Amplification of a speech signal in dependence on the input level

1. A method for amplifying a speech signal for a hearing apparatus, which comprises the steps of:

detecting an input sound via the hearing apparatus;

determining an input level of the input sound;

amplifying the input sound via the hearing apparatus;

determining a mean broadband input level of the input sound;

determining if the input sound has a speech component;

amplifying the input signal in dependence on the input level in accordance with a predefined first amplification characteristic if the speech component does not exist; and

amplifying the input signal in dependence on the input level in accordance with a predefined second amplification characteristic if the speech component exists, the predefined second amplification characteristic being formed in dependence on the mean broadband input level such that amplification is increased with respect to the predefined first amplification characteristic in a predefined level interval below the mean broadband input level, wherein the predefined level interval is a mean interval between a vowel level and a consonant level and the predefined second amplification characteristic lies in a level range of a predefined breadth above the predefined first amplification characteristic.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined breadth is in an order of magnitude of the predefined level interval.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein values of the predefined second amplification characteristic are a maximum of 12 dB to 24 dB above those of the predefined first amplification characteristic.

4. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises applying the method solely to sound components of the input sound having frequencies above a predefined frequency.

5. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises increasing the predefined second amplification characteristic differently with respect to the predefined first amplification characteristic in various frequency bands.

6. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises performing amplification in a first and a second path, parallel thereto, of the hearing apparatus, a first compression is performed in the first path and a second compression is performed in the second path, the second compression is greater than the first compression, and the amplification is carried out in the second path in accordance with the predefined first or second amplification characteristic.

7. The method according to claim 6 , which further comprises mixing signals of the first and second paths with a mixing ratio which depends on the input level of the input sound.

8. A hearing apparatus, comprising:

a detection device for detecting an input sound;

a measuring device for determining an input level of the input sound, a mean broadband input level of the input sound being determined by the measuring device;

an amplification device for amplifying the input sound;

a classification device for determining if the input sound has a speech component; and

said amplification device can be controlled by said classification device such that the input signal is amplified in dependence on the input level in accordance with a predefined first amplification characteristic if no speech component is found in the input signal, and the input signal is amplified in dependence on the input level in accordance with a predefined second amplification characteristic if the speech component is found in the input signal, the predefined second amplification characteristic is formed in dependence on the mean broadband input level such that amplification is increased with respect to the predefined first amplification characteristic in a predefined level interval below the mean broadband input level, wherein the predefined level interval is a mean interval between a vowel level and a consonant level and the predefined second amplification characteristic lies in a level range of predefined breadth above the predefined first amplification characteristic.