Programming Interface Circuitry Patents (Class 381/314)
  • Patent number: 12262179
    Abstract: An audiogram, a system for aiding hearing and a method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a hearing aid device equipped with sound processing capabilities, including a microphone, speaker, and electronic signal processor wirelessly communicates with a smart device. The electronic signal processor is adaptable based on a custom audiogram-vivo adaptare audiogram-stored at the hearing aid device, which can be dynamically adjusted through a smart device application. Patients can directly influence their hearing experience by modifying the vivo adaptare audiogram via the app, adjusting settings like sound level, directional microphone activation, and noise cancellation levels. This allows users to tailor hearing aid settings to the immediate environment and personal hearing needs, ensuring an optimized auditory experience. The system emphasizes user control and adaptability, offering a significant advancement in hearing aid technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Inventor: Laslo Olah
  • Patent number: 12260920
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor apparatus including a power supply pin configured to receive a power supply voltage from an outside, a capacitor connection pin to be connected with a capacitor, a power supply circuit having an input connected to the power supply pin and having an output connected to the capacitor connection pin, the power supply circuit being configured to generate an internal power supply voltage at the output of the power supply circuit, a nonvolatile memory configured to operate by receiving the internal power supply voltage, a switch disposed between a power supply terminal of the nonvolatile memory and the capacitor connection pin, and, a control unit configured to turn on the switch when the internal power supply voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nozomu Koja
  • Patent number: 12245008
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamic audio optimization associated with digital content are provided. One or more audio profiles including one or more audio settings for one or more audio output devices available to a user may be stored in memory. An incoming audio stream associated with a current interactive session of the user and real-world audio within an identified real-world space where the user is located may be monitored. One or more audio deviations may be detected based on a comparison of the incoming audio stream and the real-world audio within the identified real-world space. An audio profile associated with the current interactive session may be automatically recalibrated to modify at least one of the audio settings. The audio output device may then process audio of the incoming audio stream in accordance with the at least one modified audio setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignees: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC, SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
    Inventors: Bethany Tinklenberg, Victoria Dorn, Mahdi Azmandian
  • Patent number: 12231886
    Abstract: A hearing device and a method for operating a hearing device is disclosed, hearing device comprising a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; an interface; and a memory unit, wherein the memory unit has stored therein a first primary certificate comprising a first primary hearing device identifier; a second primary certificate comprising a second primary hearing device identifier; and customer data indicative of the hearing device being configured to operate as a customer hearing device, wherein the processing unit is configured to determine if the hearing device is configured to operate as a customer hearing device based on the customer data; and in accordance with a determination that the hearing device is configured to operate as a customer hearing device, operate the hearing device according to the second primary certificate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventor: Allan Munk Vendelbo
  • Patent number: 12207056
    Abstract: A hearing assistance system is disclosed that comprises a hearing assistance device configured to reproduce sounds and to assist a person to hear the sounds, the hearing assistance device including a left hearing assistance device and a right hearing assistance device, and a computing device in communication with the hearing assistance device. The computing device interacts with the hearing assistance device to implement a fitting mode wherein the hearing assistance device is caused to generate fitting sounds usable to evaluate whether the left and right hearing devices are properly fitted into respective left and right ears of the person. The computing device produces a communication indicative of whether the left and right hearing assistance devices are properly fitted into respective left and right ears of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: NUHEARA IP PTY LTD
    Inventors: Clint Mathurine, Andrew Victor Cammell, Gregory Paul Breen, Peng Jiang, David Ronald Ward, Alan Davis
  • Patent number: 12185049
    Abstract: An electronic device with a display is paired with a set of wireless audio output devices, including a first wireless audio output device for outputting audio to a right ear of a user and a second wireless audio output device for outputting audio to a left ear of the user. In response to a request to display status information about the set of wireless audio output devices, the electronic device displays a status user interface, including concurrently displaying a first battery status indicator for the first wireless audio output device with an indication that battery status indicator relates to the device for outputting audio to the right ear of the user and a second battery status indicator for the second wireless audio output device with an indication that battery status indicator relates to the device for outputting audio to the left ear of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Brian Fleizach, Edwin W. Foo, Ian M. Fisch, Eric Taylor Seymour
  • Patent number: 12177633
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes a non-programmable user input device that is not programmable by a user nor by an audiologist, control circuitry configured to receive an activation signal from the non-programmable user input device, one or more microphones, neural network circuitry configured to denoise audio signals received by the one or more microphones, and communication circuitry. The hearing aid is configured to detect, using the control circuitry, user activation of the non-programmable user input device on the hearing aid; control, using the control circuitry and based on detecting the activation of the non-programmable user input device on the hearing aid, switching between enabling and disabling the neural network circuitry; and transmit, using the communication circuitry, an indication of the enabling or disabling of the neural network circuitry to a processing device in operative communication with the hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Chromatic Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew de Jonge, Igor Lovchinsky
  • Patent number: 12170870
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing system includes a hearing device, a memory storing instructions and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to perform a process comprising: accessing operating service tier data that associates a first operating service tier with a first set of hearing device functions and a second operating service tier with a second set of hearing device functions; detecting, while the hearing device operates in accordance with the first set of hearing device functions associated with the first operating service tier, a satisfaction of a condition associated with the second operating service tier; and directing, based on the detecting the satisfaction of the condition, the hearing device to switch from operating in accordance with the first set of hearing device functions to operating in accordance with the second set of hearing device functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Charlotte Vercammen, Harald Krueger, Stefan Launer
  • Patent number: 12157059
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device having a controller to modify sound produced by a gaming application according to an otological profile of a user. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: STEELSERIES APS
    Inventors: Jacob Wolff-Petersen, Tino Soelberg, Ed Guntin
  • Patent number: 12137325
    Abstract: A hearing aid is shown and described. The hearing aid includes a body portion having a microphone, an earplug in communication with the body portion having a speaker, a battery and visible and audible beacons disposed in the body portion, and circuitry or programming designed to provide a spatialization function. The hearing aid includes a material having coloring corresponding to the skin pigmentation of a user. The hearing aid is designed to maintain a reserve level of battery power. The hearing aid is waterproof, and can be controlled by a remote controller or cellular telephone application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Inventor: Curt Davidson
  • Patent number: 12114123
    Abstract: A sound input-output control apparatus that can provide wider usage to a sound output apparatus are provided. The sound input-output control apparatus includes a distance determination unit configured to determine whether the distance between at least two of a plurality of sound output apparatuses each independently mounted on a user and configured to output sound toward the user is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance, and an operation control unit configured to control each of the sound output apparatuses to perform first operation when the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is shorter than the predetermined distance, and control each of the sound output apparatuses to perform second operation when the distance between at least two of the plurality of sound output apparatuses is equal to or longer than the predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: JVCKENWOOD Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kumakura, Katsumi Tomizawa, Ryo Miyakuchi, Hideki Takehara, Naribumi Omata, Jeong-ju Choe
  • Patent number: 12069421
    Abstract: An antenna for a hearing instrument is connected to a first feedline segment extending laterally along an inner posterior surface of a shell of the hearing instrument. The antenna is also connected to a second feedline segment extending laterally along the inner posterior surface of the shell. The antenna comprises a first arm connected to the first feedline segment. The first arm initially extends in an inferior direction along the inner posterior surface of the shell from the first feedline segment. A second arm is connected to the second feedline segment and initially extends in a superior direction along the inner lateral surface of the shell from the second feedline segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezdeen Elghannai, Thaddeus Hoffman
  • Patent number: 12041419
    Abstract: A hearing device includes: a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; a memory unit; and an interface; wherein the processing unit is configured to obtain one or more security settings via the interface, the one or more security settings comprising a hearing device key identifier, verify the one or more security settings, and update the hearing device based on the one or more security settings if the one or more security settings are verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Brian Dam Pedersen, Allan Munk Vendelbo
  • Patent number: 12040940
    Abstract: A software upgrade to be deployed by a cloud extension agent is received by a remote network management platform, the cloud extension agent running locally on a network and initiating an outbound connection to the remote network management platform through a firewall of the network. A command is generated for the software upgrade, the command comprising an identification of a source of the software upgrade. The command is provided to the cloud extension agent, wherein providing the command causes the cloud extension agent to acquire the software upgrade from the identified source and deploy the software upgrade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Snowflake Inc.
    Inventors: Vineeth Narasimhan, Joshua Lambert, Thomas Herchek, Ryan Elliot Hope, Nitish Jha, Rahul Jain, Sumeet Singh
  • Patent number: 12022266
    Abstract: A microphone array includes a four-channel serial peripheral interface, a core logic unit, a data receiving unit and a voice recognition unit. The four-channel serial peripheral interface includes a bit clock signal line, a frame clock signal line, and four data signal lines, the core logic unit includes a frequency divider module for converting the control signal and the clock signal to provide a bit clock signal and a frame clock signal. The data receiving unit includes a shift register and a buffer, the shift register is connected to four data signal lines and receives input data of the four digital microphones, and the buffer is connected to the shift register. The voice recognition unit is connected to the data receiving unit and receives microphone signals of the four digital microphones to perform voice recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chun-Hao Huang, Tze-Lan Shen
  • Patent number: 12015892
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a hearing device assembly comprising a behind-the-ear base unit and an in-the-ear transducer module, which communicate via a communication interface and wherein the base unit is configured to detect whether the transducer module comprises a microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventor: Flemming Schmidt
  • Patent number: 12003930
    Abstract: A method and device for detecting acoustic feedback events with an artificial neural network in an in-ear earbud audio system that allows, by user interaction, playback of a recorded and processed signal from an environment-recording microphone by an in-ear speaker that faces or is at least acoustically coupled with the ear canal such that sound played by the speaker enters the ear canal. The audio system employs an acoustic seal that acoustically separates the speaker from the microphone, but due to external factors, the acoustical separation may not be adequate, thereby forming acoustic feedback paths. The neural network facilitates a binary classification of the time-wise segmented microphone signal, which is used to stop playback by the in-ear speaker if a feedback event is detected to protect the hearing of the user. Detection of a feedback event triggers an audible or wireless notification to be delivered to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Damgaard, Pauline O'Callaghan
  • Patent number: 12003949
    Abstract: A communication system provides audio content to one or more client devices capable of playing spatialized audio content. For example, the communication system receives audio content from a client device and transmits the audio content to other client devices to be played for users. The communication system dynamically modifies audio content transmitted to different client devices based on a payload including audio parameters (e.g., local area acoustic properties, an audiogram for a user, a head related transfer function for a user, etc.) received from a client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Lovitt, Nils Thomas Fritiof Lunner, Vladimir Tourbabin, Jacob Ryan Donley
  • Patent number: 11996812
    Abstract: A method (400) of operating an ear level audio system, comprises the steps of applying (401) a first frequency dependent gain to an input signal in order to provide a first processed input signal adapted to at least one of compensating a hearing loss and suppressing noise, determining (402) a noise floor level of the first processed input signal, applying (403) a second frequency dependent gain to the first processed input signal and hereby providing an output signal such that for at least one frequency range the noise floor level of the output signal is positioned at a selected position above or below a hearing threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: WIDEX A/S
    Inventors: Carsten Paludan-Müller, Alan Wiinberg
  • Patent number: 11962348
    Abstract: An audiometer system including an audiometer device that includes an audiometer digital signal processing (DSP) unit, an audiometer baseband processing unit positioned, and an audiometer light-based transceiver. The system further includes a transducer including a transducer light-based transceiver in optical communication with the audiometer light-based transceiver, a transducer baseband processing unit, a transducer processor unit, and an audio speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Natus Medical Incorporated
    Inventor: Ningzhou Cui
  • Patent number: 11924374
    Abstract: Real time, remote access to and adjustment of the hearing aid of a patient while the patient is located in a normal life environment that is remote from a hearing professional. A session request initiates a programming session. Adjustable settings from the patient's hearing aid are wirelessly streamed to the patient's mobile device and from the mobile device to a streaming cloud server. The settings are stored on the cloud, streamed from the cloud to a hearing professional's computer or mobile device and displayed. The hearing professional then changes at least one of the adjustable hearing aid settings and the changed settings are streamed to the cloud, stored on the cloud, streamed from the cloud to the patient's mobile device, wirelessly transmitted to the hearing aid and stored there. A telephonic voice connection between the hearing professional and the patient's mobile device is used to transmit the patient's evaluation of changed settings to the hearing professional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Deborah M. Manchester
  • Patent number: 11904166
    Abstract: Examples relate to systems and methods for providing settings adjustments to auditory prostheses. One or more settings adjustments can be provided to an auditory device in response to a request for the adjustments or a notification that the recipient is experiencing poor quality. The technologies disclosed herein can dynamically adapt based upon information received from a set of auditory prostheses. The information received from the set of auditory prostheses can be used to update the settings adjustments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Marcus Andersson
  • Patent number: 11889273
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for configuring a hearing device. The system includes an audiogram processing component arranged to process image data indicative of an image of an audiogram associated with a person so as to produce audiogram data indicative of the audiogram, and a hearing device configuration component arranged to produce hearing device configuration data based on the audiogram data. The configuration data is indicative of configuration settings for a hearing device that will cause the hearing device to assist the hearing of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: NUHEARA IP PTY LTD
    Inventors: Clint Mathurine, Andrew Victor Cammell, Gregory Paul Breen, Peng Jiang, David Ronald Ward, Alan Davis
  • Patent number: 11877123
    Abstract: Presented herein are audio training techniques that facilitate the rehabilitation of a recipient of an auditory prosthesis. In certain embodiments, the audio training techniques presented herein may include real time training aspects in which the recipient's surrounding (ambient) auditory environment, including the sounds present therein, is analyzed in real time. The recipient can then be provided with a real time identity (e.g., audible or visible representation/description) of the sounds present in the auditory environment. The identity of the sounds can be provided to the recipient automatically and/or in response to recipient queries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Alexander von Brasch, Stephen Fung, Kartik Natarajan
  • Patent number: 11849283
    Abstract: A method and system or device such as a hearing aid are provided for processing audio signals. In accordance with the method, an audio signal is received and divided into a plurality of frequency sub-bands. For each of the frequency sub-band signals, the signal is further divided into overlapping temporal frames. Each of the temporal frames are windowed. Frequency warping is performed on each of the windowed frames. Overlap-and-add is performed on the frequency warped frames. The frequency warped sub-bands are combined into a full band to provide a frequency warped signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: Harinath Garudadri, Ching-Hua Lee, Kuan-Lin Chen, Fred Harris, Bhaskar Rao
  • Patent number: 11832062
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes a non-programmable user input device that is not programmable by a user nor by an audiologist, control circuitry configured to receive an activation signal from the non-programmable user input device, one or more microphones, neural network circuitry configured to denoise audio signals received by the one or more microphones, and communication circuitry. The hearing aid is configured to detect, using the control circuitry, user activation of the non-programmable user input device on the hearing aid; control, using the control circuitry and based on detecting the activation of the non-programmable user input device on the hearing aid, switching between enabling and disabling the neural network circuitry; and transmit, using the communication circuitry, an indication of the enabling or disabling of the neural network circuitry to a processing device in operative communication with the hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: CHROMATIC INC.
    Inventors: Matthew de Jonge, Igor Lovchinsky
  • Patent number: 11825268
    Abstract: A method, including capturing first sound with a hearing prosthesis, classifying the first sound using the hearing prosthesis according to a first feature regime, capturing second sound with the hearing prosthesis, and classifying the second sound using the hearing prosthesis according to a second feature regime different from the first feature regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Alex Von Brasch, Stephen Fung, Kieran Reed
  • Patent number: 11818544
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to tracking of acoustic feedback events of a hearing assistance device, such as a hearing aid. Information about the acoustic feedback events is stored for analysis. Such information is useful for programming acoustic feedback cancellers and other parameters of a hearing assistance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Harikrishna P. Natarajan
  • Patent number: 11809775
    Abstract: Various implementations include conversation assistance audio devices with settings that are adjustable based upon user feedback. In some cases, a computer-implemented method of personalizing a conversation assistance audio device includes: receiving a command from a user for assistance with audio settings in the conversation assistance audio device; applying a baseline set of audio settings to the conversation assistance audio device in response to receiving the user command for assistance; receiving a user command to change the baseline set of audio settings; and applying a modified set of audio settings to the conversation assistance audio device in response to receiving the user command to change the baseline set of audio settings, wherein the modified set of audio settings are applied based upon usage of the conversation assistance audio device and a population model of usage of similar conversation assistance audio devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Todd Sabin, Jahn Dmitri Eichfeld, Benjamin Davis Parker
  • Patent number: 11800302
    Abstract: A method for transmitting information relating to a hearing device, in particular a hearing aid, to an external device. The hearing device is thereby placed in an immediate environment of the external device and the hearing device broadcasts a generally receivable, unencrypted first information item containing metadata about the hearing device and/or access data. The unencrypted first information item is received by the external device. The external device changes its operating mode directly or indirectly as a result of the first information item and continues to be operated with the modified operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Niklas Harlander, Christoph Lueken, Richard Schultz-Amling, Christoph Kukla
  • Patent number: 11800300
    Abstract: A hearing device includes: a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is a part of the hearing device that is configured to provide sound for reception by a user of the hearing device; and a memory unit, wherein the memory unit is configured to store data that is associated with the hearing device; wherein the hearing device is configured to communicate with an electronic device; wherein the processing unit is configured to: obtain information from the electronic device, the information associated with a verification performed based on the data, and allow the hearing device to be set based on the information from the electronic device; and wherein the data comprises a hearing device identifier, and wherein the verification is based on the hearing device identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Brian Dam Pedersen, Allan Munk Vendelbo
  • Patent number: 11758341
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a hearing device comprises: generating an audio stream with a microphone of the hearing device; processing the audio stream with a sound processor of the hearing device thus providing a processed audio stream and outputting the processed audio stream to a user of the hearing device; detecting a hearing situation with a hearing situation detector, wherein the hearing situation is associated with a configurable sound processing parameter adjustable by the user of the hearing device; when the hearing situation is detected, providing a user interface to the user of the hearing device for adjusting the configurable sound processing parameter; and, when the user has adjusted the configurable sound processing parameter, applying the configurable sound processing parameter to the sound processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Martina Schuepbach-Wolf
  • Patent number: 11722827
    Abstract: A hearing device and a method for power supply management of a hearing device is provided, the hearing device comprising a processing unit; a main power source; a first power supply connected to the main power source unit; a magnetic induction unit configured for reception and transmission of wireless signals; wherein the hearing device is configured to deactivate the first power supply during reception of wireless signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventor: Kim Fälling Andersen
  • Patent number: 11711651
    Abstract: A bidirectional channel control system, method, device, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium based on Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications is provided. The system comprises a transmitter, at least one receiver, an audio channel, and a text message control channel. The transmitter is configured to send an audio data stream to the at least one receiver through the audio channel. The transmitter is configured to send a control command to the one receiver through the text message control channel in a one-to-one single-point text message mode, and to receive a feedback result from the one receiver in response to the control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: HANSONG (NANJING) TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Yang Chen, Xunfu Yin, Zhipeng Wang, Fanjie Yuan
  • Patent number: 11706559
    Abstract: A sound attenuating apparatus may include a replaceable sound attenuating device and an electronic receiver configured to mate with the replaceable sound attenuating device. The replaceable sound attenuating device may include a sound attenuating material having an embedded sensor element. The sensor element may have a property that corresponds to a type of replaceable sound attenuating device. The electronic receiver may detect the property of the sensor element. A computing device may determine the type of the replaceable sound attenuating device from the property of the sensor element and perform one or more operations based on the type of replaceable sound attenuating device, including audio control, safety warnings, personal attenuation rating determinations, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Paul D. Henry, Cameron J. Fackler
  • Patent number: 11689865
    Abstract: A hearing instrument includes: a first portion shaped and sized for placement at a pinna of a user's ear; and a second portion having an earpiece for placement in the user's ear canal; wherein the second portion also comprises a connector assembly configured for electrically coupling to the first portion, the connector assembly having a plurality of connector wires, the plurality of connector wires comprising a first connector wire; wherein the second portion also comprises a receiver or miniature loudspeaker for receipt of an audio drive signal through at least the first connector wire; and wherein the second portion also comprises a non-volatile memory circuit having a data interface configured for receipt and transmittal of module data, the non-volatile memory circuit configured to store the module data, wherein the stored module data at least comprises electroacoustic calibration parameter(s) of the receiver or the miniature loudspeaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventor: Flemming Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11684516
    Abstract: Hearing protection and communication apparatus using vibration sensors are disclosed. An example wearable electronic device includes means for transducing vibrations associated with speech into a first signal; means for transducing sound associated with ambient noise into a second signal; and means for processing to cause a speaker to output a signal to reduce the ambient noise; detect an identifier in the speech; and cause audio data representative of the speech to be transmitted to a second device associated with the identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Willem M. Beltman, Hector A. Cordourier Maruri, Paulo Lopez Meyer, Jonathan Huang
  • Patent number: 11689870
    Abstract: A hearing device includes: a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; a memory unit; and an interface; wherein the processing unit is configured to obtain one or more security settings via the interface, the one or more security settings comprising a hearing device key identifier, verify the one or more security settings, and update the hearing device based on the one or more security settings if the one or more security settings are verified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventors: Brian Dam Pedersen, Allan Munk Vendelbo
  • Patent number: 11669153
    Abstract: A sensor which detects voluntary movements of ear structures, including the ear drum complex, which triggers user interfaces of electronic devices to enable communication and other activities by interaction with assistive technology. The method of detecting this voluntary movement may also be used to trigger and control user interfaces in connected devices such as mobile telephones and incorporated into multi-function earphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventor: Nicholas Gompertz
  • Patent number: 11671770
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing an audio signal are provided for server-mediated sound personalization on a plurality of consumer devices. A user hearing test is conducted on one of a plurality of audio output devices. Next, the hearing data of the user's hearing test is outputted to a server and stored on the server's database along with a unique user identifier. Next, a set of DSP parameters for a sound personalization algorithm are calculated from the user's hearing data. The DSP parameter set is then outputted to one of a plurality of audio output devices when the user logs in with their unique identifier on an application on the audio output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Mimi Hearing Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Clark, Michael Hirsch
  • Patent number: 11651238
    Abstract: An earpiece in embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following features: (a) an earpiece housing, (b) at least one speaker, (c) a plurality of sensors disposed within the earpiece housing, and (d) a processor disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the plurality of sensors and the at least one speaker, wherein the processor is configured to use an artificial intelligence framework to evaluate sensor input from the plurality of sensors to provide advice to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: BRAGI GMBH
    Inventors: Darko Dragicevic, Peter Vincent Boesen
  • Patent number: 11653155
    Abstract: A method for evaluating hearing of a user comprising: generating a baseline hearing profile for the user comprising a set of gain values based on a volume setting, each gain value in the set of gain values corresponding to a frequency band in a set of frequency bands; accessing a soundbite comprising a phrase characterized by a frequency spectrum predominantly within one frequency band; playing the soundbite amplified by a first gain in the frequency band; playing the soundbite amplified by a second gain in the frequency band; receiving a preference input representing a preference of the user from amongst the soundbite amplified by the first gain and the soundbite amplified by the second; and modifying a gain value, corresponding to the frequency band, in the baseline hearing profile based on the preference input to generate a refined hearing profile compensating for hearing deficiency of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Concha Inc.
    Inventors: Amy Li, Matthew Sorg, David Northway
  • Patent number: 11638080
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a hearing device assembly comprising a behind-the-ear base unit and an in-the-ear transducer module, which communicate via a communication interface and wherein the base unit is configured to detect whether the transducer module comprises a microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: GN HEARING A/S
    Inventor: Flemming Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11622187
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a hearing device configured to detect tapping based on input from at least two sensors of the hearing device. The tapping can relate to a tapping gesture that includes a single tap or double tapping. In response to the single or double tap, the hearing device can perform an operation to modify the device (e.g., change the mode, change, or modify a setting, provide a sound, or perform a task). The first sensor can be an accelerometer configured to detect a change in acceleration of the hearing device and the second sensor can include a photodiode to detect a change in distance between the hearing device and the ear with the hearing device. The disclosed technology can be implemented in a method and comprises a computer-readable medium storing instructions to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Anne Thielen
  • Patent number: 11601765
    Abstract: For the fitting of a hearing instrument, an audio signal of an ambient sound, recorded by way of an input transducer, is modified according to a multiplicity of signal processing parameters. Via a first classifier, a user of the hearing instrument is offered a plurality of problem descriptions for the user to select. By way of a second classifier, a proposed solution for modified values of the signal processing parameters is determined based on the user's selection of one of the offered problem descriptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Sivantos Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Marc Aubreville, Stefan Petrausch, Erik Harry Hoydal
  • Patent number: 11596868
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device having a controller to modify sound produced by a gaming application according to an otological profile of a user. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: STEELSERIES ApS
    Inventors: Jacob Wolff-Petersen, Tino Soelberg, Ed Guntin
  • Patent number: 11589170
    Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure is to provide a method and a hearing aid system comprising; a microphone unit configured to receive an acoustical input and provide an audio signal based on the acoustical input, and wherein the audio signal includes a sound pressure level; a storing unit including a normal hearing loudness model, a loudness scheme, a stimulation model and a coding parameter model; a sound output unit configured to stimulate auditory nerve fibers of a recipient of the hearing aid system based on audible stimulations; a processing unit configured to; extract a normal hearing loudness based on the sound pressure level and the normal hearing loudness model, and the normal hearing loudness model includes a plurality of normal hearing loudness as a function of a plurality of sound pressure levels; transform the normal hearing loudness to a secondary hearing loudness according to a loudness scheme; determine a stimulation level within a dynamic range of a recipient of the hearing aid system based on the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: OTICON MEDICAL A/S
    Inventors: Bradford Backus, Pierre Stahl
  • Patent number: 11570553
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sound enhancement are provided in this invention. The method comprises: obtaining sound signals and converting the sound signals into digital signals; decomposing the digital signals to obtain a plurality of IMFs or pseudo-IMFs; selectively amplifying the amplitudes of the IMFs and pseudo-IMFs; reconstituting the selectively amplified IMFs or pseudo-IMFs to obtain reconstituted signals and converting the reconstituted signals into analog signals. The present invention is based on the Hilbert-Huang transform. Through the present invention, the sound can be selectively amplified, and only the high-frequency consonants in the sound are amplified without vowel, which effectively improves the clarity of the enhanced sound. The present invention overcomes the problems in the current sound enhancement method which makes the sound louder without increasing the clarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Jiangsu aidiSciTech Reseach Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norden Eh Huang, Jia-Rong Yeh
  • Patent number: 11558702
    Abstract: A method for fitting a hearing device comprises: receiving an audio signal in the hearing device; providing a user interface for inputting at least one modifier value into the fitting device, the modifier value indicating, how a sound property of the audio signal should be modified by the hearing device; processing the audio signal with a sound processor of the hearing device in dependence of the at least one modifier value, thus providing a processed audio signal; outputting the processed audio signal to a user of the hearing device; determining an modifier effectiveness value based on the audio signal, the modifier effectiveness value indicating how much a change of the at least one modifier value results in a perceptible change of the processed audio signal output to the user; and restricting the inputting of the at least modifier value in dependence of the modifier effectiveness value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Nicola Hildebrand, Volker Kuehnel, Michael Boretzki
  • Patent number: 11558699
    Abstract: A hearing device component (6) comprises a sensor-unit (8) for receiving an audio-signal (AS), a separation device (9) for separating part-signals (PSi) from the audio-signal (AS), a classification device (10) for classifying the part-signals (PSi) separated from the audio-signals (AS), and a modulation device (11) for modulating the part-signals (PSi), wherein the classification device (10) is communicatively coupled to the modulation device (11) and wherein the modulation device (11) is designed to enable a concurrent modulation of different part-signals (PSi) with different modulation-functions depending on their classification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Durrieu