Patents by Inventor Nicholas R. Clark

Nicholas R. Clark 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: 10398360
    Abstract: A method of enhancing an audio signal from an audio output device is provided. For a frequency band, a user masking contour curve covering at least a part of said frequency band is obtained, a target masking contour curve is derived from the user masking contour curve, and a multi-band digital compression system is parameterized based on the sound level of the target masking contour curve at a given frequency and the sound level of the user masking contour curve at the same given frequency. The obtained parameters are outputted to provide an enhanced audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Mimi Hearing Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Nicholas R. Clark
  • Publication number: 20190231232
    Abstract: Method for estimating a pure tone hearing threshold or a pure tone audiogram of a person with a non-calibrated audio-system, comprising the steps of performing a supra-threshold test at least over a portion of the audible frequency spectrum, wherein the audible frequency spectrum ranges particularly from 16 Hz to 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Mimi Hearing Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Nicholas R. CLARK, Vinzenz H. SCHÖNFELDER
  • Publication number: 20190209054
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for user-dependent conditioning of stimuli in tests to elicit user responses to variations of one or more adaptive parameters of a user stimulus signal. The user stimulus signal is generated based on first and second adaptive parameters. The first adaptive parameter is modified to thereby generate a plurality of successive variations in the user stimulus signal, over one or more ranges of values of the second adaptive parameter. In response to modifying the first adaptive parameter, a plurality of user responses from a given user are received. Each user response indicates that one of the plurality of successive variations in the user stimulus signal has occurred. Based on an expected user response curve for the given user and a calculated time interval between successive user responses, an instantaneous rate of change for modifying the first adaptive parameter is adjusted such that the user responses are steered toward a neutral state around the expected user response curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Mimi Hearing Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Nicholas R. CLARK, Vinzenz H. SCHÖNFELDER, Tina BAUMANN
  • Patent number: 10199047
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing an audio signal are provided for replay on an audio device. An audio signal is spectrally decomposed into a plurality of subband signals using and pass filters. Each of the subband signals are provided to a respective modulator and subsequently, from the modulator output, provided to a respective first processing path that includes a first dynamic range compressor, DRC. Each subband signal is feedforward compressed by the respective first DRC to obtain a feedforward-compressed subband signal, wherein the first DRC is slowed relative to an instantaneous DRC. Subsequently, each feedforward-compressed subband signal is provided to a second processing path that includes a second DRC, wherein the feedforward-compressed subband signal is compressed by the respective second DRC and outputted to the respective modulator. Modulation of the subband signals is then performed in dependence on the output of the second processing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Mimi Hearing Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Nicholas R. Clark