Patent ID: 8345900
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: H04R

Abstract:
1. A method for providing hearing assistance to a user, comprising: capturing audio signals by a microphone arrangement comprising at least two spaced apart microphones; estimating a total energy contained in a voice spectrum of the audio signals captured at at least one of the microphones; estimating a value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals by comparing the audio signals captured by at least two of the spaced apart microphones; judging whether a voice is present close to the microphone arrangement by taking into account the estimated total energy contained in the voice spectrum of the captured audio signals and the estimated value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals; outputting a signal representative of said judgement; processing said captured audio signals according to said signal representative of said judgement; transmitting the audio signals by a transmission unit via a wireless audio link to a receiver unit comprising a gain control unit, and setting by said on control unit in said audio signal processing, a gain applied to the audio signals according to said signal representative of said judgement; and stimulating the user's hearing, by stimulating means worn at or in at least one of the user's ears, according to the processed audio signals;