Abstract: A directional characteristic of a microphone facility of a hearing system is more reliably controlled. The method determines a first feature value in respect of speech in a first signal of a microphone facility assigned to a first direction and a second feature value in respect of speech in a second signal of the microphone facility assigned to a second direction. A control value is obtained from the difference of the two feature values. The directional characteristic of the microphone facility is controlled with this control value.

Abstract: Feedback whistling and external tonal signals are distinguished during feedback suppression. For that purpose an adaptation increment of an adaptive filter of a hearing apparatus for feedback reduction is controlled. A sound signal is picked up by a microphone and a microphone signal is output, from which an earpiece signal for an earpiece is generated. An adaptive filter reduces a feedback signal in the microphone signal. To this end an autocorrelation value of sampled values of the microphone signal, between which a time difference exists, is obtained, and the adaptation increment of the adaptive filter is controlled based on the autocorrelation value. A frequency of an output signal obtained on the basis of the microphone signal is shifted while creating the earpiece signal and the time difference for obtaining the autocorrelation value is controlled as a function of the shifting of the frequency of the microphone signal.

Abstract: In order to protect a microphone from moisture and/or dirt, there is provided a microphone protective device that needs only relatively little space for installation into an electroacoustic device for a relatively large effective surface area. For this purpose, the novel microphone protective device has an at least partially cylindrical-shell-shaped membrane, for preventing dirt and/or moisture from entering a sound inlet opening of the microphone.

Abstract: A hearing instrument has an integral injection-molding casing. The hearing instrument fixes the internal components in an integral casing that is simple in design; requires few components; and is easy to handle. The hearing instrument contains an integral casing and a frame arranged within the casing. The casing has an assembly opening through which the frame is pushed into the casing. The casing has a microphone opening oriented perpendicular to the insertion direction, which microphone opening interacts with a fixation device arranged on the frame in order to fix the frame in the casing. This provides a simple fixation mechanism. The microphone opening can be applied as a bore after the production of the casing, and therefore be produced in an injection-molding method. The fixation device can be embodied as a microphone. The microphone can be inserted into the microphone opening by a spring force.

Abstract: An electronic unit has a circuit board that is integrated into an injection molded circuit carrier. A hearing aid is provided with such an electronic unit. In order to reduce the complexity and size of an electronic unit with an injection molded circuit carrier and a circuit board, the circuit board is integrated into the injection molded circuit carrier by introducing the circuit board into the plastic mold such that the surface of a first side of the circuit board lies within the plastic mold and the surface of a second side of the circuit board is substantially flush with the surface of the plastic mold. At least one conductive track of the circuit board is electrically conductively connected to at least one conductive track of the injection molded circuit carrier.

Abstract: Acoustic feedback in an audio device is reduced or eliminated via a feedback compensator. The feedback compensator disposes of at least one adaptive filter whose adaptation is governed by a step-size parameter ?. A step-size parameter ? of the adaptive filter is set at a high level to eliminate acoustic feedback and the parameter ? is decreased when a critical excitation signal is detected. This way to proceed allows for efficient elimination of feedback whistling while required environment signals are retained.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a body and an ear piece. A life tube is disposed between the hearing aid body and the ear piece for guiding sound from a receiver in the hearing aid body to the ear of the wearer. In order to adapt the hearing aid to different wearers with different ear conches, a tube system is provided with an adaptable length.

Abstract: Hearing apparatuses should be manufactured as simply as possible and with the closest possible fit. Accordingly, a molding structure is provided, which represents a model for the direct shaping of an otoplastic of a hearing apparatus. The molding structure has a sealing element, which can be positioned in the auditory canal. A molding mass is inserted into the auditory canal to a side of the sealing element facing the outlet of the auditory canal. The molding mass and the sealing element here are connected to form the model of the hearing apparatus and the sealing element has the exact shape of a part of the hearing apparatus.

Abstract: A hearing instrument includes a housing and an exchangeable receiver. The hearing instrument further includes an opening in the housing for receiving the exchangeable receiver therein, and a coupler for actuating/de-actuating a physical coupling between the housing and the exchangeable receiver and for enabling the housing to hold the receiver.

Abstract: The preferred direction of a directional microphone of a hearing device and, in particular, a hearing aid should be selected automatically in a quick and reliable fashion. To this end, provision is made for a method for operating a hearing device with such a microphone which can be switched into at least a first and a second directional characteristic. Initially, respectively one signal-to-noise ratio is determined for the first and the second directional characteristic. Subsequently, the directional microphone is switched into that one of the two directional characteristics which leads to the higher signal-to-noise ratio. In particular, the total signal powers of different directional microphone signals can be determined to this end and the interference signal powers can be calculated in parallel thereto in a channel-specific fashion. Corresponding SNR values then result from the differences in the logarithmic power values.

Abstract: A method determines the classification of an audio signal in dependence on a comparison of two difference sums of audio features over time periods of different length. Thus, an adequately exact yet quickly reacting adaptation of the classification in changing hearing situations is ensured. The method is advantageously used in a hearing aid. The audio signal is processed in different ways on the basis of the classification.

Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid system and the hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices, between which a signal path is provided, and with at least one signal processing unit, which is provided to process audio signals. In the method the signal processing apparatus filters first audio signals with a filter predetermined for a defined spatial direction, from which a useful signal arrives, so that second audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal in the second audio signals are equalized to a greater degree than in the first audio signals. The second audio signals are then filtered with an adaptive filter, so that third audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal are equalized to an even greater degree than in the second audio signals.

Abstract: A hearing aid device and a method of manufacturing the hearing aid device provide a housing and a first conductive layer. The housing has a first non-conductive layer and a second non-conductive layer. The first conductive layer is disposed between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer.

Abstract: A hearing instrument has an integral injection-molding casing. The hearing instrument fixes the internal components in an integral casing that is simple in design, production, and assembly; requires few components; and is easy to handle. Accordingly the hearing instrument contains an integral casing and a frame arranged within the casing. The casing has an assembly opening through which the frame is pushed into the casing. Additionally, the casing has a fixation opening oriented perpendicular to the insertion direction, which fixation opening interacts with a fixation device arranged on the frame in order to fix the frame in the casing. This provides a simple fixation mechanism. The fixation opening can be applied as a bore after the production of the casing, and so the casing has no undercuts and can therefore be produced in an injection-molding method. The fixation device can be embodied as a bolt. The bolt can be integrally molded onto the frame.

Abstract: Artifacts occurring during frequency compression, in particular in the case of hearing aids, are avoided or reduced. The method compresses the frequency of an audio signal having a fundamental frequency and at least one harmonic. The audio signal is provided in a plurality of frequency channels. The harmonic of the audio signal is shifted or mapped from a first frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels into a second frequency channel. In addition a frequency which is likewise harmonic with respect to the fundamental frequency is estimated in the second frequency channel, the harmonic being shifted or mapped onto the estimated frequency. As a result the harmonic pattern is preserved in the compressed signal and the artifacts are reduced.

Abstract: A hearing apparatus for a binaural supply contains a first earhook to be worn on one ear, having a plurality of microphones, and a first signal processing device which is configured to generate a local earpiece signal for an earpiece of the first earhook from microphone signals of the microphones by use of multichannel signal processing of each of the microphone signals. A beam forming device and a transmission device are additionally provided in the first earhook. The beam forming device is configured to generate a directional output signal from the microphone signals by signal processing which has fewer channels than that of the first signal processing device, and wherein the transmission device is set up to transmit the directional output signal as an electrical or electromagnetic signal from the first earhook.

Abstract: An antenna device for hearing instruments is particularly suited for ITE hearing instruments to be worn in the auditory canal. The system enables improved data transmission with increased transmission bandwidth with insignificantly increased space and energy requirements. An antenna arrangement with a coil core of magnetically permeable material has a preferred transmit and receive spatial direction. A further electric hearing instrument component emits electromagnetic interference radiation. A partially planar shield of magnetically permeable material is disposed between the antenna arrangement and the further component transversely to the transmit and receive spatial direction of the antenna arrangement and at a distance of 50 to 150 micrometers from the coil core. The distance is optimized to the fact that the signal-to-noise ratio has a maximum around 100 micrometers.

Abstract: A hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices to be worn on both sides of a wearer's head. The hearing aid devices have a transducer for picking up an acoustic signal and converting same into a first audio signal in each case. A signal processing unit processes audio signals received from each hearing aid device through a signal connection. The signal processing unit evaluates a signal component from a preferred direction in relation to the head of the wearer in the first audio signals. By way of the first audio signals the signal processing unit generates a first binaural directional microphone signal and adjusts its directional characteristic as a function of the evaluation.

Abstract: A hearing instrument has a shell, a bottom faceplate attached to the shell, and a replaceable receiver. The receiver is replaceable through the bottom plate without removing the bottom plate from the shell. The receiver is locked in its mounting position by a mechanism that can be unlocked.

Abstract: A method and an associated configuration transmit data between a hearing device and an external unit. A first data packet is transmitted to the hearing device by the external unit. The first data packet is received by the hearing device and a second data packet is transmitted from the hearing device to the external unit. A predefinable fixed period of time elapses between the end of the receipt of the first data packet and the start of transmission of the second data packet. The external unit thereby “knows” when the first bit of the second data packet is to arrive. This offers the advantage that the reliability of a data transmission is improved. In the case of a packet-oriented data transmission fewer data packet repetitions are required, as a result of which the transmission speed increases.