Patents by Inventor Nadim El Guindi

Nadim El Guindi 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).

  • Publication number: 20240422486
    Abstract: A hearing system includes an input unit for obtaining an input audio signal, a processing unit for processing the input audio signal to obtain an output audio signal, and an output unit for outputting the output audio signal. The processing unit includes a first audio signal path having a noise cancellation unit for obtaining a target audio signal from the input audio signal, the noise cancellation unit comprising a neural network for contributing to obtaining the target audio signal, a second audio signal path bypassing the noise cancellation unit, and a mixing unit for mixing the target audio signal from the first audio signal path with audio signals from the second audio signal path for obtaining the output audio signal, wherein the second audio signal path comprises a delay compensation unit for compensating processing times in the first audio signal path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Stefan Raufer, Volker Kühnel, Nadim El Guindi, Raoul Glatt, Stephan Müller, Samuel Bucher, Fernando Javier Balseiro Lago
  • Publication number: 20240422485
    Abstract: A hearing system includes an input unit for obtaining an input audio signal, a processing unit for processing the input audio signal to obtain an output audio signal, and an output unit for outputting the output audio signal. The processing unit comprises: a first audio signal path having a noise cancellation unit for obtaining a target audio signal from the input audio signal, the noise cancellation unit comprising a neural network for contributing to obtaining the target audio signal, a second audio signal path bypassing the noise cancellation unit, and a mixing unit for mixing the target audio signal from the first audio signal path with audio signals from the second audio signal path for obtaining the output audio signal. The mixing unit is configured to adjust a contribution of the target audio signal to the output audio signal based on a user-set noise cancellation strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Stefan Raufer, Volker Kühnel, Nadim El Guindi, Raoul Glatt, Stephan Müller, Samuel Bucher, Fernando Javier Balseiro Lago
  • Patent number: 12156742
    Abstract: An illustrative hearing system may be configured to receive, from an inertial sensor included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user, inertial sensor data representative of at least one of motion of the hearing device or orientation of the hearing device. The hearing system may further be configured to determine, based on the inertial sensor data, an activity state of the user and to determine, based on the activity state, a cardiorespiratory quality index representative of a quality level of a measurement of a cardiorespiratory property of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Anna M. Parker, Nina Stumpf, Niklas Ignasiak, Nicholas Ohs, Manuela Feilner, Hans-Ueli Roeck, Nadim El Guindi
  • Publication number: 20240334137
    Abstract: A hearing system comprises at least one hearing device having an input unit for obtaining an input audio signal, a processing unit for processing the input audio signal to obtain an output audio signal, and an output unit for outputting the output audio signal. The hearing system further comprises an estimation unit for estimating a signal property of the input audio signal. The processing unit comprises a first audio signal path having a noise cancellation unit for obtaining a target audio signal from the input audio signal, a second audio signal path bypassing the noise cancellation unit and a mixing unit for mixing the target audio signal with audio signals from the second audio signal path for obtaining the output audio signal. The mixing unit is configured to adjust the contribution of the target audio signal to the output audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Stefan Raufer, Volker Kühnel, Nadim El Guindi, Raoul Glatt, Stephan Müller, Samuel Bucher, Fernando Javier Balseiro Lago
  • Publication number: 20240305470
    Abstract: There is provided a method for sharing data generated by a hearing device, comprising providing an encryption key in the hearing device; providing a decryption key in an external entity separate from the hearing device; generating data by a sensor of the hearing device, encrypting the data with the encryption key and storing the encrypted data on the hearing device; reading the encrypted data from the hearing device; and decrypting the read encrypted data with the decryption key in the external entity, wherein a user authorizes access to the sensor generated data by the external entity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Anne Thielen, Andreas Breitenmoser, Harald Krueger, Alexander Maksyagin
  • Publication number: 20230240560
    Abstract: An illustrative hearing system may be configured to receive, from a motion sensor included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user, motion data representative of motion of the user while the user wears the hearing device and an output signal generated by a heart rate sensor in contact with the user. The hearing system may be further configured to determine, based the motion data, a heart rate probability distribution function and to determine, based on the output signal and the heart rate probability distribution function, a heart rate value for the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Nina Stumpf, Evgeny Murtola, Nadim El Guindi, Niklas Ignasiak, Anna M. Parker, Nicholas Ohs, Manuela Feilner, Hans-Ueli Roeck
  • Publication number: 20230233149
    Abstract: An illustrative hearing system may be configured to receive, from an inertial sensor included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user, inertial sensor data representative of at least one of motion of the hearing device or orientation of the hearing device. The hearing system may further be configured to determine, based on the inertial sensor data, an activity state of the user and to determine, based on the activity state, a cardiorespiratory quality index representative of a quality level of a measurement of a cardiorespiratory property of the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Anna M. Parker, Nina Stumpf, Niklas Ignasiak, Nicholas Ohs, Manuela Feilner, Hans-Ueli Roeck, Nadim El Guindi
  • Patent number: 11701057
    Abstract: An illustrative hearing system may be configured to cause an emitting device included in a hearing device to emit an output signal while the hearing device is at least partially positioned within an ear canal of a user and cause a sensor positioned outside the ear canal to attempt to detect the output signal. The sensor may be configured to output sensor data representative of one or more signals detected by the sensor during a time period corresponding to the emitting of the output signal by the emitting device. The hearing system may further be configured to determine, based on the sensor data, a quality metric for an optical measurement performed or to be performed by an optical measurement device included in the hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Nina Stumpf, Niklas Ignasiak, Anna M. Parker, Nicholas Ohs, Manuela Feilner, Hans-Ueli Roeck
  • Publication number: 20230206745
    Abstract: An illustrative system includes two wearable devices configured to be worn near a jaw on opposite sides of a user's head, each device comprising: at least one microphone, at least two accelerometers, at least one loudspeaker, wherein the system is configured to process data acquired by the accelerometers and by the microphones to: detect chewing, and output an audible notification via the loudspeakers to notify the user to brush the user's teeth after chewing is no longer detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas Ohs, Nadim El Guindi, Nina Stumpf, Niklas Ignasiak, Anna M. Parker, Manuela Feilner, Hans-Ueli Roeck
  • Patent number: 11627398
    Abstract: Hearing device including a housing worn at a user's ear; a movement detector providing movement data indicating movement of the housing; and a processor identifying, based on the movement data, movement features in a sequence. The movement features represent movement activity by the user. The processor determines a temporal characteristic of the sequence of movement features and/or an amplitude characteristic of the movement data associated with a movement feature in the sequence. A method of operating the hearing device, and a computer-readable medium storing instructions to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Anne Thielen, Hans-Ueli Roeck, Julia Seiter
  • Patent number: 11477583
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a hearing device configured to adjust its settings when it detects the hearing device user is experiencing stress related to the hearing device applying a processing scheme. The hearing device can use vital signs of the hearing device user to determine whether a user is stressed. The hearing device can also determine whether the user has become stressed as a result of applied setting or an applied processing scheme of the hearing device based on a change in the vital sign of the hearing device user. The disclosed technology also includes a method for reducing stressing when using a hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Nadim El Guindi
  • Patent number: 11363391
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing device configured to be worn by a user includes a microphone and a processor. The microphone detects an audio signal. The processor is configured to determine that the audio signal includes own voice content representative of a voice of the user and determine that an environmental noise level within the audio signal is below a threshold The processor is further configured to apply, based on the environmental noise level being below the threshold, a biomarker feature analysis heuristic to the own voice content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Anne Thielen
  • Publication number: 20220114246
    Abstract: A method for a protected sharing of data saved in a hearing system, which comprises at least a hearing device used by a hearing device user, with a third party device is presented. The method comprises: storing a definition of a first trusted party and of a second trusted party in the hearing system; providing a sharing request for the data to be shared to a device of the first trusted party and to a device of the second trusted party; generating a first sharing approval by the device of the first trusted party and a second sharing approval by the device of the second trusted party; and sharing the data with the third party device upon generation of the first and the second sharing approval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Anne Thielen, Andreas Breitenmoser, Harald Krueger
  • Patent number: 11166110
    Abstract: A hearing aid, including an inertial sensor for detecting movement of the hearing aid, and a power mode controller connected to the inertial sensor through a threshold comparison unit and adapted to switch the hearing aid off or into a low power mode if the threshold comparison unit detects that a characteristic of a signal including information on the movement detected by the inertial sensor is below a certain threshold. Also, a method for controlling a power mode of a hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Nina Stumpf, Hilmar Meier, Hans-Ueli Roeck
  • Publication number: 20210306726
    Abstract: Hearing device including a housing worn at a user's ear; a movement detector providing movement data indicating movement of the housing; and a processor identifying, based on the movement data, movement features in a sequence. The movement features represent movement activity by the user. The processor determines a temporal characteristic of the sequence of movement features and/or an amplitude characteristic of the movement data associated with a movement feature in the sequence. A method of operating the hearing device, and a computer-readable medium storing instructions to perform the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Anne Thielen, Hans-Ueli Roeck, Julia Seiter
  • Publication number: 20210306770
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing device configured to be worn by a user includes a microphone and a processor. The microphone detects an audio signal. The processor is configured to determine that the audio signal includes own voice content representative of a voice of the user and determine that an environmental noise level within the audio signal is below a threshold The processor is further configured to apply, based on the environmental noise level being below the threshold, a biomarker feature analysis heuristic to the own voice content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Anne Thielen
  • Publication number: 20210306771
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a hearing device configured to adjust its settings when it detects the hearing device user is experiencing stress related to the hearing device applying a processing scheme. The hearing device can use vital signs of the hearing device user to determine whether a user is stressed. The hearing device can also determine whether the user has become stressed as a result of applied setting or an applied processing scheme of the hearing device based on a change in the vital sign of the hearing device user. The disclosed technology also includes a method for reducing stressing when using a hearing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventor: Nadim El Guindi
  • Patent number: 11115762
    Abstract: A hearing device configured to be worn at a head of a user. The hearing device includes a vibration sensor to detect a vibration conducted through the user's head to the hearing device and to output a vibration signal including information about the vibration. At least part of the vibration can be caused by an own voice activity of the user. A method of operating the hearing device allows a reliable own voice detection at rather low processing effort. The processor determines a presence of an own voice characteristic in the vibration signal at a vibration frequency associated with the own voice characteristic and identifies the own voice activity based on an identification criterion including the presence of the own voice characteristic in the vibration signal at the associated vibration frequency. The own voice characteristic indicative of part of the vibration can be caused by the own voice activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Ullrich Sigwanz, Nadim El Guindi, Daniel Lucas-Hirtz, Nina Stumpf
  • Patent number: 11057721
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a hearing device (e.g., a HI) configured to detect own voice comprises two or more microphones configured to detect a voice, and a motion detection device or component, wherein the hearing device is configured to determine the direction of arrival (DOA) of the voice detected by the microphones of the hearing device, wherein the hearing device is configured to determine whether there is movement of the hearing device using the motion detection device or component, and wherein, if it is determined that the DOA of the voice detected by the microphones of the hearing device is from the front of a user of the hearing device and said detected voice remains stable, and there is movement detected by the motion detection device or component, the hearing device is configured to conclude that the voice detected by the hearing device is own voice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Nadim El Guindi
  • Patent number: 11006200
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a hearing device configured adjust the tap detection sensitivity on based on context. The disclosed technology can determine a context for a hearing device based on sound received at the hearing device (e.g., determine loud environment) or a wireless communication signal from an external device received at the hearing device (e.g., receive a message that phone call is incoming); adjust a tapping sensitivity threshold of the hearing device based on the context; detect a tap of the hearing device based on the adjusted sensitivity threshold; and modify a setting of the hearing device (e.g., reduce volume based on a tap) or transmitting instructions to the external device based on detecting the tap. The hearing device can be a hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Nadim El Guindi, Nina Stumpf