Patents by Inventor Ernst Aschbacher
Ernst Aschbacher 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).
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Publication number: 20230226352Abstract: An audio scene classifier classifies an audio input signal from an audio scene and includes a pre-processing neural network configured for pre-processing the audio input signal based on initial classification parameters to produce an initial signal classification, and a scene classifier neural network configured for processing the initial scene classification based on scene classification parameters to produce an audio scene classification output. The initial classification parameters reflect neural network training based on a first set of initial audio training data, and the scene classification parameters reflect neural network training on a second set of classification audio training data separate and different from the first set of initial audio training data. A hearing implant signal processor configured for processing the audio input signal and the audio scene classification output to generate the stimulation signals to the hearing implant for perception by the patient as sound.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Inventors: Rainer Martin, Semih Agcaer, Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher, Erhard Rank
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Publication number: 20210174824Abstract: An audio scene classifier classifies an audio input signal from an audio scene and includes a pre-processing neural network configured for pre-processing the audio input signal based on initial classification parameters to produce an initial signal classification, and a scene classifier neural network configured for processing the initial scene classification based on scene classification parameters to produce an audio scene classification output. The initial classification parameters reflect neural network training based on a first set of initial audio training data, and the scene classification parameters reflect neural network training on a second set of classification audio training data separate and different from the first set of initial audio training data. A hearing implant signal processor configured for processing the audio input signal and the audio scene classification output to generate the stimulation signals to the hearing implant for perception by the patient as sound.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2019Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventors: Rainer Martin, Semih Agcaer, Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher, Erhard Rank
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Patent number: 10869140Abstract: A hearing prosthesis arrangement is described for a hearing assisted patient. A microphone senses an acoustic environment around the hearing assisted patient and generates a corresponding microphone output signal. An audio signal processor processes the microphone output signal and produces a corresponding prosthesis stimulation signal to the patient for audio perception. The audio signal processor includes a dereverberation process that measures a dedicated reverberation reference signal produced in the acoustic environment to determine reverberation characteristics of the acoustic environment, and reduces reverberation effects in the hearing prosthesis stimulation signal based on the reverberation characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2015Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Cornelia Falch, Ernst Aschbacher, Florian Frühauf, Thomas Schwarzenbeck
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Patent number: 10785581Abstract: A method of signal processing to generate hearing implant stimulation signals for a hearing implant system includes transforming an input sound signal into band pass signals each representing an associated frequency band of audio frequencies. The band pass signals are processed in a sequence of sampling time frames and iterative steps to produce a noise power estimate. This includes using a noise prediction model to determine if a currently observed signal sample includes a target signal, and if so, then updating a current noise power estimate without using the currently observed signal sample, and otherwise updating the current noise power estimate using the currently observed signal sample. The noise prediction model also is adapted based on the updated noise power estimate. The hearing implant stimulation signals are then developed from the band pass signals and the noise power estimate.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2017Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Ernst Aschbacher, FLorian Frühauf
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Publication number: 20190124454Abstract: A method of signal processing to generate hearing implant stimulation signals for a hearing implant system includes transforming an input sound signal into band pass signals each representing an associated frequency band of audio frequencies. The band pass signals are processed in a sequence of sampling time frames and iterative steps to produce a noise power estimate. This includes using a noise prediction model to determine if a currently observed signal sample includes a target signal, and if so, then updating a current noise power estimate without using the currently observed signal sample, and otherwise updating the current noise power estimate using the currently observed signal sample. The noise prediction model also is adapted based on the updated noise power estimate. The hearing implant stimulation signals are then developed from the band pass signals and the noise power estimate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2017Publication date: April 25, 2019Inventors: Ernst Aschbacher, Florian Frühauf
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Publication number: 20170303053Abstract: A hearing prosthesis arrangement is described for a hearing assisted patient. A microphone senses an acoustic environment around the hearing assisted patient and generates a corresponding microphone output signal. An audio signal processor processes the microphone output signal and produces a corresponding prosthesis stimulation signal to the patient for audio perception. The audio signal processor includes a dereverberation process that measures a dedicated reverberation reference signal produced in the acoustic environment to determine reverberation characteristics of the acoustic environment, and reduces reverberation effects in the hearing prosthesis stimulation signal based on the reverberation characteristics.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2015Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Cornelia Falch, Ernst Aschbacher, Florian Frühauf, Thomas Schwarzenbeck
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Patent number: 9498626Abstract: A system and method of generating electrode stimulation signals for electrode contacts in an electrode array associated with a hearing implant is presented. An input audio signal is processed to generate a plurality of band pass channel signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies. A stationary noise reduction is applied so as to provide a stationary noise reduced channel envelope from each channel signal. A transient in one or more of the channel envelopes is detected. The channel envelopes are modified as a function of whether the transient is transient noise or transient speech, so as to form transient modified envelope. The transient modified envelopes are used to generate electrode stimulation signals to the electrode contacts.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2014Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher
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Patent number: 9126041Abstract: A method is described for generating electrode stimulation signals for electrode contacts in a cochlear implant electrode array. An input audio signal is processed to generate band pass channel signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A channel envelope is extracted from each channel signal. The input audio signal and the channel envelopes are processed to produce transient reduced envelopes based on: i. determining for each channel envelope a normalized channel-specific transient indicator characterizing transient noise present in the channel signal, ii. determining a combined transient indicator as a function of the channel-specific transient indicators, and iii. applying a channel-specific gain to the channel envelopes as a function of the combined transient indicator to produce the transient reduced envelopes. The transient reduced envelopes are then used to generate electrode stimulation signals to the electrode contacts.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2014Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher
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Publication number: 20150163604Abstract: A system and method of generating electrode stimulation signals for electrode contacts in an electrode array associated with a hearing implant is presented. An input audio signal is processed to generate a plurality of band pass channel signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies. A stationary noise reduction is applied so as to provide a stationary noise reduced channel envelope from each channel signal. A transient in one or more of the channel envelopes is detected. The channel envelopes are modified as a function of whether the transient is transient noise or transient speech, so as to form transient modified envelope. The transient modified envelopes are used to generate electrode stimulation signals to the electrode contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2014Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher
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Patent number: 8929994Abstract: A method is described for generating electrode stimulation signals for electrode contacts in a cochlear implant electrode array. An input audio signal is processed to generate band pass channel signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A channel envelope is extracted from each channel signal. The input audio signal and the channel envelopes are processed to produce transient reduced envelopes based on: i. determining for each channel envelope a normalized channel-specific transient indicator characterizing transient noise present in the channel signal, ii. determining a combined transient indicator as a function of the channel-specific transient indicators, and iii. applying a channel-specific gain to the channel envelopes as a function of the combined transient indicator to produce the transient reduced envelopes. The transient reduced envelopes are then used to generate electrode stimulation signals to the electrode contacts.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher
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Publication number: 20150005845Abstract: A method is described for generating electrode stimulation signals for electrode contacts in a cochlear implant electrode array. An input audio signal is processed to generate band pass channel signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A channel envelope is extracted from each channel signal. The input audio signal and the channel envelopes are processed to produce transient reduced envelopes based on: i. determining for each channel envelope a normalized channel-specific transient indicator characterizing transient noise present in the channel signal, ii. determining a combined transient indicator as a function of the channel-specific transient indicators, and iii. applying a channel-specific gain to the channel envelopes as a function of the combined transient indicator to produce the transient reduced envelopes. The transient reduced envelopes are then used to generate electrode stimulation signals to the electrode contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2014Publication date: January 1, 2015Inventors: Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher
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Publication number: 20140058478Abstract: A method is described for generating electrode stimulation signals for electrode contacts in a cochlear implant electrode array. An input audio signal is processed to generate band pass channel signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A channel envelope is extracted from each channel signal. The input audio signal and the channel envelopes are processed to produce transient reduced envelopes based on: i. determining for each channel envelope a normalized channel-specific transient indicator characterizing transient noise present in the channel signal, ii. determining a combined transient indicator as a function of the channel-specific transient indicators, and iii. applying a channel-specific gain to the channel envelopes as a function of the combined transient indicator to produce the transient reduced envelopes. The transient reduced envelopes are then used to generate electrode stimulation signals to the electrode contacts.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2013Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Florian Frühauf, Ernst Aschbacher
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Patent number: 8019429Abstract: Generation of electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array is described. An acoustic audio signal is processed to generate band pass signals which include a fine structure carrier signal and a modulator envelope signal. For each band pass signal, fine time structure information is extracted from the carrier signal to determine a sequence of stimulation event signals. For one or more low frequency band pass signals, the modulator envelope signal is sampled synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals. For one or more higher frequency band pass signals, if and only if the modulator envelope signal exceeds a sampling threshold value, then the modulator envelope signal is sampled synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals. The envelope weighted stimulation event signals are then processed to produce electrode stimulation signals for the implanted electrode array.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2010Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Ernst Aschbacher, Peter Schleich
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Patent number: 7941223Abstract: A system and method for activating electrodes in an implanted electrode array with a stimulation signal is described. A stimulation definition stage, for each of a plurality of defined sound signal characteristics (C), assigns each electrode to one of a plurality of stimulation groups (G) each having an associated group stimulation amplitude function (A), where (G) varies with (C). An electrode stimulator activates each electrode as the stimulation signal varies based on spectral components of the stimulation signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2007Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Clemens M. Zierhofer, Peter Nopp, Peter Schleich, Andrea Nobbe, Ernst Aschbacher
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Publication number: 20100249880Abstract: Generation of electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array is described. An acoustic audio signal is processed to generate band pass signals which include a fine structure carrier signal and a modulator envelope signal. For each band pass signal, fine time structure information is extracted from the carrier signal to determine a sequence of stimulation event signals. For one or more low frequency band pass signals, the modulator envelope signal is sampled synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals. For one or more higher frequency band pass signals, if and only if the modulator envelope signal exceeds a sampling threshold value, then the modulator envelope signal is sampled synchronously with the carrier signal to create envelope weighted stimulation event signals. The envelope weighted stimulation event signals are then processed to produce electrode stimulation signals for the implanted electrode array.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBHInventors: Ernst Aschbacher, Peter Schleich
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Publication number: 20080172108Abstract: A system and method for activating electrodes in an implanted electrode array with a stimulation signal is described. A stimulation definition stage, for each of a plurality of defined sound signal characteristics (C), assigns each electrode to one of a plurality of stimulation groups (G) each having an associated group stimulation amplitude function (A), where (G) varies with (C). An electrode stimulator activates each electrode as the stimulation signal varies based on spectral components of the stimulation signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2007Publication date: July 17, 2008Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBHInventors: Clemens M. Zierhofer, Peter Nopp, Peter Schleich, Andrea Nobbe, Ernst Aschbacher