Patents by Inventor Roland Barthel

Roland Barthel 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: 10388037
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the application, a method is provided for selecting an algorithm for correcting at least one image artifact in an image data record acquired by a medical imaging system and representing at least one region of interest of a subject under examination. The method includes identifying from the image data record at least one object element causing the image artifact and lying inside the region of interest of the subject under examination; determining from the image data record at least one characteristic describing the object element; determining an artifact correction algorithm on the basis of the at least one characteristic; and applying the artifact correction algorithm to the image data record. An embodiment of the application also provides a corresponding data processing facility and a medical imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Arens, Roland Barthel, Andreas Krauss, Gerhard Lechsel, Rainer Raupach, Niklas Rehfeld
  • Publication number: 20170236309
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the application, a method is provided for selecting an algorithm for correcting at least one image artifact in an image data record acquired by a medical imaging system and representing at least one region of interest of a subject under examination. The method includes identifying from the image data record at least one object element causing the image artifact and lying inside the region of interest of the subject under examination; determining from the image data record at least one characteristic describing the object element; determining an artifact correction algorithm on the basis of the at least one characteristic; and applying the artifact correction algorithm to the image data record. An embodiment of the application also provides a corresponding data processing facility and a medical imaging system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan ARENS, Roland BARTHEL, Andreas KRAUSS, Gerhard LECHSEL, Rainer RAUPACH, Niklas REHFELD
  • Patent number: 9565501
    Abstract: A hearing aid has an acoustoelectric transducer, a pickup device for picking up an electrical or electromagnetic signal and converting it into an electrical signal. The hearing aid further has a signal processing device, an electromechanical transducer for outputting an acoustic signal, and a signal estimation device. The signal estimation device determines a correlation between signals of the acoustoelectric transducer and of the pickup device. The signal processing device adjusts a mixing ratio of the signals in the output signal depending on the correlation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Matthias Mueller-Wehlau
  • Patent number: 9549268
    Abstract: A hearing device and an associated method for tuning a hearing aid include at least one hearing aid and at least one external unit. The device includes the following: a memory unit in the hearing aid which stores the times and the listening situations for which at least one predefinable algorithm for signal processing is activated; an output unit in the hearing aid and/or in the external unit which outputs and/or displays the stored times, listening situations and the activated algorithm; an input unit in the hearing aid or in the external unit for inputting an assessment rating which expresses the hearing aid wearer's satisfaction with the algorithm activated, and a change unit in the hearing aid for changing at least one parameter of the algorithm as a function of the assessment rating. Even algorithms of very short duration, such as an MPO, for example, are trainable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Andre Steinbuss
  • Patent number: 9294848
    Abstract: A method determines the classification of an audio signal in dependence on a comparison of two difference sums of audio features over time periods of different length. Thus, an adequately exact yet quickly reacting adaptation of the classification in changing hearing situations is ensured. The method is advantageously used in a hearing aid. The audio signal is processed in different ways on the basis of the classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Marko Lugger
  • Patent number: 9191754
    Abstract: A classification and, in particular, a time stability thereof are intended to be improved. To this end, a method automatically sets a piece of equipment, in which a classifying is performed with an aid of movable clusters and fixed clusters. This allows the classification to be trained, but also allows a certain basic property of the system to be ensured. This is advantageous in particular for hearing aids and transformers in smart grids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Clemens Otte, Florian Steinke
  • Patent number: 8976989
    Abstract: A method operates a hearing apparatus in which an operating parameter of the hearing apparatus is determined and smoothed by a filter. The smoothing includes, for each input value, to classify the input value in accordance with its association with a plurality of predetermined classes and increase a counter assigned to the respective class which is associated with the input value. The counter with the greatest counter value is determined and the operating parameter value assigned to the counter with the greatest counter value is output as an output variable of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Clemens Otte, Uwe Rass, Florian Steinke
  • Publication number: 20150036850
    Abstract: A method of following a sound source with a hearing aid device. The hearing aid device has a plurality of microphones, a monitoring device, a locating device, a directional device, an energy source, a controller and an electro-mechanical transducer. The directional device generates a signal with a variable directional characteristic from the microphone signals. The directional signal is monitored for an incipient acoustic signal from a sound source from a predetermined direction range. The locating device determines the direction of origin of the sound source. A predetermined directional characteristic with an orientation toward the first sound source is also set in the directional device. The locating device then determines a change in the direction of origin of the first sound source and the orientation of the directional characteristic is set based on the changed direction of origin in the directional device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: ROLAND BARTHEL
  • Publication number: 20150010182
    Abstract: A hearing aid has an acoustoelectric transducer, a pickup device for picking up an electrical or electromagnetic signal and converting it into an electrical signal. The hearing aid further has a signal processing device, an electromechanical transducer for outputting an acoustic signal, and a signal estimation device. The signal estimation device determines a correlation between signals of the acoustoelectric transducer and of the pickup device. The signal processing device adjusts a mixing ratio of the signals in the output signal depending on the correlation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: ROLAND BARTHEL, MATTHIAS MUELLER-WEHLAU
  • Publication number: 20140369510
    Abstract: A method determines the classification of an audio signal in dependence on a comparison of two difference sums of audio features over time periods of different length. Thus, an adequately exact yet quickly reacting adaptation of the classification in changing hearing situations is ensured. The method is advantageously used in a hearing aid. The audio signal is processed in different ways on the basis of the classification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Marko Lugger
  • Publication number: 20140294212
    Abstract: A classification and, in particular, a time stability thereof are intended to be improved. To this end, a method automatically sets a piece of equipment, in which a classifying is performed with an aid of movable clusters and fixed clusters. This allows the classification to be trained, but also allows a certain basic property of the system to be ensured. This is advantageous in particular for hearing aids and transformers in smart grids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicants: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD., SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: ROLAND BARTHEL, CLEMENS OTTE, FLORIAN STEINKE
  • Publication number: 20130272552
    Abstract: A method operates a hearing apparatus in which an operating parameter of the hearing apparatus is determined and smoothed by a filter. The smoothing includes, for each input value, to classify the input value in accordance with its association with a plurality of predetermined classes and increase a counter assigned to the respective class which is associated with the input value. The counter with the greatest counter value is determined and the operating parameter value assigned to the counter with the greatest counter value is output as an output variable of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: ROLAND BARTHEL, CLEMENS OTTE, UWE RASS, FLORIAN STEINKE
  • Patent number: 8411886
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing aid with at least one sound receiver and a sound generator. The hearing aid has an audio signal unit operatively connected to the sound generator, the audio signal unit being designed to generate an audio signal perceptible to a human ear. The audio signal has a plurality of mutually different frequencies of a frequency range. The audio signal unit has at least one tone generator. The at least one tone generator is designed to generate the audio signal with at least one fundamental frequency representing a tone and with harmonics of the fundamental frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Wolfgang Sörgel
  • Patent number: 8385571
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Robert Bäuml, Dirk Junius, Maja Serman, Nadine Seubert
  • Patent number: 8320593
    Abstract: A hearing apparatus for adjusting a hearing aid and an associated method. The apparatus includes at least one hearing aid and at least one external unit which can exchange data with the hearing aid. It further includes a first memory unit in the external unit which stores a point in time and a hearing situation at which at least one predeterminable algorithm for signal processing is activated, an output unit in the external unit which outputs the stored points in time and hearing situations, an input unit in the external unit for entering a measure of evaluation which expresses the satisfaction of a hearing aid wearer with the activated algorithm, and a modification unit in the hearing aid for changing at least one parameter of the algorithm as a function of the measure of evaluation. The hearing aid user is able to evaluate and change the setting of their hearing aid retrospectively for specific hearing situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Ulrich Giese
  • Patent number: 8170235
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Robert Bäuml, Eghart Fischer
  • Patent number: 8139778
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Robert Bäuml, Eghart Fischer
  • Patent number: 8139779
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Frank Beck, Robert Bäuml, Eghart Fischer
  • Patent number: 8103030
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Barthel, Robert Bäuml, Eghart Fischer
  • Publication number: 20110238419
    Abstract: A binaural configuration and an associated method have/utilize first and second hearing devices for the voice control of the hearing devices by voice commands. The configuration contains a first voice recognition module in the first hearing device and a second voice recognition module in the second hearing device. The second voice recognition module uses information data from the first voice recognition module for recognition of the voice commands. It is here advantageous that the rate of erroneously recognized voice commands (“false alarms”) is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Roland Barthel