Patents by Inventor Norman Matzen

Norman Matzen 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).

  • High fidelity digital hearing aid and methods of programming and operating same
    Patent number: 7697705
    Abstract: A programmable digital hearing aid circuit and method for operating and programming same are disclosed. The device provides a flexible means to compensate for undesirable frequency response distortion normally due to the electro-acoustical characteristics of the microphone, receiver, and sound coupling mechanisms employed in hearing aid design. Parameters of the programmable hearing aid circuit may also be set to tailor the hearing aid response characteristics for the frequency-dependent hearing loss of an individual hearing aid user. The device is intended to make available a significant improvement in audio fidelity to users of hearing aid devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Etymotic Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Mead C. Killion, John S. French, Steven Viranyi, Timothy Monroe, David Preves, Norman Matzen, Gail Gudmundsen
  • Directional microphone array system
    Publication number: 20050169487
    Abstract: A directional microphone array system generally for hearing aid applications is disclosed. The system may employ a broadside or an endfire array of microphones. In either case, the signals generated by the microphone are added using a plurality of summation points that are connected together via a single signal wire or channel. In the case of the endfire array, all but one of the signals is delayed so that the summation of the signals are in phase. The summation of the signals is then used to generate an output signal for a speaker of a hearing aid or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Willem Soede, Robert Schulein, Norman Matzen, Roland Horsten
  • High fidelity digital hearing aid and methods of programming and operating same
    Publication number: 20030086581
    Abstract: A programmable digital hearing aid circuit and method for operating and programming same are disclosed. The device provides a flexible means to compensate for undesirable frequency response distortion normally due to the electro-acoustical characteristics of the microphone, receiver, and sound coupling mechanisms employed in hearing aid design. Parameters of the programmable hearing aid circuit may also be set to tailor the hearing aid response characteristics for the frequency-dependent hearing loss of an individual hearing aid user. The device is intended to make available a significant improvement in audio fidelity to users of hearing aid devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Mead C. Killion, John S. French, Steven Viranyi, Timothy Monroe, David Preves, Norman Matzen, Gail Gudmundsen