Patents by Inventor Torsten Niederdränk

Torsten Niederdränk 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: 7933425
    Abstract: The production of a hearing aid device suitable for wireless signal transmission is simplified by providing fastening elements connected as one piece with the housing shell. The fastening elements serve for placement and fastening of an antenna or coil in the housing shell of the appertaining hearing aid device. The production of a hearing aid device with a corresponding antenna or coil is thereby simplified. The alignment of the antenna or coil in the housing shell can also already be optimized using a computer model of the housing shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7773764
    Abstract: A hearing device with a plastic mold arranged in the ear, in other words a hearing device shell or an otoplastic, features a loudspeaker in its interior. A cerumen protection system extends from the loudspeaker to the surface of the plastic mold. In accordance with the invention, a microphone is arranged in the cerumen protection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7702124
    Abstract: The penetration of moisture and dirt often leads to a premature failure of electroacoustic miniature transducers that are used in hearing aids. A transducer membrane of a miniature transducer is provided at least in part with a hydrophobic and/or oliophobic and/or biofilm-inhibiting coating that, because its layer thickness is less than 10 ?m, does not significantly influence the acoustic characteristic of the miniature transducer, and that prevents degradation of the transmission characteristic due to moisture, or moisture-caused damage to the miniature transducer. In addition, the adherence of dirt particles is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Niederdraenk, Joseph Sauer
  • Patent number: 7634097
    Abstract: The manner of informing a user about the current setting of manually adjustable parameters in a hearing aid is to be improved. In addition it is proposed that an information signal be transmitted to the user, on the basis of which said user is informed that an upper or lower end of the value range for a parameter to be set has been reached, so that further activation of the relevant actuator remains ineffective in respect of parameter setting. The invention is used in particular in conjunction with actuators which do not have a mechanical end stop, whereby the user could identify that the upper or lower end of the value range of the parameter to be set has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7519194
    Abstract: In a hearing aid device system with two hearing aids for binaural supply to a hearing aid user, a coupling of the settings of both hearing aids is not always reasonable in the “audio reception” mode and therefore the hearing aid that is in the “audio reception” operating mode is not adapted to changed settings when parameters in the other hearing aid of the hearing aid system have been readjusted. The use of a remote control also has different effects on a hearing aid in the active “audio reception” mode than on the hearing aid device that is in a passive “audio reception” mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Niederdränk, Gottfried Rückerl
  • Patent number: 7499561
    Abstract: The cleaning and exchange of components of the hearing aid which is necessary at regular intervals due to the conventional contamination is uncomfortable and expensive. The housing (G) and any protective devices (K) which are to protect from contamination, are provided with a dirt-resistant layer. In this way, the dirt adheres less strongly to the hearing aid, so that if necessary it can be removed by means of tapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Hanses, Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7474755
    Abstract: Microphone equalization is implemented in a directional microphone system of the second or a higher order with at least three omnidirectional microphones. Initially, the signal levels of the microphone signals generated by the three omnidirectional microphones are compensated. The phase is subsequently varied in one of the three microphone signals until the signal levels of the directional microphones of the first order that are formed from the three omnidirectional microphones, are also compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7443991
    Abstract: Between ITE hearing aids for binaural hearing assistance, energy-saving communication is made possible by disposing an antenna device with a preferred direction of transmission in the hearing aid housing such that, in a state in which the hearing aid is attached to or inserted one ear of the patient, the preferred direction of transmission is substantially toward the other ear of the patient. In this way it is ensured that the directions of transmission of the two hearing aids in the fitted state lie substantially on a straight line, so that optimum transmission can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Niederdränk, Joseph Sauer, Christian Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7433480
    Abstract: To allow bidirectional data communication to be realized in hearing aids which have only a restricted installation space, the earphone, i.e. the electroacoustic transducer unit, is used as the transmitter and the telephone coil as the receiver for high-frequency signal components. This makes it possible to dispense with the installation of an additional antenna, generally of a large volume, that is optimized for transmitting and receiving operations. If appropriate, a small additional antenna may also be used purely as a receiving antenna for high-frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7421085
    Abstract: Due to the clocked mode of operation, electromagnetic interference signals originate from digital hearing aid device or hearing device systems with the clock frequency and its harmonics. These can disrupt the wireless signal transmission between the hearing aid device or hearing device system and a further device. To prevent these disruptions, the invention provides a jitter unit that is connected with the clock generator and causes frequency oscillations in the clock signal. The interference signals caused by the clock signal are thereby lowered with respect to their amplitudes, whereby an interference-free signal transmission is enabled between a transmitting and/or receiving unit connected with a hearing aid device and an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Kunibert Husung, Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7400738
    Abstract: An acoustic module for a hearing aid device has at least one microphone and at least one earphone (acoustic output transducer) combined together as a unit, the unit including a signal-processing unit for feedback suppression that is connected with the microphone and the earphone. Feedback signal portions are removed from the microphone signal by the signal-processing unit. The acoustic module places acousto-mechanical components within a unitary component, with acousto-mechanical characteristics that can be measured and included in the signal processing for feedback suppression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Niederdränk, Tom Weidner, Christian Weistenhöfer
  • Patent number: 7372972
    Abstract: Active otoplastics (3) with integrated earpieces (4) are to be acoustically optimized. There is provision here for forming a sound outlet (8) into the otoplastic in accordance with acoustic conditions. If the sound outlet (8) has the form of an exponential horn, this results in advantages for supply of high tones. The earpiece (4) can be secured with the aid of an adapter (5) into the otoplastic (3) so that it can be exchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Ach-Kowalewski, Harald Klemenz, Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7330558
    Abstract: A remote control for a hearing aid device prevents incorrect operation by having operating elements that effect a signal transmission from the remote control to a hearing aid device disposed on a first side of the remote control housing, and operating elements that additionally effect a signal transmission from the hearing aid device back to the remote control disposed on a second housing side of the remote control. The first and second housing sides are disposed in an easily tactilely distinguishable relation to each other, such as by being substantially orthogonal. The different functions of the operating elements and therefore can be differentiated purely by contact with the remote control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Winfried Arz, Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7313241
    Abstract: For a hearing-impaired person provided with a hearing aid device with which sound acquisition ensues outside of the auditory canals of the person, the localization capability with regard to a signal source is lost. To compensate the information loss that occurs due to the acquisition of an acoustic signal outside of the auditory canals, in the signal processing in the hearing aid device of an acoustic input signal acquired by at least one microphone of the hearing aid device, the transfer function of the head or of the external ear is taken into account between the position at which the microphone is located and a position in the auditory canal of the hearing device user. The natural location capability of a person to localize a signal source in space thus is not lost given treatment with a hearing aid device that is not worn in the auditory canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Volkmar Hamacher, Torsten Niederdränk
  • Patent number: 7302069
    Abstract: The process of adapting a hearing aid to its wearer is to be simplified. To this end the acoustic conditions in the auditory canal, especially the acoustic impedance, are estimated by measuring the input impedance of the earpiece on the hearing aid. For adjusting the hearing aid it is worthwhile using the mechanical resonance of the system of hearing aid and auditory canal which can be detected with the aid of the input impedance. This is produced by a simplified equivalent circuit diagram from which the corresponding acoustic variables can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Niederdränk, Christian Weistenhöfer
  • Patent number: 7292698
    Abstract: The communication device in a hearing aid needs to be optimized with respect to spatial requirements and power consumption. To this end, provision is made for an inductor in an oscillator circuit to be used simultaneously as an antenna. Besides reducing the number of components, this also reduces the power consumption. Further optimization in terms of energy can be achieved by virtue of a comparator being used to actuate a controllable current source such that energy is fed into the oscillator circuit only during a half-cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Niederdränk, Gerhard Pfannenmüller, Gottfried Rückerl
  • Patent number: 7263194
    Abstract: The space in hearing device housings (1, 2) is to be enabled to be used more intensively. To this end, the invention pro-poses dispensing with a separate microphone housing and embodying said housing in one piece with the hearing device housing. To reduce the microphone's sensitivity to body sound the corresponding attenuation can be provided in the hearing device shells or the non body-sound-sensitive Silicon microphones (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Niederdränk, Christian Weistenhöfer
  • Patent number: 7260234
    Abstract: An antenna coil is present in a hearing aid device to wirelessly transmit signals between a hearing aid device and a further device. Due to the required miniaturization of hearing aid devices, only minimal space is available for the arrangement of the antenna coil in the hearing aid device. The invention therefore provides for winding the antenna coil around or on an existing electro-acoustic transducer in the hearing aid device or around a capsule surrounding the transducer. A comparatively large antenna coil, for which little additional space is required, can thereby be provided in the hearing aid device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kasztelan, Torsten Niederdränk, Peter Nikles, Christian Weistenhöfer
  • Patent number: 7254245
    Abstract: The microphones used in hearing devices normally possess different characteristic lines that are to be adapted to one another. For this purpose, the amplitude of an output signal of a first microphone and the amplitude of an output signal of a second microphone are measured. The output signal of the first microphone is subsequently filtered dependent on both measured amplitudes, such that the difference between the two output signals is reduced. One of the two microphones hereby serves as a reference, and an absolute normalization can be foregone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Georg-Erwin Arndt, Joachim Eggers, Thomas Hanses, Torsten Niederdränk, Hartmut Ritter, Gunter Sauer
  • Patent number: 7245734
    Abstract: A directional microphone system comprises two membranes that, on the one hand, are respectively acoustically connected via an air volume with one of two spatially separate sound entrance ports, and on the other hand are acoustically coupled with one another via a third air volume, as well as an output generator configured to generate at least one output signal of the directional microphone from the vibration of one of the two membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Niederdraenk