Patents by Inventor Gempo Ito
Gempo Ito 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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Patent number: 9107620Abstract: Provided is a hearing-ability measurement device and a method thereof for measuring a masking curve more correctly and in a shorter time. A test sound generation unit generates a test sound including a probe and a masker, and outputs the test sound from a test sound output unit. A perception examination unit examines whether or not the subject perceives the probe. An adjustment unit adjusts acoustic properties of the test sound, based on a result of the examination. Here, kinds of adjusted acoustic properties are different between the situation of prove perception success and the situation of prove perception failure. As a result, the masking curve is directly tracked and the measurement is performed more correctly and in a shorter time.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2011Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Gempo Ito
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Patent number: 8588445Abstract: A hearing aid processing apparatus includes audio input units that receive input audio; hearing aid signal processing units that generate first and second output signals each having different frequency characteristics, from the input audio received by the audio input units, based on the characteristics of the band pass filter having the greatest bandwidth among virtual band pass filters composing an auditory filter of a listener. A first audio output unit outputs, as an audio, the first output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit to the left ear of the listener; and a second audio output unit outputs, as an audio, the second output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit to the right ear of the listener.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2009Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Gempo Ito, Atsunobu Murase, Megumi Yokokura
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Patent number: 8571245Abstract: A hearing assistance suitability determining device (120) according to the present invention is a hearing assistance suitability determining device (120) which determines a suitability (153) of a subject for dichotic hearing assistance, and includes: a hearing ability information obtaining unit (130) which obtains left-ear hearing ability information (150) and right-ear hearing ability information (151) each of which indicates a hearing ability for frequencies; a hearing ability type determining unit (131) which determines, among hearing ability types each of which is defined by a tendency in a change of the hearing ability with respect to the frequencies, a hearing ability type (152) of the hearing ability indicated by the left-ear hearing ability information (150) and the right-ear hearing ability information (151); and a suitability deciding unit (132) which determines, with reference to a suitability database (144), the suitability (153) of the subject for the dichotic hearing assistance based on a suitabType: GrantFiled: June 15, 2010Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Gempo Ito, Eiji Noguchi, Takashi Katayama, Hikaru Takato
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Patent number: 8565460Abstract: A hearing aid used for a low tone frequency band, a hearing aid used for a high tone frequency band, and a controller that compares sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band with sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band. If the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band is higher by at least a specific amount than the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band, the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band is raised.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2011Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Gempo Ito
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Patent number: 8548180Abstract: To provide a hearing aid system (1000) performing dichotic-listening binaural hearing aid processing which improves the clarity of speech and maintains the spatial perception ability. Each of first and second hearing aid devices (1100, 1200) includes a sound pickup unit (1110, 1210) and an output unit (1120, 1220) outputting a sound indicated by a suppressed acoustic signal. The hearing aid system (1000) includes: a first band suppression unit (1300) generating the suppressed acoustic signal indicating the sound outputted from the output unit (1120), by suppressing a signal in a first suppression-target band out of the acoustic signal outputted from the sound pickup unit (1110); and a second band suppression unit (1400) generating the suppressed acoustic signal indicating the sound outputted from the output unit (1220), by suppressing a signal in a second suppression-target band out of the acoustic signal outputted from the sound pickup unit (1210).Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2010Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Gempo Ito, Eiji Noguchi, Takashi Katayama
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Publication number: 20130070945Abstract: The hearing aid makes conversation sound easier to hear. The hearing aid device (100) comprises a first audio controller (40) that receives a center signal (C), a left-front signal (L), a right-front signal (R), a left-rear signal (SL), and a right-rear signal (SR), and second audio controller (20) that receives the output signal from the first audio controller (40). The first audio controller (40) has a sound image localization processor (42) that locates a sound image in a specific direction with respect to the left-front signal (L), the right-front signal (R), the left-rear signal (SL), and the right-rear signal (SR).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2012Publication date: March 21, 2013Inventors: Kazue Fusakawa, Gempo Ito, Takashi Katayama
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Patent number: 8374877Abstract: A hearing aid for improving diminished hearing caused by reduced temporal resolution includes: a speech input unit which receives a speech signal from outside; a speech analysis unit which detects a sound segment and a segment acoustically regarded as soundless from the speech signal received by the speech input unit and detects a consonant segment and a vowel segment within the detected sound segment; and a signal processing unit which temporally increments the consonant segment detected by the speech analysis unit and temporally decrements at least one of the vowel segment and the segment acoustically regarded as soundless detected by the speech analysis unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2010Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kazue Fusakawa, Gempo Ito
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Publication number: 20120250915Abstract: A hearing aid is used for a low tone frequency band, a hearing aid is used for a high tone frequency band, and a controller that compares sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band with sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band. If the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band is higher by at least a specific amount than the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band, the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band is raised.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2011Publication date: October 4, 2012Inventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Gempo Ito
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Publication number: 20120163639Abstract: A hearing aid that prevents the user from missing new speech when listening again to recorded speech. This hearing aid comprises a speech input section, a speech buffer, first and second direction adjustment sections, a hearing aid processor, and a speech output section. The speech input section inputs a speech signal. The speech buffer holds a speech signal inputted to the speech input section. The first and second direction adjustment sections subject a first speech signal inputted to the speech input section and/or a second speech signal held in the speech buffer to speech processing such that the first speech signal and the second speech signal are each perceived independently. The hearing aid processor subjects signals outputted from the first and second direction adjustment sections to hearing aid processing. The speech output section outputs a speech signal that has undergone hearing aid processing at the hearing aid processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Inventor: Gempo ITO
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Publication number: 20120132004Abstract: Provided is a hearing-ability measurement device and a method thereof for measuring a masking curve more correctly and in a shorter time. A test sound generation unit generates a test sound including a probe and a masker, and outputs the test sound from a test sound output unit. A perception examination unit examines whether or not the subject perceives the probe. An adjustment unit adjusts acoustic properties of the test sound, based on a result of the examination. Here, kinds of adjusted acoustic properties are different between the situation of prove perception success and the situation of prove perception failure. As a result, the masking curve is directly tracked and the measurement is performed more correctly and in a shorter time.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Inventor: Gempo Ito
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Patent number: 8135137Abstract: The present invention is to provide a sound image localization apparatus which can prevent the lowering of the amplitude of the sound image localizing signal, the occurrence of clipping, and deterioration of the sound image localization component of the sound image localizing signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2007Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Gempo Ito
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Patent number: 8116458Abstract: An acoustic image localization apparatus according to the present invention that outputs sound from a plurality of speakers so as to localize an acoustic image at a predetermined position on a space as viewed from a listener, the acoustic image localization apparatus comprising: amplitude characteristic adjusting means for adjusting an amplitude frequency characteristic of an inputted acoustic signal such that the acoustic image is localized at a position rotated by a first angle about a position of a listener toward an upper direction from a facing position of the listener; and a plurality of level adjusting means, provided so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of speakers, for adjusting a level of the acoustic signal outputted from the amplitude characteristic adjusting means and for outputting, to a corresponding speaker, the acoustic signal whose level has been adjusted, wherein each of the level adjusting means adjusts the level of the acoustic signal, which is outputted from the amplitude chType: GrantFiled: October 17, 2007Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Ko Mizuno, Kazuhiro Iida, Gempo Ito
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Publication number: 20110280424Abstract: To provide a hearing aid system (1000) performing dichotic-listening binaural hearing aid processing which improves the clarity of speech and maintains the spatial perception ability. Each of first and second hearing aid devices (1100, 1200) includes a sound pickup unit (1110, 1210) and an output unit (1120, 1220) outputting a sound indicated by a suppressed acoustic signal. The hearing aid system (1000) includes: a first band suppression unit (1300) generating the suppressed acoustic signal indicating the sound outputted from the output unit (1120), by suppressing a signal in a first suppression-target band out of the acoustic signal outputted from the sound pickup unit (1110); and a second band suppression unit (1400) generating the suppressed acoustic signal indicating the sound outputted from the output unit (1220), by suppressing a signal in a second suppression-target band out of the acoustic signal outputted from the sound pickup unit (1210).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2010Publication date: November 17, 2011Inventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Gempo Ito, Eiji Noguchi, Takashi Katayama
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Patent number: 8005245Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a sound image localization apparatus which can localize a sound image with ease correctly for many listeners. Herein disclosed is a sound image localization apparatus, in which a directional band information storage unit 11 is adapted to store therein directional bands in advance calculated for respective directions, a control filter computing unit 12 is adapted to read a directional band corresponding to a target position information from a directional band information storage unit 11 upon receiving target position information, calculate a control filter coefficient in such a manner that the maximum value of a sensation level for which masking is taken into consideration is matched with the directional band thus read, output the control filter coefficient to a sound image localization processing unit 13.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2005Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Iida, Gempo Ito
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Publication number: 20110142272Abstract: A hearing assistance suitability determining device (120) according to the present invention is a hearing assistance suitability determining device (120) which determines a suitability (153) of a subject for dichotic hearing assistance, and includes: a hearing ability information obtaining unit (130) which obtains left-ear hearing ability information (150) and right-ear hearing ability information (151) each of which indicates a hearing ability for frequencies; a hearing ability type determining unit (131) which determines, among hearing ability types each of which is defined by a tendency in a change of the hearing ability with respect to the frequencies, a hearing ability type (152) of the hearing ability indicated by the left-ear hearing ability information (150) and the right-ear hearing ability information (151); and a suitability deciding unit (132) which determines, with reference to a suitability database (144), the suitability (153) of the subject for the dichotic hearing assistance based on a suitabType: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Inventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Gempo Ito, Eiji Noguchi, Takashi Katayama, Hikaru Takato
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Publication number: 20110004468Abstract: A hearing aid for improving diminished hearing caused by reduced temporal resolution includes: a speech input unit (201) which receives a speech signal from outside; a speech analysis unit (202) which detects a sound segment and a segment acoustically regarded as soundless from the speech signal received by the speech input unit and detects a consonant segment and a vowel segment within the detected sound segment; and a signal processing unit (204) which temporally increments the consonant segment detected by the speech analysis unit (204) and temporally decrements at least one of the vowel segment and the segment acoustically regarded as soundless detected by the speech analysis unit (204).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2010Publication date: January 6, 2011Inventors: Kazue Fusakawa, Gempo Ito
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Publication number: 20100054483Abstract: An acoustic image localization apparatus according to the present invention that outputs sound from a plurality of speakers so as to localize an acoustic image at a predetermined position on a space as viewed from a listener, the acoustic image localization apparatus comprising: amplitude characteristic adjusting means for adjusting an amplitude frequency characteristic of an inputted acoustic signal such that the acoustic image is localized at a position rotated by a first angle about a position of a listener toward an upper direction from a facing position of the listener; and a plurality of level adjusting means, provided so as to respectively correspond to the plurality of speakers, for adjusting a level of the acoustic signal outputted from the amplitude characteristic adjusting means and for outputting, to a corresponding speaker, the acoustic signal whose level has been adjusted, wherein each of the level adjusting means adjusts the level of the acoustic signal, which is outputted from the amplitude chType: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2007Publication date: March 4, 2010Inventors: Ko Mizuno, Kazuhiro Iida, Gempo Ito
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Publication number: 20100046777Abstract: A hearing aid processing apparatus (100) includes: audio input units (101, 121) configured to receive an input audio; hearing aid signal processing units (104, 124) configured to generate first and second output signals each having different frequency characteristics, from an input signal of the input audio received by the audio input units (101, 121), based on the characteristics of the band pass filter having the greatest bandwidth among virtual band pass filters composing an auditory filter of a listener: a first audio output unit (106) configured to output, as an audio, the first output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit (104) to the left ear of the listener; and a second audio output unit (126) configured to output, as an audio, the second output signal generated by the hearing aid signal processing unit (124) to the right ear of the listener.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Inventors: Gempo Ito, Atsunobu Murase, Megumi Yokokura
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Patent number: 7664272Abstract: A sound image control device filters transfer functions H3 and H1 indicating transfer characteristics of a sound from an acoustic transducer (8) to entrances to respective ear canals (1) and (2) as well as filtering transfer functions H4 and H2 from an acoustic transducer (9) to the entrances to the respective ear canals (1) and (2) and generates second transfer functions H6 and H5 indicating transfer characteristics of a sound to the entrances to the respective ear canals (1) and (2) from a target sound source (11) at a location different from the sound sources, the sound image control device being equipped with correction filters (13) and (14) that (i) store characteristic functions E1 and E2 for performing filtering operations on the first transfer functions H1, H2, H3, and H4 and (ii) generate the second transfer functions H5 and H6 from the first transfer functions H1, H2, H3, and H4 using such characteristic functions E1 and E2.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2004Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kenichi Terai, Kazutaka Abe, Isao Kakuhari, Yasuhito Watanabe, Gempo Ito
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Publication number: 20090046865Abstract: The present invention is to provide a sound image localization apparatus which can prevent the lowering of the amplitude of the sound image localizing signal, the occurrence of clipping, and deterioration of the sound image localization component of the sound image localizing signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2007Publication date: February 19, 2009Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventor: Gempo Ito