Abstract: Artifacts occurring during frequency compression, in particular in the case of hearing aids, are avoided or reduced. The method compresses the frequency of an audio signal having a fundamental frequency and at least one harmonic. The audio signal is provided in a plurality of frequency channels. The harmonic of the audio signal is shifted or mapped from a first frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels into a second frequency channel. In addition a frequency which is likewise harmonic with respect to the fundamental frequency is estimated in the second frequency channel, the harmonic being shifted or mapped onto the estimated frequency. As a result the harmonic pattern is preserved in the compressed signal and the artifacts are reduced.

Abstract: A method and device for frequency compression of audio signals to reduce the occurrence of artifacts. A component of the audio signal having a plurality of frequency channels is shifted from a first frequency channel into a second frequency channel. A dominant instantaneous frequency is determined in the first frequency channel. During shifting or mapping, first the entire first frequency channel, including the dominant instantaneous frequency, is shifted or mapped into the second frequency channel, wherein the dominant instantaneous frequency obtains an intermediate frequency position. A final frequency position for the dominant instantaneous frequency is determined using a predefined compression characteristic in the second frequency channel, starting from the frequency position of the dominant instantaneous frequency in the first frequency channel. Finally, the dominant instantaneous frequency is shifted or mapped from the intermediate frequency position to the final frequency position.

Abstract: A hearing aid device suitable for executing a frequency compression is optimized to achieve a better assignment between channels of a source frequency range and channels of a target frequency range. A frequency range that can be transmitted by the hearing aid device is split into a number of frequency bands, after which a number of adjacent frequency bands are combined into at least one group of frequency bands and then one frequency band is selected from each group of frequency bands. The selected frequency bands are moved respectively into a target frequency band permanently assigned to the respective group. This prevents that a number of frequency bands from the source frequency range are shifted to the same target frequency band.

Abstract: Multi-stage filter bank systems with filter banks of different bandwidth frequently cause interference in hearing apparatuses and in particular in hearing devices. Therefore a hearing apparatus is proposed with a filter bank system having a multi-stage analysis filter bank and/or a multi-stage synthesis filter bank, to break down an input signal of the hearing apparatus into a number of partial band signals by way of a number of filter bank channels and/or to recombine partial band signals of a number of filter bank channels. The filter bank system is equipped with at least one equalization filter, to equalize differences in the complex frequency responses between filter bank channels. It is thus possible in particular to equalize group delay time differences as well as attenuation and/or amplification.

Abstract: A filter bank configuration for a hearing device has filters in an analysis filter bank and corresponding filters in a synthesis filter bank that are coupled pair-wise to form a channel in each case. In order to compensate for a hearing loss, sub-band signals are amplified in the individual channels with the aid of multipliers. In the process, an audible distortion of an output signal Y of the filter bank configuration as a result of differences between amplification factors of the multipliers of neighboring channels should be prevented. Here, at least one channel changes a phase of a sub-band signal transmitted by the channel such that a difference between a group delay of the filter bank configuration and a prescribable reference value is reduced for at least one predetermined frequency. The filter bank configuration is particularly suited to hearing aids.

Abstract: A circuit for operating a hearing device with a variable operating parameter is disclosed. A storage device for storing operating parameter settings in a starting situation as well as in a target situation and a control unit, which implements a matching of the operating parameter according to a setting of the starting situation to the operating parameter settings of the target situation, is provided. Further, a connection device for connection to a control element and a data processing device for influencing the operating parameter by a user of the hearing device, is provided. The control unit performs the matching of the operating parameter with a minimal matching rate in time segments in which the operating parameter is often influenced by the control element or data processing device, and with a higher matching rate in time segments, in which the operating parameter is rarely influenced or not influenced at all by the control element or data processing device.

Abstract: A method for operating a hearing device, an associated microphone system comprising at least two omnidirectional microphones, and a hearing device are provided. The microphones emit microphone signals and are electrically interconnected with one another in order to form directional characteristics. A damping of the upper frequency range of the microphone signals is determined from the lower frequency range of the microphone signals. The impression of a wide-band directional microphone is produced as a result.

Abstract: The aim is to be able to at least partially switch off a hearing apparatus and in particular a hearing device in a simple manner. To this end, provision is made to generate a predetermined acoustic signal through the hearing apparatus. The acoustic signal is received by a receiving device, after it has passed through an acoustic path. This acoustic path changes depending on whether the hearing apparatus is being worn or not. The hearing apparatus is at least partially switched off as a function of the received, acoustic signal. A hearing device thus automatically switches off for instance when it is not being worn.

Abstract: For hearing apparatus and especially for hearing devices a tone balance unit is to be able to be used even under difficult general conditions. Therefore a hearing apparatus with a signal processing device, through which signals are able to be processed in a number of frequency channels, and a control device for controlling the level of the individual frequency channels are provided. The setting device features an unsymmetrical tone balance unit related to a predetermined frequency with which at least one lower and at least one upper channel of the number of frequency channels related to a predetermined frequency is able to be simultaneously unsymmetrically adjusted relative to the predetermined frequency. Thus for example a tone balance unit can also be used with a low feedback limit in the upper frequency range.

Abstract: Artifacts occurring during frequency compression, in particular in the case of hearing aids, are avoided or reduced. The method compresses the frequency of an audio signal having a fundamental frequency and at least one harmonic. The audio signal is provided in a plurality of frequency channels. The harmonic of the audio signal is shifted or mapped from a first frequency channel of the plurality of frequency channels into a second frequency channel. In addition a frequency which is likewise harmonic with respect to the fundamental frequency is estimated in the second frequency channel, the harmonic being shifted or mapped onto the estimated frequency. As a result the harmonic pattern is preserved in the compressed signal and the artifacts are reduced.

Abstract: A hearing aid device suitable for executing a frequency compression is optimized to achieve a better assignment between channels of a source frequency range and channels of a target frequency range. A frequency range that can be transmitted by the hearing aid device is split into a number of frequency bands, after which a number of adjacent frequency bands are combined into at least one group of frequency bands and then one frequency band is selected from each group of frequency bands. The selected frequency bands are moved respectively into a target frequency band permanently assigned to the respective group. This prevents that a number of frequency bands from the source frequency range are shifted to the same target frequency band.

Abstract: A method and device for frequency compression of audio signals to reduce the occurrence of artifacts. A component of the audio signal having a plurality of frequency channels is shifted from a first frequency channel into a second frequency channel. A dominant instantaneous frequency is determined in the first frequency channel. During shifting or mapping, first the entire first frequency channel, including the dominant instantaneous frequency, is shifted or mapped into the second frequency channel, wherein the dominant instantaneous frequency obtains an intermediate frequency position. A final frequency position for the dominant instantaneous frequency is determined using a predefined compression characteristic in the second frequency channel, starting from the frequency position of the dominant instantaneous frequency in the first frequency channel. Finally, the dominant instantaneous frequency is shifted or mapped from the intermediate frequency position to the final frequency position.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to make using a hearing device and in particular a hearing aid more comfortable and more effective for the user. To this end the setting of a portable hearing device is to be checked. First the acoustic data of a sound from the environment of the hearing device is recorded and/or determined simultaneously with the setting of the hearing device with at least one setting value. The setting of the hearing device is evaluated against the chronologically matching, recorded acoustic data in the hearing device using at least one predeterminable criterion. If necessary, the hearing device outputs an appropriate message. By this means a hearing aid wearer can, for example, be alerted to contact an acoustician, if the settings he made on the hearing aid are not effective.

Abstract: The training of a hearing apparatus in respect of an individual adjustment is to be developed in a more user-friendly manner. To this end, provision is firstly made to automatically classify a hearing situation, to adjust a parameter of the signal processing facility of the hearing apparatus and to automatically learn the adjusted parameters for the current hearing situation. A temporal monitoring of the steps “classifying” and “adjusting” is however carried out here and the automatic learning is only triggered if the classified hearing situation and the adjustment of the parameters have not changed over a predetermined time period. This not only simplifies the training, but also enables a more rapid training by means of automatically triggered training events.

Abstract: A differential direction microphone system for a hearing aid device is described, comprising: a first directional microphone stage with a first differential directional microphone, and a second directional microphone stage with a further differential directional microphone, with the second directional microphone stage being connected downstream from the first directional microphone stage, where the directivity of the first directional microphone stage is essentially oriented in the opposite direction to the directivity of the second directional microphone stage, with the differential direction microphone system having a directional characteristic, of which the directivity is essentially orthogonal to an axis predetermined by the directivities of the first and the second directional microphone stage.

Abstract: A filter bank configuration for a hearing device has filters in an analysis filter bank and corresponding filters in a synthesis filter bank that are coupled pair-wise to form a channel in each case. In order to compensate for a hearing loss, sub-band signals are amplified in the individual channels with the aid of multipliers. In the process, an audible distortion of an output signal Y of the filter bank configuration as a result of differences between amplification factors of the multipliers of neighboring channels should be prevented. Here, at least one channel changes a phase of a sub-band signal transmitted by the channel such that a difference between a group delay of the filter bank configuration and a prescribable reference value is reduced for at least one predetermined frequency. The filter bank configuration is particularly suited to hearing aids.

Abstract: A hearing apparatus and an associated method for suppressing feedback include a microphone emitting a microphone signal and a receiver picking up a receiver signal by subtracting a compensation signal from the microphone signal. The hearing apparatus includes a number of preset static first compensation filters for forming first compensation signals from the receiver signal and a first selection unit, which selects a first compensation signal in such a way that a feedback signal caused by the feedback is minimal in the receiver signal. An advantage thereof is that adaptation artifacts cannot occur.

Abstract: The output of signal tones from hearing aids for binaural coverage is to be synchronized. To this end, it is provided that the counters of the two hearing aids are equalized by a synchronization signal. By transmitting a control signal with a count value or before a predetermined count value, the simultaneous emission of a signal tone from the two hearing aids is initiated. Alternatively, for the indirect synchronization of the counters the respective differences of the counter readings may also be stored in the individual hearing aids.

Abstract: Multi-stage filter bank systems with filter banks of different bandwidth frequently cause interference in hearing apparatuses and in particular in hearing devices. Therefore a hearing apparatus is proposed with a filter bank system having a multi-stage analysis filter bank and/or a multi-stage synthesis filter bank, to break down an input signal of the hearing apparatus into a number of partial band signals by way of a number of filter bank channels and/or to recombine partial band signals of a number of filter bank channels. The filter bank system is equipped with at least one equalization filter, to equalize differences in the complex frequency responses between filter bank channels.

Abstract: A method for operating a hearing device, an associated microphone system comprising at least two omnidirectional microphones, and a hearing device are provided. The microphones emit microphone signals and are electrically interconnected with one another in order to form directional characteristics. A damping of the upper frequency range of the microphone signals is determined from the lower frequency range of the microphone signals. The impression of a wide-band directional microphone is produced as a result.