Patents by Inventor Sebastian Pape

Sebastian Pape 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: 11122372
    Abstract: A hearing aid device and a method for operating the hearing aid device. The hearing aid device has an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing unit, an electro-acoustic transducer and a unit for recognizing a wearer's own voice. The hearing aid device detects and recognizes the wearer's own voice by way of the recognition unit and, when the wearer's own voice has been detected, operates the signal processing unit with a modified signal processing parameter that is modified such that the sound of the wearer's own voice is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ulrich Giese, Sebastian Pape, Marko Lugger, Homayoun Kamkar Parsi
  • Patent number: 9788127
    Abstract: A hearing aid device and a method for operating the hearing aid device. The hearing aid device has an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing unit, an electro-acoustic transducer and a unit for recognizing a wearer's own voice. The hearing aid device detects and recognizes the wearer's own voice by way of the recognition unit and, when the wearer's own voice has been detected, operates the signal processing unit with a modified signal processing parameter that is modified such that the sound of the wearer's own voice is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ulrich Giese, Sebastian Pape, Marko Lugger, Homayoun Kamkar Parsi
  • Publication number: 20170272871
    Abstract: A hearing aid device and a method for operating the hearing aid device. The hearing aid device has an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing unit, an electro-acoustic transducer and a unit for recognizing a wearer's own voice. The hearing aid device detects and recognizes the wearer's own voice by way of the recognition unit and, when the wearer's own voice has been detected, operates the signal processing unit with a modified signal processing parameter that is modified such that the sound of the wearer's own voice is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: ULRICH GIESE, SEBASTIAN PAPE, MARKO LUGGER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI
  • Publication number: 20160381468
    Abstract: A method for compressing the dynamics in an audio signal includes measuring at least one input level of the audio signal and comparing the measured input level with a limit value. A prescribed compression characteristic having a knee defined by a base value of the input level is adjusted to suit the audio signal by raising the knee from the base value to a higher target value if the at least one input level exceeds the limit value. The audio signal is compressed in accordance with the adjusted compression characteristic. A signal processing unit includes a signal input for feeding in an audio signal and is configured to perform the method, and a hearing device includes at least one microphone for obtaining an audio signal from an ambient sound and the signal processing unit connected to the microphone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: STEFAN PETRAUSCH, ULRICH GIESE, SEBASTIAN PAPE
  • Patent number: 9357301
    Abstract: Acoustic feedback in an audio device is reduced or eliminated via a feedback compensator. The feedback compensator disposes of at least one adaptive filter whose adaptation is governed by a step-size parameter ?. A step-size parameter ? of the adaptive filter is set at a high level to eliminate acoustic feedback and the parameter ? is decreased when a critical excitation signal is detected. This way to proceed allows for efficient elimination of feedback whistling while required environment signals are retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Tobias Wurzbacher
  • Publication number: 20160066102
    Abstract: A hearing aid device and a method for operating the hearing aid device. The hearing aid device has an acousto-electrical transducer, a signal processing unit, an electro-acoustic transducer and a unit for recognizing a wearer's own voice. The hearing aid device detects and recognizes the wearer's own voice by way of the recognition unit and, when the wearer's own voice has been detected, operates the signal processing unit with a modified signal processing parameter that is modified such that the sound of the wearer's own voice is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: ULRICH GIESE, SEBASTIAN PAPE, MARKO LUGGER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI
  • Patent number: 9060232
    Abstract: A hearing aid device has a directional microphone system with a first microphone outputting a first microphone signal and a second microphone outputting a second microphone signal. A delay unit generates a directivity by delaying the second microphone signal or a fourth microphone signal derived therefrom by an internal time delay and associating it with the first microphone signal or a third microphone signal derived therefrom for generating a directional microphone signal. A cross-correlation analysis unit receives the first or the third microphone signal and the second or the fourth microphone signal and determines a value of a cross correlation of the two microphone signals. A control unit adjusting the time delay depending on the value of the cross correlation of the two microphone signals. A classifier determines audio conditions in which the hearing aid device is currently situated, and the time delay is adjusted depending on the audio conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jens Hain, Dirk Junius, Matthias Müller-Wehlau, Sebastian Pape
  • Patent number: 8873781
    Abstract: A method of operating a hearing device monitors for a head movement of a hearing device wearer. When a head movement is detected, an acoustic signal acquired by a microphone is output in an amplified and phase-modulated manner with a receiver. Furthermore, a hearing device includes a motion sensor and a signal processing unit that is configured to execute the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronny Hannemann, Sebastian Pape
  • Publication number: 20140314252
    Abstract: Acoustic feedback in an audio device is reduced or eliminated via a feedback compensator. The feedback compensator disposes of at least one adaptive filter whose adaptation is governed by a step-size parameter p. A step-size parameter p of the adaptive filter is set at a high level to eliminate acoustic feedback and the parameter p is decreased when a critical excitation signal is detected. This way to proceed allows for efficient elimination of feedback whistling while required environment signals are retained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Tobias Wurzbacher
  • Patent number: 8861759
    Abstract: A method is provided for adapting a feedback suppression device of a hearing device to a given situation in order to improve the quality of feedback suppression in hearing devices and in hearing aids in particular. In the method an adaptation procedure of the feedback suppression device is periodically activated and adaptation of the feedback suppression device is performed regularly even if a feedback detector does not detect a feedback situation. A feedback suppression device for a hearing device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Tobias Wurzbacher
  • Patent number: 8848953
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a hearing device with at least one receiver includes carrying out a fixed second frequency shift of an electrical receiver signal supplying the receiver or of a predefinable frequency range of the receiver signal and a variable first frequency shift of the receiver signal or of a predefinable frequency range of the receiver signal. The first frequency shift is changed depending on the occurring feedback. A frequency shift which effectively prevents feedback is advantageously carried out, while artifacts of the frequency shift are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Tobias Wurzbacher, Stefan Petrausch, Ulrich Kornagel
  • Patent number: 8811641
    Abstract: A hearing aid device has an input converter for receiving an input signal and converting the signal into an electrical input signal, a signal processing unit for processing and frequency-dependent amplification of the electrical input signal and generating an electrical output signal, an output converter for converting the electrical output signal into an acoustic output signal, and a sound detector facility for identifying sounds in a signal. Facilities increase an amplification above a normal amplification for a frequency range in which an identified sound contains signal components. Further facilities set the normal amplification of an electrical input signal in dependence on a signal frequency. The amplification is restricted to a maximum amplification in a specific frequency range. The amplification exceeds the normal amplification or the maximum amplification for the duration of the identified sound and at most for a duration which lies below a setting time of a feedback whistling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Maja Serman
  • Patent number: 8737656
    Abstract: A hearing device has a signal-processing apparatus for processing an input signal into an output signal, and a feedback-canceller apparatus for reducing feedback artifacts on the basis of the input signal and the output signal. The feedback-canceller apparatus has an adaptive, first filter, for establishing a set of filter coefficients for a predefined feedback situation. The feedback-canceller apparatus is configured to store the set of filter coefficients. It has at least one second filter, which can be operated directly parallel to the first filter on the basis of the stored set of filter coefficients. The adaptive, first filter can be continuously adapted to a current feedback situation, and the feedback-canceller apparatus is configured such that in the current feedback situation it automatically selects either the first or the second filter. As a result, it generally only requires a simple switchover, but not a complete adaptation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Stefan Petrausch, Tobias Wurzbacher
  • Patent number: 8644538
    Abstract: The understanding of speech is to be improved in cases of hearing loss in which certain frequency ranges can no longer be perceived even at high volume or amplification, as applicable. A frequency transposition is performed on an input signal coming into a hearing aid and specific features of an electrical input signal are detected and a transposed signal is filtered as a function of the specific features detected in the electrical input signal. The hearing aid provides appropriate facilities for detecting specific features of the electrical input signal and filtering facilities for filtering the transposed signal. The objective of this is to detect particular properties of the input signal, in particular signal properties which are characteristic of fricatives, which may possibly be lost as a result of the frequency transposition, and at least partially to restore them in the transposed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Maja Serman
  • Patent number: 8588444
    Abstract: A method operates a hearing device having at least two omnidirectional microphones emitting microphone signals and a detection unit for defining acoustic feedback. The method includes connecting a first electrical connection of the microphones to one another in order to form a first signal with directional effect, an adjustment of the directional effect of the first signal such that the acoustic feedback in the first signal is maximized, and an analysis of the first signal by the detection unit for defining the acoustic feedback. It is advantageous that the feedback can be detected by a signal with an improved signal-to-noise ratio. Feedbacks are therefore recognized more reliably and more rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Stefan Petrausch
  • Publication number: 20130108094
    Abstract: A method for the operation of a hearing device with at least one receiver includes carrying out a fixed second frequency shift of an electrical receiver signal supplying the receiver or of a predefinable frequency range of the receiver signal and a variable first frequency shift of the receiver signal or of a predefinable frequency range of the receiver signal. The first frequency shift is changed depending on the occurring feedback. A frequency shift which effectively prevents feedback is advantageously carried out, while artifacts of the frequency shift are minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Tobias Wurzbacher, Stefan Petrausch, Ulrich Kornagel
  • Patent number: 8433086
    Abstract: A hearing apparatus and in particular a hearing device is to be provided, in which interference noises are to be reduced however as natural an acoustic image as possible is consequently retained. To this end, a hearing apparatus with a first signal processing channel, into which a noise reduction device is integrated and a second signal processing channel, which has the same input as the first signal processing channel and into which no noise reduction device, but instead a level limitation device is integrated, is proposed. An adding device adds the output signals of both signal processing channels to form an overall output signal. A passive input level-dependent noise reduction can thus be realized, with which quiet signals can be heard again despite the noise reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Heike Heuermann, Sebastian Pape
  • Patent number: 8396236
    Abstract: Feedback in a hearing device and, more particularly, in a hearing aid should be compensated for before it becomes audible. To this end, a method is proposed for compensating for a feedback signal in a hearing device with an input-transducer apparatus, a signal-processing apparatus and an output-transducer apparatus, in which method a feedback signal is compensated for, which feedback signal is fed back to the input-transducer apparatus from the output-transducer apparatus or the signal-processing apparatus. More particularly, a probability of having a plurality of notches, equally spaced apart from one another, in the spectrum of an input signal is established, which input signal originates directly from the input-transducer apparatus or which is a difference signal between the signal directly from the input-transducer apparatus and a compensation signal serving for compensation. The compensation is modified or the signal-processing apparatus is amplified as a function of this established probability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian Pape, Stefan Petrausch
  • Publication number: 20120275630
    Abstract: A method of operating a hearing device monitors for a head movement of a hearing device wearer. When a head movement is detected, an acoustic signal acquired by a microphone is output in an amplified and phase-modulated manner with a receiver. Furthermore, a hearing device includes a motion sensor and a signal processing unit that is configured to execute the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: RONNY HANNEMANN, SEBASTIAN PAPE
  • Publication number: 20120250917
    Abstract: The understanding of speech is to be improved in cases of hearing loss in which certain frequency ranges can no longer be perceived even at high volume or amplification, as applicable. A frequency transposition is performed on an input signal coming into a hearing aid and specific features of an electrical input signal are detected and a transposed signal is filtered as a function of the specific features detected in the electrical input signal. The hearing aid provides appropriate facilities for detecting specific features of the electrical input signal and filtering facilities for filtering the transposed signal. The objective of this is to detect particular properties of the input signal, in particular signal properties which are characteristic of fricatives, which may possibly be lost as a result of the frequency transposition, and at least partially to restore them in the transposed signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastian PAPE, Maja SERMAN