Patents by Inventor Florian Frühauf
Florian Frühauf 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: 10898712Abstract: A signal processing arrangement generates electrical stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant array. An input sound signal is processed to generate band pass signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A characteristic envelope signal is extracted for each band pass signal based on its amplitude. Stimulation timing signals are generated for each band pass signal, including for one or more selected band pass signals using a timing function defined to: i. represent instantaneous frequency as determined by the band pass signal temporal fine structure features, and ii. exclude temporal fine structure features occurring within a time period shorter than a band-specific upper frequency limit. The electrode stimulation signals are produced for each electrode contact based on the envelope signals and the stimulation timing signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2016Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Florian Frühauf, Peter Schleich
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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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Patent number: 10707836Abstract: A signal processing arrangement generates electrical stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant array. An input sound signal is processed to generate band pass signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A spectrogram representative of frequency spectrum present in the input sound signal is generated. A characteristic envelope signal is produced for each band pass signal based on its amplitude. An active contour model is applied to estimate dominant frequencies present in the spectrogram, and the estimate is used to generate stimulation timing signals for the input sound signal. The electrode stimulation signals are produced for each electrode contact based on the envelope signals and the stimulation timing signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2016Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventor: 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: 20180311500Abstract: A signal processing arrangement generates electrical stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant array. An input sound signal is processed to generate band pass signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A characteristic envelope signal is extracted for each band pass signal based on its amplitude. Stimulation timing signals are generated for each band pass signal, including for one or more selected band pass signals using a timing function defined to: i. represent instantaneous frequency as determined by the band pass signal temporal fine structure features, and ii. exclude temporal fine structure features occurring within a time period shorter than a band-specific upper frequency limit. The electrode stimulation signals are produced for each electrode contact based on the envelope signals and the stimulation timing signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2016Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventors: Florian Frühauf, Peter Schleich
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Publication number: 20180287590Abstract: A signal processing arrangement generates electrical stimulation signals to electrode contacts in an implanted cochlear implant array. An input sound signal is processed to generate band pass signals that each represent an associated band of audio frequencies. A spectrogram representative of frequency spectrum present in the input sound signal is generated. A characteristic envelope signal is produced for each band pass signal based on its amplitude. An active contour model is applied to estimate dominant frequencies present in the spectrogram, and the estimate is used to generate stimulation timing signals for the input sound signal. The electrode stimulation signals are produced for each electrode contact based on the envelope signals and the stimulation timing signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventor: 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: 8374699Abstract: An implantable stimulation arrangement is described for generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array having stimulation electrodes. A filter bank pre-processor processes an input acoustic audio signal to generate band pass signals each corresponding to an associated band of audio frequencies. A signal envelope module computes a corresponding signal envelope for each band pass signal. A stimulation pulse generator extracts stimulation signal information from the rate of change of the signal envelopes such as a time-based derivative to generate stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation timings and amplitudes for some or all of the stimulation electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2011Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbHInventors: Dirk Meister, Florian Frühauf
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Publication number: 20120004706Abstract: An implantable stimulation arrangement is described for generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array having stimulation electrodes. A filter bank pre-processor processes an input acoustic audio signal to generate band pass signals each corresponding to an associated band of audio frequencies. A signal envelope module computes a corresponding signal envelope for each band pass signal. A stimulation pulse generator extracts stimulation signal information from the rate of change of the signal envelopes such as a time-based derivative to generate stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation timings and amplitudes for some or all of the stimulation electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2011Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: MED-EL ELEKTROMEDIZINISCHE GERAETE GMBHInventors: Dirk Meister, Florian Frühauf