Patents by Inventor Helge Pontoppidan Foeh

Helge Pontoppidan Foeh 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: 9020171
    Abstract: A method for controlling adaptation of a feedback suppression filter in a hearing aid comprises the step of suspending the adaptation of the feedback suppression filter when the level of a hearing aid reference signal is below a predetermined threshold. The invention further provides a hearing aid with a feedback suppression filter and with means for suspending adaptation of the feedback suppression filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Helge Pontoppidan Foeh, Peter Magnus Norgaard, Thilo Volker Thiede
  • Patent number: 8744102
    Abstract: A hearing aid comprises at least one microphone (M) for converting input sound into an input signal, a subtraction node for subtracting a feedback cancellation signal from the input signal thereby generating a processor input signal, a hearing aid processor (G) for producing a processor output signal by applying an amplification gain to the processor input signal, a receiver (R) for converting the processor output signal into output sound, an adaptive feedback cancellation filter for adaptively deriving the feedback cancellation signal from the processor output signal by applying filter coefficients, calculation means for calculating the autocorrelation of a reference signal, and an adaptation means for adjusting the filter coefficients with an adaptation rate, wherein the adaptation rate is controlled in dependency of the autocorrelation of the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe Klinkby, Peter Magnus Norgaard, Helge Pontoppidan Foeh
  • Patent number: 8594354
    Abstract: There is presented a hearing aid that comprises an input transducer for transforming an acoustic input signal into an electrical input signal, a compressor for generating an electrical output signal from the electrical input signal, an output transducer for transforming the electrical output signal into an acoustic output signal, an autocorrelation estimator for calculating an autocorrelation estimate of the electrical input signal, and an acoustic loop gain estimator for determining a dynamic gain limit from the autocorrelation estimate and an instantaneous gain level of the signal processor. The invention further provides a method of adjusting signal path gain in a hearing aid, and a system for providing increased stability in a hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe Klinkby, Peter Magnus Noergaard, Helge Pontoppidan Föh
  • Publication number: 20120195450
    Abstract: A method for controlling adaptation of a feedback suppression filter in a hearing aid comprises the step of suspending the adaptation of the feedback suppression filter when the level of a hearing aid reference signal is below a predetermined threshold. The invention further provides a hearing aid with a feedback suppression filter and with means for suspending adaptation of the feedback suppression filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: WIDEX A/S
    Inventors: Helge Pontoppidan FOEH, Peter Magnus NORGAARD, Thilo Volker THIEDE
  • Patent number: 8189833
    Abstract: A hearing aid comprises two microphones, directional processing means for combining the respective audio signals to form a spatial signal, a beamformer for controlling the directional processing means to provide adaptation of the spatial signal, and means for boosting low frequencies of the spatial signal. A feedback estimator generates a feedback compensation signal, which is combined with the boosted spatial signal. By applying feedback compensation only after directional processing and low frequency boosting, the device avoids interference by the feedback estimator with the function of the beamformer. The invention also provides a method of processing signals in a hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe Klinkby, Jorgen Cederberg, Helge Pontoppidan Foeh, Peter Magnus Norgaard, Thilo Volker Thiede
  • Patent number: 8068629
    Abstract: A hearing aid (200) with multiple microphones comprises a first microphone (1) for converting sound into a first audio signal, a second microphone (20) for converting sound into a second audio signal, directional processing means for combining the first and said second audio signal according to a mixing ratio to form a spatial signal, estimating means for estimating a first acoustic feedback signal entering the first microphone and a second acoustic feedback signal entering the second microphone, processing means (4) for processing said spatial signal by applying a gain not exceeding a resulting maximum gain limit to form a hearing loss compensation signal, wherein the resulting maximum gain limit is derived from the first and second acoustic feedback signals and the mixing ratio, and an output transducer (3) for converting the hearing loss compensation signal into an acoustic output. The invention further provides a method and a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe Klinkby, Peter Magnus Norgaard, Helge Pontoppidan Foeh, Thilo Volker Thiede
  • Patent number: 8019104
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes an input transducer for transforming an acoustic input signal into an electrical input signal, a processor for generating an electrical output signal by amplifying the electrical input signal with a processor gain, an output transducer for transforming the electrical output signal into an acoustic output signal, an adaptive feedback suppression filter for generating a feedback cancellation signal, and a model gain estimator generating an upper processor gain limit and for providing a control parameter indicating a possible misadjustment of the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe Klinkby, Helge Pontoppidan Foeh, Thilo Volker Thiede
  • Publication number: 20090067651
    Abstract: A hearing aid comprises at least one microphone (M) for converting input sound into an input signal, a subtraction node for subtracting a feedback cancellation signal from the input signal thereby generating a processor input signal, a hearing aid processor (G) for producing a processor output signal by applying an amplification gain to the processor input signal, a receiver (R) for converting the processor output signal into output sound, an adaptive feedback cancellation filter for adaptively deriving the feedback cancellation signal from the processor output signal by applying filter coefficients, calculation means for calculating the autocorrelation of a reference signal, and an adaptation means for adjusting the filter coefficients with an adaptation rate, wherein the adaptation rate is controlled in dependency of the autocorrelation of the reference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe Klinkby, Peter Magnus Norgaard, Helge Pontoppidan Foeh
  • Publication number: 20080273728
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes an input transducer for transforming an acoustic input signal into an electrical input signal, a processor for generating an electrical output signal by amplifying the electrical input signal with a processor gain, an output transducer for transforming the electrical output signal into an acoustic output signal, an adaptive feedback suppression filter for generating a feedback cancellation signal, and a model gain estimator generating an upper processor gain limit and for providing a control parameter indicating a possible misadjustment of the model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe KLINKBY, Helge Pontoppidan Foeh, Thilo Volker Thiede
  • Publication number: 20080253596
    Abstract: A hearing aid comprises two microphones, directional processing means for combining the respective audio signals to form a spatial signal, a beamformer for controlling the directional processing means to provide adaptation of the spatial signal, and means for boosting low frequencies of the spatial signal. A feedback estimator generates a feedback compensation signal, which is combined with the boosted spatial signal. By applying feedback compensation only after directional processing and low frequency boosting, the device avoids interference by the feedback estimator with the function of the beamformer. The invention also provides a method of processing signals in a hearing aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Kristian Tjalfe Klinkby, Jorgen Cederberg, Helge Pontoppidan Foeh, Peter Magnus Norgaard, Thilo Volker Thiede