Patents Assigned to Sonova
  • Patent number: 10638210
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing device configured to be worn by a user includes an accelerometer configured to output accelerometer data representative of an acceleration of the hearing device and a processor configured to maintain data representative of a walking detection algorithm, determine an optimized parameter for the user for use with the walking detection algorithm, and apply, in accordance with the optimized parameter, the walking detection algorithm to the accelerometer data to determine a walking state of the user while the user wears the hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Nina Stumpf, Ullrich Sigwanz, Nathalie Leuthold
  • Patent number: 10629969
    Abstract: A battery manufacturing method including the steps of testing a cathode assembly that includes an air cathode and a battery can cathode portion that is not connected to a battery can anode portion, and joining an anode assembly, including a battery can anode portion in which anode material is located, to the tested cathode assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Chuangang Lin, Stuart Wenzel, Paul Wagner, Michael Au
  • Publication number: 20200120428
    Abstract: Systems and methods for hearing devices with proactive power management are provided. Various embodiments dynamically adapt power consumption to the preferences, needs, and behavior of the hearing device user such that the hearing device provides function until the hearing device can be recharged. Moreover, some embodiments exploit the trend of more intelligent devices and machine learning to create dynamic power management schedules which can be temporarily implemented to create an optimal blend of performance versus battery life while minimizing perception of the feature or performance reduction to the user. Moreover, the dynamic nature of the power management used in various embodiments can account for battery degradation, updated firmware, and/or other factors that may impact battery life as the hearing device ages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Stephan Gehring, Manuela Feilner
  • Patent number: 10623872
    Abstract: A hearing system includes first and second hearing devices. The first hearing device is configured to render streaming audio from an audio source by establishing a wireless link with the audio source and receiving audio packets transmitted from the audio source over the wireless link in accordance with an acknowledgement-based transmission protocol. The second hearing device is configured to render the streaming audio from the audio source by eavesdropping on the wireless link to receive and store the audio packets in a buffer. The buffer has a playback duration based on a total number of audio packets currently stored in the buffer. To stop the second hearing device from rendering the streaming audio, the first hearing device abstains, for a time period at least equal to the playback duration of the buffer, from acknowledging successful receipt of an audio packet transmitted by the audio source over the wireless link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Alessandro Gallo, Federico Ferrari
  • Patent number: 10623871
    Abstract: There is provided a hearing assistance system, comprising at least a first hearing device to be worn at one ear of a user, the first hearing device comprising a 3-axes accelerometer sensor for generating an acceleration signal indicative of the acceleration of the first hearing device, and an orientation sensor for generating an orientation signal indicative of the azimuthal orientation of the first hearing device, wherein the orientation sensor is selected from the group consisting of a 3-axes magnetic compass sensor and a 3-axes gyroscope sensor, and wherein the system comprises a judgement unit for judging, by analyzing the acceleration signal and the orientation signal of the first hearing device, whether the first hearing device is presently worn at the right ear or at the left ear of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Yves Oesch, Christoph Leist, Marius Rufenacht
  • Patent number: 10623875
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hearing aid comprising at least one electroacoustic transducer; a signal processing circuitry, configured to receive from the at least an electroacoustic transducer an electrical input signal and/or to provide said at least an electroacoustic transducer with an electrical output signal; and power supply means configured to provide power to the electroacoustic transducer and to said signal processing circuitry; wherein the hearing aid further comprises at least one electroosmotic porous membrane configured to transport liquid and/or vapor outside of the hearing aid, or away from a component thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Markus Mueller
  • Patent number: 10609497
    Abstract: A hearing device in accordance with at least one of the present inventions includes a receiver assembly and a retainer assembly, including an anchor and a flexible retainer strip extending from the anchor, configured to be mounted onto the receiver assembly in a predetermined orientation relative to the receiver assembly. The receiver assembly and the retainer assembly include respective elements that cooperate with one another to provide a visible and/or tactile indication that the anchor is in the predetermined orientation when the anchor is in the predetermined orientation and that the anchor is not in predetermined orientation when the anchor is in an orientation other than the predetermined orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: André L. Ochsenbein
  • Patent number: 10587966
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for fitting a hearing device to needs and preferences of a user and/or for operating the hearing device. The method comprises determining whether a personal token of the user is located in proximity of the hearing device (10). The method further comprises enabling fitting of the hearing device to the needs and preferences of the user and/or enabling operating of the hearing device only if the personal token has been determined to be located in proximity of the hearing device, otherwise disabling fitting and/or operating of the hearing device (20). Furthermore, a corresponding fitting system and a set of associated hearing devices as well as a use of the latter are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Michael Boretzki, Harald Krueger
  • Patent number: 10586523
    Abstract: A method for operating a hearing device including a component to be worn at least partially in an ear of a user and an active noise control (ANC) system is provided. The method includes capturing an audio with a microphone system, generating an audio signal based on the captured audio, and generating a feed-forward (FF) compensating signal based on the captured audio. The method includes monitoring the acoustic environment of the hearing device for presence of wind noise, and mixing the audio signal with the generated FF compensating signal at a ratio dependent on whether wind noise is detected to provide an acoustic output signal. A hearing device including an active noise control (ANC) system and a wind noise monitor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Simon Kohler, Antonio Maria Modesto Holzl
  • Patent number: 10587965
    Abstract: An adaptable/adjustable hearing device charging port (10) for a hearing device charger (7) that can adapt/adjust in size to accommodate and hold hearing devices (2) of different sizes and/or shapes. The adjustable hearing device charging port (10) adapts elastically so that hearing devices (2) of different sizes can be inserted into the hearing device charging port (10) and can be hold in a charging position in the hearing device charger (7), in which charging position hearing device charging contacts (6) of the hearing device (2) are electrically contacted with charger contacts (8) in the hearing device charger (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Josef Mueller, Jonas Meyer, Bruno Gabathuler
  • Patent number: 10582320
    Abstract: A hearing device sizer apparatus including a medial sizer, with a medial core portion and a medial seal secured to the medial core portion, and a lateral sizer, with a lateral core portion and a lateral seal secured to the lateral core portion, that are configured to be releasably engaged with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Paul Wagner, Michael Au, Barjinder Chana, Shilpi Banerjee, Erdal Karamuk
  • Publication number: 20200037074
    Abstract: A method for the broadcasting of sound to persons (10, 20, 30) with mobile hearing systems (11, 21, 31) at a meeting with a speaker (1) and with an audiovisual system (2, 3, 4), the audiovisual system having a computer (2), a screen (3) and a microphone (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli RÖCK, Hilmar MEIER, Harald KRUEGER, Manuela FEILNER
  • Patent number: 10534573
    Abstract: Systems, methods and software for sample rate conversion with unknown input and output clocks are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for an asynchronous transfer of audio data includes: receiving the audio data by an antenna of a receiver (RX); storing the audio data in an input buffer of the RX; and receiving data words from the input buffer by a sample rate converter (SRC). The consecutive data words are received from the input buffer at an adjustable period T. The method further includes tracking a filling level of the input buffer; and based on the filling level of the input buffer, adjusting the adjustable period T. When the filling level of the input buffer is below the target level of the input buffer, the adjustable period T is increased. When the filling level of the input buffer is above the target level of the input buffer, the adjustable period T is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Amre El-Hoiydi, Timothee Jost, Till Schmalmack, Jordi Hidalgo, Alessandro Gallo
  • Patent number: 10531205
    Abstract: A fitting system is configured to determine a first power consumption metric for a first hearing device included in a binaural hearing system configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device during a communication session, determine a second power consumption metric for a second hearing device included in the binaural hearing system, determine that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, and assign, based on the determination that the first power consumption metric is lower than the second power consumption metric, a first operating role to the first hearing device. The first operating role specifies that the first hearing device is to be wirelessly connected with the external device during the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Yves Oesch
  • Patent number: 10524068
    Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer including a housing having an interior volume with first and second interior volume portions and a sound aperture that extends to the first interior volume, a diaphragm located between the first and second interior volumes, and an environmental sensor associated with the housing and having an inlet in fluid communication with the first interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Erdal Karamuk, Markus Mueller
  • Publication number: 20190379644
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to securely sharing data between a hearing care professional (HCP) and a hearing device user. For example, the disclosed technology relates to securely accessing fitting data for a hearing device. The disclosed technology includes a hearing device that has a memory, where the memory stores a key that can be used for encryption and decryption. The key can be a symmetrical key. In addition to storing a key, the hearing device can store a uniform resource indicator (URI) in its memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Philipp Schneider, Aliaksei Tsitovich, Filip Wojcieszyn, Daniel Schmid
  • Patent number: 10506351
    Abstract: There is provided a hearing assistance device to be worn by a user, comprising: a microphone arrangement (12) for capturing audio signals from ambient sound, an audio signal processing unit (14) for processing the captured audio signals, and an ear-level output transducer (16) for stimulating the user's hearing according to the processed audio signals, at least one wireless interface (18, 20, 42, 44) for signal reception from an external device (11, 40), a context detection unit (46) for determining, by regularly analyzing signals received via the at least one wireless interface, present values of a set of context parameters, the context parameters being indicative of the present location of the hearing assistance device (10), with the context detection unit being configured to select, based on the determined location, one location context out of a plurality of location contexts as the presently valid location context, and a security control unit (48) for controlling security aspects of the hearing assistance
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Michele Mazzucchi, Pascal Magnenat
  • Publication number: 20190369947
    Abstract: Systems, methods and software for sample rate conversion with unknown input and output clocks are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for an asynchronous transfer of audio data includes: receiving the audio data by an antenna of a receiver (RX); storing the audio data in an input buffer of the RX; and receiving data words from the input buffer by a sample rate converter (SRC). The consecutive data words are received from the input buffer at an adjustable period T. The method further includes tracking a filling level of the input buffer; and based on the filling level of the input buffer, adjusting the adjustable period T. When the filling level of the input buffer is below the target level of the input buffer, the adjustable period T is increased. When the filling level of the input buffer is above the target level of the input buffer, the adjustable period T is decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Applicant: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Amre El-Hoiydi, Timothee Jost, Till Schmalmack, Jordi Hidalgo, Alessandro Gallo
  • Patent number: 10499169
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a hearing device comprising: providing a user profile (42) of the user comprising actual user information (44) and a fitting history (47) stored in a database (34) of a fitting system (32), wherein the fitting history comprises fitting information (46, 46?, 46?) of at least one previous fitting session, in which previous fitting session the hearing device (10) or a different hearing device was adjusted for the user; determining a user experience value (54) of the user, wherein the user experience value (54) depends on the actual user information (44) and the fitting history (47); determining sound processing parameters (30) for the hearing device (10) based on the user experience value (54); and applying the determined sound processing parameters (30) in the hearing device (10), such that the hearing device (10) is adapted for generating optimized sound signals based on the applied sound processing parameters (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Ullrich Sigwanz, Volker Kuehnel, Solange Anderson
  • Patent number: D875085
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Johan Sahlin