Patents Assigned to Sonova
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Patent number: 11778074Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a method to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication device using two wireless communication protocols. The method includes: aligning a timing of audio frames of a first wireless communication protocol with a timing of advertising events of a second wireless communication protocol; increasing a time duration between beginnings of advertising Protocol Data Units (PDUs) transmitted during an advertising event of the second wireless communication protocol; receiving a first request to access a transceiver of the wireless communication device from the first wireless communication protocol and receiving a second request to access the transceiver of the wireless communication device from the second wireless communication protocol; and selecting the second request from the second wireless communication protocol to be executed based on priority of the second wireless communication protocol. The method can be used during audio streaming.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2018Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Federico Ferrari, Amre El-Hoiydi
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Patent number: 11758341Abstract: A method for adjusting a hearing device comprises: generating an audio stream with a microphone of the hearing device; processing the audio stream with a sound processor of the hearing device thus providing a processed audio stream and outputting the processed audio stream to a user of the hearing device; detecting a hearing situation with a hearing situation detector, wherein the hearing situation is associated with a configurable sound processing parameter adjustable by the user of the hearing device; when the hearing situation is detected, providing a user interface to the user of the hearing device for adjusting the configurable sound processing parameter; and, when the user has adjusted the configurable sound processing parameter, applying the configurable sound processing parameter to the sound processor.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventor: Martina Schuepbach-Wolf
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Patent number: 11736873Abstract: A method for a wireless personal communication using a hearing system with a hearing device comprises: monitoring and analyzing the user's acoustic environment by the hearing device to recognize one or more speaking persons based on content-independent speaker voiceprints saved in the hearing system; and presenting a user interface to the user for notifying the user about a recognized speaking person and for establishing, joining or leaving a wireless personal communication connection between the hearing device and one or more communication devices used by the one or more recognized speaking persons.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2021Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Arnaud Brielmann, Amre El-Hoiydi
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Patent number: 11729560Abstract: An illustrative hearing device may include a battery compartment located in a housing and including a microphone and a battery. The housing may include a casing forming the battery compartment and a lid member having a hinged end pivotally connected to the casing such that the lid member is configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position relative to the casing. The lid member may be formed to define an opening through the lid member that is configured to allow the microphone and the battery to be in air communication with ambient air when the lid member is in the closed position.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Daniel Probst, Andre Ochsenbein
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Patent number: 11701057Abstract: An illustrative hearing system may be configured to cause an emitting device included in a hearing device to emit an output signal while the hearing device is at least partially positioned within an ear canal of a user and cause a sensor positioned outside the ear canal to attempt to detect the output signal. The sensor may be configured to output sensor data representative of one or more signals detected by the sensor during a time period corresponding to the emitting of the output signal by the emitting device. The hearing system may further be configured to determine, based on the sensor data, a quality metric for an optical measurement performed or to be performed by an optical measurement device included in the hearing device.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2022Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Nadim El Guindi, Nina Stumpf, Niklas Ignasiak, Anna M. Parker, Nicholas Ohs, Manuela Feilner, Hans-Ueli Roeck
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Patent number: 11706575Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing system comprising a first hearing device and a second hearing device configured to be worn at a respective ear of a user, each hearing device comprising a displacement sensor configured to provide respective displacement data indicative of a rotational displacement and/or a translational displacement of the hearing device, and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the displacement sensors. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding method of operating a hearing system, and a computer-readable medium storing instructions to perform the method.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Melissa Lawrence, Alexander Markus
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Patent number: 11689866Abstract: Hearing devices capable of performing a self-test as well as a method for automatically testing a hearing device. A hearing device includes a measurement bridge circuit connected to the receiver of the hearing device in parallel with the audio amplifier of the hearing device. A method for self-testing a hearing device includes the steps of i) disabling the audio amplifier connected to the receiver, in particular by putting the amplifier in a high impedance state, ii) applying with a measurement bridge circuit a direct current (DC) and/or an alternating current (AC) to the receiver, iii) measuring with the measurement bridge circuit (5) a voltage at the receiver, and iv) detecting a presence or absence of a fault condition based on the measured voltage.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: SONOVA AGInventor: Fethi Cherigui
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Patent number: 11678126Abstract: A hearing device seal module in accordance with at least one of the present inventions includes a tubular seal carrier defining a lumen configured to receive a hearing device core and including a connector region and a resilient seal support region formed from resilient material, a seal carrier support connected to the seal carrier connector region of the tubular seal carrier, including a support tube defining a longitudinal axis and a lumen configured to permit movement of the hearing device core and a tool along the longitudinal axis, and having an open state and a closed state.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Yashvant Venkatakrishnan, Xiuming Zhu, Grace Gardner, Marius Rüfenacht
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Patent number: 11659342Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a hearing device, comprising at least one electronic component and at least two parts of a housing, at least one of them configured as a molded interconnect device comprising at least one electrically conductive trace and at least one pin seat, the molded interconnect device mechanically connected to another one of the parts of the housing or to a frame by at least one assembly pin held in the at least one pin seat, wherein the at least one assembly pin also directly or indirectly electrically connects the at least one electrically conductive trace to the at least one electronic component.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Natasha Thumm, Markus Müller
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Patent number: 11647950Abstract: An in-ear hearing device includes a light source configured to emit light, a photodetector configured to detect the emitted light after the emitted light passes through tissue of a subject, a spout; an audio receiver configured to deliver a sound to the subject through the spout, and a dome configured to conform to a shape of a subject's ear canal when the hearing device is in the ear canal. An output of the light source and an input of the photodetector are separated by the dome, and the dome absorbs and/or reflects at least part of the emitted light. The photodetector may be a forward biased photodiode. The sensor device can be realized with power levels, circuitry components, and in package sizes, of hearing devices.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: SONOVA AGInventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei-Krumme, Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Muller, Markus Leuthold
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Patent number: 11647347Abstract: A method of manufacturing a faceplate for a hearing device, the faceplate configured to cover a lateral opening of a housing of the hearing device and having a side which is laterally oriented when the hearing device is worn at least partially in the ear canal, including the steps of: providing a faceplate base part including a first surface, a faceplate insertion part including a second surface, and a printed circuit board (“PCB”) with an antenna; inserting the antenna PCB into the faceplate base part so that that the antenna PCB extends along the first surface; inserting the faceplate insertion part into the faceplate base part so that the second surface of the faceplate insertion part pushes the antenna PCB against the first surface of the faceplate base part; and fixing the faceplate insertion part within the faceplate base part so as to form the faceplate.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2020Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: SONOVA AGInventors: Daniel R. Goodland, Andre L. Ochsenbein
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Patent number: 11647348Abstract: The disclosure relates to a device for preparing an earpiece for its customization, the device including an energy release unit comprising a receiving chamber for receiving the earpiece and configured to release energy into the receiving chamber. The disclosure further relates to a system for customizing an earpiece comprising the earpiece and the preparing device.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Konstantin Silberzahn, Julia Lonsky
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Patent number: 11647342Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for avoidance of user discomfort due to pressure differences by vent valve. In one embodiment, a method for equalizing air pressure in ear canal includes sensing a pressure difference between a pressure in ear canal (PEC) and an ambient pressure (PAMB) by a sensor of a hearing device. Based on sensing the pressure difference, an active valve is set to a first position to open a vent through the hearing device or to a second position to close the vent through the hearing device.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventor: Erwin Kuipers
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Patent number: 11638108Abstract: A hearing device including a housing, a receiver within the housing, and a contaminant guard having a guard sound port and one or both of an outer contaminant receptacle, which is located outward of the guard sound port and that extends around the guard sound port, and an inner contaminant receptacle, which that is located on the central axis of the guard sound port and operably connected to a location outward of the guard sound port.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2020Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Frank Wang, Michael Au, Yashvant Venkatakrishnan, Xiuming Zhu, Roland Kern, Simone Kneipp, Paul Wagner
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Patent number: 11632638Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a hearing device, comprising a receiver and an active vent. The method includes 1) upon request to switch the active vent into a different state, estimating a transfer function (H, Hrec?mic) from the receiver to obtain a first transfer function (?a), 2) subsequently switching the active vent, 3) subsequently estimating a transfer function (H, Hrec?mic) from the receiver to obtain a second transfer function (?b), 4) comparing the first transfer function (?a) to the second transfer function (?b) to obtain a divergence measure (D), 5) concluding that the active vent has actually been switched into the different state if the divergence measure (D) exceeds a threshold (Ddiff).Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventor: Jean-Louis Durrieu
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Patent number: 11627398Abstract: Hearing device including a housing worn at a user's ear; a movement detector providing movement data indicating movement of the housing; and a processor identifying, based on the movement data, movement features in a sequence. The movement features represent movement activity by the user. The processor determines a temporal characteristic of the sequence of movement features and/or an amplitude characteristic of the movement data associated with a movement feature in the sequence. A method of operating the hearing device, and a computer-readable medium storing instructions to perform the method.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: SONOVA AGInventors: Nadim El Guindi, Anne Thielen, Hans-Ueli Roeck, Julia Seiter
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Patent number: 11622205Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to operation modes for hearing devices. In some implementations, the disclosed technology includes a hearing device entering into and operating in an airplane mode or a mode of operation that limits communication with a select frequency or select group of frequencies. To enter a mode of operation, a user may use two inputs for the hearing device. For example, one input may be a battery closing and another input may include the pushing of a button on a device (e.g., on the hearing device or a mobile device in communication with the hearing device).Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Jonas Högberg, Michael von Tessin, Ivo Spieler, Daniel Lucas-Hirtz, Jan Mattmuller
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Patent number: 11622206Abstract: A hearing device includes an acoustic transducer having a membrane configured to generate sound waves, a housing enclosing a first chamber and a second chamber acoustically coupled by the membrane, a sound outlet configured to release sound waves from the first chamber into the ear canal, and an acoustic port acoustically coupling the second chamber to an ambient environment outside the ear canal.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Thomas Zurbruegg, Paul Wagner, Antonio Hoelzl
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Patent number: 11622187Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a hearing device configured to detect tapping based on input from at least two sensors of the hearing device. The tapping can relate to a tapping gesture that includes a single tap or double tapping. In response to the single or double tap, the hearing device can perform an operation to modify the device (e.g., change the mode, change, or modify a setting, provide a sound, or perform a task). The first sensor can be an accelerometer configured to detect a change in acceleration of the hearing device and the second sensor can include a photodiode to detect a change in distance between the hearing device and the ear with the hearing device. The disclosed technology can be implemented in a method and comprises a computer-readable medium storing instructions to perform the method.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventor: Anne Thielen
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Patent number: 11622215Abstract: An exemplary hearing device assembly is configured to be worn at least partially within an ear canal of a user. The hearing device assembly includes a housing including an output transducer configured to provide an output audio signal representative of sound presented to the user. The housing is configured to be positioned entirely within the ear canal. The hearing device assembly also includes a tube extending from an end of the housing and configured to provide an acoustic pathway from outside the ear canal to the housing, an inner seal extending from the housing, and an outer seal extending from the tube. The inner seal and the outer seal are together are configured to enclose a main volume that surrounds the tube within the ear canal and that is acoustically sealed from an ambient environment of the user.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Sonova AGInventors: Erwin Kuipers, Grace Gardner