Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Pilgrim
Thomas A. Pilgrim 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).
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Patent number: 11540042Abstract: A method for rejecting inherent noise of a microphone arrangement that includes a first microphone and a second microphone. The first microphone generates a first microphone signal from an ambient sound signal and the second microphone generates a second microphone signal from the ambient sound signal. A measure of correlation between the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal is ascertained, and inherent noise of the first microphone and/or of the second microphone in the first or second microphone signal is rejected on the basis of the measure of correlation.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Cecil Wilson, Thomas Pilgrim
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Patent number: 11438707Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid system in which a dynamic range scheme for an automatic gain control is modified depending on the situation. A gain factor is set by the automatic gain control which has a dynamic range processor operated with a dynamic range scheme defining the gain factor in dependence on a level of an input signal. A corresponding hearing aid system carries out this method.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Sebastian Best, Thomas Pilgrim, Cecil Wilson
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Publication number: 20210266657Abstract: A method for rejecting inherent noise of a microphone arrangement that includes a first microphone and a second microphone. The first microphone generates a first microphone signal from an ambient sound signal and the second microphone generates a second microphone signal from the ambient sound signal. A measure of correlation between the first microphone signal and the second microphone signal is ascertained, and inherent noise of the first microphone and/or of the second microphone in the first or second microphone signal is rejected on the basis of the measure of correlation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Cecil Wilson, Thomas Pilgrim
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Patent number: 10966032Abstract: An input signal is provided with a low microphone noise in a hearing apparatus. The microphone noise in the input signal of the hearing apparatus is reduced, by the input signal being filtered by a Wiener filter, if a noise power determined at the input signal is smaller than a predetermined limit value. The Wiener filter is however deactivated, if the noise power is greater than the limit value or equal to the limit value.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2018Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Thomas Pilgrim, Henning Puder
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Publication number: 20210067884Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid system in which a dynamic range scheme for an automatic gain control is modified depending on the situation. A gain factor is set by the automatic gain control which has a dynamic range processor operated with a dynamic range scheme defining the gain factor in dependence on a level of an input signal. A corresponding hearing aid system carries out this method.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventors: Sebastian Best, Thomas Pilgrim, Cecil Wilson
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Patent number: 10856089Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid where the hearing aid generates an input signal from acoustic signals from the environment. The hearing aid has a signal processor which is configured to modify the input signal and thereby generate an output signal. The signal processor has an automatic gain control for modifying the input signal, and has a compressor that can be operated with a compression scheme. The environment is divided into a plurality of directions of which one is selected by a direction determination unit as a relevant direction. The input signal is modified in a direction-dependent manner by the compressor being operated with a compression scheme, which is set dependent on the relevant direction, so that acoustic signals from the relevant direction are emphasized compared to acoustic signals from other directions.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2019Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Sebastian Best, Thomas Pilgrim, Christoph Lueken
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Publication number: 20190349692Abstract: A method operates a hearing aid where the hearing aid generates an input signal from acoustic signals from the environment. The hearing aid has a signal processor which is configured to modify the input signal and thereby generate an output signal. The signal processor has an automatic gain control for modifying the input signal, and has a compressor that can be operated with a compression scheme. The environment is divided into a plurality of directions of which one is selected by a direction determination unit as a relevant direction. The input signal is modified in a direction-dependent manner by the compressor being operated with a compression scheme, which is set dependent on the relevant direction, so that acoustic signals from the relevant direction are emphasized compared to acoustic signals from other directions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2019Publication date: November 14, 2019Inventors: Sebastian Best, Thomas Pilgrim, Christoph Lueken
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Patent number: 10306378Abstract: A method for operating a hearing device, in particular a hearing aid device, in which a first analog signal is provided. A second analog signal is generated by a preamplifier based on the first analog signal, and a first digital signal is generated by an A/D converter based on the second analog signal. A second digital signal is generated by an amplifier based on the first digital signal, and a third digital signal, in which a noise is reduced in comparison with the second digital signal, is generated by a noise suppression unit based on a second digital signal. The preamplifier, amplifier, and noise suppression unit are set using a value characterizing the first digital signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Stefan Petrausch, Thomas Pilgrim
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Publication number: 20180139546Abstract: An input signal is provided with a low microphone noise in a hearing apparatus. The microphone noise in the input signal of the hearing apparatus is reduced, by the input signal being filtered by a Wiener filter, if a noise power determined at the input signal is smaller than a predetermined limit value. The Wiener filter is however deactivated, if the noise power is greater than the limit value or equal to the limit value.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2018Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: THOMAS PILGRIM, HENNING PUDER
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Publication number: 20180132045Abstract: A method for operating a hearing device, in particular a hearing aid device, in which a first analog signal is provided. A second analog signal is generated by a preamplifier based on the first analog signal, and a first digital signal is generated by an A/D converter based on the second analog signal. A second digital signal is generated by an amplifier based on the first digital signal, and a third digital signal, in which a noise is reduced in comparison with the second digital signal, is generated by a noise suppression unit based on a second digital signal. The preamplifier, amplifier, and noise suppression unit are set using a value characterizing the first digital signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Applicant: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Stefan PETRAUSCH, Thomas PILGRIM
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Patent number: 9913051Abstract: An input signal is provided with a low microphone noise in a hearing apparatus. The microphone noise in the input signal of the hearing apparatus is reduced, by the input signal being filtered by a Wiener filter, if a noise power determined at the input signal is smaller than a predetermined limit value. The Wiener filter is however deactivated, if the noise power is greater than the limit value or equal to the limit value.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2012Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Thomas Pilgrim, Henning Puder
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Patent number: 9258655Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Robert Bäuml, Ulrich Kornagel, Thomas Pilgrim
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Patent number: 9124963Abstract: A hearing apparatus that processes an audio signal by adaptive filtering operates efficiently. The hearing apparatus has a first stage transformation unit and at least two second stage transformation units. Each of the second stage transformation units splits the signal of one of the first stage channels through transformation onto sub-channels of the channel. A filter unit in each channel that has a second stage transformation unit filters the signal of the channel depending on weighting factors that are determined in each case for the sub-channels. The filter units are configured to exchange weighting factors among themselves, which means that only some of the weighting factors actually need to be calculated.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2013Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Rainer Martin, Thomas Pilgrim, Henning Puder, Alexander Schasse, Wolfgang Soergel
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Patent number: 9031269Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Robert Bäuml, Ulrich Kornagel, Thomas Pilgrim
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Patent number: 8908892Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Robert Bäuml, Ulrich Kornagel, Thomas Pilgrim
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Publication number: 20140140555Abstract: An input signal is provided with a low microphone noise in a hearing apparatus. The microphone noise in the input signal of the hearing apparatus is reduced, by the input signal being filtered by a Wiener filter, if a noise power determined at the input signal is smaller than a predetermined limit value. The Wiener filter is however deactivated, if the noise power is greater than the limit value or equal to the limit value.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2012Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.Inventors: Thomas Pilgrim, Henning Puder
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Publication number: 20120076335Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.Inventors: ROBERT BÄUML, ULRICH KORNAGEL, THOMAS PILGRIM
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Publication number: 20120076332Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.Inventors: Robert Bäuml, Ulrich Kornagel, Thomas Pilgrim
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Publication number: 20120076333Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.Inventors: Robert Bäuml, Ulrich Kornagel, Thomas Pilgrim
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Patent number: 4630419Abstract: The invention relates to building components, for example studs for supporting wall boards, made of a plaster-resin mixture, with a fibrous sheet embedded near the surface. Components according to the invention have excellent fire-resistant properties. Such components can be made by, for example, introducing a plaster-resin slurry into a mould lined with fibrous sheets, and allowing the slurry to set, or they may be made continuously by, for example, passing the slurry and sheets through one or more suitably profiled conveyors, vibration being employed to cause the slurry to penetrate through the sheets. Such components may be of H, C or U section for use as, for example, studs. They can also be used, for example, as ceiling panels or acoustic tiles, for which purposes they may be of hollow or channel form, and be filled with fibrous or other porous material.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 1985Date of Patent: December 23, 1986Assignee: BPB Industries Public Limited CompanyInventor: Thomas A. Pilgrim