Search Patents
  • METHODS AND DEVICES FOR CORRECT AND SAFE PLACEMENT OF AN IN-EAR COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN THE EAR CANAL OF A USER
    Publication number: 20170006393
    Abstract: A method for correct placement of an in-ear communication device, e.g. a hearing aid, in an ear canal of a user, the in-ear communication device comprising an acoustic seal towards inner surfaces of the ear canal and being configured to be located in a bony part of the ear canal during normal operation, comprises: placing the in-ear communication device in the ear canal thereby forming a substantial acoustic seal in the soft part of the ear canal; generating body-conducted sound to inner surface portions of the user's ear canal; gradually inserting the device deeper into the ear canal in the direction towards the ear drum, until a position where the sound level perceived by the user decreases; maintaining the device in this position in the ear canal, this position being the correct position of the device in the bony part of the ear canal. An in-ear device is furthermore provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Claus NIELSEN, Søren LAUGESEN
  • Measurement apparatus for a bone conduction hearing device
    Patent number: 10045129
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an apparatus for sensing vibrations produced by a bone conduction hearing aid is disclosed. The apparatus includes a proximal end, a distal end and a side surface. The proximal end comprising a proximal periphery comprising a material adapted to, during a measurement, contact a skin of a user of the bone conduction device and to enclose a skin area within the proximal periphery. The distal end comprising a measurement microphone adapted to, during the measurement, receive an acoustic signal in dependence of vibrations produced at the skin area, the vibrations being representative of skull vibrations produced within the user by the bone conduction hearing aid in response to a sound signal. The side surface, in combination with the proximal periphery and the distal end, adapted to define an acoustic signal transmission cavity that allows transmission of the acoustic signal from the skin area to the measurement microphone during the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: OTICON MEDICAL A/S
    Inventors: Patrick Maas, Dylan Kyle Scott
  • HEARING DEVICE COMPRISING A FEEDBACK DETECTION UNIT
    Publication number: 20190297433
    Abstract: A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, comprises a forward path for processing an electric signal representing sound including a) an input unit for receiving or providing an electric input signal representing sound, b) a signal processing unit, c) an output transducer for generating stimuli perceivable as sound to a user, d) a feedback detection unit configured to detect feedback or evaluate a risk of feedback via an acoustic or mechanical or electrical feedback path from said output transducer to said input unit and comprising d1) a magnitude and phase analysis unit for repeatedly determining magnitude, Mag, and phase, Phase, of said electric input signal and further parameters based thereon, and d2) a feedback conditions and detection unit configured to check criteria for magnitude and phase feedback condition, respectively, based on said values, and to provide a feedback detection signal indicative of feedback or a risk of feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Martin KURIGER, Bernhard KUENZLE, Meng GUO
  • MICROPHONE SYSTEM AND A HEARING DEVICE COMPRISING A MICROPHONE SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20180359572
    Abstract: A microphone system comprises a multitude of microphones; a signal processor connected to said number of microphones, and being configured to estimate a direction-to and/or a position of the target sound source relative to the microphone system based on a maximum likelihood methodology; and a database ? comprising a dictionary of relative transfer functions representing direction-dependent acoustic transfer functions from said target signal source to each of said microphones relative to a reference microphone among said microphones, wherein individual dictionary elements of said database ? of relative transfer functions comprises relative transfer functions for a number of different directions and/or positions relative to the microphone system; and wherein the signal processor is configured to determine one or more of the most likely directions to or locations of said target sound source. The invention may e.g. be used for the hearing aids or other portable audio communication devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Jensen, Jan Mark De Haan, Michael Syskind Pedersen
  • IN-THE-EAR HEARING AID DEVICE, A HEARING AID, AND AN ELECTRO-ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCER
    Publication number: 20190253793
    Abstract: An in-the-ear hearing aid device is disclosed. The device at least one electro-acoustic transducer, and at least one sensor or at least one active electronic component. The at least one electro-acoustic transducer comprises a capsule enclosing a transducer sound active part and a transducer air volume. The transducer air volume is air volume which is enclosed by said capsule and which is in fluid-connection with said transducer sound active part. At least a portion of said at least one sensor or of said at least one active electronic component is provided within said transducer air volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Troels Holm PEDERSEN, Therese Schønemann BLOM, Seri JALONEN, Jan Thor Lunddahl LARSEN, Niels Stubager KIEMER, Jesper B. JOHANSEN, Povl KOCH, Svend Oscar PETERSEN, Anders Erik PETERSEN, Kåre Tais CHRISTENSEN, Antonello SALVATUCCI, Franz TREUE
  • PORTABLE SYSTEM FOR GATHERING AND PROCESSING DATA FROM EEG, EOG, AND/OR IMAGING SENSORS
    Publication number: 20220141601
    Abstract: A method for picking up body signals from the head of a user comprises a) placing first and second electrodes on first and second different positions at a first side of the user's head in direct or capacitive contact with the user's head, said first side comprising a first eye of the user, the first and second electrodes being configured to pick up first and second electric potentials, respectively, from the user's body, and b) providing an Electrooculography signal representative of a corneo-retinal potential difference of said first eye of the user in dependence of said at first and second electric potentials. The first and second positions may be (substantially) located in a plane including the first eye of the user. A portable electronic device providing an Electrooculography signal, and a hearing device utilizing an Electrooculography signal is further disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Thomas LUNNER, Alejandro LOPEZ VALDES, Henrik BENDSEN, Claus CHRISTENSEN, Peter SCHMIDT, Ole ANDERSEN, Mikkel NIELSEN, Tanveer BHUIYAN
  • Concept for attaching a sound processor to the head via an interchangeable magnet
    Patent number: 11304015
    Abstract: A hearing aid for placement on the head. The hearing aid includes a first part comprising an acoustic input transducer adapted to convert an ambient sound picked up at an ear of the user to an electric signal, a signal processor adapted to process the electric signal according to specifications of the user into a processed electric signal, and an output transducer adapted to convert the processed electric signal into a transmission signal, and a second part linkable to said first part by magnetic forces and comprising a receiver adapted to receive the transmission signal and convert the transmission signal to an output signal perceivable as sound by the user. Said first part comprises a receptacle adapted to receive an insert element, said insert element comprising protrusions configured for engaging with a recess of said first part by rotating the insert element relative to said first part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Oticon Medical A/S
    Inventors: Emilie Munk Haagerup, Claus Tipsmark, Johan Rosengren, Rasmus Lund, Glenn Jensen, Bent Jakobsen
  • Hearing device comprising a signal generator for masking tinnitus
    Patent number: 10129672
    Abstract: A hearing device adapted to a specific user comprises a) a forward path for processing an electric signal representing sound, and comprising an input unit, a signal processing unit, and an output unit, b) a configurable tinnitus signal generator for generating a tinnitus masking signal intended to relieve a tinnitus of the user, and c) a combination unit operationally connected to the configurable tinnitus signal generator and to the forward path, d) an analysis path comprising d1) an analysis unit for providing a forward path analysis control signal; d2) a control unit for receiving the forward path analysis control signal, and providing a resulting tinnitus control signal based on a predefined criterion involving said number of control input signals, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the configurable tinnitus signal generator, depending on the resulting tinnitus control signal, to thereby adaptively control a level of the tinnitus masking signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventor: Gary Jones
  • Hearing device with adaptive feedback suppression
    Patent number: 8594355
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hearing device for compensating hearing impairment of a user. The hearing device comprises an input signal converter for converting an acoustic signal to an electric signal, a signal processor, an output signal converter for converting a processed signal to a processed acoustic signal presented to the user, and an adaptive feedback suppression unit compensating for acoustic feedback between the output signal converter and the input signal converter and to generate a feedback compensation signal, which is mixed with the electric signal from the input signal converter to provide a compensated electric signal. The signal processor is adapted to process the compensated electric signal and to generate a processed signal therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventor: Meng Guo
  • CONCEPT FOR ATTACHING A SOUND PROCESSOR TO THE HEAD VIA AN INTERCHANGEABLE MAGNET
    Publication number: 20220150648
    Abstract: A hearing aid for placement on the head. The hearing aid includes a first part comprising an acoustic input transducer adapted to convert an ambient sound picked up at an ear of the user to an electric signal, a signal processor adapted to process the electric signal according to specifications of the user into a processed electric signal, and an output transducer adapted to convert the processed electric signal into a transmission signal, and a second part linkable to said first part by magnetic forces and comprising a receiver adapted to receive the transmission signal and convert the transmission signal to an output signal perceivable as sound by the user. Said first part comprises a receptacle adapted to receive an insert element, said insert element comprising protrusions configured for engaging with a recess of said first part by rotating the insert element relative to said first part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: Oticon Medical A/S
    Inventors: Emilie Munk HAAGERUP, Claus TIPSMARK, Johan ROSENGREN, Rasmus LUND, Glenn JENSEN, Bent JAKOBSEN
  • BILATERAL HEARING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF FITTING A BILATERAL HEARING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20150264492
    Abstract: The application relates to a bilateral hearing assistance system comprising first and second hearing assistance devices a processing unit, which in a NORMAL mode of operation processes an input audio signal based on configurable processing parameters and provides a processed electric stimulation signal. The system further includes one or more stimulation units for—in a TEST mode delivers first and second electric TEST stimulation signals to output units of said first and second devices respectively. The application further relates to a method of fitting a bilateral hearing assistance system to a particular user. The disclosure provides a measure allowing an improved fitting of bilaterally implanted Cochlear Implant users. The system further includes an evaluation unit configured to analyze the recorded physiological response of the user and to provide an objective measure of the user's perception of said TEST stimulation signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicants: University College London, Oticon Medical A/S
    Inventors: Jonathan LAUDANSKI, Jamie A. UNDURRAGA, Nick HAYWOOD, Torsten MARQUARDT, David McALPINE
  • Low latency, high quality link for audio transmission
    Patent number: 8145246
    Abstract: A system includes a transmitting device, an intermediate communications device, and a receiving device. The system establishes a first synchronous wireless link between a transmitting device and the intermediate device, and a second synchronous wireless link between the intermediate device and the receiving device. The transmitting device may include a wireless audio transmitter, a sampling unit configured to convert an incoming audio signal to a stream of digitized audio samples, an encoder unit configured to code the stream of digitized audio samples according to an audio codec based on a sample oriented audio compression algorithm to provide a stream of coded digitized audio samples, and a signal transmitting unit transmitting the stream of coded digitized audio samples over the first synchronous wireless link to the intermediate device. The intermediate device transmits the stream of coded digitized audio samples to the receiving device through the second synchronous wireless link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventor: Crilles Bak Rasmussen
  • In-the-ear hearing aid device, a hearing aid, and an electro-acoustic transducer
    Patent number: 11653145
    Abstract: An in-the-ear hearing aid device is disclosed. The device at least one electro-acoustic transducer, and at least one sensor or at least one active electronic component. The at least one electro-acoustic transducer comprises a capsule enclosing a transducer sound active part and a transducer air volume. The transducer air volume is air volume which is enclosed by said capsule and which is in fluid-connection with said transducer sound active part. At least a portion of said at least one sensor or of said at least one active electronic component is provided within said transducer air volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Troels Holm Pedersen, Therese Schønemann Blom, Seri Jalonen, Jan Thor Lunddahl Larsen, Niels Stubager Kiemer, Jesper B. Johansen, Povl Koch, Svend Oscar Petersen, Anders Erik Petersen, Kåre Tais Christensen, Antonello Salvatucci, Franz Treue
  • In-the-ear hearing aid device, a hearing aid, and an electro-acoustic transducer
    Patent number: 10911867
    Abstract: An in-the-ear hearing aid device is disclosed. The device at least one electro-acoustic transducer, and at least one sensor or at least one active electronic component. The at least one electro-acoustic transducer comprises a capsule enclosing a transducer sound active part and a transducer air volume. The transducer air volume is air volume which is enclosed by said capsule and which is in fluid-connection with said transducer sound active part. At least a portion of said at least one sensor or of said at least one active electronic component is provided within said transducer air volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Troels Holm Pedersen, Therese Schønemann Blom, Seri Jalonen, Jan Thor Lunddahl Larsen, Niels Stubager Kiemer, Jesper B. Johansen, Povl Koch, Svend Oscar Petersen, Anders Erik Petersen, Kåre Tais Christensen, Antonello Salvatucci, Franz Treue
  • Hearing device comprising an improved feedback cancellation system
    Patent number: 10057692
    Abstract: A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, comprises a forward path comprising an input transducer providing an electric input signal, a combination unit, a signal processing unit configured to apply a forward gain to signal of the forward path and to provide a processed electric output signal, a frequency shifting unit for de-correlating the processed electric output signal and the electric input signal, and an output transducer. The hearing device further comprises an adaptive filter for providing an estimate of an external feedback path, and located in the forward path. The feedback estimation unit provides a resulting feedback estimate signal, which is combined with the electric input signal in the combination unit to provide a resulting feedback corrected signal, and a correction unit for influencing said estimate of the feedback path by diminishing a residual bias, being a result of the frequency shift, in said resulting feedback estimate signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignees: OTICON A/S, BERNAFON AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Künzle, Meng Guo
  • Method to reduce artifacts in algorithms with fast-varying gain
    Patent number: 9082411
    Abstract: A method and device reduce artifacts in an audio processing algorithm for applying a time and frequency dependent gain to an input audio signal. The method provides a time frequency representation of an input audio signal comprising a number of frequency bands; applies an audio processing algorithm providing an estimated algorithm output signal; determines for each frequency band a difference between a value of the estimated gain signal at a given time and at a preceding time; averages the difference over a predefined time; provides a confidence estimate based on the time averaged difference, the said confidence estimate being relatively low in case said time averaged difference is above a predetermined threshold level and relatively high in case said time averaged difference is below a predetermined threshold level; and optionally applies the confidence estimate to the noise reduced output signal thereby providing an improved algorithm output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventor: Michael Syskind Pedersen
  • Hearing aid including induction coil
    Patent number: 11540064
    Abstract: There is presented a hearing aid configured to be arranged at least partly in the ear canal of a specific person, the hearing aid comprising a faceplate, a custom ear shell, adapted to fit or match with the ear canal of a specific person, the custom ear shell connected to the faceplate, a rechargeable battery, an induction coil for wireless charging of the rechargeable battery, wherein the induction coil is fixed to the ear shell and furthermore a method for providing a hearing aid, said method comprising obtaining data representative of a shape and/or size of an ear canal of a specific person, establishing a digital model of the custom shell of the hearing aid for said ear canal based on said data, wherein said providing includes determining a position and/or orientation of an induction coil in an inner space of said ear shell, which position and/or orientation increases or maximizes a distance from the outer ear to the faceplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Poul Henriksen, Mikkel Nielsen
  • Method and system for rapid acquisition of evoked compound action potential recordings
    Patent number: 10549089
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a system for acquiring ECAP recordings at a later session for a cochlear implant patient is disclosed. The system includes a receiving unit configured to receive, corresponding to an electrode, a stored prior individual value from a plurality of stored prior individual values of ECAP/an ECAP prior growth function, the plurality of stored prior individual values or the ECAP prior growth function being obtained at a previous session. Furthermore, a processing unit configured to process the received prior individual value/ECAP growth function to determine a stimulus signal value corresponding to the received individual value/a selected point on the ECAP prior growth function, instruct a signal delivery unit to provide to the electrode a first stimulus signal comprising a first level that is same or above said stimulus signal value, and determine a resulting ECAP generated in response to said first stimulus signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: OTICON MEDICAL A/S
    Inventor: Edward Overstreet
  • Hearing device and a hearing system comprising a multitude of adaptive two channel beamformers
    Patent number: 11564043
    Abstract: A binaural hearing system comprises a first and second hearing aids. The hearing aids each comprises antenna and transceiver circuitry allowing the exchange of audio signals between them. At least one of the hearing aids comprises primary and secondary adaptive 2-channel beamformers each providing a spatially filtered signal based on first and second beamformer-input signals. The primary and secondary 2-channel beamformers are coupled in a cascaded structure. In an embodiment, the spatially filtered signal of the secondary 2-channel beamformer may comprise an estimate of user's own voice. In an embodiment, the spatially filtered signal of the secondary 2-channel beamformer may comprise an estimate of a target signal in the environment. In an embodiment, the inputs to the secondary 2-channel beamformer may be beamformed signals from the first and second hearing aids respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Eleni Koutrouli, Michael Syskind Pedersen, Jesper Jensen, Jan M. De Haan
  • ECAP RECORDING METHOD AND COCHLEA IMPLANT SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20210187281
    Abstract: A method and a system for measuring a main electrically evoked compound action potential is described. The system may comprise a cochlea implant system which includes an electrode array, and where the electrode array includes at least a stimulator electrode, a first recording electrode and a second recording electrode, and where the first recording electrode is arranged closer to the stimulator electrode than the second recording electrode, a processor electrically in communication with the cochlea implant system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: Oticon Medical A/S
    Inventors: Behnam MOLAEE, Manuel SEGOVIA MARTINEZ
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