Patents by Inventor Monika Bertges Reber

Monika Bertges Reber has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9949045
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a hearing aid comprising a custom-fit ear mold is disclosed. The custom fit ear mold includes a retention part comprising a structure adapted to lock anatomically with at least one point at a surface of the pinna and/or ear canal when the custom-fit earmold is positioned in the pinna and/or ear canal of the user. The at least one point represents at least one retention point selected from the plurality of retention possibility points (RPPs), wherein each RPP of the plurality of the RPPs comprises a point wherein a normal, at the RPP, to a tangent plane containing the RPP intersects at another point at surface of the pinna and/or ear canal such that the another point is proximal to a tympanic membrane of the user compared to position of the RPP relative to the tympanic membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: BERNAFON AG, OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Gabriel Kure, Monika Bertges Reber, Karsten Bo Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9781521
    Abstract: A portable hearing assistance device comprises an input unit, an output unit, a forward path between the input unit and the output unit, and an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device. The hearing assistance device further comprises a control unit to control activation (or deactivation) of a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device. When the low-power mode is activated—the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation (or deactivation) being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals to the control unit, each control input signal being a signal selected from 1) signals relating to current physical environment, 2) signals relating to current acoustic environment, 3) signals relating to current wearer state, and 4) signals relating to current state or operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: OTICON A/S, BERNAFON AG
    Inventors: Andreas Kofod-Hansen, Svend Oscar Petersen, Gabriel Aldaz, Gunnar Gudnason, Michael Syskind Pedersen, Dennis Presutti, Björn Legler, Poul Hilding Andersson, Christian Müller, Jesko Lamm, Monika Bertges Reber
  • Patent number: 9571949
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining cochlear dead region comprising a sound generation unit, an output transducer, and a control unit. The control unit causes the sound generation unit to provide a first electrical sound signal representing a first frequency band adjacent to a frequency region of interest, with a first bandwidth, a first sound pressure level and a first subsequent electrical sound signal representing a first subsequent frequency band comprising the frequency region of interest with a first subsequent bandwidth, a first subsequent sound pressure level, and a first subsequent time delay to the first electrical sound signal. In response, the output transducer generates a first output sound and a first subsequent output sound with the first subsequent time delay. A user compares the first output and first subsequent output sounds and decides, whether he hears a difference between the two sounds and gives a positive or negative decision input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignees: OTICON A/S, BERNAFON AG
    Inventors: Karsten Bo Rasmussen, Barbara Simon, Neil Hockley, Christophe Lesimple, Thomas Ulrich Christiansen, Monika Bertges Reber
  • Patent number: 9473843
    Abstract: The invention describes a hearing device with a BTE (Behind-The-Ear) unit and an air filled tube. The BTE unit comprises a power source, a microphone, an amplifier, and a receiver and is configured to be mounted behind or on the ear of a user. The air filled tube as a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the air filled tube is connected to the receiver of the BTE unit and a flexible sealing part is provided at the distal end. The flexible sealing part comprises a core hole permeable for sound transmitted from the air filled tube through a core pathway. The air filled tube is further configured to be arranged in a user's ear canal to transmit sound generated by the BTE unit to a tympanic membrane of the user. The flexible sealing part is arranged in a bony portion of the user's ear canal when in use. The diameter of the flexible sealing part is at least as large as the diameter of the bony portion of the ear canal of a user to close the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignees: OTICON A/S, BERNAFON AG
    Inventors: Karsten Bo Rasmussen, Monika Bertges Reber, Martin Lindebjerg
  • Patent number: 9313583
    Abstract: A method fits a binaural hearing aid system for a person with a small or moderate asymmetrical hearing loss. The method comprises providing first hearing loss data for a right ear of a user; providing second hearing loss data for a left ear of a user; determining a difference between the first and second hearing loss data; classifying the degree of similarity of the first and second hearing loss data; determining basic hearing loss data to for each of the first and second hearing instruments depending on hearing loss classes; and calculating frequency dependent target gain values for each of the first and second hearing instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: BERNAFON AG
    Inventors: Fritz Rieger, Reinhard Winter, Monika Bertges Reber
  • Publication number: 20160057552
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a hearing aid comprising a custom-fit ear mold is disclosed. The custom fit ear mold includes a retention part comprising a structure adapted to lock anatomically with at least one point at a surface of the pinna and/or ear canal when the custom-fit earmold is positioned in the pinna and/or ear canal of the user. The at least one point represents at least one retention point selected from the plurality of retention possibility points (RPPs), wherein each RPP of the plurality of the RPPs comprises a point wherein a normal, at the RPP, to a tangent plane containing the RPP intersects at another point at surface of the pinna and/or ear canal such that the another point is proximal to a tympanic membrane of the user compared to position of the RPP relative to the tympanic membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicants: Oticon A/S, Bernafon AG
    Inventors: Gabriel KURE, Monika Bertges REBER, Karsten Bo RASMUSSEN
  • Publication number: 20150264496
    Abstract: A method for producing a custom-fit hearing device is disclosed. The method for producing a custom-fit hearing device comprises the step of scanning the hearing aid user's ear(s). The method comprises the step of scanning the outer ear of at least one of the user's ears and/or at least a region of the skull bone of the hearing aid user and providing data obtained during scans.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicants: Bernafon AG, Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Monika Bertges REBER, Gabriel KURE, Karsten Bo RASMUSSEN
  • Publication number: 20150222999
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining cochlear dead region comprising a sound generation unit, an output transducer, and a control unit. The control unit causes the sound generation unit to provide a first electrical sound signal representing a first frequency band adjacent to a frequency region of interest, with a first bandwidth, a first sound pressure level and a first subsequent electrical sound signal representing a first subsequent frequency band comprising the frequency region of interest with a first subsequent bandwidth, a first subsequent sound pressure level, and a first subsequent time delay to the first electrical sound signal. In response, the output transducer generates a first output sound and a first subsequent output sound with the first subsequent time delay. A user compares the first output and first subsequent output sounds and decides, whether he hears a difference between the two sounds and gives a positive or negative decision input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicants: BERNAFON AG, OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Karsten Bo RASMUSSEN, Barbara SIMON, Neil HOCKLEY, Christophe LESIMPLE, Thomas Ulrich CHRISTIANSEN, Monika Bertges REBER
  • Publication number: 20150055809
    Abstract: The invention describes a hearing device with a BTE (Behind-The-Ear) unit and an air filled tube. The BTE unit comprises a power source, a microphone, an amplifier, and a receiver and is configured to be mounted behind or on the ear of a user. The air filled tube as a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the air filled tube is connected to the receiver of the BTE unit and a flexible sealing part is provided at the distal end. The flexible sealing part comprises a core hole permeable for sound transmitted from the air filled tube through a core pathway. The air filled tube is further configured to be arranged in a user's ear canal to transmit sound generated by the BTE unit to a tympanic membrane of the user. The flexible sealing part is arranged in a bony portion of the user's ear canal when in use. The diameter of the flexible sealing part is at least as large as the diameter of the bony portion of the ear canal of a user to close the ear canal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Karsten Bo RASMUSSEN, Monika Bertges REBER, Martin LINDEBJERG
  • Publication number: 20140321682
    Abstract: A portable hearing assistance device comprises an input unit, an output unit, a forward path between the input unit and the output unit, and an energy source for energizing components of the hearing assistance device. The hearing assistance device further comprises a control unit to control activation (or deactivation) of a low-power mode of operation of the hearing assistance device. When the low-power mode is activated—the draw of current from said energy source is reduced compared to a normal mode of operation of the device, the activation (or deactivation) being influenced by a combination of at least two different control input signals to the control unit, each control input signal being a signal selected from 1) signals relating to current physical environment, 2) signals relating to current acoustic environment, 3) signals relating to current wearer state, and 4) signals relating to current state or operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicants: Bernafon AG, Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Andreas KOFOD-HANSEN, Svend Oscar PETERSEN, Gabriel ALDAZ, Gunnar GUDNASON, Michael Syskind PEDERSEN, Dennis PRESUTTI, Björn LEGLER, Poul Hilding ANDERSSON, Christian MÜLLER, Jesko LAMM, Monika Bertges REBER
  • Publication number: 20110261984
    Abstract: A hearing aid is provided with a casing where to a battery drawer or lid is movably attached for movement between a closed position and an open position, where the open position grants access to a battery, wherein a leverage tool is removably fastened to the battery drawer. By way of the leverage tool, a hearing aid user with poor dexterity may now easily open the battery drawer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: BERNAFON AG
    Inventor: Monika Bertges REBER
  • Patent number: 7796770
    Abstract: The invention regards a method for sound processing in an audio device wherein an audio signal is provided and the audio signal is frequency shaped according to the need of a user of the audio device and the frequency shaped signal is served at the user in a form perceivable as sound. According to the invention at least two different frequency shaping schemes are available and a choice is made of the frequency shaping scheme to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Bernafon AG
    Inventors: Monika Bertges Reber, Matthias Schefer
  • Patent number: 7634094
    Abstract: The invention regards a method for measuring audio response of a real ear using the microphone of a hearing aid of an end user. The following sequence of steps is performed: provide a sound tight connection between the hearing aid microphone and a first end of a soundguiding flexible tube, disable any further microphones in the hearing aid, place a second end of the tube at the location wherefrom sound is to be captured, provide an audio sound signal at the area of the second end of the tube and record the sound guided through the tube to the microphone of the hearing aid, process the recorded sounds to retrieve sound level values. Hereby real ear measurements may be gained with a hearing aid with only one microphone without any additional measuring equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Bernafon AG
    Inventor: Monika Bertges Reber