BINAURAL HEARING AID SYSTEM

Abstract

In a binaural hearing aid system audio signals are transmitted between an antenna facility of a left ITE hearing aid and an antenna facility of a right ITE hearing aid. Binaural beam forming is based on a natural directivity of the pinna and/or based on a head shadowing effect. Each antenna facility has an antenna arrangement with a coil core made of magnetically permeable material, and extending along a longitudinal axis, a further electric hearing aid component, which emits electromagnetic interference radiation, and an at least partially planar shield made of magnetically permeable material. The shield is arranged between the antenna arrangement and the further hearing aid component transversely to the longitudinal axis of the coil core and the shield is arranged at a distance of 50 to 150 micrometers from the coil core, preferably 75 to 100 micrometers.

Claims

1. A binaural hearing aid system, comprising: a left ITE hearing aid with an antenna facility; a right ITE hearing aid with an antenna facility; means for transmitting audio signals between the antenna facility of said left ITE hearing aid and the antenna facility of said right ITE hearing aid and means for binaural beam forming based on at least one of a natural directivity of a pinna of a hearing aid wearer or a head shadowing effect; each of said antenna facilities of said left and right ITE hearing aids including: an antenna arrangement with a coil core made of magnetically permeable material and extending along a longitudinal axis; a further electric hearing aid component configured to emit electromagnetic interference radiation; an at least partially planar shield made of magnetically permeable material disposed between said antenna arrangement and said further hearing aid component, said shield being arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of said coil core and at a spacing distance of 50 to 150 micrometers from said coil core.

2. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said shield is disposed at a spacing distance of between 75 and 100 micrometers from said coil core.

3. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, which further comprises at least one means selected from the group consisting of means for adaptive beam forming, means for noise reduction, and means for head movement compensation.

4. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said means for binaural beam forming are configured to process a left electric input signal received from a left input signal converter of said left ITE hearing aid and a right electric input signal received from a right input signal converter of said right ITE hearing aid into a left electric output signal to be transmitted to a left output signal converter of said left hearing aid and into a right output signal to be transmitted to a right signal converter of said right ITE hearing aid, each of said input signal converters being configured to convert acoustic input signals into said electric input signals, and each of said output signal converters being configured to convert said electric output signals into an acoustic output signal.

5. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said means for a binaural beam forming are configured to receive a left electric input signal from said left ITE hearing aid and a right electric input signal from said right ITE hearing aid, and to combine the left input signal and the right input signal to preserve a target signal and to attenuate signals coming from directions different from a direction of the target signal, taking into consideration at least one of a natural directivity of the pinna or the head shadowing effect.

6. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 5, wherein said means for a binaural beam forming are configured to adaptively track the direction of the target signal and to readjust a combination of the right input signal and the left input signal accordingly.

7. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein each of said left ITE hearing aid and said right ITE hearing aid comprises a means for binaural beam forming.

8. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein a material of said coil core has a lower magnetic permeability than a material of said shield.

9. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 5, wherein said shield is made of mu-metal film.

10. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said shield is glued to said antenna arrangement.

11. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein: said further electric hearing aid component is configured to mainly emit the electromagnetic interference radiation in a spatial direction of interference radiation; and said antenna arrangement and said further hearing aid component are arranged transverse relative to one another to thereby reduce a coupling of interference radiation into said antenna arrangement.

12. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein: antenna arrangement comprises a coil antenna; said further hearing aid component comprises a coil arrangement configured to emit the interference radiation; and said coil antenna and said coil arrangement are oriented transverse to one another with respect to their respective longitudinal direction.

13. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said further hearing aid component is affixed to said shield.

14. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said shield, at least in an area of a periphery of said shield, surrounds said further hearing aid component in a direction facing away from said antenna arrangement.

15. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 1, wherein said coil core has a sound channel and said shield has a sound opening, and the sound channel and the sound opening are aligned with one another to form a continuous sound channel.

16. The binaural hearing aid system according to claim 15, wherein the sound channel has an inner wall and wherein at least one of said inner wall or a side of said shield facing away from said coil core is covered with sound-damping material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a prior art ITE hearing aid;

[0065] FIG. 2 shows an ITE hearing aid according to the invention with an antenna facility;

[0066] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the antenna facility;

[0067] FIG. 4 shows an antenna receiver module;

[0068] FIG. 5 shows an antenna receiver module with an offset antenna;

[0069] FIG. 6 shows an antenna receiver module with a tilted receiver;

[0070] FIG. 7 shows a field line curve of the receiver;

[0071] FIG. 8 shows the field line distribution of the receiver with shielding;

[0072] FIG. 9 shows a tube;

[0073] FIG. 10 shows an antenna receiver module;

[0074] FIG. 11 shows the signal-to-noise ratio across the shielding distance;

[0075] FIG. 12 shows the interference signal damping across the shielding distance;

[0076] FIG. 13 shows the field line curve of the antenna field;

[0077] FIG. 14 shows the field line curve of the receiver field;

[0078] FIG. 15 shows a binaural ITE hearing aid system;

[0079] FIG. 16 shows binaural processing means in a binaural ITE hearing aid system;

[0080] FIG. 17 shows the head shadowing effect;

[0081] FIG. 18 shows means for an adaptive binaural beam forming and FIG. 19 shows adaptive head movement compensation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0082] Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a schematic representation of an ITE hearing aid according to the prior art. The ITE hearing aid 3 is inserted into the outer auditory canal of the hearing aid wearer. It is partly disposed in the outer-lying cartilaginous part 1 of the auditory canal and is partially pushed into the bony part of the auditory canal. This is consequently a CIC hearing aid. Depending on how far the hearing aid is introduced into the auditory canal, it could also be a deep-fit hearing aid.

[0083] A receiver 4 is placed on the end oriented toward the eardrum in the hearing aid 3. The receiver outputs acoustic signals to the eardrum via a sound channel 7. A hybrid circuit substrate 8 is arranged on the faceplate arranged on the opposing end, said circuit substrate including a signal processing facility (not shown) and an amplifier for generating control signals for the receiver 4. An antenna 6 is likewise arranged and aligned on the faceplate 5 such that it is oriented in the direction of the opposing ear (not shown) of the hearing aid wearer. The antenna 6 is used to transmit data between the two binaural hearing aids of the hearing aid wearer, wherein only one of the two hearing aids is shown.

[0084] It is apparent that the antenna is arranged relatively close to the further electronic components of the hearing aid 3, so that electromagnetic interference signals herefrom can be coupled into the antenna 6. Interference signals of this type are in particular emitted by the receiver 4, which has an inductive receiver coil, which is used to convert electrical signals into acoustic signals.

[0085] In addition, the signals which the antenna 6 sends or receives must pass the receiver 4 on their way to the opposing ear or hearing aid of the hearing aid wearer, which also negatively influences the data transmission path. The cited interference factors severely reduce the performance of the data transmission system, so that a high bandwidth can only be achieved to a restricted degree with at the same time a minimal energy requirement.

[0086] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an ITE hearing aid 13 with an antenna facility 28. The housing 19 of the ITE hearing aid 13 is tapered towards the eardrum. A sound channel 17 on this side is used to emit acoustic signals toward the eardrum of the wearer.

[0087] The hearing aid 13 is sealed by a faceplate 15 on the opposing side, on which faceplate, in addition to a battery (not shown) and microphones (likewise not shown), a hybrid circuit substrate 18 (shown with a dashed line) is arranged in the inside of the hearing aid 13 or of its housing 19. The hybrid circuit substrate 18 includes a signal processing facility and an amplification facility, which actuates the receiver 14 which is likewise arranged inside the housing 19. The receiver 14 generates acoustic output signals, which are output by way of the sound channel 17.

[0088] The receiver 14 is oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis of the hearing aid 13. The antenna 16 is disposed between the receiver 14 and the tapered end of the hearing aid 13 oriented towards the eardrum, in order to transmit data between the two binaural hearing aids of the hearing aid wearer. The antenna 16 is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the hearing aid 13 and is thus aligned transverse to the receiver 14. It is separated from the receiver 14 by a shield 26. The shield 26 is arranged transverse to the antenna 16 or in other words transverse to the longitudinal axis 27 of its coil core (not shown) and at a minimal distance thereto. It has a sound opening 39, which is arranged flush with the sound channel 17. The distance amounts to between 50 and 150 micrometers. The antenna 16, the coil core, the receiver 14 and the shield 26 form an antenna facility 28.

[0089] The transverse alignment of the receiver 14 effects a space-saving arrangement of the receiver 14 and antenna 16, the overall length of which is reduced by the transverse arrangement of the receiver 14. In addition, the transverse arrangement of the receiver 14 produces an improved utilization of space in the tapering part of the housing 19. The space available in the tapered tip of the housing 19 is utilized better than would be the case with a longitudinally arranged receiver. In the event that the sound output of the housing 19 does not follow a straight line with the sound channel 17 in the antenna 16, then a curved pre-formed sound tube which leads to the sound exit is connected to the antenna 16 on the output side.

[0090] FIG. 3 again shows a schematic representation of the antenna facility 28. The sound channel 17 is disposed within the antenna 16 and runs through this to the receiver 14. The receiver 14 is, as explained previously, oriented transverse to the antenna 16 and to the longitudinal direction of the ITE hearing aid. The shield 26 is arranged transverse to the longitudinal axis 27 between the coil core (not shown) of the antenna 16 and the receiver 14 at a distance of 50 to 150 micrometers from the coil core. The distance can be effected for instance by a premolded part, upon which the shield 26 and the antenna 16 are mounted. The distance can also be affected in a particularly simple manner in that the shield 26 and antenna 16 are glued to one another by means of an adhesive layer of a suitable thickness.

[0091] A longitudinally arranged receiver 20 is shown with a dashed line for explanation purposes only. The dashed arrangement of the receiver 20 illustrates that the overall length increases with a longitudinal arrangement of the receiver 20, thereby not at the same time producing a tapering contour of the arrangement. As explained previously, it is illustrated such that with a longitudinal arrangement of the receiver 20, the space cannot be utilized so well in the tapered tip of the hearing aid 13.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an antenna receiver module. The receiver 14 is, as explained previously, oriented transverse to the antenna 16. The antenna 16 is arranged on a coil core 22 which consists of permeable material. The permeable coil core 22 is used, in a conventional manner, to increase the antenna surface or sensitivity.

[0093] The shield 26 is arranged (the distance is not recognizable in the figure) at a distance of 50 to 150 micrometers from the end of the coil core 22 facing toward the receiver 14. The shield 26 is predominantly planar in shape and oriented transverse to the alignment of the antenna 16, in other words transverse to the longitudinal axis 27 of the coil core 22 and in parallel to the alignment of the receiver 14. The surface of the shield 26 is dimensioned such that the receiver 14 is entirely or almost entirely shielded from the antenna across the entire surface facing the shield 26 by means of the shield 26, or conversely the antenna 16 is shielded from the receiver 14.

[0094] The sound channel 17 runs through the coil core 22 and through the shield 26 to the receiver 14. The coil core 22 is covered on the inside by a sound-damping or vibration-damping material which is molded as a tube 21. In an alternative embodiment, the coil core 22 does not need to be covered in a vibration-damping manner on the inside and would then be used as a per se undamped sound guidance. A larger cross-section of the sound tube can thus be achieved. The tube 21 surrounds the sound channel 17 from the antenna-side exit toward the receiver 14 and is molded there in a planar fashion in parallel to the shield 26. The receiver 14 is attached to the planar-shaped part of the tube 21 and is thus likewise vibration-insulated. Round extensions of the sound-damping or vibration-damping material are used for the vibration-decoupled suspension of the facility in the housing of the hearing aid, said facility also being integrated into the facility.

[0095] The coil core 22 forms an antenna receiver module, together with the tube 21, the antenna 16, the shield 26, and the receiver 14. The tube 21 can be molded such that with arrangements of the shield 26 and the coil core 22 on the tube 21, the distance mentioned above results between the shield 26 and the coil core 22. The module can be inserted into the hearing aid pre-installed or preassembled. The pre-assembly of the antenna receiver module on the tube 21 reduces the assembly outlay during manufacture of the hearing aid and thus simplifies the manufacturing process.

[0096] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment similar to the preceding representation. In this respect, the same reference characters are used for the same components and reference is made to the preceding explanations. Contrary to the embodiment mentioned above, the coil core 22 and antenna 16 is however not arranged centrally with respect to the shield 26, but is displaced (upward in the figure). This can be used to adjust the outer shape of the antenna 16 and receiver 14 to the assembly space available in a hearing aid.

[0097] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment similar to the preceding representations. The same reference characters are in turn used and reference is made to the preceding explanations. Contrary to the embodiment mentioned previously, the receiver 14 is tilted relative to the shield 26. This can also be used for adjustment to the assembly space available in a hearing aid. Depending on the alignment of the dynamic fields of the receiver 14 and antenna 16, the shielding effect of the shield 26 can vary with a minimal tilting angle of the receiver 14, and in certain circumstances can even be improved compared with an exactly perpendicular arrangement.

[0098] FIG. 7 shows a schematic and significantly simplified representation of the field line curve of a receiver functioning with receiver coils. A receiver coil 23 is arranged axially in the receiver 14, in other words oriented in the longitudinal direction. It is apparent that the receiver coil 23 in the axial direction generates a very compressed (magnetic) field, while in the radial direction, in the figure in other words to the right and left, generates a relatively weak (magnetic) field. The field of the receiver 23 is generally however significantly influenced by its housing and possibly one or more further receiver coils and magnetic components and is formed in a more complex manner.

[0099] It is also apparent that the magnetic field, which the receiver 14 generates, is more strongly pronounced in its longitudinal direction than in its transverse direction. Consequently, the previously mentioned arrangement, in which the antenna which is sensitive to electromagnetic interference signals is, not arranged longitudinally but instead transverse to the receiver already brings about a significant decoupling of the electromagnetic signals of the receiver 14 from the said antenna. The improved decoupling is thus achieved in that the antenna is arranged both laterally from and also transverse to the receiver 14.

[0100] FIG. 8 shows the field line curve of the receiver with a shielding. The receiver 14 is arranged to the left in the figure on the previously cited shield 26 of the permeable coil core 22. On the other side of the shield 26, the marginally distanced coil core 22 explained above bears the antenna 16.

[0101] The field line curve shown illustrates the shielding of the antenna 16 from the receiver 14 or from the signals of the receiver coil 23. The field lines running in the direction of the antenna 16 are deformed by the shield 26 and run here through. The field line density in the shield 26 is thus increased, whereas the field line density on the other side of the shield 26 is as a result reduced at the same time. In other words, the strength of the (magnetic) field generated by the receiver coil 23 at the site of the coil 16 is reduced significantly. Interference couplings from receiver signals into the antenna 16 are thus significantly reduced.

[0102] FIG. 9 shows the previously mentioned sound-damping tube separately. The tube 21 is passed through in the longitudinal direction by the sound channel. A coil section 24 is provided to receive the previously mentioned coil core 22. The coil core 22 is arranged around the coil section 24, if necessary also around the further longitudinal path of the tube 21. A shield section 25 is provided to receive the shield. The shield is placed here on the one side of the shielding section 25, whereas a receiver is arranged on the opposite side of the shield section 25. The illustrated tube 21 consists entirely of sound-damping material, for instance conventionally of Viton (a registered trademark of I.E. Du Pont de Nemours & Company).

[0103] FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of the antenna-receiver module. At a distance of 50 to 150 micrometers from the coil core 32, a shield 37 is arranged, as explained above, on one side. An antenna 36 is wound onto the coil core 32. On the side facing away from the antenna 36, the shield 37 surrounds the receiver 34 arranged there at least in the region shown to the top and bottom in the figure. To this end, the shield 37 is embodied there in the shape of a bowl, so that the receiver 34 is surrounded by the shield 37 at least in a region of the shield periphery in the direction facing away from the antenna 36.

[0104] A particularly good shielding effect is given in case the shield 37 is surrounding the receiver 34 on all sides. A further improvement in the shielding can be achieved in that the shield 37 entirely encloses the receiver 34 and not just laterally. A further improvement in the antenna is produced as a result, which can either be used to increase the bandwidth or else to perform a shortening of the antenna with unvarying performance.

[0105] A sound channel 17 passes through the coil core 32, and thanks to the continuous tube 31 is covered with sound-damping material. The sound channel 17 is arranged flush with the sound opening 40 of the shield 37. The sound opening 40 and the sound channel 17 thus together form a continuous sound channel. The tube 31 is likewise embodied planar or bowl-shaped in the region of the shield 37 and receives the receiver 34 in a vibration-damping manner. The receiver 34 is attached to the tube 31. The receiver antenna module shown can be pre-assembled, so that the further assembly and manufacture of the hearing aid is significantly simplified.

[0106] FIG. 11 shows the curve of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the antenna signal as a function of the distance explained above between the shield and the coil core of the antenna. It is apparent that the signal-to-noise ratio is at its maximum at approximately 100 to 200 micrometers distance. It emerges from the curve that a certain minimum distance between the shield and coil core is advantageous.

[0107] FIG. 12 shows the damping of the interference signals of the receiver for the antenna signal as a function of the distance explained above between the shield and the coil core of the antenna. It is apparent that the damping at approximately 100 micrometers distance converges into a maximum damping. It emerges from the curve that a certain minimum distance between the shield and coil core is advantageous.

[0108] From the synopsis of the afore-cited diagrams (signal-to-noise ratio over distance, interference signal-damping over distance) it has been shown that a certain minimal distance (approx. almost 100 micrometers) between the shield and the coil core is advantageous, but that this advantage does not increase further or even reduces again with increasing distance as from a certain further distance (approx. 200 micrometers). The drive to achieve the smallest possible structure of the antenna-receiver arrangement militates against a further increase in the distance.

[0109] From the considerations mentioned above, a distance of approximately 50 to 150 micrometers between the shield and the coil core emerges as advantageous for antenna properties and installation size. It is further apparent from the diagrams that the narrower range of approx. 75 to 100 micrometers is particularly advantageous. It is apparent that according to the individual design of antenna, coil core, shield and receiver, other values may result. In constellations which are typical of hearing aids, it is however assumed that these move within the scope of the specified value ranges.

[0110] FIG. 13 shows a schematic representation of the magnetic field of the antenna in and around the coil core 22. Because the shield 26 is spaced apart from the coil core 22 it can be readily observed that it brings about a compression of the magnetic field on the side of the coil core 22 or antenna. On account of for its part permeable properties of the receiver 14, part of the magnetic field is also guided here through, which advantageously even brings about a theoretical extension of the antenna and thus contributes to improving the sensitivity.

[0111] It is not shown in the figure that the deformation of the field line curve by the shield 26 results in the field lines overall together running longer in the coil core 22 and shield 26. As a result, there is an advantageous increase in sensitivity. It is also apparent that a reduction in the field lines coming from the antenna develops between the shield 26 and receiver 14, because the field lines exit more strongly at the edge of the shield 26 and not somewhere between the shield 26 and receiver 14. At the same time, the shield does not have a disadvantageous effect on the scatter field.

[0112] FIG. 14 shows a schematic representation of the magnetic field of the receiver 14. Because the shield 26 is spaced apart from the coil core 22 it can be readily observed that it brings about a shielding of the magnetic field of the receiver 14 for the antenna or the coil core 22. It is apparent that although part of the magnetic field penetrates into the shield 26, only the smallest part thereof reaches the coil core 22 across the gap.

[0113] The field lines running in the direction of the antenna 16 are deformed by the shield 26 and run here through. The field line density in the shield 26 is thus increased, whereas the field line density on the other side of the shield 26 is as a result reduced at the same time. In other words, the strength of the (magnetic) field generated by the receiver coil at the site of the coil is significant. Interference couplings from receiver signals into the antenna are thus significantly reduced.

[0114] Simulations have shown that although the field of the receiver 14 can assume a very different design over time, the good shielding effect is however essentially always kept constant.

[0115] FIG. 15 schematically shows a hearing aid user 41 wearing a left ITE hearing aid 42 and a right ITE hearing aid 42. Both ITE hearing aids 42, 43 are connected via a bidirectional wireless audio data link 45 and establish a binaural ITE hearing aid system 46, wherein the audio signals received by both ITE hearing aids 42, 43 are binaurally processed into a respective output signal for the left and the right ITE hearing aid 42, 43 respectively. Both ITE hearing aids 42, 43 are similar to the ITE hearing aid 13 shown in FIG. 2 and include an antenna facility comprising a shield 26 oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis of the coil core 22 as shown in FIGS. 2-6, 8, 9, 13 and/or 14. Particularly, the wireless link for transmitting bidirectional audio data from ear-to-ear allows for use binaural signal processing algorithms such as binaural beam forming. The new binaural ITE hearing aid system provides an even more efficient solution to speech understanding in background noise. Due to the use of the aforementioned and described antenna facilities this advanced binaural technology is also possible in CIC hearing aids.

[0116] FIG. 16 shows the binaural processing of the audio signals of both ITE hearings aids 42, 43 in more detail. Between the left ITE hearing aid 42 and the right ITE hearing aid 43 of the hearing aid user 41 a wireless bidirectional audio data link 45 is established.

[0117] The left ITE hearing aid 42 receives via a left input signal converter 47, particularly a microphone, a left input signal 50 which is fed into left binaural processing means 54 which processes the left input signal 47 into a left output signal 56 which is fed to a left output signal converter 58, particularly a loudspeaker. The right ITE hearing aid 43, respectively, receives via a right input signal converter 48, particularly a microphone, a right input signal 51 which is fed into right binaural processing means 55 which process the right input signal 48 into a right output signal 57 which is fed to a right output signal converter 58, particularly a loudspeaker.

[0118] Additionally, via the audio data link 45 the right input signal 51 is also transmitted to the left ITE hearing aid 42 and fed into the left binaural processing means 54. The left input signal 50 is transmitted to the right ITE hearing aid 43 accordingly and fed into the right binaural processing means 55 for further processing. Hence, the left binaural processing means 54 of the left ITE hearing aid 42 and the right binaural processing means 55 of the right ITE hearing aid 43 both process the input signals 50, 51 of both ITE hearings aids 42, 43.

[0119] The binaural processing means 54, 55 of both ITE hearing aids 42, 43 each comprise means 60 for a binaural beam forming which particularly incorporate means 61 for an adaptive beam forming, means 62 for noise reduction and means 63 for head movement compensation. The input signals 50, 51 of both ITE hearing aids 42, 43 each are processed by the binaural processing means 54 of the left ITE hearing aid 42 as well as by the binaural processing means 55 of the right hearing aid 43. The left output signal 56 of the left binaural processing means 54 and the output signal 57 of the right binaural processing means 55 are fed to the left output signal converter 58 and to the right output signal converter 59 respectively.

[0120] FIG. 17 schematically depicts the head shadowing effect which provides a natural directivity in the left input signal 50 and in the right input signal 51 of the binaural ITE hearing aid system 45 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The speech signal of a front speaker 65 is identically received without further attenuation in both ITE hearings aids 42, 43. However, the speech signal of side speakers 66 is attenuated differently by the head of the hearing aid user 41. The speech signal of a left side speaker 66 is received at the left ITE hearing aid 42 without any significant attenuation but is received at the right ITE hearing aid 43 with significant attenuation caused by the head of the hearing aid user 41. The speech signal of a right side speaker 66 is received at the right ITE hearing aid 43 without any significant attenuation but is received at the left ITE hearing aid 42 with significant attenuation caused by the head of the hearing aid user 41. In comparison to a speech signal of a front speaker 65 a speech signal from a back speaker (not shown) is received in both ITE hearing aids 42, 43 with a natural attenuation by the pinna.

[0121] FIG. 18 shows the means 61 for a binaural adaptive beam forming (see FIG. 16) in a left ITE hearing aid 42 in more detail. The left input signal 50 is used as the local signal. The right input signal 51 of the right ITE hearing aid 43 is used as a contra lateral signal. Both input signals 50, 51 are fed into comparator means 68 for a binaural noise and target signal estimation. Particularly, the noise signal is received by a weighted combination function of both input signals 50, 51 to yield a minimum output power. The target signal is received by a respective directional beam forming which ensures, for example, that a front target signal remains untouched or not attenuated. The target signal is formed with the aid of target estimation means 69. The noise signal is estimated in noise estimation means 70. An adaptive beam forming filter 74 updates the respective weights of the input signals 50, 51 and/or of the weights of the noise and target signals for a noise cancellation to follow quick changes in a noisy non-stationary environment.

[0122] FIG. 19 shows a spatial notched directivity 76 followed from a specific combination of the left and right input signals 50, 51 of a binaural ITE hearing aid system 45 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. The given signal combination shows the maximal attenuation of the received audio signal (here from a front target speaker 65) and hence is a strong indication of the target signal direction. In case the front speaker 65 moves or even in case of a head movement, the combination of the input signals 50, 51 is adapted to form a rotated notched directivity 77. The narrow beam directivity 78 of the binaural ITE hearing aids system 45 is rotated accordingly and a head movement is compensated.

[0123] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:

[0124] 1 Auditory canal

[0125] 2 Cartilaginous part of the auditory canal

[0126] 3 ITE hearing aid

[0127] 4 Receiver

[0128] 5 Faceplate

[0129] 6 Antenna

[0130] 7 Sound channel

[0131] 8 Hybrid

[0132] 13 ITE hearing aid

[0133] 14 Receiver

[0134] 15 Faceplate

[0135] 16 Antenna

[0136] 17 Sound Channel

[0137] 18 Hybrid

[0138] 19 Housing

[0139] 20 Receiver

[0140] 21 Tube

[0141] 22 Coil core

[0142] 23 Receiver coil

[0143] 24 Coil section

[0144] 25 Shielding section

[0145] 26, 37 Shield

[0146] 31 Tube

[0147] 32 Coil core

[0148] 34 Receiver

[0149] 36 Antenna

[0150] 39, 40 Sound opening

[0151] 41 Hearing aid user

[0152] 42 right ITE hearing aid

[0153] 43 left ITE hearing aid

[0154] 45 data link

[0155] 46 binaural ITE hearing aid system

[0156] 47 Left input signal converter

[0157] 48 Right input signal converter

[0158] 50 Left input signal

[0159] 51 right input signal

[0160] 54 Left binaural processing means

[0161] 55 Right binaural processing means

[0162] 56 Left output signal

[0163] 57 Right output signal

[0164] 58 Left output signal converter

[0165] 59 Right output signal converter

[0166] 60 Means for binaural beamforming

[0167] 61 Means for adaptive beamforming

[0168] 62 Means for noise reduction

[0169] 63 Means for head movement compensation

[0170] 65 Front (target) speaker

[0171] 66 Side speaker

[0172] 68 Comparator

[0173] 69 Target

[0174] 70 Noise estimation

[0175] 72 Spatial notch filter

[0176] 74 Adaptive filter

[0177] 76 Spatial notch

[0178] 77 Rotated spatial notch

[0179] 78 Narrow beam