Patents Examined by Suhan Ni
  • Patent number: 11330355
    Abstract: A positioning and retaining structure for an in-ear earpiece. An outer leg and an inner leg are attached to each other at an attachment end and attached to a body of the earpiece at the other end. The outer leg lies in a plane. The positioning and retaining structure have a stiffness that is greater when force is applied to the attachment end in a counterclockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg than when force is applied to the attachment end in a clockwise direction in the plane of the outer leg. The positioning and retaining structure position an earpiece associated with the earpiece in a user's ear and retains the earpiece in its position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan C. Silvestri, Eric M. Wallace, Kevin P. Annunziato, Ian M. Collier, Michael J. Monahan
  • Patent number: 11330375
    Abstract: A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, adapted for being located at or in an ear, or to be fully or partially implanted in the head, of a user, the hearing device comprises a) an input unit providing at least two input audio data streams, each comprising a mixture of a target signal component from a target sound source and a noise component from one or more noise sources; b) a mixing processor for receiving said at least two input audio data streams, and for mixing said at least two input audio data streams, or processed versions thereof, and for providing a processed input signal based thereon; c) an output unit providing output stimuli perceivable to the user as sound based on said processed input signal or a processed version thereof. The processor is configured to process said noise component of said at least two input audio data streams, or processed versions thereof in order to reduce or avoid artefacts in said processed input signal due to said mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Jan M. De Haan, Angela Josupeit, Michael Syskind Pedersen
  • Patent number: 11317212
    Abstract: A distributed mode actuator (DMA) includes a flat panel extending in a plane and a rigid member(s) extended parallel to the plane. The members are mechanically attached to or glued and/or embedded within the face of the flat panel. All associated members are free to vibrate perpendicular and horizontally to the plane. The DMA also includes a magnet and electrically-conducting coil. The coil and magnet are mechanically coupled to the member or associated member. When the coil is energized, an interaction between a magnetic field of the magnet and a magnetic field from the coil applies a force sufficient to generate vibrations and/or movement perpendicular and horizontally to the plane. The DMA also includes components embedded within and attached to the plane, and indentations within the plane, to facilitate acoustical and vibrational waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventor: Matthew Otis
  • Patent number: 11317188
    Abstract: An audio system for providing content to a user. The system includes a first and a second transducer assembly of a plurality of transducer assemblies, an acoustic sensor, and a controller. The first transducer assembly couples to a portion of an auricle of the user's ear and vibrates over a first range of frequencies based on a first set of audio instructions. The vibration causes the portion of the ear to create a first range of acoustic pressure waves. The second transducer assembly is configured to vibrate over a second range of frequencies to produce a second range of acoustic pressure waves based on a second set of audio instructions. The acoustic sensor detects acoustic pressure waves at an entrance of the ear. The controller generates the audio instructions based on audio content to be provided to the user and the detected acoustic pressure waves from the acoustic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ravish Mehra, Antonio John Miller, Morteza Khaleghimeybodi
  • Patent number: 11310607
    Abstract: A method of operating a hearing aid system comprising a hearing aid (300) wherein a digital filter (302) is adapted to be of minimum phase and to provide a frequency dependent target gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Bo Elmedyb, Lars Dalskov Mosgaard, Michael Johannes Pihl, Georg Stiefenhofer, Pejman Mowlaee, Adam Westermann
  • Patent number: 11297449
    Abstract: A cochlear external device with an external microphone according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include an external device body attached to a side of the head of a user, an internal microphone embedded in the external device body to collect sound, an external microphone located at the outside of the external device body to be attached around the ear of the user to collect sound, a connection cable configured to connect the external microphone and the external device body in a wired manner; and a control unit embedded in the external device body to generate an output signal based on the sound collected by at least one of the internal microphone and the external microphone and transmit the generated output signal to a cochlear implant transplanter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TODOC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyou-Sik Min, Woojin Ahn
  • Patent number: 11297450
    Abstract: A method for operating a hearing system worn by a user, the hearing system being a binaural hearing system including first and second hearing aids and being prepared for processing a sound. The processing includes a beamforming which can be adjusted to at least a first beamforming mode and a second beamforming mode. The method includes receiving sound by the hearing system, determining whether the beamforming is to be adjusted to the first beamforming mode or the second beamforming mode and adjusting the beamforming accordingly and generating a processed sound, and presenting the processed sound to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Tobias Neher, Michael Boretzki, Ralph Peter Derleth, Volker Kuhnel, Ullrich Sigwanz, Matthias Latzel, Olaf Strelcyk, Sascha Liebe
  • Patent number: 11297413
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an inverter vent and a loudspeaker having the same. Preferably, air flows within the inverted vent in a 360 degrees full-circumferential direction. This design can improve the efficiency of the loudspeaker, reduce the wind noise, and increase the bass ductility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Yao-Wei Wang, Li-Ping Pan, Ting-Yao Cheng, Hsin-Chi Chen, Li-Ren Wang, Jing-Hong Lu, Fei-Ta Chen, Ya-Shian Huang, Wei-Ting Chen
  • Patent number: 11297440
    Abstract: A surface mountable condenser microphone (1) comprising a diaphragm (7) spaced by a spacer from a conductive capacitor layer (14), which is arranged on a surface of a back plate (15), wherein the back plate (15) is realized by a ceramic plate that carries the conductive capacitor layer (14) and isolated on another surface area of the same side of the back plate (15) a spacer layer (23) that projects over the conductive capacitor layer (14) and forms the spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: G.R.A.S. SOUND AND VIBRATION A/S
    Inventors: Jonas Kabell Bovin, Kresten Marbjerg
  • Patent number: 11289065
    Abstract: The invention provides assemblies for production of sound using a plurality of configurations, including in one embodiment, surfaces that may be fixed or moveable relative to each other. These surfaces may be electromagnetic, electrostatic, piezoelectric, transducer implemented, thermally activated, permanently magnetized, or activated by any other means, including but not limited to mechanical activation. The surfaces may in a variety of configurations be free floating, constrained, levitated or combinations thereof. The surfaces themselves may be foldable, rollable, expandable, specialized or any combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Pradnesh Mohare, Rahul Khopkar
  • Patent number: 11290830
    Abstract: An illustrative hearing device includes a battery having a battery voltage, a microphone for transducing sound into an input signal, a processor configured to be operated with an operating voltage and to generate an output signal from the input signal, a speaker for transducing the output signal to an acoustic signal, and a valve. An acoustic effect of the valve is adjustable by applying a valve voltage, wherein the adjustment is controllable by the processor. The hearing device comprises a voltage regulator configured to generate the operating voltage from the battery voltage, wherein the operating voltage is less than the battery voltage and wherein the valve voltage is greater than the operating voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Matthias Riepenhoff, Christian Landolt, Gerard Van Oerle, Fethi Cherigui, Manuel Weibel
  • Patent number: 11290806
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a sound generating device, which includes a frame, a vibration system, and a magnetic circuit system. The vibration system includes a membrane and a dome. The membrane includes a vibrating part, a suspension, a fixing part, and a first through hole, the frame, the membrane, and the magnetic circuit system form an inner sound cavity communicated with the first through hole. The dome is fixed to the vibrating part, and includes a first body layer, a second body layer, and an air-permeable isolating piece sandwiched between the first body layer and the second body layer. The first body layer defines a second through hole communicating with the first through hole, the second body layer defines a third through hole communicating with the second through hole. The air-permeable isolating piece covers the second through hole and the third through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yiming Meng, Guqing Zhang, Wei Pang
  • Patent number: 11277684
    Abstract: A diffuser which forms a first acoustic passage that sound waves propagate and which radiates the sound waves to an outer diameter direction between a diaphragm and an annular conical surface of a first reflection member, and forms a second acoustic passage the sound waves which pass the opening of the first reflection member propagate and which radiates the sound waves to an outer diameter direction between the annular concave surface of the first reflection member and a conical surface of a second reflection member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Onkyo Corporation
    Inventors: Norimasa Kitagawa, Mitsuhiko Tokuda, Yoshinori Nakanishi, Ryuta Shigematsu, Koichi Sadaie, Yoshitada Takeshima
  • Patent number: 11277698
    Abstract: Hearing devices, configured to fit within the ear canal, having a hearing device core defining an exterior surface with a medial end and a medial corner, and including a battery, a microphone and a receiver, at least one seal, defining a seal compliance, carried on the hearing device core, and a medial bumper, defining a medial bumper compliance that is greater than the seal compliance, carried on the hearing device core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Paul Wagner, Barjinder Chana, Michael Au, Petra Gunde, Torben Gillich, Simone Keller, Erdal Karamuk
  • Patent number: 11272277
    Abstract: A housing for a device an outside and an inside, as well as an access passage for access from the outside of the housing to a component of the device inside the housing. The access passage comprises an outer opening section, and an inner drainage channel. The drainage channel is arranged below the outer opening section, which has vertical side walls extending inwardly from the outside of the housing. Each sidewall has a top width (WT) and a bottom width (WB), the top width (WT) being narrower than the bottom width (WB). The sidewalls provide a guiding surface for a liquid entering the access passage, such that the liquid is guided towards the drainage channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: AXIS, AB
    Inventors: David Rohlich, Pavel Kral
  • Patent number: 11265660
    Abstract: A speech intelligibility enhancing system for difficult acoustical conditions is disclosed, the speech intelligibility enhancing system comprising at least one ear plug (201) for insertion in an ear canal (218) of a person, the at least one ear plug being arranged with an ear canal facing portion (401) and an environment facing portion (402), and the at least one ear plug comprising an acoustically attenuating path (214; 214, 213) comprising a vent (214) coupling said environment facing portion (402) with said ear canal facing portion (401); and an electroacoustic path (202, 204, 209; 202, 203, 204, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212) comprising a microphone (202) at said environment facing portion (402), a variable gain (204) and a loudspeaker (209) at said ear canal facing portion (401); wherein said acoustically attenuating path (214; 214, 213) is arranged with a transfer function from said environment facing portion (402) to said ear canal facing portion (401) having a low pass characteristic having a low pass cut¬o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: LIZN APS
    Inventor: Niels Farver
  • Patent number: 11265659
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enhancing the configuration of a hearing aid device (2) of a user, said method using an external configuration unit (3) accessing a database of previously known user records, wherein the hearing aid device (2) is arranged to be configured according to an individual set of configuration parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: TWO PI GmbH
    Inventor: Tarik Zukic
  • Patent number: 11259106
    Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device is provided. The MEMS device includes a substrate, a backplate disposed on a side of the substrate, a diaphragm, and a dynamic valve layer. The substrate forms an opening. The diaphragm is disposed on the side of the substrate and extends across the opening of the substrate, wherein the diaphragm forms a vent hole. The dynamic valve layer is disposed on the side of the substrate and includes a flap portion, wherein the flap portion covers at least a part of the vent hole when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the diaphragm, and the flap portion deforms when air flows through the vent hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FORTEMEDIA, INC.
    Inventors: Chih-Yuan Chen, Jien-Ming Chen, Feng-Chia Hsu, Wen-Shan Lin, Nai-Hao Kuo
  • Patent number: 11259111
    Abstract: A retaining member for an earphone includes an outer layer of a first material surrounding an inner core of a second material. The retaining member extends from the earphone, and is curved to generally match the shape the antihelix of a human ear. The second material is harder than the first material, providing a stiffness to the retaining member that causes it to apply an upward and backward force against the antihelix when the retaining member is bent to fit under the antihelix of a particular user's ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan C. Silvestri, Eric M. Wallace, Kevin P. Annunziato, Stephen D. Boyle, Joshua Kevin Dryden
  • Patent number: 11252514
    Abstract: Presented herein are non-surgical or superficial coupling apparatuses for transcutaneous bone conduction devices. A coupling apparatus comprises a drive plate configured to be detachably connected to a transcutaneous bone conduction device. The drive plate is also connected to an earhook (ear hook) configured to fit over/around a recipient's pinna (auricle) to at least partially support the drive plate. An adhesive member may also be provided to secure the drive plate to the recipient's skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Tobias Good, Henrik Fyrlund