Patents by Inventor Tim Schoof

Tim Schoof 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: 12262181
    Abstract: A reverberation condition is detected affecting an electronic hearing device. The hearing device receives sound from a microphone and provides amplified sound to an in-ear receiver. The reverberation condition is predicted to impact clarity of the amplified sound. A sound processing capability is determined that will affect the reverberation. The sound processing capability is applied to the amplified sound and includes one or more of expansion, compression, and directionality processing. In response to detecting the reverberation condition, at least one of the following is performed: enabling the sound processing capability with a reverberation mitigation setting if the sound processing capability is currently disabled; or changing the sound processing capability to the reverberation mitigation setting from a default setting if the sound processing capability is currently enabled. The reverberation mitigation setting is removed when the reverberation condition is no longer detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Reinhart, Tim Schoof, Jingjing Xu
  • Publication number: 20250016512
    Abstract: A method for fitting a hearing instrument comprises generating training data based on post-fitting adjustments made to settings of a plurality of hearing instruments and based on profiles of users of the plurality of hearing instruments, wherein the post-fitting adjustments are made to the settings of the plurality of hearing instruments after initial uses of the plurality of hearing instruments. The method further comprises training a machine learning (ML) model based on the training data to generate initial fitting suggestions. The method also comprises, prior to an initial use of a current hearing instrument by a current user, generating an initial fitting suggestion for the hearing instrument of the current user by applying the ML model to input that includes a profile of the current user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Jumana Harianawala, Jingjing Xu, Justin Burwinkel, Tim Schoof, Paul Reinhart, Martin McKinney
  • Publication number: 20240334136
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatic correction of real ear measurements (REMs). A sound signal is produced through a receiver of a hearing device, and a sound pressure signal is sensed using a microphone placed inside the ear canal. The sound pressure signal is transformed to obtain a frequency response signal, a local minimum of the frequency response signal is detected above a programmable frequency level, and a spectral flatness of the frequency response signal is calculated in a selected frequency band surrounding the local minimum. If the spectral flatness is greater than a selected threshold value, acoustic correction is applied to the frequency response in the selected frequency band using an estimated transfer function to obtain a corrected sound pressure frequency response. The corrected sound pressure frequency response is used to modify, or make a recommendation to modify, a physical or operational characteristic of the hearing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Wenyu Jin, Tim Schoof
  • Patent number: 12041418
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatic correction of real ear measurements (REMs). A sound signal is produced through a receiver of a hearing device, and a sound pressure signal is sensed using a microphone placed inside the ear canal. The sound pressure signal is transformed to obtain a frequency response signal, a local minimum of the frequency response signal is detected above a programmable frequency level, and a spectral flatness of the frequency response signal is calculated in a selected frequency band surrounding the local minimum. If the spectral flatness is greater than a selected threshold value, acoustic correction is applied to the frequency response in the selected frequency band using an estimated transfer function to obtain a corrected sound pressure frequency response. The corrected sound pressure frequency response is used to modify, or make a recommendation to modify, a physical or operational characteristic of the hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenyu Jin, Tim Schoof
  • Publication number: 20230277123
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable systems and devices that can detect migraine headaches. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable device is included having a control circuit, a microphone, and a sensor package. The ear-wearable device can be configured to evaluate at least one of signals from the microphone, signals from the sensor package, signals from an external sensor, and contextual factor data, and detect a migraine headache based on the evaluation. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable device system is included having a first ear-wearable device and a second ear-wearable device. In an embodiment, a method of predicting or detecting the onset or presence of a migraine headache with an ear-wearable system is included. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Kendra Griffin, Paul N. Reinhart, Tim Schoof, Justin R. Burwinkel
  • Publication number: 20230239634
    Abstract: A reverberation condition is detected affecting an electronic hearing device. The hearing device receives sound from a microphone and provides amplified sound to an in-ear receiver. The reverberation condition is predicted to impact clarity of the amplified sound. A sound processing capability is determined that will affect the reverberation. The sound processing capability is applied to the amplified sound and includes one or more of expansion, compression, and directionality processing. In response to detecting the reverberation condition, at least one of the following is performed: enabling the sound processing capability with a reverberation mitigation setting if the sound processing capability is currently disabled; or changing the sound processing capability to the reverberation mitigation setting from a default setting if the sound processing capability is currently enabled. The reverberation mitigation setting is removed when the reverberation condition is no longer detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Paul Reinhart, Tim Schoof, Jingjing Xu
  • Publication number: 20230210444
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to ear-wearable systems and devices that can detect allergic reactions. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable device is included having a control circuit, a microphone, and a sensor package. The ear-wearable device can be configured to evaluate at least one of signals from the microphone, signals from the sensor package, signals from an external sensor, and contextual factor data, and detect an allergic reaction based on the evaluation. In an embodiment, an ear-wearable device system is included having a first ear-wearable device and a second ear-wearable device. In an embodiment, a method of predicting or detecting the onset or presence of an allergic reaction with an ear-wearable system is included. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Tim Schoof, Kendra Griffin, Paul N. Reinhart, Justin R. Burwinkel
  • Publication number: 20230009826
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automatic correction of real ear measurements (REMs). A sound signal is produced through a receiver of a hearing device, and a sound pressure signal is sensed using a microphone placed inside the ear canal. The sound pressure signal is transformed to obtain a frequency response signal, a local minimum of the frequency response signal is detected above a programmable frequency level, and a spectral flatness of the frequency response signal is calculated in a selected frequency band surrounding the local minimum. If the spectral flatness is greater than a selected threshold value, acoustic correction is applied to the frequency response in the selected frequency band using an estimated transfer function to obtain a corrected sound pressure frequency response. The corrected sound pressure frequency response is used to modify, or make a recommendation to modify, a physical or operational characteristic of the hearing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Wenyu Jin, Tim Schoof
  • Publication number: 20220210586
    Abstract: An ear-wearable electronic device comprises a housing configured to be worn in, at or about an ear of a wearer. A sound generator is disposed in the housing and configured to produce at least a tinnitus masking sound. A physiologic sensor arrangement is disposed in or supported by the housing and configured to measure one or both of a plurality of physiologic parameters and a plurality of physiologic conditions of the wearer. The physiologic sensor arrangement is configured to produce physiologic sensor signals in response to the measurements. A controller is operatively coupled to the sound generator and the physiologic sensor arrangement. The controller is configured to detect one or more of presence, absence, and severity of tinnitus of the wearer using the physiologic sensor signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Reinhart, Tim Schoof