Search Patents
  • Wireless charging of multiple rechargeable devices
    Patent number: 11411419
    Abstract: There is presented a method for wirelessly charging, a plurality of rechargeable devices, wherein at least one rechargeable device is an ear level device, such as a hearing aid, said method including appointing a master device among the plurality of rechargeable devices, for each of the remaining rechargeable devices, transmitting information regarding a current battery status to the master device, such as wherein the step of transmitting information regarding battery status to the master device is carried out via a first communication channel, determining a charging profile of one or more rechargeable devices based on the plurality of information regarding current battery status, charging the one or more rechargeable devices based on, such as according to, the charging profile, such as wherein communication between the master device and a charger is carried out via a second communication channel such as a wireless communication channel, such as Bluetooth® or Bluetooth Low Energy or proprietary protocol).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventor: Søren Christian Badstue
  • Concept for attaching a sound processor to the head via an interchangeable magnet
    Patent number: 11606651
    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: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Oticon Medical A/S
    Inventors: Emilie Munk Haagerup, Claus Tipsmark, Johan Rosengren, Rasmus Lund, Glenn Jensen, Bent Jakobsen
  • System and method for determining directionality of sound detected by a hearing aid
    Patent number: 7864971
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system (200) for determining directionality of a sound. The system (200) comprises a first audio device (202) placed on one side of a user's head (100) and having a first microphone unit (110, 112) for converting said sound to a first electric signal, a second audio device (204) placed on the other side of the user's head (100) and having a second microphone unit (114, 116) for converting said sound to a second electric signal, and comprises a transceiver unit (220, 238) for interconnecting the first and second audio device and communicating the second electric signal to the first audio device (202). The first audio device (202) further comprises a first comparator (222) for comparing the first and second electric signals and generating a first directionality signal from the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Ulrik Kjems, Michael Syskind Pedersen
  • Power management in low power wireless link in a hearing aid system
    Patent number: 11197108
    Abstract: A hearing aid system is configured for managing the power of a wireless link. The hearing aid system includes a first hearing aid device and a mobile device, each of the devices including a transmit and receive unit for establishing a short range wireless link between the devices. At least one of the devices includes: a microphone configured to receive an acoustical audio signal; a signal processor configured to process an audio signal based on the acoustical audio signal; and first link quality estimating circuitry configured to determine rate of change of a link quality signal. The at least one of the devices is configured to transmit the link quality signal to the other device, and the other device is configured to determine a power level of transmission of an information packet based on the rate of change of the link quality signal via a power controller comprised by the other device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Alberto Escolar Piedras, Peter Søren Kirk Hansen
  • Adaptive long-term prediction filter for adaptive whitening
    Patent number: 8422708
    Abstract: A method of estimating acoustic feedback in a hearing instrument in order to reduce the impact of tonal components of acoustic feedback. The hearing instrument comprises an input transducer, an output transducer, a forward path being defined between the input transducer and the output transducer, a signal processing unit defining an input side and an output side of the forward path, and a feedback loop from the output side to the input side. The feedback loop comprises a feedback path estimation unit receiving first and second estimation input signals from the input and output side of the forward path, respectively, wherein the first and second estimation input signal paths comprise first and second long term prediction filters P(z), the feedback cancellation system being adapted to provide that the variable parameters of at least one of the long term prediction filters are estimated based on the filter input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Bo Elmedyb, Jesper Jensen
  • METHOD OF DIMINISHING THE MINIMUM RANGE OF OPERATION OF A COMMUNICATION LINK
    Publication number: 20130029624
    Abstract: A portable electronic device comprises a wireless receiver unit for receiving a wireless signal from a transmitting device, the wireless receiver unit comprising an antenna receiving an electromagnetic signal and providing a received electric input signal, and a receiver providing a recovered electric signal from the received electric input signal, and an impedance matching circuit matching the electric impedance of the antenna to the receiver, the receiver comprising a gain stage comprising an Automatic Gain Control unit automatically determining an AGC-gain value for application to an AGC-input signal to provide an appropriate signal level when the level of said AGC input signal is in a range between a minimum and a maximum signal level corresponding to maximum and minimum AGC-gain values, respectively. The portable device further comprises a control unit receiving the AGC-gain value and providing a control signal depending on said AGC-gain value to the impedance matching circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: OTICON A/S
    Inventor: Henrik BENDSEN
  • RF ANTENNA AND HEARING DEVICE WITH RF ANTENNA
    Publication number: 20200128336
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an RF antenna adapted to receive and/or transmit electromagnetic RF signals within a first frequency range enclosing a first frequency of resonance of the RF antenna, the RF antenna comprising: an electrically conductive antenna element having a feed for electrically connecting to an RF transmitter and/or an RF receiver; an electronic component adapted to receive and/or provide one or more electric signals from/to an electronic circuit within a second frequency range not overlapping the first frequency range; and one or more electric leads electrically connected to lead the one or more electric signals between the electronic component and the electronic circuit, each of the one or more electric leads being electrically connected to the electronic circuit through a respective inductor adapted to reflect and/or attenuate signals within the first frequency range and pass signals within the second frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Jens TROELSEN, Oliver SUNDBERG, Kåre Tais CHRISTENSEN, Henning Knak POULSEN
  • Direction of arrival estimation in miniature devices using a sound sensor array
    Patent number: 10321241
    Abstract: A hearing device comprises a sound system for estimating the direction of arrival of sound emitted by one or more sound sources creating a sound field. The sound system comprises an array of N sound receiving transducers (microphones), each providing an electric input signal, a processing unit comprising a) a model unit comprising a parametric model configured to be able to describe the sound field at the array as a function of the direction of arrival in a region surrounding and adjacent to the array; b) a model optimizing unit configured to optimize said model with respect to its parameters based on said sound samples; c) a cost optimizing unit configured to minimize a cost function of the model with respect to said direction of arrivals; d) an estimating unit configured to estimate the direction of arrival based on said parametric model with the optimized parameters and the optimized cost function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Lunner, Fredrik Gustafsson, David Lindgren, Gustaf Hendeby
  • Wind noise insensitive hearing aid
    Patent number: 7181030
    Abstract: The invention concerns a hearing aid with at least one primary sound to electric converting transducer converting sounds in the environment into electrical signals and a signal processing unit for amplifying the electrical signal according to the needs of the user and an electrical to sound transducer for receiving the amplified electrical signal and delivering a sound signal to the ear wherein at least one further sound to electrical transducer is provided. The said further transducer has a sensitivity to wind noise which is smaller than the sensitivity to wind noise of the primary transducer and further the signal processing unit has means for detecting the level of wind noise in the signal from the primary sound to electric converting transducer. According to the invention also selecting means are provided for selecting the signal to be amplified from either the primary—or the at least one further sound to electrical transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Karsten Bo Rasmussen, Peter Frederiksen, Frank Engel Rasmussen, Kim Spetzler Petersen
  • Hearing device and a hearing system comprising a multitude of adaptive two channel beamformers
    Patent number: 11252515
    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: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Eleni Koutrouli, Michael Syskind Pedersen, Jesper Jensen, Jan M. De Haan
  • Hearing aid comprising a locking mechanism
    Patent number: 10264373
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a hearing aid is disclosed. The hearing aid includes a first functional unit and a second functional unit. The second functional unit is configured to removably couple with the first functional unit. The coupling provides at least a mechanical connection between the first functional unit and the second functional unit. The first functional unit includes a moveable element that is configured to move between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the moveable element is contained entirely within the first functional unit. In the second position, a part of the moveable element is configured to protrude out of the first functional unit. The second functional unit includes a recess configured to receive the part of the moveable element that protrudes out of the first functional unit such that the first functional unit and the second functional unit are immovably locked with respect to each other in response to the moveable element is received in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: OTICON MEDICAL A/S
    Inventors: Morten Friis Karlsen, Claus Tipsmark
  • Hearing aid comprising a feedback control system
    Patent number: 11671767
    Abstract: A hearing aid includes a feedback control system for handling external feedback from an output transducer to an input transducer. The feedback control system includes an open loop gain estimator for providing an instant open loop gain estimate; an adaptive filter configured to provide a current estimate of the feedback path transfer function; a feedback change estimator configured to provide an instant estimate of the feedback path transfer function in dependence of the forward path transfer function, the instant open loop gain estimate; and an adaptive filter controller for providing an update transfer function estimate for the adaptive filter in dependence of the instant estimate of the feedback path transfer function. The hearing aid is configured to use the update transfer function estimate in the adaptive filter to update the current estimate of the feedback path transfer function. A method of detecting a sudden change in a feedback/echo path is further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Bernhard Kuenzle, Martin Kuriger, Meng Guo
  • System and method for generating auditory spatial cues
    Publication number: 20070230729
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hearing aid system (100, 200, 300) for generating auditory spatial cues. The hearing aid system (100, 200, 300) comprises a first microphone unit (306) adapted to convert sound received at a first microphone (102) and received at a second microphone (104), a first delay unit (106) connected to the first microphone (102) delaying the signal from the first microphone (102), a first calculation unit (108) for summing the delayed signal of the first microphone (102) and signal of the second microphone (104), a processor unit (110) processing the summed signal, and a speaker converting the processed signal to a processed sound. The first and second microphones (102, 104) are separated by a predetermined first distance and the first delay unit (106) provides a predetermined first delay thereby generating a first auditory spatial cue representing a first spatial dimension in the summed signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Graham Naylor, S. Gert Weinrich
  • HEARING AID COMPRISING ONE OR MORE SENSORS FOR BIOMETRICAL MEASUREMENTS
    Publication number: 20220218281
    Abstract: A hearing aid having one or more biometrical sensors, where the hearing aid comprises at least one microphone configured to receive a sound of the surroundings, a signal processor configured to process the sound received from the microphone and a speaker unit configuration configured to emit the processed sound into the ear of a user, wherein one or more sensors is positioned substantially in the ear together with at least a part of the hearing aid, wherein the one or more sensors is configured as biometrical sensors configured for recording health data of a hearing aid user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Svend Oscar PETERSEN, Mathias Bruun LARSEN, Sergi Rotger GRIFUL, José Antonio ESPARZA ISASA, Mikkel NIELSEN, Kim Mølholm HEJLESEN, Henrik BENDSEN, Preben KVIST, Svend Erik ELGAARD, Jeanette Bülow NIELSEN, Zenia Holtzmann LAUSTEN, Malte KIEWNING, Jesper B. JOHANSEN, Nicolai WESTERGREN, Tanveer BHUIYAN, Sudershan Y.S
  • RF ANTENNA AND HEARING DEVICE WITH RF ANTENNA
    Publication number: 20190239003
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an RF antenna adapted to receive and/or transmit electromagnetic RF signals within a first frequency range enclosing a first frequency of resonance of the RF antenna, the RF antenna comprising: an electrically conductive antenna element having a feed for electrically connecting to an RF transmitter and/or an RF receiver; an electronic component adapted to receive and/or provide one or more electric signals from/to an electronic circuit within a second frequency range not overlapping the first frequency range; and one or more electric leads electrically connected to lead the one or more electric signals between the electronic component and the electronic circuit, each of the one or more electric leads being electrically connected to the electronic circuit through a respective inductor adapted to reflect and/or attenuate signals within the first frequency range and pass signals within the second frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Jens TROELSEN, Oliver SUNDBERG, Kåre Tais CHRISTENSEN, Henning Knak POULSEN
  • Hearing device comprising a GSC beamformer
    Patent number: 9635473
    Abstract: The application relates to a hearing device comprising a beamformer of the generalized sidelobe canceler (GSC) type. The application further relates to a method of operating a hearing device. The disclosure addresses a problem which occurs when using a GSC structure in a hearing device application. The problem arises due to a non-ideal target-cancelling beamformer. As a consequence, a target signal impinging from the look direction can—unintentionally—be attenuated by as much as 30 dB. To resolve this problem, it is proposed to monitor the difference between the output signals from the all-pass beamformer and the target-cancelling beamformer to control a time-varying regularization parameter in the GSC update. This has the advantage of providing a computationally simple solution to the non-ideality of the GSC beamformer. The invention may e.g. be used in hearing aids, headsets, ear phones, active ear protection systems, or combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Meng Guo, Jan Mark de Haan, Jesper Jensen
  • BONE CONDUCTION HEARING AID WITH AN AIR GAP ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM
    Publication number: 20190149930
    Abstract: An electromagnetic vibrator for a bone conduction hearing aid is disclosed. The electromagnetic vibrator comprises a magnet arrangement comprising a central portion, a coil wound around the central portion and being configured to generate a dynamic magnetic field and at least one permanent magnet configured to generate a static magnetic field. The electromagnetic vibrator further comprises a vibrator plate arranged in position and in such a manner that a gap, extending across a longitudinal axis of the electromagnetic vibrator is provided between the vibrator plate and at least one of said central portion or at least one permanent magnet. The electromagnetic vibrator further comprises an encasing surrounding at least a portion of the magnet arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Applicant: Oticon Medical A/S
    Inventor: Bengt BERN
  • HEARING DEVICE OR SYSTEM COMPRISING A NOISE CONTROL SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20230143325
    Abstract: A hearing system comprises a hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid or a headset, configured to be worn by a user. The hearing device comprises at least one input transducer for providing at least one electric input signal representative of sound in the environment of the hearing device, wherein said at least one electric input signal comprises a target signal component assumed to be of current interest to the user, and a noise component. The hearing device further comprises a noise control system configured to provide an estimate of said target signal component and an estimate of said noise component and to apply a statistical structure to said noise component to thereby provide a modified noise component comprising said statistical structure; and to determine a modified estimate of said target signal component in dependence of said modified noise component. Thereby an improved segregation of sound sources may be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Hamish INNES-BROWN, Martha SHIELL, Michael Syskind PEDERSEN
  • METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING SYSTEM, HEARING SYSTEM AND AUDIO GATEWAY DEVICES
    Publication number: 20120148077
    Abstract: A body-worn audio gateway device transmitting audio signals comprised in close-range electromagnetic signals may be used outside a car, where it may provide for hands-free mobile telephony and listening to music streamed directly to hearing devices worn by a user. When the user enters the car, he or she may want to use a corresponding in-car audio gateway device for the same purposes. This typically requires manual interaction e.g. to trigger the switch-over and to maintain hands-free operation of a carried mobile phone. Furthermore, the audio gateway devices may disturb each other, which may lead to malfunction, more troublesome interaction and/or reduced audio quality. To overcome this, the invention foresees means for detecting when the user enters and/or leaves the car and for automatically disabling functions of the first audio gateway device when the user is in the car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: OTICON A/S
    Inventors: Gabriel ALDAZ, Tobias TOFT, Rune BØTTZAUW
  • RF ANTENNA AND HEARING DEVICE WITH RF ANTENNA
    Publication number: 20220103953
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an RF antenna adapted to receive and/or transmit electromagnetic RF signals within a first frequency range enclosing a first frequency of resonance of the RF antenna, the RF antenna comprising: an electrically conductive antenna element having a feed for electrically connecting to an RF transmitter and/or an RF receiver; an electronic component adapted to receive and/or provide one or more electric signals from/to an electronic circuit within a second frequency range not overlapping the first frequency range; and one or more electric leads electrically connected to lead the one or more electric signals between the electronic component and the electronic circuit, each of the one or more electric leads being electrically connected to the electronic circuit through a respective inductor adapted to reflect and/or attenuate signals within the first frequency range and pass signals within the second frequency range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Oticon A/S
    Inventors: Jens TROELSEN, Oliver SUNDBERG, Kåre Tais CHRISTENSEN, Henning Knak POULSEN
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