Patents Assigned to Phonak Communications AG
  • Patent number: 7738665
    Abstract: There is provided a method for providing hearing assistance to a user (101), comprising capturing audio signals by a microphone arrangement (26) and transmitting the audio signals by a transmission unit (102) via a wireless audio link (107) to a receiver unit (103), analyzing the audio signals by a classification unit (134) prior to being transmitted in order to determine a present auditory scene category from a plurality of auditory scene categories, setting by a gain control unit (126) located in the receiver unit (103) the gain applied to the audio signals according to the present auditory scene category determined by the classification unit, and stimulating the user's hearing by stimulating means (136) worn at or in a user's ear according to the audio signals from the gain control unit (126).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Phonak Communications AG
    Inventors: Evert Dijkstra, Francois Marquis
  • Patent number: 7551894
    Abstract: A wireless microphone (1) comprises a radio transmitter for transmitting radio signals carrying audio signals to a hearing device. The wireless microphone (1) further comprises at least one coupling element (11) for detachably fixing one of various interchangeable functional modules (2) to the wireless microphone (1). The coupling element (11) is designed to fix the interchangeable functional module (2) to the wireless microphone (1) by mating with a coupling element (21) of the interchangeable functional module (2). The coupling elements (11, 21) comprise electrical contacts (12, 22) for electrically connecting the interchangeable functional module (2) to the wireless microphone (1) when the interchangeable functional module (2) is fixed to the wireless microphone (1) by means of said coupling elements (11, 21). The coupling element (11) constitutes a bidirectional electrical interface between the wireless microphone (1) and the interchangeable functional module (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Phonak Communications AG
    Inventors: Louis Gerber, Stefan Gysin
  • Publication number: 20070189561
    Abstract: There is provided a method for providing assistance to a user (101), comprising capturing audio signals by a microphone arrangement (26) and transmitting the audio signals by a transmission unit (102) via a wireless audio link (107) to a receiver unit (103), analyzing the audio signals by a classification unit (134) prior to being transmitted in order to determine a present auditory scene category from a plurality of auditory scene categories, setting by a gain control unit (126) located in the receiver unit (103) the gain applied to the audio signals according to the present auditory scene category determined by the classification unit, and stimulating the user's hearing by stimulating means (136) worn at or in a user's ear according to the audio signals from the gain control unit (126).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Phonak Communications AG
    Inventors: Evert Dijkstra, Francois Marquis
  • Patent number: 7062223
    Abstract: A mobile transceiver (1) comprises several receivers (16a, 16b, 16c, 17, 18, 19) for receiving electrical or electromagnetic signals carrying audio signals and a radio transmitter (15) for transmitting radio signals carrying audio signals. The mobile transceiver (1) comprises a prioritizing module (101) for assigning priority values to audio signals received by the receivers (16a, 16b, 16c, 17, 18, 19). The prioritizing module (101) is designed to assign priority values in accordance with priority values assigned to the receivers (16a, 16b, 16c, 17, 18, 19) that received the audio signal concerned and/or to signal identifiers contained in the received electrical or electromagnetic signals carrying the audio signal concerned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Phonak Communications AG
    Inventors: Louis Gerber, Stefan Gysin
  • Patent number: 5734976
    Abstract: A micro-receiver for receiving a high frequency frequency modulated or phase modulated signal, including a single integrated circuit in BiCMOS technology and on which is integrated a high frequency amplifier, an oscillator, a modulator, an intermediate frequency filter, an intermediate frequency amplifier, a demodulator, a low pass filter and a low frequency amplifier. The integrated circuit includes in addition a muting or squelch circuit, a voltage multiplier as well as a standby circuit. The circuits working in a lower frequency range are implemented in CMOS technology, and operated in a very energy-saving way with a single-cell battery with a low battery voltage of 1.3 V. The voltage multiplier provides a higher operating voltage for the circuits working in a higher frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Phonak Communications AG
    Inventors: Anton Bartschi, Francois Callias
  • Patent number: D496030
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Phonak Communications AG
    Inventor: Christian Harbeke