Patents by Inventor Eghart Fischer

Eghart Fischer 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).

  • Publication number: 20160381469
    Abstract: A method performs signal processing in a binaural hearing device that has first and second hearing aids with first and second microphones producing first and second signals and with first and second sound generators. The first and second signals ascertain a direction of a main sound source. A deviation in the direction from a frontal direction prompts the hearing aid that is closer to the main sound source to be defined as the local hearing aid and the hearing aid that is more remote from the main sound source to be a remote hearing aid. The local hearing aid, in one frequency band, filters the first signal using an angle-dependent first filter factor, and thus produces a first filtered signal. The first signal, the second signal and/or the direction of the main sound source is used for determining an adaptation coefficient, a first adapted signal and a local directional characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: HOMAYOUN KAMKAR-PARSI, EGHART FISCHER
  • Patent number: 9473860
    Abstract: A method for beam-forming for a hearing aid system is disclosed. The hearing aid system has a left and a right hearing aid device for disposal on a head of a wearer. The hearing aid devices each have microphones for converting the sound into a left and a right input signal and also a signal processing device which receives the two input signals. In the method a number of different linear combinations of the left and the right input signal are provided, are assessed according to a predetermined signal criterion and, in dependence thereof, one of the linear combinations is selected as a beam signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Eghart Fischer, Homayoun Kamkar Parsi
  • Publication number: 20160219381
    Abstract: A method performs noise suppression in hearing aids. A step of the method involves a first audio signal being split into a plurality of essentially disjunct frequency bands. A further step of the method involves a reference band being selected from the plurality of frequency bands, which reference band has an establishable first component of a speech signal. Another step involves a correlation between the reference band and a first frequency band being ascertained. A further step involves a value that indicates a second component of a speech signal in the first frequency band being ascertained on the basis of the correlation. Another step of the method involves a noise suppression being set in the first frequency band on the basis of the ascertained value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: EGHART FISCHER, ULRICH KORNAGEL, RAINER MARTIN, HENNING PUDER, ALEXANDER SCHASSE
  • Patent number: 9398379
    Abstract: A directional characteristic of a microphone facility of a hearing system is more reliably controlled. The method determines a first feature value in respect of speech in a first signal of a microphone facility assigned to a first direction and a second feature value in respect of speech in a second signal of the microphone facility assigned to a second direction. A control value is obtained from the difference of the two feature values. The directional characteristic of the microphone facility is controlled with this control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Marc Aubreville, Eghart Fischer, Stefan Wehr
  • Patent number: 9277333
    Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid system and the hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices, between which a signal path is provided, and with at least one signal processing unit, which is provided to process audio signals. In the method the signal processing apparatus filters first audio signals with a filter predetermined for a defined spatial direction, from which a useful signal arrives, so that second audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal in the second audio signals are equalized to a greater degree than in the first audio signals. The second audio signals are then filtered with an adaptive filter, so that third audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal are equalized to an even greater degree than in the second audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Marc Aubreville, Eghart Fischer, Homayoun Kamkar Parsi, Walter Kellermann, Stefan Meier, Henning Puder, Klaus Reindl
  • Patent number: 9253571
    Abstract: A hearing apparatus for a binaural supply contains a first earhook to be worn on one ear, having a plurality of microphones, and a first signal processing device which is configured to generate a local earpiece signal for an earpiece of the first earhook from microphone signals of the microphones by use of multichannel signal processing of each of the microphone signals. A beam forming device and a transmission device are additionally provided in the first earhook. The beam forming device is configured to generate a directional output signal from the microphone signals by signal processing which has fewer channels than that of the first signal processing device, and wherein the transmission device is set up to transmit the directional output signal as an electrical or electromagnetic signal from the first earhook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Marc Aubreville, Eghart Fischer, Homayoun Kamkar Parsi, Stefan Petrausch
  • Patent number: 9253581
    Abstract: A hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices to be worn on both sides of a wearer's head. The hearing aid devices have a transducer for picking up an acoustic signal and converting same into a first audio signal in each case. A signal processing unit processes audio signals received from each hearing aid device through a signal connection. The signal processing unit evaluates a signal component from a preferred direction in relation to the head of the wearer in the first audio signals. By way of the first audio signals the signal processing unit generates a first binaural directional microphone signal and adjusts its directional characteristic as a function of the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Marc Aubreville, Eghart Fischer, Homayoun Kamkar Parsi
  • Patent number: 9232330
    Abstract: An amplification factor for a hearing aid device is generated by way of the following steps: forming a numerator, wherein the numerator includes a total with a first total component which is formed by means of multiplication of a strength of an approximately undisturbed signal with a first weighting and a second total component, which is formed by multiplication of a strength of a disturbed signal with a second weighting; forming a denominator, which includes the numerator as a first summand and a strength of an interference signal as a second summand. The amplification factor is finally determined by forming a quotient from the numerator divided by the denominator. An apparatus is configured to implement and carry out the novel method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Eghart Fischer
  • Patent number: 9167358
    Abstract: A method and system for improving signal-to-noise ratio of output signals of a microphone system having two or more microphones due to acoustic useful signals at sides of the system are used in hearing instruments, especially hearing aids worn on the head. High and low frequency portions (cut-off frequency between 700 Hz and 1.5 kHz, approx. 1 kHz) are processed differently. In low frequency ranges, differential microphone signals directed towards left right are produced to determine lateral useful and noise sound levels using these two directional signals. These levels are used for subjecting every microphone signal to individual Wiener filtering. The natural head shadowing effect is used in high frequency ranges as a pre-filter for noise and useful sound estimation for subsequent Wiener filtering. The methods are used in hearing instruments worn on the head individually for high or low frequencies or in combination and complement each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Eghart Fischer
  • Patent number: 9167357
    Abstract: A method and system for improving signal-to-noise ratio of output signals of a microphone system having two or more microphones due to acoustic useful signals occurring at sides of the system, is used in hearing instruments, especially hearing aids worn on the head. High and low frequency portions (cut-off frequency between 700 Hz and 1.5 kHz, approx. 1 kHz) are processed differently. In low frequency ranges, differential microphone signals directed towards left and right are produced to determine lateral useful and noise sound levels using two directional signals. These levels are used for individual Wiener filtering for every microphone signal. The natural head shadowing effect is used in high frequency ranges as a pre-filter for noise and useful sound estimation for subsequent Wiener filtering. The methods are used in hearing instruments worn on the head individually for high or for low frequencies and in combination complement each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Eghart Fischer
  • Publication number: 20150264478
    Abstract: Signals free of wind noise should be made available with a short latency time in particular for binaural hearing device provision. To this end a method and a hearing apparatus are proposed, in which in a first branch with a first latency time the wind is analyzed and in a second branch with a shorter, second latency time the wind is reduced for a transmission signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: MARC AUBREVILLE, EGHART FISCHER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI, STEFAN PETRAUSCH
  • Patent number: 9113247
    Abstract: A device and a method reduce direction dependent spatial noise. The device includes a plurality of microphones for measuring an acoustic input signal from an acoustic source. The plurality of microphones form at least one monaural pair and at least one binaural pair. Directional signal processing circuitry is provided for obtaining, from the input signal, at least one monaural directional signal and at least one binaural directional signal. A target signal level estimator estimates a target signal level by combining at least one of the monaural directional signals and at least one of the binaural directional signals, which at least one monaural directional signal and at least one binaural directional signal mutually have a maximum response in a direction of the acoustic source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Navin Chatlani, Eghart Fischer
  • Publication number: 20140341407
    Abstract: A method for beam-forming for a hearing aid system is disclosed. The hearing aid system has a left and a right hearing aid device for disposal on a head of a wearer. The hearing aid devices each have microphones for converting the sound into a left and a right input signal and also a signal processing device which receives the two input signals. In the method a number of different linear combinations of the left and the right input signal are provided, are assessed according to a predetermined signal criterion and, in dependence thereof, one of the linear combinations is selected as a beam signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: EGHART FISCHER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI
  • Publication number: 20140314260
    Abstract: A hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices to be worn on both sides of a wearer's head. The hearing aid devices have a transducer for picking up an acoustic signal and converting same into a first audio signal in each case. A signal processing unit processes audio signals received from each hearing aid device through a signal connection. The signal processing unit evaluates a signal component from a preferred direction in relation to the head of the wearer in the first audio signals. By way of the first audio signals the signal processing unit generates a first binaural directional microphone signal and adjusts its directional characteristic as a function of the evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: MARC AUBREVILLE, EGHART FISCHER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI
  • Publication number: 20140314259
    Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid system and the hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices, between which a signal path is provided, and with at least one signal processing unit, which is provided to process audio signals. In the method the signal processing apparatus filters first audio signals with a filter predetermined for a defined spatial direction, from which a useful signal arrives, so that second audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal in the second audio signals are equalized to a greater degree than in the first audio signals. The second audio signals are then filtered with an adaptive filter, so that third audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal are equalized to an even greater degree than in the second audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: MARC AUBREVILLE, EGHART FISCHER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI, WALTER KELLERMANN, STEFAN MEIER, HENNING PUDER, KLAUS REINDL
  • Publication number: 20140050328
    Abstract: An amplification factor for a hearing aid device is generated by way of the following steps: forming a numerator, wherein the numerator includes a total with a first total component which is formed by means of multiplication of a strength of an approximately undisturbed signal with a first weighting and a second total component, which is formed by multiplication of a strength of a disturbed signal with a second weighting; forming a denominator, which includes the numerator as a first summand and a strength of an interference signal as a second summand. The amplification factor is finally determined by forming a quotient from the numerator divided by the denominator. An apparatus is configured to implement and carry out the novel method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: Siemens Medical Instruments PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: EGHART FISCHER
  • Patent number: 8625826
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for background noise estimation use a first and a second hearing device for binaural supply of a hearing impaired person. In each case the hearing devices have a first and a second omnidirectional microphone and the two microphones of each hearing device are connected to each other electrically in order to form a first and/or a second monaural directional characteristic. The first and/or second microphone of the first hearing device is connected together wirelessly with the first and/or second microphone of the second hearing device to form a binaural directional characteristic. To estimate the background noise, the level of an output signal from the first and/or the second directional microphone having a monaural directional characteristic is combined with the level of an output signal from the directional microphone having a binaural directional characteristic. Background noise estimation is thereby enhanced in the case of binaural supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Eghart Fischer
  • Patent number: 8600087
    Abstract: A noise reduction is provided for a hearing apparatus, with which both stationary and also non-stationary interference noises can be attenuated in an input signal. An output signal is in this way to convey a quite sound impression. A signal processing is provided, which effects a noise reduction on the basis of two different methods. Provision is made on the one hand for a noise reduction for stationary interference noises and on the other hand for a noise reduction for spatially oriented interference noises. A selection facility selects between the two noise reductions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Eghart Fischer
  • Publication number: 20130287237
    Abstract: A directional characteristic of a microphone facility of a hearing system is more reliably controlled. The method determines a first feature value in respect of speech in a first signal of a microphone facility assigned to a first direction and a second feature value in respect of speech in a second signal of the microphone facility assigned to a second direction. A control value is obtained from the difference of the two feature values. The directional characteristic of the microphone facility is controlled with this control value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: MARC AUBREVILLE, EGHART FISCHER, STEFAN WEHR
  • Publication number: 20130259239
    Abstract: A hearing apparatus for a binaural supply contains a first earhook to be worn on one ear, having a plurality of microphones, and a first signal processing device which is configured to generate a local earpiece signal for an earpiece of the first earhook from microphone signals of the microphones by use of multichannel signal processing of each of the microphone signals. A beam forming device and a transmission device are additionally provided in the first earhook. The beam forming device is configured to generate a directional output signal from the microphone signals by signal processing which has fewer channels than that of the first signal processing device, and wherein the transmission device is set up to transmit the directional output signal as an electrical or electromagnetic signal from the first earhook.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: MARC AUBREVILLE, EGHART FISCHER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI, STEFAN PETRAUSCH