Hearing Aid Patents (Class 381/23.1)
  • Patent number: 8760284
    Abstract: A listening system that eases the acknowledgement of ‘alarm signals’, as e.g. issued by alarm indicators, in the environment of a user in difficult listening situations. The listening system is adapted to issue specific ALARM mode signals to the user corresponding to said external alarm signals, when said listening system is in an ALARM mode. An advantage of the present system is that a user is able to take notice of alarms from normal indicators even in case of a hearing impairment and/or when located in a noisy environment. The system may e.g. be used for the hearing instruments, ear protection devices, earphones, headsets or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Svend Oscar Petersen, Mette Boel Pedersen, Gabriel Aldaz
  • Publication number: 20140169570
    Abstract: Described herein are techniques for artificially enhancing spaciousness in a hearing aid to improve the music listening experience. Such spatial enhancement is produced by doing signal processing in the hearing aid that mimics the acoustic effects of well-designed concert halls. The same techniques can also be applied to improving the experience of listening to recorded music reproduced and amplified over a speaker system, or to music streamed to the direct-audio input of a hearing aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Sridhar Kalluri, Kelly Fitz, John Ellison, Donald James Reynolds
  • Patent number: 8744101
    Abstract: Systems and method for computing in-situ estimates of the overall level and incoming direction of ambient acoustical energy by combining the output signals of at least one differential directional microphone and at least one omnidirectional microphone, or, multiple differential directional microphones, at specified gains, in order to have various polar pattern estimates for acoustical energy arriving from three or more sectors about the user. In one embodiment as many as eight different sectors about the user, including the front, rear, and sides are used. In various embodiments, front, rear and/or side or portions thereof are used. Other numbers of sectors are possible without departing from the scope of the present subject matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Howard Burns
  • Patent number: 8737653
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for binaural noise reduction for hearing assistance devices using information generated at a first hearing assistance device and information received from a second hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the present subject matter provides a gain measurement for noise reduction using information from a second hearing assistance device that is transferred at a lower bit rate or bandwidth by the use of coding for further quantization of the information to reduce the amount of information needed to make a gain calculation at the first hearing assistance device. The present subject matter can be used for hearing aids with wireless or wired connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: William S. Woods
  • Patent number: 8737664
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods are discussed for controlling resonance in in-the-ear headphones. Resonance effects resulting from wave reflection and superposition can occur in the cavity formed by the port tube of an earbud and the wearer's ear canal. In this invention, acoustically resistive structures are provided to create sound diffusion in the cavity. In one embodiment, a spring coil with several adjustable parameters is inserted into the port tube. In another embodiment, a pattern of grooves is carved into the inner surface of the port tube. Porous filters can also be used in conjunction with both of the embodiments described above. The result of providing the resistive structures in an earbud is a flattened cavity frequency response and improved sound quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Victor M. Tiscareno, Kurt Stiehl
  • Patent number: 8738367
    Abstract: A speech signal processing device is equipped with a power acquisition unit, a probability distribution acquisition unit, and a correspondence degree determination unit. The power acquisition unit accepts an inputted speech signal and, based on the accepted speech signal, acquires power representing the intensity of a speech sound represented by the speech signal. The probability distribution acquisition unit acquires a probability distribution using the intensity of the power acquired by the power acquisition unit as a random variable. The correspondence degree determination unit determines whether a correspondence degree representing a degree that power acquired by the power acquisition unit in a case that a predetermined reference speech signal is inputted into the power acquisition unit corresponds with predetermined reference power is higher than a predetermined reference correspondence degree, based on the probability distribution acquired by the probability distribution acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Emori
  • Patent number: 8731221
    Abstract: There is provided a hearing aid that reduces a possibility of loss. The hearing aid of the present invention includes a microphone 101 configured to collect sound; a hearing aid processing unit 102 configured to perform hearing aid processing to an input signal from the microphone 101; a speaker 103 configured to output a signal processed by the hearing aid processing unit 102 to the outside; and a drop detection unit 104 configured to detect drop by reference to the input signal from the microphone 101.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Takefumi Ura
  • Patent number: 8712063
    Abstract: The binaural hearing system comprises a first hearing device and a second hearing device, each comprising an output transducer for converting audio signals into signals to be perceived by a user of the hearing system. A communication link interconnects the first and second hearing devices. A sound generator comprised in the first hearing device generates first audio signals. The first hearing device is adapted to transmit the first audio signals to the second hearing device via the communication link. Through the transmission of the generated first audio signals, it is possible to achieve a predictable latency for the perception of the first audio signals by the user's two ears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Raoul Glatt, Micha Knaus, Rolf Laich
  • Patent number: 8712082
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a firmware-updated programmable hearing device comprising at least one processor and a memory unit in which hearing device firmware is stored, comprises the step of executing an update application in said processor installing an updated version of at least a portion of the hearing device firmware in said memory unit. The system for updating the firmware of a programmable hearing device as described above comprises: an update apparatus comprising a communication interface for communication via a wireless communication link and a storage unit in which an update application is stored, which is designed to be executed in said processor installing an updated version of at least a portion of the hearing device firmware in said memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Ivo Spieler, Rino Eichmann, Oliver Frank, Christoph Aerne
  • Patent number: 8705751
    Abstract: This application relates to a system for compression and mixing for hearing assistance devices by application of compression to individual sound sources before mixing, according to one example. Variations of the present system using surround sound provide separate signals from a surround sound synthesizer which are compressed prior to mixing of the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent Edwards
  • Publication number: 20140086417
    Abstract: A hearing system includes a first hearing aid, the first hearing aid comprising: a first microphone for converting sound into electrical signals; a processor communicatively coupled to the first microphone, wherein the processor is configured to provide an output based on the electrical signals from the first microphone; a first speaker communicatively coupled to the processor, and is configured to provide an acoustic signal based on the output provided by the processor; and a first communication device configured to receive a control signal transmitted from a second hearing aid in response to a reception or detection of a signal associated with a phone by the second hearing aid; wherein the first hearing aid is configured to reduce a gain of the first hearing aid to a non-zero value in response to the control signal received from the second hearing aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: GN RESOUND A/S
    Inventors: Kim Heegaard HANSEN, Brian Dam PEDERSEN
  • Patent number: 8670355
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a hearing aid compatibility mode of communication service to hearing aid users is disclosed. The described system can store an indication at a communication network that a given account is used by a person who wears hearing aid equipment. Services provided to that account can then use communication parameters and network resources which tend to minimize interference with a hearing aid. The network can instruct the user equipment and the radio access network to communicate using hearing aid friendly parameters. In some cases, network resources beyond those allocated for accounts not indicated as hearing aid user accounts can be allocated. Parameters adjusted in hearing aid compatibility mode can include codec rates, operating power levels, and burst frame length, among others. In some described embodiments, the hearing aid compatibility mode can be selectively enabled as desired by an account user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Melvin Duane Frerking, George O'Quinn Hirvela
  • Patent number: 8670582
    Abstract: A signal processing device comprising a signal processing unit for processing an electrical SPU-input signal comprising frequencies in the audible frequency range between a minimum frequency and a maximum frequency, and providing a processed SPU output signal. An FM to AM transformation unit transforms an FM2AM input signal originating from the SPU-input signal and comprising at least a part of the frequency range of the SPU-input signal from a frequency modulated signal to an amplitude modulated signal to provide an FM2AM output signal, which is used in the generation of the processed SPU output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Lunner, Niels Henrik Pontoppidan
  • Publication number: 20140064496
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for binaural enhancement of tone language for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a method for enhancing pitch in a hearing assistance system having a first and second hearing assistance device. A signal is received using a microphone of the first hearing assistance device. Pitch detection is performed on the signal to obtain a pitch value. The pitch value is wirelessly transmitted from the first hearing assistance device to the second hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the pitch value of the first hearing assistance device is combined with a pitch value of the second hearing assistance device. The gain is adjusted based on the combined pitch value, in various embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Ning Li
  • Patent number: 8666314
    Abstract: A wireless audio transmission, for example from a television to a hearing device, is to be achieved simply and with a low signal delay. For this purpose are proposed a transmission facility with a transmission device for transmitting audio data in a signal conforming to a Bluetooth® communications protocol, a hearing-aid-specific coder which is integrated into the transmission device for the purpose of compressing the audio data before its transmission, and a relay station for converting the Bluetooth® signal from the transmission device into a signal for inductive transmission to the hearing device. In the relay station, no recoding is performed during the conversion. The transmission device transmits in accordance with the Bluetooth® A2DP protocol. The hearing-aid-specific coder has a lower sampling rate than the standard Bluetooth® coder SBC. Encoding delays and processing delays in the relay station can be minimized by this system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lotter, Jürgen Reithinger
  • Patent number: 8660281
    Abstract: A method for a multi microphone noise reduction in a complex noisy environment is proposed. A left and a right noise power spectral density for a left and a right noise input frame is estimated for computing a diffuse noise gain. A target speech power spectral density is extracted from the noise input frame. A directional noise gain is calculated from the target speech power spectral density and the noise power spectral density. The noisy input frame is filtered by Kalman filtering method. A Kalman based gain is generated from the Kalman filtered noisy frame and the noise power spectral density. A spectral enhancement gain is computed by combining the diffuse noise gain, the directional noise gain, and the Kalman based gain. The method reduces different combinations of diverse background noise and increases speech intelligibility, while guaranteeing to preserve the interaural cues of the target speech and directional background noises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: University of Ottawa
    Inventors: Martin Bouchard, Homayoun Kamkar Parsi
  • Patent number: 8660285
    Abstract: A special accessory adapter for use with a BTE device of a cochlear implant (CI) system provides two inputs: a T-Mic input and an auxiliary audio input. Both inputs (the T-Mic input and the auxiliary audio input) are connected to a special mixer circuit integrated into a body of the accessory adapter. The body of the accessory adapter connects to the BTE using the same earhook attachment mechanism used by other accessories used by the CI system. The special mixer circuit prevents signals from either the T-Mic input or the auxiliary audio input from interfering with each other. Both signals, however, can still be processed by the processing circuits of the BTE and combined in such a way that user is able to perceive both signals at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventor: R. Tissa Karunasiri
  • Publication number: 20140031899
    Abstract: An exemplary speech processor configured to be used in a cochlear implant system includes signal processing circuitry that 1) separates an incoming audio signal into a plurality of channels, wherein each channel included in the plurality of channels includes a channel signal included in a plurality of channel signals and representing a portion of the audio signal, 2) selects one or more channel signals from the plurality of channel signals that have a spectral power that exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the selected one or more channel signals corresponding to one or more channels included in the plurality of channels, and 3) designates only the one or more channels that correspond to the selected one or more channel signals to be used for stimulation representative of the incoming audio signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventor: Gene Y. Fridman
  • Publication number: 20140016788
    Abstract: The aim is to make operation of hearing device apparatuses more convenient. A method is proposed for operating a hearing device apparatus by a user by presenting a first acoustic signal by the hearing device apparatus as originating from a first virtual position and by presenting a second acoustic signal by the hearing device apparatus as originating from a second virtual position. In this connection the first acoustic signal represents a first adjustment option of the hearing device apparatus and the second acoustic signal a second adjustment option. The body part of the user is moved toward the first or second virtual position and a position or movement of the body part of the user is detected. Finally the detected position or movement of the body part is automatically allocated to the first or second virtual position, whereby the adjustment option corresponding to the allocated virtual position is chosen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: UWE RASS
  • Patent number: 8630431
    Abstract: A hearing aid system includes a first microphone and a second microphone for provision of electrical input signals, a beamformer for provision of a first audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the first audio signal having a directional spatial characteristic, wherein the beamformer is configured to provide a second audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the second audio signal having a spatial characteristic that is different from the directional spatial characteristic of the first audio signal, and a mixer configured for mixing the first audio signal and the second audio signal in order to provide an output signal to be heard by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: GN Resound A/S
    Inventor: Karl-Fredrik Johan Gran
  • Publication number: 20140010373
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes: at least one microphone for provision of at least one microphone audio signal in response to sound received at the at least one microphone; a signal separation unit configured to provide an estimate of a target signal and an estimate of a masker signal based on the at least one microphone audio signal; a frequency modifying unit configured to modify a frequency content of at least one of the estimate of the target signal and the estimate of the masker signal, to thereby output the estimated target signal and the estimated masker signal substantially in different frequency bands; and a receiver for conversion of a combination of the estimate of the target signal and the estimate of the masker signal output by the frequency modifying unit into an acoustic signal for transmission towards an eardrum of a user of the hearing aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: GN ReSound A/S
    Inventors: Karl-Fredrik J. GRAN, Andrew B. DITTBERNER
  • Patent number: 8605913
    Abstract: In a hearing aid system having a first hearing aid and a second hearing aid for providing binaural hearing assistance to a user, the hearing aid for providing hearing assistance to the left ear can easily be confused with the hearing aid for providing hearing assistance to the right ear. The invention proposes a side detection device by means of which each hearing aid detects on or in which ear of the user it is currently being worn. Advantageously, the parameter settings for providing hearing assistance to both ears are stored in both hearing aids of a respective hearing aid system, with the result that following the automatic detection of the respective ear in which the respective hearing aid is currently being worn the corresponding parameter settings are also activated automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Claus-Dieter Schwerdtner
  • Patent number: 8600067
    Abstract: A test signal emitted by an earpiece is compared against the acoustic signal to determine if a sealing section of the earpiece is sealed properly. The degree of acoustic sealing is used to adjust the attenuation level of a sealing section of the earpiece or alert the user of the seal status of the sealing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Personics Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: John Usher, John P Keady
  • Patent number: 8600088
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a hearing device system which comprises: at least a first hearing device (10) including a first control unit (14) and a second hearing device (30) including a second control unit (37) for processing acoustic signals. Each of the hearing devices includes a transceiver (20, 34) for establishing a data communications link (40) between the first and the second hearing devices. At least one of the hearing devices including a sensing means (18, 33) for detecting, whether a telephone handset (19) is placed close to the hearing device. Each of the control units includes at least a first and a second control mode. Both hearing devices are adapted for outputting the processed acoustic signals in the first control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventor: Karsten Bo Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 8594337
    Abstract: A method to operate a hearing device and a hearing device are disclosed comprising a plurality of source units (S1, . . . , Sn). The method comprises the steps of monitoring activities of the source units (S1, . . . , Sn), selecting input signals of active source units (S1, . . . , Sn), processing the selected input signals of active source units (S1, . . . , Sn), and generating an output signal of the hearing device by said processing. According to the present invention, the parameters for controlling said processing are derived from at least one active source unit (S1, . . . , Sn) and/or from at least one selected input signal, respectively. The new technology describes for the first time a hearing device comprising a plurality of source units that are dealt with in automatic manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventor: Bernd Waldmann
  • Publication number: 20130308782
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes a first microphone for providing a first audio input signal, a second microphone for providing a second audio input signal, a signal processor configured for generating a hearing loss compensated audio output signal based at least in part on the audio input signals, and a receiver for converting the audio output signal into an output sound signal, wherein the signal processor is configured to perform directional processing, based on the first and second audio input signals, in a first frequency range and substantially omni-directional processing in a second frequency range, at least a part of the first frequency range being higher than the second frequency range, and wherein a lower cutoff frequency of the first frequency range is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: GN ReSound A/S
    Inventors: Andrew Dittberner, Rob De Vries, Almer Jacob Van Den Berg
  • Patent number: 8565460
    Abstract: A hearing aid used for a low tone frequency band, a hearing aid used for a high tone frequency band, and a controller that compares sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band with sound pressure of the high tone frequency band split by a frequency band analyzer of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band. If the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the low tone frequency band is higher by at least a specific amount than the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band, the sound pressure of the high tone frequency band of the hearing aid used for the high tone frequency band is raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Takagi, Gempo Ito
  • Patent number: 8559662
    Abstract: Disclosed herein, among other things, is an apparatus for fitting a hearing assistance device using a genetic algorithm. The apparatus includes a first population of a plurality of parent sets representing at least one device parameter. A first pair from the parent sets is presented with assistance of the hearing assistance device, the first pair comprising a first and second set. A user selects a preference between the first and second sets. A child set is determined by operating on at least one set of the plurality of parent sets. The child set can include a crossover of the at least one parent set, where the crossover includes an arithmetic or geometrical operation to parameter values of the parent set, or a mutation of the at least one parent set, where the mutation includes replacing a lowest ranked parameter value in the parent set with a randomly generated parameter value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Deniz Baskent
  • Patent number: 8553905
    Abstract: A system that records audio and stores the recording is provided. The system includes first and second monitoring assemblies mounted in an earpiece that occludes and forms an acoustic seal of an ear canal. The first monitoring assembly includes an ambient sound microphone (ASM) to monitor an ambient acoustic field and produce an ASM signal. The second monitoring assembly includes an ear canal microphone (ECM) to monitor an acoustic field within the ear canal and produce an ECM signal. The system also includes a data storage device configured to act as a circular buffer for continually storing at least one of the ECM signal or the ASM signal, a further data storage device and a record-activation system. The record-activation system activates the further data storage device to record a content of the data storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Personics Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Wayne Goldstein, John Usher
  • Patent number: 8553897
    Abstract: A method of acoustically fitting a hearing aid comprises providing a plurality of audible tones, each having a predetermined frequency through stereo headphones. The tones are provided at specific sound pressure in each ear. The patient changes the relative sound pressure in each ear until a perceived direction of source of the tone is in front of the patient. The amplification or attenuation requirements of a hearing aid are modified based on the difference in the sound pressures required for the left and right ears of the patient for perceived directional sameness for each frequency band-pass channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Dean Robert Gary Anderson
    Inventor: Dean Robert Gary Anderson
  • Patent number: 8553916
    Abstract: A method, hearing aid, and computer product for changing the sequence of program positions of hearing programs are provided. The program positions of the hearing programs have a predefinable sequence. Time periods, within which hearing programs are selected, are measured. A new sequence of the program positions is calculated taking the measured time periods into account. The sequence of the program positions after a predefinable time span is modified in accordance with the calculated sequence. As a result hearing aids adapt to changed environments and place favorite programs in the front section of the program positions in accordance with the hearing aid wearer's preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Andre Steinbuss
  • Publication number: 20130259239
    Abstract: A hearing apparatus for a binaural supply contains a first earhook to be worn on one ear, having a plurality of microphones, and a first signal processing device which is configured to generate a local earpiece signal for an earpiece of the first earhook from microphone signals of the microphones by use of multichannel signal processing of each of the microphone signals. A beam forming device and a transmission device are additionally provided in the first earhook. The beam forming device is configured to generate a directional output signal from the microphone signals by signal processing which has fewer channels than that of the first signal processing device, and wherein the transmission device is set up to transmit the directional output signal as an electrical or electromagnetic signal from the first earhook.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: MARC AUBREVILLE, EGHART FISCHER, HOMAYOUN KAMKAR PARSI, STEFAN PETRAUSCH
  • Publication number: 20130259237
    Abstract: A hearing assistance system and method for wireless RF audio signal transmission from at least one audio signal source to ear level receivers, wherein a close-to-natural hearing impression is to be achieved. At least one parameter of the RF signal as received from a transmission unit at a respective receiver unit to create left ear RF signal measurement data and right ear RF signal measurement data, respectively. The angular localization of each transmission unit is obtained by comparing, for each transmission unit, the left ear RF signal measurement data and the right ear RF signal measurement data. The audio signals are processed and distributed according to the estimated angular localization of each transmission unit in a manner so that the angular localization impression of the audio signals from each transmission unit as perceived by the user corresponds to the estimated angular localization of the respective transmission unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: PHONAK AG
    Inventors: Yves Oesch, Claude Richard, Timothee Jost, Marc Secall, Christoph Schmid, Rainer Platz, Evert Dijkstra
  • Patent number: 8542855
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing aid system comprising first and second spatially separated hearing instruments, the system being adapted for processing input sounds to output sounds according to a user's needs. The invention further relates to a method and use. The object of the present invention is to provide an alternative scheme for reducing the effect of acoustic feedback in a hearing aid system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Bo Elmedyb, Jesper Jensen, Meng Guo
  • Patent number: 8538033
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for obtaining hearing enhancement fittings for a hearing aid device is described. A plurality of audiograms is collected. The plurality of audiograms is divided into one or more sets of audiograms. A representative audiogram is created for each set of audiograms. A hearing enhancement fitting is computed from each representative audiogram. A hearing aid device is programmed with one or more hearing enhancement fittings computed from each representative audiogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sonic Innovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald A. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8532307
    Abstract: A method of providing binaural hearing assistance to a user, comprising: capturing audio signals at an ear unit worn at each side of the users head; defining a target signal with regard to background noise; determining the difference in the target-signal-to-background-noise ratio of the audio signals captured at the each ear unit; exchanging audio signals between each ear unit according to the determined difference in the target-signal-to-background-noise ratio; selecting, as a function of the determined difference in the target-signal-to-background-noise ratio, as input to each of the stimulating means the audio signals captured at the respective ear unit, the audio signals received from the other one of the ear units, and/or mixtures thereof; and stimulating the user's right ear and the user's left ear according to the selected respective audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Ralph P. Derleth, Stefhan Launer
  • Patent number: 8532320
    Abstract: In a method and system for fitting the gain of a hearing aid (300) for a hearing impaired person, a loop gain of the hearing aid in the ear canal (350) of the hearing impaired person is measured for at least one frequency band. An effective vent parameter such as a corresponding vent diameter for the hearing aid by determining a vent parameter that generates the best fit between a modelled and the measured loop gain is estimated, a vent effect value based on the estimated effective vent parameter is determined, and a corrected hearing aid gain is provided by means of the determined vent effect value. The invention provides a method, a computer program, a system for fitting a hearing aid, a hearing aid and a computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Widex A/S
    Inventors: Morten Agerbaek Nordahn, Anders Holm Jessen, Jan Topholm
  • Patent number: 8526624
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes an audio signal input device, a signal processor and a signal output device which presents a processed audio signal perceivable as sound to an ear of a user. The signal processor includes fast acting level estimators and slow acting level estimators. A communication link between two hearing aids at each ear of a user allows the transmission between the two hearing aids of level estimates from the slow acting level estimators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Lars Bramsløw, Anders Højsgaard Thomsen
  • Publication number: 20130223634
    Abstract: A method fits a binaural hearing aid system for a person with a small or moderate asymmetrical hearing loss. The method comprises providing first hearing loss data for a right ear of a user; providing second hearing loss data for a left ear of a user; determining a difference between the first and second hearing loss data; classifying the degree of similarity of the first and second hearing loss data; determining basic hearing loss data to for each of the first and second hearing instruments depending on hearing loss classes; and calculating frequency dependent target gain values for each of the first and second hearing instruments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: BERNAFON AG
    Inventor: BERNAFON AG
  • Publication number: 20130202119
    Abstract: A binaural hearing aid system (100) is adapted to provide binaural beats to a hearing aid user. The invention further provides a method of generating binaural beats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: WIDEX A/S
    Inventor: WIDEX A/S
  • Publication number: 20130182855
    Abstract: Multimedia playing apparatuses and methods of measuring hearing characteristics of a user and outputting a sound modulated according to the hearing characteristics of the user are provided. A multimedia playing apparatus includes a sound output unit configured to output a sound comprising of one or more phonemes, and a user interface configured to receive a user response to the phonemes. The multimedia playing apparatus further includes a processor configured to acquire hearing characteristics of a user based on the user response, and determine an output level and/or an output time of the sound for each of frequency bands based on the hearing characteristics of the user. The sound output unit is further configured to output the sound according to the output level and/or the output time of the sound for each of the frequency bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130170653
    Abstract: A method of binaural signal enhancement in a binaural hearing aid system, includes providing at least one microphone audio signal in response to sound, providing an estimate of one of a target signal and a noise signal based on the at least one microphone audio signal, phase shifting the estimate of one of the target signal and the noise signal, providing a phase shifted signal in which the phase shifted estimate of one of the target signal and the noise signal substantially substitutes the respective one of the target signal and the noise signal, transmitting a first signal representing the phase shifted signal towards a first eardrum of a user of the binaural hearing aid system, and transmitting a second signal representing the at least one microphone audio signal towards a second eardrum of the user. A system for performing the method is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: GN RESOUND A/S
    Inventors: Karl-Fredrik Johan Gran, Andrew Burke Dittberner
  • Publication number: 20130170654
    Abstract: A system for improving synchronization of an acoustic signal to a video display includes a hearing aid comprising a hearing loss processor configured for signal processing in accordance with a hearing loss of a user of the hearing aid, the hearing aid being configured for receiving a first audio signal for synchronous presentation to the user viewing the video display, the hearing aid being configured for generating a first acoustic signal to be presented to the user of the hearing aid, the first acoustic signal comprising at least a first part being generated in response to the first audio signal. The system also includes a delay unit configured for applying a delay, such that synchronization of the at least first part of the first acoustic signal to the video display is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: GN RESOUND A/S
    Inventors: Søren C. ELL, Jesper L. NIELSEN
  • Patent number: 8477952
    Abstract: The invention concerns in a first aspect an audio system comprising a microphone, audio signal processing means, an output transducer and means for detecting a possible feedback tone and the corresponding frequency of the feedback tone in the audio system between the output transducer and the microphone. According to the invention means for counteracting feedback are provided. Further, means are provided for changing the phase of the audio signal at a given frequency. In a further aspect, a binaural hearing aid system comprising first and second hearing instruments according to the first aspect, each hearing instrument comprising transceiver circuitry allowing an exchange of signals between the two hearing instruments, and wherein the binaural hearing aid system is adapted to provide that a phase change introduced in the first audio signal by a controller of the first hearing instrument is or can be introduced in the second audio signal of the second hearing instrument via said transceiver circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Bo Elmedyb, Johan Hellgren
  • Publication number: 20130156202
    Abstract: A bone conduction hearing aid system with right and left ear microphone arrangements; right and left ear ambient sound signal processing units, right and left ear bone conduction output transducers for stimulating the user's right and left ear cochlea, respectively; a right and left ear cross-talk compensation filter units for generating right and left ear crosstalk compensation signals, respectively, from the processed audio signals of the respective signal processing unit according to an estimated transcranial transfer function; and means for subtracting the left ear cross-talk compensation signal from the processed audio signals of the right ear signal processing unit to generate the right ear output audio signals, and means for subtracting the right ear cross-talk compensation signal from the processed audio signals of the left ear signal processing unit to generate the left ear output audio signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: PHONAK AG
    Inventor: Volkmar Hamacher
  • Publication number: 20130148813
    Abstract: This application relates to a system for compression and mixing for hearing assistance devices by application of compression to individual sound sources before applying a head-related transfer function (HRTF) to prevent compression and cross modulation of interaural-level-difference (ILD) cues for localization, according to one example. Variations of the present system use coordinated compression to left and right individual source signals after application of HRTFs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Olaf Strelcyk, Brent Edwards
  • Patent number: 8442247
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing aid system comprising an input transducer for converting an input sound signal comprising an information signal part of a known waveform and a background noise part to an electrical analogue input signal, optionally an A/D converter for converting the electrical input signal to a digital input signal. The invention further relates to a method of making a critical gain measurement. The object of the present invention is to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of a signal to be measured or detected in a hearing instrument compared to prior art solutions. The problem is solved in that a matched filter receiving said analogue or digital input signal and optimized to improve the identification of the information signal part from the noisy input signal. An advantage of the invention is that it provides an alternative scheme for improving signal to noise ratio of a hearing aid. The invention may e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Bernafon AG
    Inventors: Jesko Lamm, Lukas Maurer, Michael Ernst, Sarah Bostock
  • Publication number: 20130114818
    Abstract: A method of operation saves energy during the operation of a binaural hearing system having a left-hand hearing device and a right-hand hearing device. The method includes providing a left-hand internal input signal in the left-hand hearing device and a right-hand internal input signal in the right-hand hearing device. A sending mode of the left-hand hearing device and/or right-hand hearing device is activated and/or deactivated. The sending mode is therein activated in one of the hearing devices automatically in dependence on the respective internal input signal and the sending mode is deactivated in one of the hearing devices automatically in dependence on the respective internal input signal and of a communication signal received from the respective other hearing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
  • Publication number: 20130108058
    Abstract: A hearing device is proposed comprising at least one microphone (1), at least one analog-to-digital converter (2), a signal processing unit (3), a communication unit (6) for establishing and/or maintaining a communication link to a second hearing device, and a detection unit (7) for determining a communication link quality. The at least one microphone (1) is operationally connected to the signal processing unit (3) via the at least one analog-to-digital converter (2), and the communication unit (6) is operationally connected to the signal processing unit (3). By providing said detection unit (7), which is operationally connected to the communication unit (6), together with a processing scheme selectable in the signal processing unit (3) in accordance to a determined communication link quality, a binaural hearing system with two hearing devices is for able to adjust its mode in line with the communication link quality, and therewith its capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Phonak AG
  • Publication number: 20130101123
    Abstract: The fitting of a hearing device and in particular of a hearing aid using frequency compression is to be simplified. A method for determining a knee point of a frequency compression characteristic for a hearing device is therefore proposed wherein a maximum audible frequency of a hearing device user is first determined and the knee point is then determined using a predefined rule in dependence on a maximum audible frequency. An end point of a compression characteristic can also be automatically determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.