Patents by Inventor Benjamin Heldner

Benjamin Heldner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12133058
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of operating a hearing system comprising an ear unit wearable at an ear of a user, an output transducer included in the ear unit, and a detector arrangement comprising a plurality of spatially separated sound detectors and configured to provide audio data representative of the detected sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Benjamin Heldner, Xavier Gigandet
  • Publication number: 20230031093
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of operating a hearing system comprising an ear unit wearable at an ear of a user, an output transducer included in the ear unit, and a detector arrangement comprising a plurality of spatially separated sound detectors and configured to provide audio data representative of the detected sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Benjamin Heldner, Xavier Gigandet
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20210235189
    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: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Marc Secall, Benjamin Heldner
  • Patent number: 8345900
    Abstract: There is provided a method for providing hearing assistance to a user (101, 301), comprising: capturing audio signals by a microphone arrangement (26) comprising at least two spaced apart microphones (M1, M2); estimating the total energy contained in the voice spectrum of the audio signals captured at least one of the microphones; estimating the value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals by comparing the audio signals captured by at least two of the spaced apart microphones; judging whether a voice is present close to microphone arrangement by taking into account the estimated total energy contained in the voice spectrum of the captured audio signals and the estimated value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals; outputting a signal representative of said judgement; processing said captured audio signals according to said signal representative of said judgement; and stimulating the user's hearing, by stimulating means worn at or in at least one of the user's ears (39),
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Francois Marquis, Benjamin Heldner, Fabian Nater, Giuseppina Biundo Lotito, Roman Arnet
  • Publication number: 20110044481
    Abstract: There is provided a method for providing hearing assistance to a user (101, 301), comprising: capturing audio signals by a microphone arrangement (26) comprising at least two spaced apart microphones (M1, M2); estimating the total energy contained in the voice spectrum of the audio signals captured at least one of the microphones; estimating the value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals by comparing the audio signals captured by at least two of the spaced apart microphones; judging whether a voice is present close to microphone arrangement by taking into account the estimated total energy contained in the voice spectrum of the captured audio signals and the estimated value of the direction of arrival of the captured audio signals; outputting a signal representative of said judgement; processing said captured audio signals according to said signal representative of said judgement; and stimulating the user's hearing, by stimulating means worn at or in at least one of the user's ears (39),
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: PHONAK AG
    Inventors: Francois Marquis, Benjamin Heldner, Fabian Nater, Giuseppina Biundo Lotito, Roman Arnet