Abstract: Transient interfering sounds are to have a less disturbing effect in hearing devices. For this purpose, it is provided that an envelope curve of an input signal of a hearing device, particularly of a hearing aid, is detected. The slope and/or the height of edges of the envelope curve is continuously determined. The output signal of the hearing device is then attenuated in dependence on the slope and/or height of the respective edge determined. Transient sounds of high level are thus transmitted only in an attenuated manner by the hearing device.

Abstract: For enabling fast, customer-specific and precise matching of a hearing device's directional characteristic, a hearing device having a signal processing unit for performing a processing algorithm is provided, with at least one design-related parameter of the hearing device having been made available to the signal processing unit and with the signal processing unit performing the processing algorithm based on the design-related parameter of the hearing device. It should be considered as especially advantageous in the case of the inventive hearing device that a processing algorithm can be performed particularly precisely and customer-specifically based on the provided design-related parameters of the hearing device.

Abstract: A hearing device and an associated method are provided. The hearing device includes a behind-the-ear part and an in-the-ear part that are connected to one another by a connecting element. The behind-the-ear part has a switching element arranged to be functionally connected to the connecting element such that at least two switching positions of the switching element can be engaged by a movement of the connecting element.

Abstract: The object is to improve the effect of a noise reduction algorithm for hearing apparatuses and in particular hearing aids. This is achieved by a method wherein the input signal is modeled by a wanted signal model and a noise signal model. In addition, a signal statistic of the input signal is recorded in a data logging unit. The wanted signal model and/or the noise signal model can now be changed as a function of said signal statistic. Finally the noise component of the input signal is reduced using the noise signal model and/or the wanted signal model. This means that the models used can be continuously adapted to the hearing apparatus user's current situation.

Abstract: The training of a hearing apparatus in respect of an individual adjustment is to be developed in a more user-friendly manner. To this end, provision is firstly made to automatically classify a hearing situation, to adjust a parameter of the signal processing facility of the hearing apparatus and to automatically learn the adjusted parameters for the current hearing situation. A temporal monitoring of the steps “classifying” and “adjusting” is however carried out here and the automatic learning is only triggered if the classified hearing situation and the adjustment of the parameters have not changed over a predetermined time period. This not only simplifies the training, but also enables a more rapid training by means of automatically triggered training events.

Abstract: A differential direction microphone system for a hearing aid device is described, comprising: a first directional microphone stage with a first differential directional microphone, and a second directional microphone stage with a further differential directional microphone, with the second directional microphone stage being connected downstream from the first directional microphone stage, where the directivity of the first directional microphone stage is essentially oriented in the opposite direction to the directivity of the second directional microphone stage, with the differential direction microphone system having a directional characteristic, of which the directivity is essentially orthogonal to an axis predetermined by the directivities of the first and the second directional microphone stage.

Abstract: In order to improve spatial perception of acoustic signals an input signal is received via aid of a binaural hearing apparatus and optionally analyzed. At least one variable that influences spatial perception of the binaural output signal, based on the input signal, of the hearing apparatus will be changed. Thus, for example, the distance or direction of a source at/from which it is perceived can, with the aid of a classifier or directional microphone, be varied automatically for corresponding input signals, as a result of which improved spatial perception can be achieved.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to make using a hearing device and in particular a hearing aid more comfortable and more effective for the user. To this end the setting of a portable hearing device is to be checked. First the acoustic data of a sound from the environment of the hearing device is recorded and/or determined simultaneously with the setting of the hearing device with at least one setting value. The setting of the hearing device is evaluated against the chronologically matching, recorded acoustic data in the hearing device using at least one predeterminable criterion. If necessary, the hearing device outputs an appropriate message. By this means a hearing aid wearer can, for example, be alerted to contact an acoustician, if the settings he made on the hearing aid are not effective.

Abstract: A method for processing at least one first and one second input signal in a hearing aid, with the input signals being filtered to create intermediate signals, the intermediate signals being added to form output signals, the input signals being assigned to a defined signal situation, and with the signals being filtered as a function of the assigned defined signal situation.

Abstract: For hearing apparatus and especially for hearing devices a tone balance unit is to be able to be used even under difficult general conditions. Therefore a hearing apparatus with a signal processing device, through which signals are able to be processed in a number of frequency channels, and a control device for controlling the level of the individual frequency channels are provided. The setting device features an unsymmetrical tone balance unit related to a predetermined frequency with which at least one lower and at least one upper channel of the number of frequency channels related to a predetermined frequency is able to be simultaneously unsymmetrically adjusted relative to the predetermined frequency. Thus for example a tone balance unit can also be used with a low feedback limit in the upper frequency range.

Abstract: Method for processing an input signal in a hearing aid, with the input signal being broken down into a discrete signal for each source relative to an acoustic signal, with the discrete signals being assigned to a spatial position of the source and with the discrete signals being output, or output attenuated, relative to the spatial position.

Abstract: A “speaker” operating mode is established by a signal processor of a hearing aid for tracking and selecting an acoustic speaker source in an ambient sound. Electric acoustic signals are generated by the hearing aid from the ambient sound that has been picked up, from which signals an electric speaker signal is selected by the signal processor by a database of speech profiles of preferred speakers. The electric speech signal is selectively taken into account in an output sound of the hearing aid in such a way that it will for the hearing-aid wearer acoustically at least be prominent compared with another acoustic source and consequently be better perceived by the hearing-aid wearer.

Abstract: A “speech” operating mode is established by a signal processor of a hearing aid for tracking and selecting an acoustic speech source in an ambient sound. The electric acoustic signals are generated by the hearing aid from the ambient sound that has been picked up, from which signals an electric speech signal very probably containing speech is identified and selected by the signal-processor, and the electric speech signal is selectively taken into account in an output sound of the hearing aid in such a way that it will for the hearing-aid wearer acoustically at least be prominent compared with another acoustic source and consequently be better perceived by the hearing-aid wearer.

Abstract: In a hearing aid having a microphone system composed of multiple microphone units, in order to avoid artefacts from being created when switching between different directional characteristics, the signal levels of microphone signals that respectively originate from different microphone units with different-order directional characteristics are matched with regard to a reference signal. The switching or superimposition is then always carried out between microphone signals with the same signal level, so that the switching or superimposition does not result in any sudden level changes.

Abstract: For improving the directionality of a hearing aid having a microphone system formed by two or more microphones without in the process creating an increase in the microphone noise that the hearing aid wearer finds to be disturbing, the microphone system is adjusted statically or adaptively taking into account the individual rest hearing threshold and/or taking into account the individual masking threshold for the microphone noise that is produced by the microphone system. The greatest possible extent of directionality thus can be allowed, without the hearing aid wearer in the process finding the microphone noise that is produced by the microphone system to be disturbing.

Abstract: The correct recognition of the auditory situation “television” often poses a problem for hearing aid devices with automatic situation recognition, since a plurality of real situations are simulated by the television audio signal. To correctly recognize the situation “television”, the invention therefore provides to detect a line signal with a particular line signal frequency output by the television device, and given the existence of such a line signal to automatically implement the auditory situation “television”.

Abstract: The sensitivity fluctuations of a hearing device wearer are to be catered for in an improved manner. A control method for a hearing device or another hearing apparatus is thus provided, by means of which a period of time is detected during which the hearing apparatus is switched off. At least one parameter of the signal processing of the hearing apparatus is changed as a function of the detected period. In particular, when the hearing apparatus is switched on again, the amplification is adjusted as a function of the switch-off duration. An acceptable volume can thus be achieved for instance when the device is switched on for the first time in the morning.

Abstract: An adaptive differential microphone array method comprises receiving a signal, estimating a measured signal spectral covariance matrix of the signal, and estimating a direction of arrival of the signal based on the measured signal spectral covariance matrix of the signal. The method further comprises determining a fractional delay, and applying a differential microphone array filter to the signal based on the direction of arrival and the fractional delay.

Abstract: The directional effect of a static directional microphone is to be improved. In particular shadowing effects of the head for a hearing device worn on the head of the user are to be taken into account when adjusting at the directional microphone. To this end it is proposed that—like the adaptation of an adaptive directional microphone—the energy or power of the directional microphone signal emitted by the directional microphone is minimized, with the difference that in this case extremely long adaptation times are predetermined.

Abstract: A hearing aid is provided that avoids disturbing acoustic effects caused by on, off, or switchover events. The signal processing in the hearing aid is switched in sliding fashion from a first operating condition into a second operating condition. According to the invention, both operating conditions are simultaneously present in the hearing aid during the switching event. The sliding transition ensues by a parallel signal processing in at least two signal paths of the hearing aid, whereby a signal that results from the first operating condition and a signal that results from the second operating condition are added in changing weighting.