Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing device 1 adapted for placement in, at or near a person's ear, the hearing device 1 comprising a microphone 2, a receiver 4 and a signal conditioning means 3 connected to the microphone 2 and to the receiver 4, the microphone 2 being arranged for receiving acoustical signals from the person's surroundings 7 and converting these acoustical signals into electrical signals and the receiver 4 being arranged for converting electrical signals into acoustical signals and transmitting these into the ear's ear canal 13. The object of the present invention is to provide a small, light-weight hearing device 1. The problem is solved in that the receiver 4 comprises a thermoacoustical transducer 18, which allows for a receiver 4 which may take up less space in the hearing device 1 and may have a smaller weight. This has the advantage of allowing the hearing device 1 to be small and light-weight, thus providing an improved wearing comfort. The invention may e.g.

Abstract: A speaker apparatus that even when being relatively thin and compact, realizes reduction of generation of abnormal noise by contact between a lead wire and another member, reduction of breakage of lead wire and reduction of deterioration of sound quality. The speaker apparatus is one comprising magnetic circuit (2) provided with a magnetic gap in which voice coil (33) is fitted with play; vibrator (3) directly or indirectly fixed to the voice coil (33); frame (5) supporting the vibrator (3), provided thereinside with the magnetic circuit (2); and terminal part (6) to which lead wire (4) from the voice coil (33) is connected, wherein lead path (7) for passage of the lead wire (4) coming from the voice coil (33) is disposed between the voice coil (33) fitted with play in the magnetic gap (G) and the terminal part (6) provided in the frame (5).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating an audio processing device. The invention further relates to an audio processing device, to a software program and to a medium having instructions stored thereon. The object of the present invention is to provide improvements in the processing of sounds in listening devices. The problem is solved by a method comprising a) receiving an electric input signal representing an audio signal; b) providing an event-control parameter indicative of changes related to the electric input signal and for controlling the processing of the electric input signal; c) storing a representation of the electric input signal or a part thereof; d) providing a processed electric output signal with a configurable delay based on the stored representation of the electric input signal or a part thereof and controlled by the event-control parameter. The invention may e.g. be used in hearing instruments, headphones or headsets or active ear plugs.

Abstract: There is provided a signal processing apparatus, for suppressing a noise, which includes a first calculator to obtain a phase difference between two spectrum signals in a frequency domain transformed from sound signals received by at least two microphones to estimate a sound source by the phase difference, a second calculator to obtain a value representing a target signal likelihood and to determine a sound suppressing phase difference range at each frequency, in which a sound signal is suppressed, on the basis of the target signal likelihood, and a filter. The filter generate a synchronized spectrum signal by synchronizing each frequency component of one of the two spectrum signals to each frequency component of the other of the two spectrum signals for each frequency when the phase difference is within the sound suppressing phase difference range and to generate a filtered spectrum signal.

Abstract: The present subject matter provides method and apparatus for hearing assistance devices, and more particularly to a system for evaluating hearing assistance device settings using detected sound environment. Various examples of a hearing assistance device and method using actual use and hypothetical use logs are provided. Such logs provide a dispenser or audiologist the ability to see how a device is operating with actual settings and how the device would have operated had hypothetical settings been used instead. In various examples, the system allows for collection of statistical information about actual and hypothetical use which can assist in parameter setting determinations for a specific user. The settings may be tailored to that user's commonly experienced sound environment. Wireless communications of usage logs is discussed. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Abstract: An acoustic conversion device includes: a driving unit including magnets, a yoke, a coil, a vibrating portion, and an armature fixed to the yoke; a diaphragm unit including a holding frame fixed to the driving unit, with one face as a first-joint face jointed to the driving unit, and the other face as a second-joint face, a resin film adhered to the holding frame, a diaphragm held on the holding frame, and a beam portion propagating vibration from the vibrating portion to the diaphragm; and a storage unit including a case body for storing the driving unit and diaphragm unit; with the driving unit and diaphragm unit being stored in the case body, the case body being pressed against and deforming a sealing agent loaded in the second-joint face, from a side facing the second-joint face, thereby sealing each gap between the case body, cover body, and holding frame.

Abstract: This invention relates to an earphone with a movable push rod structure, which comprising a housing, a sound-emitting unit assembled inside of the housing, and a sound duct connected to the sound-emitting unit for sound transmission, and an earplug connected to the sound duct, with an air duct assembled on the housing for the flow of air inside and outside the earphone, as well as a movable push rod assembled inside the housing and connected with the housing for adjusting air flow condition of the air duct. A completely sealed earphone can be achieved when the push rod is pushed to block the air duct, or an open earphone can be achieved when the push rod is separated from the air duct. This invention has advantages of convenient and flexible regulation of sound modes of the earphones, which can be applied to users who have different requirements for sounds, and also a broader range of applications.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hearing device for compensating hearing impairment of a user. The hearing device comprises an input signal converter for converting an acoustic signal to an electric signal, a signal processor, an output signal converter for converting a processed signal to a processed acoustic signal presented to the user, and an adaptive feedback suppression unit compensating for acoustic feedback between the output signal converter and the input signal converter and to generate a feedback compensation signal, which is mixed with the electric signal from the input signal converter to provide a compensated electric signal. The signal processor is adapted to process the compensated electric signal and to generate a processed signal therefrom.

Abstract: A method for determining feedback thresholds in a plurality of frequency bands and/or at a plurality of frequencies processed by a hearing device is disclosed. The feedback thresholds are defined as gains, at which feedback occurs while a hearing device user is wearing the hearing device. The method comprises the step of determining feedback thresholds in an order of precedence, wherein the order of precedence being defined according to a degree of importance that the feedback threshold is determined in a particular frequency band or at a particular frequency, respectively.

Abstract: A cover-attachment assembly works in conjunction with an audio-annunciator housing that is configured to operationally mount to a wall. This audio-annunciator housing can have one or more arcuately-shaped tracks and one or more snap interfaces. The cover-attachment assembly comprises at least one arcuately-shaped guide surface that is shaped, sized, and positioned to fit within the arcuately-shaped track when pivotally attaching the cover-attachment assembly to the audio-annunciator housing. The snap interface, in turn, is shaped, sized, and positioned to lockingly mate with the audio-annunciator housing snap interface to hold the cover-attachment assembly in an installed position with respect to the audio-annunciator housing.

Abstract: There is provided a headphone including a headband having flexibility; a slider having flexibility with the headband attached at one end, and a headphone unit attached at the other end; a slide groove, arranged at an end of the headband or the one end of the slider, for guiding a circling movement of the slider with respect to the headband; and a slider guide, having rigidity higher than the headband and the slider, for holding the one end of the slider at the end of the headband so that one surface of the slider facing one surface of the headband circling moves with respect to the one surface of the headband while being engaged to the slide groove. A headphone that can be thinned while suppressing lowering of the attachment property is provided.

Abstract: Diaphragms of a plurality of capacitor microphone units are arranged in the same plane and the capacitor microphone units are connected in series to make an output from an impedance converter connected to one capacitor microphone unit drives a ground side of another capacitor microphone unit connected to the impedance converter.

Abstract: An hearing prosthesis configured to cancel received bone-conducted sound. The hearing prosthesis comprises: first and second matched microphones configured to be implanted in a recipient in a spaced arrangement such that the first microphone receives air-conducted sound signals and bone-conducted sound signals substantially simultaneously, and wherein the second microphone receives bone-conducted sound signals at substantially the same time as the first microphone and receives the air-conducted sound signals after a time delay. The time delay results in a relative phase difference between the air-conducted sound signals and the bone-conducted sound signals received by the second microphone. The prosthesis also comprises a noise cancellation system configured to cancel, based on the phase difference, the bone-conducted sound signals received by the first and second microphones.

Abstract: A speaker includes a diaphragm formed as an elongated box-shaped five face body having one open face; an edge for supporting the diaphragm so as to enable vibration of the diaphragm; a voice coil wound around and fixed to four side faces which are among the five faces of the diaphragm and which are adjacent to the open face; and a magnetic circuit for supplying a drive force to the voice coil. The diaphragm is configured such that a height from the open face to an upper face opposed to the open face is greater than or equal to twice a thickness of the voice coil, and a length of a long side of the upper face is greater than or equal to twice a length of a short side of the upper face, and the upper face and two side faces of the diaphragm define a long side direction of the diaphragm. Additionally, reinforcing ribs are formed as recessed and projecting shapes on the upper face and the two side faces of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A headphone including a housing that includes a speaker unit, and a protruding portion, provided at a specified area of one surface of the housing, that outputs playback sound generated from the speaker unit. When being worn on the head, the one surface of the housing comes in to contact with an outward facing surface of an auricle surrounding a cavity of a concha, and the protruding portion is inserted in to the cavity of the concha.

Abstract: A method of providing binaural hearing assistance to a user, comprising: capturing audio signals at an ear unit worn at each side of the users head; defining a target signal with regard to background noise; determining the difference in the target-signal-to-background-noise ratio of the audio signals captured at the each ear unit; exchanging audio signals between each ear unit according to the determined difference in the target-signal-to-background-noise ratio; selecting, as a function of the determined difference in the target-signal-to-background-noise ratio, as input to each of the stimulating means the audio signals captured at the respective ear unit, the audio signals received from the other one of the ear units, and/or mixtures thereof; and stimulating the user's right ear and the user's left ear according to the selected respective audio signals.

Abstract: A microphone unit includes: a housing; a diaphragm which is disposed in the inside of the housing; and an electric circuit portion which processes an electric signal that is generated based on a vibration of the diaphragm. In the housing, a first sound guide space which guides a sound outside the housing to a first surface of the diaphragm via a first sound hole and a second sound guide space which guides a sound outside the housing to a second surface, that is, an opposite surface of the diaphragm via a second sound hole are formed. The electric circuit portion is disposed in either one of the first sound guide space and the second sound guide space; and an acoustic resistance portion which adjusts at least one of a frequency characteristic of the first sound guide space and a frequency characteristic of the second sound guide space is formed.

Abstract: An electro-acoustic transducer (1) is disclosed, comprising a substrate (2) that comprises conducting paths (3), a cover (4) attached to said substrate (2) thus forming an inner chamber (A) and a space (B) outside said chamber (A), wherein said cover (4) comprises one or more ports (5). A MEMS sensor (6) of said transducer (1) has at least one hole (7) extending from a first side (C) to a second side (D). A membrane (8) is arranged in said hole (7) transverse to the hole axis (E) thus forming a first hole space (a) and a second hole space (b). The sensor (6) furthermore has electrical connectors (9) designed to carry electrical signals representing sound acting on said membrane (8), which connectors (9) are connected to said conducting paths (3). According to the invention, said MEMS sensor (6) is arranged inside said chamber (A) in such a way that said second hole space (b) is connected to said outside space (B) via said port or ports (5) and said first hole space (a) is connected to said inner chamber (A).

Abstract: A piezoelectric micro speaker and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The piezoelectric micro speaker includes a device plate, a front plate bonded on a front surface of the device plate, and a rear plate bonded on a rear surface of the device plate. The device plate includes a diaphragm, a piezoelectric actuator that vibrates the diaphragm, and a front cavity disposed in front of the diaphragm. The front plate includes a radiation hole connected to the front cavity. The rear plate includes a rear cavity formed in a surface of the rear plate facing the piezoelectric actuator, and a bent hole connected to the rear cavity. A sound absorption layer is formed on an inner surface of the rear cavity and absorbs sound radiated backward from the diaphragm so as to suppress the sound from being reflected on the rear plate.

Abstract: A hearing aid includes a first microphone for providing a first audio input signal, a second microphone for providing a second audio input signal, a signal processor configured for generating a hearing loss compensated audio output signal based at least in part on the audio input signals, and a receiver for converting the audio output signal into an output sound signal, wherein the signal processor is configured to perform directional processing, based on the first and second audio input signals, in a first frequency range and substantially omni-directional processing in a second frequency range, at least a part of the first frequency range being higher than the second frequency range, and wherein a lower cutoff frequency of the first frequency range is adjustable.