Abstract: The present invention relates to a hearing aid with an adaptive filter for suppression of acoustic feedback in the hearing aid. The hearing aid further comprises a controller that is adapted to compensate for acoustic feedback by determination of a first parameter of an acoustic feedback loop of the hearing aid and adjustment of a second parameter of the hearing aid in response to the first parameter whereby generation of undesired sounds is substantially avoided. Hereby a gain safety margin requirement is significantly reduced.

Abstract: A hearing aid is provided having a capacitor with a large capacitance coupled in parallel with the energy source for transient current supply. The operating period of the battery is prolonged compared to prior art digital hearing aids. Further, the smaller variations in supply voltage lead to less distortion of the output signal of the hearing aid signal processor. In a hearing aid with a telecoil, a well defined current path for the current transients generating the high magnetic fields picked up by the telecoil is established. This facilitates the design of a compensating current path that is substantially independent of battery type and position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ear level electronic device comprising a housing that is adapted to be worn behind the ear, in the ear, or in the ear canal, and to enclose a music synthesizer for generation of an electrical signal representing music and an output transducer for conversion of the electrical signal into sound. In the device, sound generators are controlled by pseudo-random number generators generating sequences of self-similar numbers whereby music is synthesized that is surprisingly relaxing and comfortable to listen to. Further, a music sequence generated by such a number generator is extremely long so that a person listening to the music does not have a perception of being listening to repeated music sequences.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hearing aid for insertion in the auditory canal, comprising a hearing aid housing and a face plate and a shell that is matched to the auditory canal of a user and has a tightening protrusion that extends along the surface of the shell and at least partly encircles the shell thereby providing a tight seal against the auditory canal wall when the shell is inserted in the auditory canal.

Abstract: A hearing aid with a test controller for detection of a defect in the signal path of the hearing aid is provided. The test controller controls a test signal generator and a probe means for determination of a signal parameter, such as signal level, frequency spectrum, phase characteristic, auto-correlation, cross-correlation, etc. A set of signal switches controlled by the test controller is provided for connecting a desired test signal generator or a desired probe means to a desired point in the signal path for testing of a desired part of the hearing aid. Further signal switches are provided for coupling hearing aid components into and out of the signal path of the hearing aid.

Abstract: A multichannel hearing aid is provided with at least one frequency channel having a compressor with a compression threshold with an output level below the hearing threshold and an attack time above 0.5 seconds whereby hearing of a sudden sound in a stationary sound environment is facilitated.

Abstract: A hearing aid is provided having a capacitor with a large capacitance coupled in parallel with the energy source for transient current supply. The operating period of the battery is prolonged compared to prior art digital hearing aids. Further, the smaller variations in supply voltage lead to less distortion of the output signal of the hearing aid signal processor. In a hearing aid with a telecoil, a well defined current path for the current transients generating the high magnetic fields picked up by the telecoil is established. This facilitates the design of a compensating current path that is substantially independent of battery type and position.

Abstract: A fitting method is provided for a multichannel hearing aid with at least one low frequency channel having an individually adjustable compressor. The method comprises the steps of first adjusting the characteristic of the compressor according to the hearing loss to be compensated by the hearing aid, followed by the step of increasing the compression ratio of the characteristic of the compressor in the at least one low frequency band. The at least one low frequency channel may further comprise an offset amplifier adding an offset gain to the compressor characteristic, and the method may further comprise the step of adjusting the offset gain in the range from −20 dB to 20 dB. After adjustment according to the method, compressors operating at low frequencies enhance low level signals and attenuate high level signals whereby perception of occlusion is suppressed.

Abstract: A modular hearing aid for arrangement in a user's ear comprises a hollow plug (1) adapted to the ear canal and having a generally irregular conical shape and an exterior opening which is covered by a faceplate (2), in which a recess (8) is formed for removable arrangement of a battery (23) as well as an electronic module (4) comprising a microphone part (5), a signal processing part (6) and a sound reproducer (7). The recess (8) comprises a first region (9) for insertion of the battery (23) and a second region (10) coherent with the first region for placing of a socket part (11) of the electronic module (4), and at the edge of the recess (8) the faceplate (2) is formed with engaging means (12-16) for the socket part (11), whereas further parts of the electronic module (4) are placed below the faceplate (2).

Abstract: A hearing aid with a directional characteristic, including at least two spaced apart input transducers and wherein transducer signal type, such as transducer noise, wind noise, sound emitted from a sound source located in the surroundings of the hearing aid, distorted signals, such as clipped signals, slew rate limited signals, etc, is determined, and wherein signal processing in the hearing aid, such as transducer matching, filtering, signal combination, etc, is adapted according to the determined signal type. For example, the directional characteristic may be switched to an omnidirectional characteristic when at least one of the input transducer signals is dominated by noise or distortion, and/or adaptive matching of input transducers may be put on hold while at least one of the input transducer signals is dominated by noise or distortion.

Abstract: A hearing aid with beam forming properties, having at least two microphone channels (1a, 1b) for at least two microphones (2a, 2b), the microphone channels each comprising an analog to digital converter (3a, 3b) and having at least one programmable or program controlled signal processor (5), as well as a digital to analog converter, and at least one receiver and a battery for power supply. The hearing aid particularly comprises in each microphone channel (1a, 1b) a sigma-delta-type analog to digital converter (3a, 3b) including a digital low pas filter and a decimator 94) for converting a 1 Bit Stream of a high clock frequency into a digital word sequence of a lower clock frequency. At least one of the at least two microphone channels contains a controllable delay device (6) connected to the input side of the respective digital low pass filter and decimator (4) of the channel, the delay device (6) being controllable by the at least one signal processor (5).

Abstract: Hearing aid with a controllable directional characteristic having at least two spaced apart microphones (Mic 1, Mic 2) in at least two microphone channels, at least one signal processing unit, at least one output transducer and a directional controlling system, with means for adaptively matching the characteristics of at least two microphones. This novel hearing aid comprises an adaptive phase matching circuit (1), inserted into said at least two microphone channels, the adaptive phase matching circuit, (1) having its outputs connected to an acoustical delay compensation means (2), followed by a parameter control circuit (3), the output of which is applied to a controllable filter means (4) inserted into at least one of said at least two microphone channels inside said adaptive phase matching circuit. Preferably filter means (5, 6) are provided in front of said acoustical delay compensation means (2), which could be used to eliminate DC components.

Abstract: Hearing aid with a microphone, a transmission section (2) for signal processing with a housing (3) containing an output transducer, a battery compartment containing a battery (4), a cover (5) articulated at the housing or a battery lid (5a) articulated at the housing so that it can be pivoted, said cover or lid serving to close off the battery compartment, an electronic control logic (6), as well as a contact arrangement (7) which can be actuated by pressing on the cover (5) in closed position or the battery lid (5a) in closed position and by means of which the control logic can be activated.This contact arrangement can be activated by a spring-loaded movement of the cover (5) or battery lid (5a) beyond the normal closing position.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for a preferably programmable hearing aid with at least one microphone, at least one electronic signal processing circuit (3), with at least one channel and one output transducer (7), in which the electronic signal processing circuit (3) contains a control circuit for continuous determination or calculation of a percentile value or several percentile values of the input signal from a continuous analysis and evaluation of the frequency and/or amplitude distribution of the input signal, whereby these percentile values serve either directly or indirectly as control signals for controlling the gain and/or frequency response of the electronic signal processing circuit, whereby these percentile values serve directly or indirectly as control signals for closed-loop control of the gain and/or frequency response of the electronic signal processing circuit, whereby at least one percentile estimator (10) is connected on the input side, the percentile estimator consisting of an integrator (11 ) and

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for an integrated output amplifier (1) with two constant current sources (2, 3), a voltage amplifier with two inputs (5, 6) and two outputs (7, 8) and two output transistors (Q1, Q2) coupled with these, as well as two feedback networks (9, 10) producing negative feedback which are connected between the output transistors and the corresponding input transistors of the voltage amplifier (4). The first two feedback networks (9, 10) are connected between the collectors of the output transistors (Q1, Q2) and the base electrodes of the corresponding input transistors of the voltage amplifier (4). In addition, a third feedback network (11) is connected on the input side to the base electrodes of the output transistors and on the output side to the input of a current splitting network (16) via a transistor (Q3) acting as a current sink, whereby said current splitting network has a signal input (17).

Abstract: A process for making otoplasty or adaptive ear pieces individually matched to the shape of an auditory canal and consists of the following steps: a) direct or indirect tracing is provided of the shape of the auditory canal and conversion of the values obtained into digital form; b) conversion of the digital representation of this shape into a multi-dimensional computer model of the outer shape of otoplasty or adaptive ear piece; c) selection of the various components/functions for the inside of the computer model with simultaneous establishment of the wall thickness and optimization of the positions of the components/functions for best possible operation and minimum bulk; d) computer controlled production of an otoplasty or adaptive ear piece from the data thus obtained from the optimized, three-dimensional computer representation of the otoplasty or adaptive ear piece.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tinnitus masker with one or more signal generators, a controllable amplifier (2), one or two electroacoustic transducers (3) for conversion of electrical signals into acoustic signals and a voltage source, whereby at least one of the signal generators (1) generates a continuously repeated, sinusoidal pure tone signal which slowly moves through the audio frequency range and whose cycle duration can be adjusted between 0.1 and 1000 seconds.

Abstract: The invention concerns a circuit for the resonant cavity in a frequency-shift HF transmitter output stage, with a first capacitance (2), a first inductance (3) and a first switch (5) for feeding the HF signal to the resonant cavity. To switch the resonant cavity over to resonance with the other transmission frequency, additional capacitance (2a) can be switched in or out of the cavity by means of additional switch means (4).

Abstract: A remote-controllable, programmable hearing aid system, including of a hearing aid (2) with incorporated amplifier and with a signal processing circuit whose transmission characteristic can be determined at any time by a set of control parameters, and an external control unit (1) with a transmitter for wireless transmission of control parameters to the hearing aid. A receiving circuit for receiving the control parameters is located in the hearing aid. This system is characterized in that an input device (3) is provided for input of data/information, and a data processing device (4) is provided for derivation of control parameters from the audiometric data/information for transmission from the control unit to the hearing aid.

Abstract: A cerumen trap for hearing aids comprises a sound channel and a plurality of perforations arranged in a stellate pattern around the sound channel which connect the sound outlet of an earpiece with the sound channel. A cylindrical component (1) with a connecting piece (3) which surrounds the sound channel can be inserted in the hearing aid. A number of angle brackets (4) with locking detents (5) are arranged on the periphery of the component (1). The sound outlet opening (2) can be closed off from the exterior by a cap (7) which has a locking groove (8) on the inner wall and which engages with the locking detents (5).