Patents Assigned to Sonova
  • Patent number: 11621018
    Abstract: A method for determining social interaction of a user wearing a hearing device which comprises at least one microphone and at least one classifier. The method comprises: receiving an audio signal from the at least one microphone and/or a sensor signal from the at least one further sensor; identifying, by the at least one classifier, one or more predetermined user activity values by evaluating the audio signal from the at least one microphone and/or the sensor signal from the at least one further sensor; and calculating a user social interaction metric indicative of the social interaction of the user from the identified user activity values, wherein the user activity values are assigned to predefined social interaction levels, and wherein the user social interaction metric is a function of the user activity values weighted with their respective contribution to each of the social interaction levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Eleftheria Georganti, Gilles Courtois
  • Patent number: 11595767
    Abstract: A system with a first hearing device including a rechargeable power source, a second hearing device including a rechargeable power source, and a hearing device charger including a charger housing, a power source, charge circuitry operably connected to the power source, a first charge location and a second charge location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Marius Rüfenacht, Hans Wunderli, Markus Gaugler
  • Patent number: 11570558
    Abstract: An illustrative stereo rendering system obtains a contradirectional audio input signal generated by a microphone assembly having a plurality of microphone elements. The contradirectional audio input signal implements a contradirectional polar pattern oriented with respect to a listener. The system also obtains an array of multidirectional audio input signals generated by the microphone assembly. The array of multidirectional audio input signals implements different unidirectional polar patterns that are collectively omnidirectional in a horizontal plane. The system generates a weighted audio input signal by mixing the array of multidirectional audio input signals in accordance with respective weight values assigned to each multidirectional audio input signal. The system then generates, based on the contradirectional audio input signal and the weighted audio input signal, a stereo audio output signal for presentation to the listener. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Xavier Gigandet
  • Patent number: 11558699
    Abstract: A hearing device component (6) comprises a sensor-unit (8) for receiving an audio-signal (AS), a separation device (9) for separating part-signals (PSi) from the audio-signal (AS), a classification device (10) for classifying the part-signals (PSi) separated from the audio-signals (AS), and a modulation device (11) for modulating the part-signals (PSi), wherein the classification device (10) is communicatively coupled to the modulation device (11) and wherein the modulation device (11) is designed to enable a concurrent modulation of different part-signals (PSi) with different modulation-functions depending on their classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Durrieu
  • Patent number: 11558702
    Abstract: A method for fitting a hearing device comprises: receiving an audio signal in the hearing device; providing a user interface for inputting at least one modifier value into the fitting device, the modifier value indicating, how a sound property of the audio signal should be modified by the hearing device; processing the audio signal with a sound processor of the hearing device in dependence of the at least one modifier value, thus providing a processed audio signal; outputting the processed audio signal to a user of the hearing device; determining an modifier effectiveness value based on the audio signal, the modifier effectiveness value indicating how much a change of the at least one modifier value results in a perceptible change of the processed audio signal output to the user; and restricting the inputting of the at least modifier value in dependence of the modifier effectiveness value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Nicola Hildebrand, Volker Kuehnel, Michael Boretzki
  • Patent number: 11523235
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a cover plate for covering a lateral opening of a shell of an earpiece configured to be worn at least partially within an ear canal, wherein the cover plate comprises a circumferential trench for receiving an antenna on a medial side of the cover plate, wherein the cover plate comprises a circumferential wall radially outward from the trench and adjacent the wall a surface for gluing the shell on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Andre Ochsenbein, Michael Takacs, Gabriel Perez
  • Patent number: 11523202
    Abstract: An ITE hearing instrumentality, for use in an ear canal, that includes a housing, a receiver located within the housing, an earpiece on the housing that is configured to mount the housing within the ear canal, and at least one biometric sensor on the earpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Michael Au, Frank Wang, Grace Gardner, Lu Zhang, Stephan Gehring, Daniel Baer
  • Patent number: 11516598
    Abstract: A hearing device configured to be worn at an ear of a user may include a sensor unit configured to provide sensor data, the sensor unit comprising a biometric sensor configured to provide biometric data included in the sensor data; and a processor configured to determine a physiological parameter from the sensor data, the physiological parameter indicative of a physiological property of the user. The processor is configured to determine whether the physiological parameter fulfills a condition, and provide, depending on whether the physiological parameter fulfills the condition, output data based on the sensor data, the output data including at least part of the biometric data and/or information derived from at least part of the biometric data different from the physiological parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Anne Thielen
  • Patent number: 11510016
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a hearing device (12) adapted to be worn behind an ear (28) comprises: determining a cymba angle (54) between a cartilage (50) above the cymba (46) of the ear (28) and a viewing direction (38) of the user; estimating a tilt angle (39) of the hearing device (12) with respect to the viewing direction (38) from the cymba angle (54); and adjusting a beam former direction (37) of a beam former (34) of the hearing device (12), such that the beam former direction (37) is aligned with the viewing direction (38).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Manuela Feilner, Amre El-Hoiydi
  • Patent number: 11510020
    Abstract: A binaural hearing system includes first and second hearing devices communicatively coupled by way of a binaural communication link. The first hearing device determines that a signal quality measure of a wireless signal transmitted by the remote audio source is greater than an upper threshold level. In response, both hearing devices enter a wireless audio rendering mode in which they render a remote audio stream from the remote audio source to a user. While operating in the wireless audio rendering mode, both hearing devices determine that a signal quality measure of the remote audio stream drops below a lower threshold level. In response to this determination, both hearing devices exit the wireless audio rendering mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Georg Dickmann, Daniel Lucas-Hirtz, Doris Zahnd
  • Patent number: 11490216
    Abstract: A method for compensating hearing deficiencies with a hearing device includes receiving a sound signal; attenuating an output sound pressure level of the sound signal dependent on an input sound pressure level of the sound signal; and outputting the attenuated sound signal with a loudspeaker of the hearing device; wherein the output sound pressure level is attenuated, when the input sound pressure level is above an upper speech recognition kneepoint of a user, which upper speech recognition kneepoint is stored in the hearing device and which has been selected dependent on a sound pressure level dependent speech recognition ability of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Olaf Strelcyk
  • Patent number: 11477583
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a hearing device configured to adjust its settings when it detects the hearing device user is experiencing stress related to the hearing device applying a processing scheme. The hearing device can use vital signs of the hearing device user to determine whether a user is stressed. The hearing device can also determine whether the user has become stressed as a result of applied setting or an applied processing scheme of the hearing device based on a change in the vital sign of the hearing device user. The disclosed technology also includes a method for reducing stressing when using a hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Nadim El Guindi
  • Patent number: 11463803
    Abstract: An acoustic device is described that comprises an acoustic channel extending through its housing and an acoustic valve disposed in the acoustic channel. The acoustic valve is configured to determine a passage of sound through the housing via the acoustic channel. The acoustic valve comprises a deformable shape forming a deformable perimeter of the acoustic channel, and an actuating mechanism configured to exert an actuating force deforming the deformable shape causing the deformable perimeter to move and change the passage of sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Engbert Wilmink, Nishant Shankar Lawand, Krisztian Kepiro
  • Patent number: 11457320
    Abstract: A method for collecting and storing sensor data (56, 64) of a hearing system (10) comprises: receiving the sensor data (56, 64) of at least one sensor (20, 32, 34) of a hearing device (12) of the hearing system (10), wherein the hearing device (12) is worn by a user; detecting a situation (72) of interest by classifying at least a part of the sensor data (56, 64) with a classifier (61) implemented in the hearing system (10); collecting the sensor data (56, 64), when the hearing system (10) is in a situation (72) of interest; and sending the collected sensor data (76) to a storage system (54) in data communication with the hearing system (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Andreas Breitenmoser, Peter Derleth, Harald Krueger, Aliaksei Tsitovich
  • Patent number: 11457308
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a microphone device configured to receive sound from different beams, where each beam has a different spatial orientation and is configured to receive sound from different directions. The microphone device is also configured to process the received sound using a generic or specific head related transfer function (HRTF) to generate processed audio and transmit the processed audio to hearing devices worn by a hearing-impaired user. Additionally, the microphone device can use a reference line and/or reference point when processing the received audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Marc Secall, Benjamin Heldner
  • Patent number: 11457318
    Abstract: A hearing device may include a housing configured to be at least partially inserted into an ear canal of a user and comprising a venting channel, wherein the venting channel is configured to provide for venting between an inner region of the ear canal and an ambient environment outside the ear canal through the venting channel; an acoustic valve comprising a valve member moveable relative to the venting channel between different positions; a sound detector configured to provide an audio signal representative of a detected sound; a processor configured to determine a characteristic from the audio signal and to classify the audio signal by assigning the audio signal to a class from a plurality of predetermined classes depending on the determined characteristic; and an output transducer configured to be acoustically coupled to the inner region of the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Daniel Wiss
  • Patent number: 11451911
    Abstract: A hearing device including a shell to be worn at least in part in the ear canal and having an outer opening; a faceplate covering the outer opening of the shell and facing outwardly of the ear canal when the hearing device is worn in the ear canal; a transceiver configured to operate in an operating frequency range which is located within 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz; and a dipole antenna. The dipole antenna is integrated within the faceplate or at an outer surface of the faceplate in a manner so as to follow the contour of the outer surface of the faceplate to maximize radiation gain of the dipole antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Gabriel Perez, John Whitmore, Dave Ma, Munsoo Bae
  • Patent number: 11451910
    Abstract: An illustrative method is disclosed for determining potential partner devices for a hearing device worn by a user, wherein the hearing device is adapted for establishing a data communication connection with other devices with a data communication interface and for receiving an audio data stream from the other devices via the data communication interface. The method includes generating context data from sensor data recorded by the hearing device; inputting the context data into a machine learning algorithm, which has been trained with historical context data to classify potential partner devices; and outputting at least one classification by the machine learning algorithm, the classification classifying the potential partner devices and indicating whether the user expects a data communication connection with the potential partner devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Manuela Feilner, Arnaud Brielmann, Amre El-Hoiydi
  • Patent number: D971413
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Rafael Tamsiran
  • Patent number: D971414
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Rafael Tamsiran, Ming-Lun Dave Ma, Ara Talaslian, Mark Schmidt