transfer functions, and in response to desired sound pressures in the plurality of sound zones. Joint eigenvalue decomposition of the spatial correlation matrices are then computed, or at least an approximation thereof, to arrive at eigenvectors accordingly. Next, variable span filters a reformed from a linear combination of the eigenvectors in response to a desired trade-off between acoustic contrast and acoustic errors in the sound zones. Finally, output filter for each of the plurality of loudspeakers, for each of the plurality of input signals, in accordance with the variable span filters.

Abstract: A hearing device for enhancing speech intelligibility, the hearing device includes: an input transducer for providing an input signal comprising a speech signal and a noise signal; a processing unit; an acoustic output transducer coupled to the processing unit, the acoustic output transducer configured to provide an audio output signal based on an output signal form the processing unit; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine one or more parameters of the input signal based on a codebook based approach (CBA) processing; and wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a Kalman filtering of the input signal based on the determined one or more parameters so that the output signal has an enhanced speech intelligibility.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for generating output filters to a plurality of loudspeakers at respective positions for playback of a plurality of different input signals in respective spatially different sound zones by means of a processor system. The method comprising computing spatio-temporal correlation matrices in response to spatial information, e.g. measured transfer functions, and in response to desired sound pressures in the plurality of sound zones. Joint eigenvalue decomposition of the spatial correlation matrices are then computed, or at least an approximation thereof, to arrive at eigenvectors accordingly. Next, variable span filters a reformed from a linear combination of the eigenvectors in response to a desired trade-off between acoustic contrast and acoustic errors in the sound zones. Finally, output filter for each of the plurality of loudspeakers, for each of the plurality of input signals, in accordance with the variable span filters.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates in a first aspect to a method of determining an objective perceptual quantity of a noisy speech signal using directional sound information. The method comprises steps of applying a noisy speech signal comprising a mixture of target speech and interfering noise to a first hearing instrument with an adjustable microphone arrangement and controlling the adjustable microphone arrangement to produce first and second directivity patterns exhibiting first and second directivity indexes, respectively, wherein said second directivity index is smaller than the first directivity index at one or more reference frequencies. First and second noisy speech segments are recorded from the adjustable microphone arrangement using the first and second directivity patterns, respectively, and at least one value of the objective perceptual quantity of the noisy speech signal is determined by comparing the first noisy speech segment and the second noisy speech segment.

Abstract: A hearing device for enhancing speech intelligibility, the hearing device includes: an input transducer for providing an input signal comprising a speech signal and a noise signal; a processing unit; an acoustic output transducer coupled to the processing unit, the acoustic output transducer configured to provide an audio output signal based on an output signal form the processing unit; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine one or more parameters of the input signal based on a codebook based approach (CBA) processing; and wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a Kalman filtering of the input signal based on the determined one or more parameters so that the output signal has an enhanced speech intelligibility.

Abstract: A hearing device for enhancing speech intelligibility, the hearing device includes: an input transducer for providing an input signal comprising a speech signal and a noise signal; a processing unit; an acoustic output transducer coupled to the processing unit, the acoustic output transducer configured to provide an audio output signal based on an output signal form the processing unit; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine one or more parameters of the input signal based on a codebook based approach (CBA) processing; and wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a Kalman filtering of the input signal based on the determined one or more parameters so that the output signal has an enhanced speech intelligibility.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a hearing device comprising a set of microphones comprising a first microphone for provision of a first microphone input signal, and a processor for processing input signals and providing an electrical output signal based on input signals. The hearing device a receiver for converting the electrical output signal to an audio output signal, and a controller operatively connected to the set of microphones, the controller comprising a speech intelligibility estimator for estimating a speech intelligibility indicator indicative of speech intelligibility based on one or more microphone input signals. The controller is configured to control the processor based on the speech intelligibility indicator. The speech intelligibility estimator comprises a pitch estimator for estimating a pitch parameter of a first audio source. The speech intelligibility indicator is based on the pitch parameter and a direction of the first audio source.

Abstract: A hearing device for enhancing speech intelligibility, the hearing device includes: an input transducer for providing an input signal comprising a speech signal and a noise signal; a processing unit; an acoustic output transducer coupled to the processing unit, the acoustic output transducer configured to provide an audio output signal based on an output signal form the processing unit; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine one or more parameters of the input signal based on a codebook based approach (CBA) processing; and wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a Kalman filtering of the input signal based on the determined one or more parameters so that the output signal has an enhanced speech intelligibility.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates in a first aspect to a method of determining an objective perceptual quantity of a noisy speech signal using directional sound information. The method comprises steps of applying a noisy speech signal comprising a mixture of target speech and interfering noise to a first hearing instrument with an adjustable microphone arrangement and controlling the adjustable microphone arrangement to produce first and second directivity patterns exhibiting first and second directivity indexes, respectively, wherein said second directivity index is smaller than the first directivity index at one or more reference frequencies. First and second noisy speech segments are recorded from the adjustable microphone arrangement using the first and second directivity patterns, respectively, and at least one value of the objective perceptual quantity of the noisy speech signal is determined by comparing the first noisy speech segment and the second noisy speech segment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of identifying and correcting errors in a noisy binary mask. An object of the present invention is to provide a scheme for improving a binary mask representing speech. The problem is solved in that the method comprises a) providing a noisy binary mask comprising a binary representation of the power density of an acoustic signal comprising a target signal and a noise signal at a predefined number of discrete frequencies and a number of discrete time instances; b) providing a statistical model of a clean binary mask representing the power density of the target signal; and c) using the statistical model to detect and correct errors in the noisy binary mask. This has the advantage of providing an alternative and relatively simple way of improving an estimate of a binary mask representing a speech signal. The invention may e.g. be used for speech processing, e.g. in a hearing instrument.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of identifying and correcting errors in a noisy binary mask. An object of the present invention is to provide a scheme for improving a binary mask representing speech. The problem is solved in that the method comprises a) providing a noisy binary mask comprising a binary representation of the power density of an acoustic signal comprising a target signal and a noise signal at a predefined number of discrete frequencies and a number of discrete time instances; b) providing a statistical model of a clean binary mask representing the power density of the target signal; and c) using the statistical model to detect and correct errors in the noisy binary mask. This has the advantage of providing an alternative and relatively simple way of improving an estimate of a binary mask representing a speech signal. The invention may e.g. be used for speech processing, e.g. in a hearing instrument.

Abstract: An audio encoder comprising a sinusoidal type encoder and an amplitude modulation encoder that both receive an audio input signal. The amplitude modulation encoder generates a set of sinusoidal components each having assigned individual parameter(s) relating to a time-varying amplitude envelope. The sinusoidal type encoder may be a conventional constant amplitude type encoder and generate a set of constant sinusoidal components. Based on an optimisation using a predetermined encoding efficiency criterion, such as a perceptually relevant criterion, the audio encoder decides which components from the two encoders to be included in an output bit stream. In a preferred embodiment only components from one of the two encoders are used. Preferably, the optimisation process is repeated for each audio signal segment, and preferably a flag for each segment is included in the bit stream indicating if amplitude envelope parameters are present in the segment or not.