Abstract: A feedback cancellation system for a hearing instrument is described. The feedback cancellation system includes both a constrained adaptive filter, the constrained adaptive filter can be constrained by initiation coefficients, as well as an adaptive gain modification. The adaptive gain modification allows the feedback cancellation to respond to substantially different environments from the test environment used to derive the initiation coefficients for the constrained adaptive filter.

Abstract: Efficient devices and methods for producing ultraviolet light are provided. One such device includes a diode-pumped 946 nanometer solid state laser, a first nonlinear crystal for generating blue light at approximately 473 nanometers, and a second nonlinear crystal for doubling the frequency of the blue light to produce a fourth harmonic beam of ultraviolet light at approximately 236.5 nanometers. In some embodiments, the second nonlinear crystal is a cooled CLBO crystal angle-tuned for non-critical phase-matching to provide high conversion efficiency. Some embodiments include a second laser which emits a fundamental beam having a wavelength of more than one micron and a third nonlinear crystal for sum-frequency mixing the fundamental beam and the fourth harmonic beam to output an ultraviolet beam having a wavelength of less than 200 nanometers.

Abstract: A hearing aid which comprises a sound transducer, an analogue-digital converter, a digital processing and adaptation circuit for the processing of digital signals, corresponding to audio signals which are received by the transducer, storage units for the storage of data and programmes for the digital processing and adaptation circuit, a digital-analogue converter and a sound generator. The hearing aid also contains a counter, which registers the time for which the hearing aid has been in use, and a non-volatile storage unit in which the utilisation time is summed up. The hearing aid is arranged in such a manner that a comparison is made between the contents of that part of the non-volatile storage unit in which the summed-up utilisation time is stored and one or more limit values, and so that when one or more of the limit values is reached, a special function is initiated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving multicolor displays using an integrated color chip is provided. The integrated color chip contains one or more multicolor generation sites on a single substrate. Each multicolor generation site is comprised of two or more light emitting regions in close proximity to one another, the number of light emitting regions per site dependent upon the number of required colors. The active light generation system for each light emitting region, e.g., an LED, is preferably identical in device structure although size and shape may vary. In order to achieve the desired colors, one or more light conversion layers are applied to individual light emitting regions. Each light emitting region may also include index matching layers, preferably interposed between the outermost surface of the light emitter and the light conversion layer, and protective layers.

Abstract: A gaming device allows a user to scan bar codes and collect character data corresponding to characters and character item data corresponding to character items which affect attributes of the characters. The gaming device allows a user to cause simulated battles between characters. In some embodiments, the characters belong to one of a plurality of character groups which are at war with one another. In some embodiments, gaming devices may communicate with other gaming devices in order to engage in battles between characters corresponding to data stored on the respective gaming devices. In some embodiments, each character within a group has a different combination of attributes, which may include strength, magic and technology. In some embodiments, the same bar codes which include character data or character item data also correspond to commercial products unrelated to characters or character items.

Abstract: Methods and devices, using time stamped remote instructions, procedures and data are presented for the efficient streaming of multimedia data and instructions. These methods are particularly suited for low latency streaming of a plurality of multimedia data types and can work in conjunction with industry standards such as MP3, JPEG and MPEG. These methods are also suited for flexible and dynamic streaming that can take into account different bandwidths and transmission times between a server and a clients' machines.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating thin Group III nitride layers as well as Group III nitride layers that exhibit sharp layer-to-layer interfaces are provided. According to one aspect, an HVPE reactor includes one or more gas inlet tubes adjacent to the growth zone, thus allowing fine control of the delivery of reactive gases to the substrate surface. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes both a growth zone and a growth interruption zone. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes a slow growth rate gallium source, thus allowing thin layers to be grown. Using the slow growth rate gallium source in conjunction with a conventional gallium source allows a device structure to be fabricated during a single furnace run that includes both thick layers (i.e., utilizing the conventional gallium source) and thin layers (i.e., utilizing the slow growth rate gallium source).

Abstract: A highly discreet and accurate voice pickup device includes a standard miniature pressure gradient type microphone element provided and mounted very close to the side of the user's head, preferably near the user's ear. The microphone element is oriented so that its direction of maximum sensitivity is parallel to the side of the user's head, and points toward the user's mouth so that it will pick up the user's speech sounds as the sounds diffract and travel along the side of the user's face and head, to the microphone element. The microphone element can be configured with low pass networks at front and rear ports of the microphone element, which cooperate with air volumes within the microphone to provide additional directional properties that advantageously vary with frequency and further enhance the noise-rejection capability of the microphone element.

Abstract: An earmold, including retention flaps to more securely hold an audio device coupled to the earmold, is provided. In some embodiments, the audio device includes both a microphone and a speaker while in other embodiments the audio device is a speaker associated with a portable audio system.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for converting a fundamental wavelength of a fundamental beam generated by a surface-emitting diode laser having a first resonating cavity. According to some embodiments, a first nonlinear crystal disposed in a second resonating cavity external to first resonating cavity converts the fundamental beam to a first output beam having a first output wavelength different from the fundamental wavelength. Some embodiments include a second nonlinear crystal, which may be disposed in the second resonating cavity or in a third resonating cavity, for producing a second output beam having a second output wavelength different from the first output wavelength. In some such embodiments, the second nonlinear crystal converts the wavelength of the first output beam to produce the second output beam. In some embodiments, the second nonlinear crystal interacts with the first output beam and an infrared beam from another laser device to produce the second output beam.

Abstract: The two-way communication earpiece is a small, inconspicious, and comfortable earpiece which fits behind the ear for sound delivery and pickup. The earpiece may be used with a variety of communication devices, such as telephones, cellular telephones, two-way radios, radios, tape players, CD players, and televisions. The earpiece is configured to be received behind the ear of a user with a sound delivery tube extending from behind the ear into the ear canal of the user. An eartip positioned on the sound delivery tube is preferably a non-occluding type eartip which allows ambient sound to enter the ear canal around the eartip. A microphone is positioned on the earpiece above the ear for voice pickup.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an adaptive directionality dual microphone system in which the time domain data from the first and second microphones is converted into frequency domain data. The frequency domain data is then manipulated to produce a noise-canceled signal which is converted in an Inverse Fourier Transform block into noise-cancel time domain data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating thin Group III nitride layers as well as Group III nitride layers that exhibit sharp layer-to-layer interfaces are provided. According to one aspect, an HVPE reactor includes one or more gas inlet tubes adjacent to the growth zone, thus allowing fine control of the delivery of reactive gases to the substrate surface. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes both a growth zone and a growth interruption zone. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes a slow growth rate gallium source, thus allowing thin layers to be grown. Using the slow growth rate gallium source in conjunction with a conventional gallium source allows a device structure to be fabricated during a single furnace run that includes both thick layers (i.e., utilizing the conventional gallium source) and thin layers (i.e., utilizing the slow growth rate gallium source).

Abstract: An apparatus for growing bulk GaN and AlGaN single crystal boules, preferably using a modified HVPE process, is provided. The single crystal boules typically have a volume in excess of 4 cubic centimeters with a minimum dimension of approximately 1 centimeter. If desired, the bulk material can be doped during growth to achieve n-, i-, or p-type conductivity. In order to have growth cycles of sufficient duration, preferably an extended Ga source is used in which a portion of the Ga source is maintained at a relatively high temperature while most of the Ga source is maintained at a temperature close to, and just above, the melting temperature of Ga. To grow large boules of AlGaN, preferably multiple Al sources are used, the Al sources being sequentially activated to avoid Al source depletion and excessive degradation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating thin Group III nitride layers as well as Group III nitride layers that exhibit sharp layer-to-layer interfaces are provided. According to one aspect, an HVPE reactor includes one or more gas inlet tubes adjacent to the growth zone, thus allowing fine control of the delivery of reactive gases to the substrate surface. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes both a growth zone and a growth interruption zone. According to another aspect, an HVPE reactor includes a slow growth rate gallium source, thus allowing thin layers to be grown. Using the slow growth rate gallium source in conjunction with a conventional gallium source allows a device structure to be fabricated during a single furnace run that includes both thick layers (i.e., utilizing the conventional gallium source) and thin layers (i.e., utilizing the slow growth rate gallium source).

Abstract: A two-way communication system using a delay element in one unit allows frequency information from an uplink signal received during an uplink receiving period to be delayed, then modulated and amplified for use in a transmitted signal in a downlink transmitting period.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a communication system wherein bone conducted ultrasonic signals are used as carriers to efficiently produce high fidelity, wide audio bandwidth sound. Exemplary embodiments rely on the use of modulation techniques which can achieve high fidelity audible sound, such as carrier plus single sideband (SSB) modulation. Known non-linearities within the ear itself can be exploited to demodulate the modulated ultrasonic carrier without producing audible sounds at the input to the user's ear. The non-linearities of the ear itself, in conjunction with the human brain's perception of audible frequencies generated in response to modulated ultrasonic stimulation, are relied upon to detect audio information.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a communication system wherein ultrasonic signals can be used as carriers to efficiently produce high fidelity, wide audio bandwidth sound. Exemplary embodiments rely on the airborne transport of an inaudible ultrasonic carrier directly into the ear canal of a user, such that the non-linearities within the ear itself can be exploited to demodulate the ultrasonic carrier without producing audible sounds at the input to the user's ear. The non-linearities of the ear itself, in conjunction with the human brain's perception of audible frequencies generated in response to ultrasonic stimulation, are relied upon to detect audio information. The ultrasound-to-audio-sound conversion in the confined volume of the inner ear appears to be constant pressure, as opposed to constant velocity, such that all frequencies of the audio bandwidth (including low frequency bass signals) are produced with comparable sound intensity.

Abstract: An object recognition apparatus and method for real-time training and recognition/inspection of test objects. To train the system, digital features of an object are captured as sub-frames extracted from a data stream. The data is thresholded and digitized and used to produce an address representing the digital feature. The address is used to write a value into a memory. During recognition or inspection, extracting digital features from a test object, converting the digital features extracted from the test object into addresses, and using the addresses developed from the test object to address the memory to correlate whether the same memory locations are addressed determines whether the test object matches the reference object.