Patents by Inventor Volkmar Hamacher

Volkmar Hamacher 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: 8111851
    Abstract: Fine customization of a hearing aid to the individual hearing environments and habits of a user are to be simplified and improved. To this end, when the hearing aid is turned on or when the hearing aid is switched to a particular operating mode, neither the value most recently valid for the parameter prior to turning off or switching to a different operating mode nor the parameter value transferred to the hearing aid at the beginning of programming is set. Rather, from the changes to the value of the parameter taking place during operation of the hearing aid a new start value is ascertained and stored, which value is then set automatically after turning on or switching mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur Giesner, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Publication number: 20110123056
    Abstract: A method for operating a hearing aid in a hearing aid system where the hearing aid is continuously learnable for the particular user. A sound environment classification system is provided for tracking and defining sound environment classes relevant to the user. In an ongoing learning process, the classes are redefined based on new environments to which the hearing aid is subjected by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Tyseer Aboulnasr, Eghart Fischer, Christian Giguere, Wail Gueajeb, Volkmar Hamacher, Luc Lamarche
  • Patent number: 7853031
    Abstract: A hearing aid wearer's own voice frequently leads to artifacts and response errors in various hearing aid algorithms. It is provided that the user's own voice to be detected by a special analysis device, and the hearing aid algorithms can be controlled as a function of detection. This can be achieved by providing a microphone in the auditory channel whose signal level is compared with that of an external microphone. This allows some form of control, e.g., the automatic gain control of a hearing aid to be “frozen”, in the presence of the hearing aid wearer's own voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Volkmar Hamacher
  • Patent number: 7844063
    Abstract: Hearing aids with microphone and telephone coil are to be made simpler and more convenient. For this purpose it is provided to use an adaptive filter to compensate acoustic and electromagnetic feedback. In order to allow for the propagation delay differences, a delay element is connected downstream of the telephone coil. The microphone and telephone coil signals can be individually weighted with the factors a and b so that mixed mode is also possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Henning Puder
  • Patent number: 7742611
    Abstract: A hearing device is to be developed for hearing device wearers who speak different national languages. For this purpose, pro-vision is made to equip a hearing device with a storage facility for storing first data which is characteristic of a first language and a processing facility for processing an input signal. At least second data, which is characteristic of a second language, can be stored in the storage facility. The input signal can thus alternatively be processed as a function of the first or the second data. By way of example, the interference noise suppression or the microphone configuration can hereby be adjusted in a language-dependent manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Esfandiar Grafenberg, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Patent number: 7574012
    Abstract: Concurrent signal paths going pass a hearing aid bring about interferences in the auditory canal. These interferences are compensated by estimating an interfering signal from the input signal disturbed by interference from a microphone and applying to the interfering signal a transfer function, with which the concurrent acoustic signal path is simulated, thereby forming an interfering output signal, and combining a usable output signal from a signal-processing device with the interfering output signal. In this way, a noise suppression by directional microphone switching configurations can be made possible when concurrent signal paths do not make such directional microphone switching possible by conventional approaches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Eggers, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Publication number: 20080175423
    Abstract: The speech recognition in a background noise-filled environment is to be improved. To this end, provision is made to record a speech signal of a predetermined speaker when adjusting a hearing apparatus and in particular a hearing device to a user and to analyze this speech signal. Within the scope of the adjustment, a signal processing algorithm of the hearing apparatus is then to be set as a function of the analysis result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventor: Volkmar Hamacher
  • Patent number: 7330557
    Abstract: For improving the directionality of a hearing aid having a microphone system formed by two or more microphones without in the process creating an increase in the microphone noise that the hearing aid wearer finds to be disturbing, the microphone system is adjusted statically or adaptively taking into account the individual rest hearing threshold and/or taking into account the individual masking threshold for the microphone noise that is produced by the microphone system. The greatest possible extent of directionality thus can be allowed, without the hearing aid wearer in the process finding the microphone noise that is produced by the microphone system to be disturbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Eghart Fischer, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Patent number: 7324650
    Abstract: The correct recognition of the auditory situation “television” often poses a problem for hearing aid devices with automatic situation recognition, since a plurality of real situations are simulated by the television audio signal. To correctly recognize the situation “television”, the invention therefore provides to detect a line signal with a particular line signal frequency output by the television device, and given the existence of such a line signal to automatically implement the auditory situation “television”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Eghart Fischer, Volkmar Hamacher, Thomas Hies, Thomas Hopf, Frank Wagner
  • Patent number: 7313241
    Abstract: For a hearing-impaired person provided with a hearing aid device with which sound acquisition ensues outside of the auditory canals of the person, the localization capability with regard to a signal source is lost. To compensate the information loss that occurs due to the acquisition of an acoustic signal outside of the auditory canals, in the signal processing in the hearing aid device of an acoustic input signal acquired by at least one microphone of the hearing aid device, the transfer function of the head or of the external ear is taken into account between the position at which the microphone is located and a position in the auditory canal of the hearing device user. The natural location capability of a person to localize a signal source in space thus is not lost given treatment with a hearing aid device that is not worn in the auditory canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Torsten Niederdränk
  • Publication number: 20070280494
    Abstract: It should be possible to quickly and effectively adjust a hearing aid even in the high-frequency range above 8 kHz. For this purpose it is provided that an open-loop gain measurement is carried out in the upper frequency range and a maximum amplification or a frequency-dependent maximum amplification curve is fixed. This maximum amplification in the high-frequency range should not be exceeded. The hearing aid wearer can then optionally select one of a plurality of amplification curves located there below. In the low-frequency range a conventional amplification adjustment is carried out for example by a prescriptive audiogram-based formula. A hybrid adjustment procedure that is easy to carry out is thereby provided for the entire frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventor: Volkmar Hamacher
  • Publication number: 20070230726
    Abstract: Fine customization of a hearing aid to the individual hearing environments and habits of a user are to be simplified and improved. To this end, when the hearing aid is turned on or when the hearing aid is switched to a particular operating mode, neither the value most recently valid for the parameter prior to turning off or switching to a different operating mode nor the parameter value transferred to the hearing aid at the beginning of programming is set. Rather, from the changes to the value of the parameter taking place during operation of the hearing aid a new start value is ascertained and stored, which value is then set automatically after turning on or switching mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Arthur Giesner, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Patent number: 7269269
    Abstract: An adjustment of hearing device systems is achieved by an interactive adaptation that is undertaken during the operation. A classifier recognizes various auditory situations and starts interactive adaptation procedures, in the framework of which various settings are to be evaluated. Only settings that fit the auditory situation are thereby offered. As a result of the evaluations, an optimal hearing aid settings results for the respective auditory situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Matthias Wesselkamp
  • Patent number: 7218741
    Abstract: An adaptive differential microphone array method comprises receiving a signal, estimating a measured signal spectral covariance matrix of the signal, and estimating a direction of arrival of the signal based on the measured signal spectral covariance matrix of the signal. The method further comprises determining a fractional delay, and applying a differential microphone array filter to the signal based on the direction of arrival and the fractional delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc
    Inventors: Radu Victor Balan, Justinian Rosca, Liang Hong, Volkmar Hamacher, Eghart Fischer
  • Patent number: 7181033
    Abstract: A hearing aid is provided that avoids disturbing acoustic effects caused by on, off, or switchover events. The signal processing in the hearing aid is switched in sliding fashion from a first operating condition into a second operating condition. According to the invention, both operating conditions are simultaneously present in the hearing aid during the switching event. The sliding transition ensues by a parallel signal processing in at least two signal paths of the hearing aid, whereby a signal that results from the first operating condition and a signal that results from the second operating condition are added in changing weighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Eghart Fischer, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Publication number: 20070009122
    Abstract: A hearing aid wearer's own voice frequently leads to artifacts and response errors in various hearing aid algorithms. It is provided that the user's own voice to be detected by a special analysis device, and the hearing aid algorithms can be controlled as a function of detection. This can be achieved by providing a microphone in the auditory channel whose signal level is compared with that of an external microphone. This allows some form of control, e.g., the automatic gain control of a hearing aid to be “frozen”, in the presence of the hearing aid wearer's own voice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventor: Volkmar Hamacher
  • Publication number: 20060239484
    Abstract: Hearing aids with microphone and telephone coil are to be made simpler and more convenient. For this purpose it is provided to use an adaptive filter to compensate acoustic and electromagnetic feedback. In order to allow for the propagation delay differences, a delay element is connected downstream of the telephone coil. The microphone and telephone coil signals can be individually weighted with the factors a and b so that mixed mode is also possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Henning Puder
  • Publication number: 20060215861
    Abstract: A hearing device is to be developed for hearing device wearers who speak different national languages. For this purpose, pro-vision is made to equip a hearing device with a storage facility for storing first data which is characteristic of a first language and a processing facility for processing an input signal. At least second data, which is characteristic of a second language, can be stored in the storage facility. The input signal can thus alternatively be processed as a function of the first or the second data. By way of example, the interference noise suppression or the microphone configuration can hereby be adjusted in a language-dependent manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Esfandiar Grafenberg, Volkmar Hamacher
  • Publication number: 20060093173
    Abstract: Feedback in audio systems and particularly in hearing aids needs to be detected more reliably, so that it can be filtered as appropriate. For this purpose, the invention provides for the output signal from a signal processing section is modified using a modulation unit to produce a modulated output signal. This modulation must be inaudible to the hearing aid wearer. The modulated signal is fed back via a feedback path to the microphone of the hearing aid. A feedback detector detects the signal modulation and accordingly controls an adaptive filter to compensate for the feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Ulrich Kornagel
  • Patent number: 7024011
    Abstract: In a hearing aid having an oscillation detector and a method for establishing the presence of oscillations in a hearing aid, sinusoidal input signals of the microphone can be detected, and so oscillations that are present can also be detected. To this end, the number of digitized sample values in consecutive periods of the input signal is determined, and a long-term average value NL and a short-term average value NK are formed from these numbers. When NL and NK are essentially identical, the presence of oscillations is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Georg-Erwin Arndt, Tom Weidner