Patents by Inventor Harikrishna P. Natarajan

Harikrishna P. Natarajan 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).

  • Patent number: 11818544
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20210243534
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 10924870
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20180027341
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 9729976
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20170156009
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for allocating feedback cancellation resources for improved acoustic feedback cancellation for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone and a processor configured to receive signals from the microphone and process them according to a plurality of processing blocks. The processor is adapted to include an event detector that can provide detection of an event and an output to adjust one or more processing blocks of the overall process to more efficiently use resources of the processor for the event detected, in various embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 9654885
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for allocating feedback cancellation resources for improved acoustic feedback cancellation for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone and a processor configured to receive signals from the microphone and process them according to a plurality of processing blocks. The processor is adapted to include an event detector that can provide detection of an event and an output to adjust one or more processing blocks of the overall process to more efficiently use resources of the processor for the event detected, in various embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 9392379
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for entrainment containment in digital filters using output phase modulation. Phase change is gradually introduced into the acoustic feedback canceller loop to avoid entrainment of the feedback canceller filter. Various embodiments employing different output phase modulation approaches are set forth and time and frequency domain examples are provided. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Salvetti, Harikrishna P. Natarajan, Jon S. Kindred
  • Publication number: 20160183010
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for allocating feedback cancellation resources for improved acoustic feedback cancellation for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone and a processor configured to receive signals from the microphone and process them according to a plurality of processing blocks. The processor is adapted to include an event detector that can provide detection of an event and an output to adjust one or more processing blocks of the overall process to more efficiently use resources of the processor for the event detected, in various embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20160073205
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for detecting battery chemistry or battery type and reconfiguring a hearing assistance device based on the detected battery. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method of operating a hearing assistance device having a battery. A voltage of the battery is detected at a predetermined load current and a battery chemistry or battery type is determined based on the detected voltage. An operating parameter of the hearing assistance device is adjusted based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type, in various embodiments. Examples of adjustments made based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type include gain, feedback cancellation (FBC) filter, self-diagnostic thresholds of the hearing assistance device, indicator loudness, low battery set point, or an end-of-discharge battery set point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Howard Kill, James R. Newton, Zheng Yan, Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 9191752
    Abstract: A method of signal processing an input signal in a hearing aid to avoid entrainment, the hearing aid including a receiver and a microphone, the method comprising using an adaptive filter to measure an acoustic feedback path from the receiver to the microphone and adjusting an adaptation rate of the adaptive filter using an output from a filter having an autoregressive portion, the output derived at least in part from a ratio of a predictive estimate of the input signal to a difference of the predictive estimate and the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Lalin Theverapperuma, Harikrishna P. Natarajan, Arthur Salvetti, Jon S. Kindred
  • Patent number: 9113276
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for detecting battery chemistry or battery type and reconfiguring a hearing assistance device based on the detected battery. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method of operating a hearing assistance device having a battery. A voltage of the battery is detected at a predetermined load current and a battery chemistry or battery type is determined based on the detected voltage. An operating parameter of the hearing assistance device is adjusted based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type, in various embodiments. Examples of adjustments made based on the determined battery chemistry or battery type include gain, feedback cancellation (FBC) filter, self-diagnostic thresholds of the hearing assistance device, indicator loudness, low battery set point, or an end-of-discharge battery set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Kill, James R. Newton, Zheng Yan, Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20150110317
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for entrainment containment in digital filters using output phase modulation. Phase change is gradually introduced into the acoustic feedback canceller loop to avoid entrainment of the feedback canceller filter. Various embodiments employing different output phase modulation approaches are set forth and time and frequency domain examples are provided. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Arthur Salvetti, Harikrishna P. Natarajan, Jon S. Kindred
  • Patent number: 8942398
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for improved feedback cancellation for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments the present acoustic feedback cancellation system is configured to identify the onset of acoustic feedback. This early detection is accomplished in a variety of ways, including detection of an exponential rise in a periodic signal which is associated with early acoustic feedback. The present system is very rapid and so it can operate when the conditions surrounding the hearing aid change quickly. It also is useful to not impose feedback cancellation to longer notes that will “fool” less sophisticated acoustic feedback cancellers into thinking the sound is feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Salvetti, Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 8929565
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for entrainment containment in digital filters using output phase modulation. Phase change is gradually introduced into the acoustic feedback canceller loop to avoid entrainment of the feedback canceller filter. Various embodiments employing different output phase modulation approaches are set forth and time and frequency domain examples are provided. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Salvetti, Harikrishna P. Natarajan, Jon S. Kindred
  • Patent number: 8917891
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for allocating feedback cancellation resources for improved acoustic feedback cancellation for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone and a processor configured to receive signals from the microphone and process them according to a plurality of processing blocks. The processor is adapted to include an event detector that can provide detection of an event and an output to adjust one or more processing blocks of the overall process to more efficiently use resources of the processor for the event detected, in various embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20140348361
    Abstract: A method of signal processing an input signal in a hearing aid to avoid entrainment, the hearing aid including a receiver and a microphone, the method comprising using an adaptive filter to measure an acoustic feedback path from the receiver to the microphone and adjusting an adaptation rate of the adaptive filter using an output from a filter having an autoregressive portion, the output derived at least in part from a ratio of a predictive estimate of the input signal to a difference of the predictive estimate and the input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Lalin Theverapperuma, Harikrishna P. Natarajan, Arthur Salvetti, Jon S. Kindred
  • Patent number: 8737655
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to measurement of maximum stable gain of a hearing assistance device, including but not limited to hearing aids, as a function of frequency. In various approaches an adaptive filter with a variable step size is used to determine maximum stable gain as a function of frequency. In various approaches, the determination is done in process steps performed by the hearing assistance device. In various approaches, the determination is done in process steps performed by the hearing assistance device and by a host computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivo Merks, Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20140098967
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for entrainment containment in digital filters using output phase modulation. Phase change is gradually introduced into the acoustic feedback canceller loop to avoid entrainment of the feedback canceller filter. Various embodiments employing different output phase modulation approaches are set forth and time and frequency domain examples are provided. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Salvetti, Harikrishna P. Natarajan, Jon S. Kindred
  • Patent number: 8681999
    Abstract: A method of signal processing an input signal in a hearing aid to avoid entrainment, the hearing aid including a receiver and a microphone, the method comprising using an adaptive filter to measure an acoustic feedback path from the receiver to the microphone and adjusting an adaptation rate of the adaptive filter using an output from a filter having an autoregressive portion, the output derived at least in part from a ratio of a predictive estimate of the input signal to a difference of the predictive estimate and the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Lalin Theverapperuma, Harikrishna P. Natarajan, Arthur Salvetti, Jon S. Kindred