Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080212814 | Differential directional microphone system and hearing aid device with such a differential directional microphone system - A differential direction microphone system for a hearing aid device is described, comprising: a first directional microphone stage with a first differential directional microphone, and a second directional microphone stage with a further differential directional microphone, with the second directional microphone stage being connected downstream from the first directional microphone stage, where the directivity of the first directional microphone stage is essentially oriented in the opposite direction to the directivity of the second directional microphone stage, with the differential direction microphone system having a directional characteristic, of which the directivity is essentially orthogonal to an axis predetermined by the directivities of the first and the second directional microphone stage. | 09-04-2008 |
20080212815 | APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING SOUND - The apparatus for transmitting and receiving sound is disclosed, wherein a directional microphone for detecting sound for transmission is applied and a sound output unit for outputting the received sound is arranged at a side of the directional microphone where sensitivity is low, thereby preventing sound coupling for received sound and sound for transmission without recourse to complicated signal processing to attenuate the echo and howling. | 09-04-2008 |
20080226105 | Method for the time-controlled adjustment of a hearing apparatus and corresponding hearing apparatus - The training of a hearing apparatus in respect of an individual adjustment is to be developed in a more user-friendly manner. To this end, provision is firstly made to automatically classify a hearing situation, to adjust a parameter of the signal processing facility of the hearing apparatus and to automatically learn the adjusted parameters for the current hearing situation. A temporal monitoring of the steps “classifying” and “adjusting” is however carried out here and the automatic learning is only triggered if the classified hearing situation and the adjustment of the parameters have not changed over a predetermined time period. This not only simplifies the training, but also enables a more rapid training by means of automatically triggered training events. | 09-18-2008 |
20080232620 | Processor system with directly interconnected ports - The current consumption of a processor system in particular for hearing devices is to be reduced. To this end, a processor system with a first processor, which has at least one output and at least one second processor, which has at least one input is provided. The output of the first processor can be directly connected to the input of the second processor using a switching facility. The direct connection of the output and input of the processors obviates the need for computing power for the communication between the processors, thereby resulting in a considerable saving of current. | 09-25-2008 |
20080253596 | HEARING AID AND A METHOD OF PROCESSING INPUT SIGNALS IN A HEARING AID - A hearing aid comprises two microphones, directional processing means for combining the respective audio signals to form a spatial signal, a beamformer for controlling the directional processing means to provide adaptation of the spatial signal, and means for boosting low frequencies of the spatial signal. A feedback estimator generates a feedback compensation signal, which is combined with the boosted spatial signal. By applying feedback compensation only after directional processing and low frequency boosting, the device avoids interference by the feedback estimator with the function of the beamformer. The invention also provides a method of processing signals in a hearing aid. | 10-16-2008 |
20080260189 | Hearing Aid Comprising Sound Tracking Means - Sound reproduction system, for example a hearing aid system, comprising:—a direction dependent sound detection system ( | 10-23-2008 |
20080273727 | HEARING ASSITANCE SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING SECOND-ORDER GRADIENT DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS - Abstract of the Disclosure Systems, devices and methods are provided for diotically presenting second-order gradient directional hearing aid signals. The present subject matter provides an improved signal-to-noise ratio, and presents a desired directional signal to each ear. One aspect is a hearing aid system. In one embodiment, the system includes a first microphone system in a first device and a second microphone system in a second device. The first microphone system has a first output signal, and the second microphone system has a second output signal. Each output signal includes a first-order directional signal. The system further includes a first receiver circuit and a second receiver circuit. The combination of the first output signal and the second output signal provides a diotic presentation of a second-order gradient signal to both the first receiver circuit and the second receiver circuit. Other aspects are provided herein. | 11-06-2008 |
20090022345 | Hearing device employing signal processing based on design-related parameters and corresponding method - For enabling fast, customer-specific and precise matching of a hearing device's directional characteristic, a hearing device having a signal processing unit for performing a processing algorithm is provided, with at least one design-related parameter of the hearing device having been made available to the signal processing unit and with the signal processing unit performing the processing algorithm based on the design-related parameter of the hearing device. It should be considered as especially advantageous in the case of the inventive hearing device that a processing algorithm can be performed particularly precisely and customer-specifically based on the provided design-related parameters of the hearing device. | 01-22-2009 |
20090067651 | HEARING AID, AND A METHOD FOR CONTROL OF ADAPTATION RATE IN ANTI-FEEDBACK SYSTEMS FOR HEARING AIDS - A hearing aid comprises at least one microphone (M) for converting input sound into an input signal, a subtraction node for subtracting a feedback cancellation signal from the input signal thereby generating a processor input signal, a hearing aid processor (G) for producing a processor output signal by applying an amplification gain to the processor input signal, a receiver (R) for converting the processor output signal into output sound, an adaptive feedback cancellation filter for adaptively deriving the feedback cancellation signal from the processor output signal by applying filter coefficients, calculation means for calculating the autocorrelation of a reference signal, and an adaptation means for adjusting the filter coefficients with an adaptation rate, wherein the adaptation rate is controlled in dependency of the autocorrelation of the reference signal. | 03-12-2009 |
20090092269 | HEARING AID WITH A FLEXIBLE ELONGATED MEMBER - A hearing aid includes a shell for accommodation of a signal processor for processing an audio signal into a processed audio signal, and a receiver that is connected to an output of the signal processor for converting the processed audio signal into an acoustic sound signal, and a flexible elongated member with a first end attached to the shell, and a second free end, wherein the flexible elongated member comprises a lumen for housing a wire that is for providing current to an electronic device, the flexible elongated member having a shape for stabilizing the shell relative to a user's ear. | 04-09-2009 |
20090097680 | METHOD TO OPERATE A HEARING DEVICE AND ARRANGEMENT WITH A HEARING DEVICE - A hearing device has a transfer function adjustable by a set of parameters. The hearing device can have two microphones, a processing unit, and a speaker unit. A direction identification unit is operationally connected to the processing unit. Communication between a user of the hearing device and at least one reference person is ensured for changing positions of the user and/or the reference person. The transfer function is adjusted as a function of at least one current reference person direction by changing the set of parameters. The reference person direction encloses an angle with a reference plane of the user. | 04-16-2009 |
20090154744 | DEVICE FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED - An electronic device for analyzing signal content derived from audible events, the device for aiding the hearing impaired. | 06-18-2009 |
20090202091 | Method of estimating weighting function of audio signals in a hearing aid - Disclosed is method of generating an audible signal in a hearing aid by estimating a weighting function of received audio signals, the hearing aid is adapted to be worn by a user; the method comprises the steps of: | 08-13-2009 |
20090279724 | Method for operating a hearing device and microphone system for hearing device - A method for operating a hearing device, an associated microphone system comprising at least two omnidirectional microphones, and a hearing device are provided. The microphones emit microphone signals and are electrically interconnected with one another in order to form directional characteristics. A damping of the upper frequency range of the microphone signals is determined from the lower frequency range of the microphone signals. The impression of a wide-band directional microphone is produced as a result. | 11-12-2009 |
20090285423 | Method and device for matching the phases of microphone signals of a directional microphone of a hearing aid - The phase differences of microphones of a hearing aid microphone are to be reduced. To do this, the level of an output signal of a directional microphone is compared with an omnidirectional signal. If the level of the output signal of the differential directional microphone is above the level of the omnidirectional signal, this level difference is minimized by an adaptive, frequency-selective transit time compensation in individual frequency bands and phase matching of the microphones is thus achieved. By means of an alternative method, microphone matching is achieved in that the measurable delay of the two microphone signals is adaptively limited in individual frequency bands to a maximum value corresponding to the sound transit time between the microphones. Phase matching without knowing the position of a sound source can thus be achieved. | 11-19-2009 |
20090296966 | Hearing Kit - A hearing kit for use with a hearing device applying fixed beamforming technology, comprising a first end portion, a first microphone disposed at the first end portion, a second end portion, and a second microphone disposed at the second end portion. An elongated third portion is disposed between the first and second end portions for resting on the user's neck, adapted to position the first and second microphones on the left and right sides of the user at the same level. The first and second microphones are adapted to face outward toward the same direction in use. A processing unit is adapted to process signals received from the microphones and transmit processed signals to the hearing device. The microphones face toward the same direction of the user for receiving the listening sound. | 12-03-2009 |
20090323992 | MICROPHONE PLACEMENT IN HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES TO PROVIDE CONTROLLED DIRECTIVITY - The present disclosure includes various methods and apparatus for controlling directionality of a hearing assistance device including a pair of directional microphones. In various examples, the hearing assistance device includes a pair of directional microphones and an omnidirectional microphone. In various examples, the hearing assistance device includes a directional microphone and an omnidirectional microphone. In examples with multiple directional microphones, various angles can be employed. For example, in some applications the first directional axis can be about ninety degrees offset of the second directional axis. The microphones are aligned with an intended direction of reception in some embodiments. In some examples the microphones are not aligned with an intended direction of reception. Other variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present subject matter. | 12-31-2009 |
20100027821 | Hearing aid and method for operating a hearing aid - The invention relates to a method for a hearing aid wearer to actively operate a hearing aid. A signal processing section of the hearing aid has a demixing module for separating audio signals and a postprocessor module which sets up a hold mode of operation for the hearing aid. An audio signal, which is preferred by the hearing aid wearer, from an ambient sound, is tracked and selected by virtue of the hearing aid wearer transmitting to the hearing aid a command which sets up the hold mode of operation in the signal processing section of the hearing aid for a certain period. The signal processing section tracks the preferred audio signal and selectively takes account of it in an output sound from the hearing aid such that it is audibly highlighted for the hearing aid wearer in comparison with another audio signal and is thereby perceived better. | 02-04-2010 |
20100046775 | METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING APPARATUS WITH DIRECTIONAL EFFECT AND AN ASSOCIATED HEARING APPARATUS - A method for operating a hearing apparatus and an associated hearing apparatus is provided. A first and a second microphone emit a first and a second microphone signal. The first and the second microphone have a different directional effect, for instance as a result of a different shading by the body of a hearing device wearer. A frequency analysis of the two microphone signals is performed. A determination of a frequency-dependent amplification for an output signal of the hearing apparatus from the two microphone signals transformed in the frequency range such that frequencies are amplified in a directionally-dependent fashion. | 02-25-2010 |
20100046776 | Adaptive microphone system for a hearing device and associated operating method - A microphone system and an associated method are proposed. The microphone system comprises at least two omnidirectional, microphone signal-emitting directional microphones connected electrically to one another to establish directivity, at least one filter unit with at least one adaptation parameter for the adaptive filtering of the at least two microphone signals and a control unit to change the at least one adaptation parameter such that the sum of interference power is reduced. The value range of the at least one adaptation parameter is limited. The control unit determines limits from a comparison of the noise floor of the ambient noise with a microphone noise number. The adaptation range of an adaptive differential directional microphone is a function of stationary component of background noise, so the directivity can be selected such that the non-stationary microphone noise resulting due to directivity is masked by the stationary component of the background noise. | 02-25-2010 |
20100067721 | Hearing device and operation of a hearing device with frequency transposition - The invention specifies a method for the operation of a hearing device and an associated hearing device with at least two omnidirectional microphones emitting microphone signals. Said microphones are connected electrically to one another in order to form a signal with directional characteristic. Signal components of the signal with directional characteristic above a cut-off frequency are transposed or compressed down to a frequency range below the cut-off frequency. Here it is advantageous that a frequency transposition can only be applied to useful signals, since the directional microphone system suppresses background noises such that these are not transposed down to a low frequency range. | 03-18-2010 |
20100074460 | SELF-STEERING DIRECTIONAL HEARING AID AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF - A hearing aid and a method of enhancing sound. In one embodiment, the hearing aid includes: (1) a direction sensor configured to produce data for determining a direction in which attention of a user is directed, (2) microphones to provide output signals indicative of sound received at the user from a plurality of directions, (3) a speaker for converting an electrical signal into enhanced sound and (4) an acoustic processor configured to be coupled to the direction sensor, the microphones, and the speaker, the acoustic processor being configured to superpose the output signals based on the determined direction to yield an enhanced signal based on the received sound, the enhanced signal having a higher content of sound received from the direction than sound received at the user. | 03-25-2010 |
20100080407 | Hearing aid device with a directional microphone system as well as method of operating such a hearing aid device - In a hearing aid device with a directional microphone system it is always to be possible to set the highest possible level of both directional effect and also amplification. To this end it is proposed that the directional effect be set as a function of the amplification set at the time. In particular a maximum directional effect that cannot be exceeded is defined depending on the amplification and stored in the hearing aid device. This makes it possible for the user to always have the greatest possible degree of directional effect with his hearing aid device. | 04-01-2010 |
20100086152 | HEARING AID SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING A CONVERSATION GROUP - A hearing aid system adapted for establishing a conversation group with other hearing aid systems used by different users, comprises a hearing aid ( | 04-08-2010 |
20100092016 | BEHIND-THE-EAR HEARING AID WHOSE MICROPHONE IS SET IN AN ENTRANCE OF EAR CANAL - There is provided a behind-the-ear hearing aid that makes it easy for a hearing aid wearer to estimate a position of a sound source with respect to a front-back direction and that enables an increase in aesthetic property when the hearing aid is worn. A behind-the-ear hearing aid of the present invention is used while fitted to an ear of a human body, and includes at least a microphone | 04-15-2010 |
20100135511 | HEARING AID ALGORITHMS - The invention relates to a method of operating an audio processing device. The invention further relates to an audio processing device, to a software program and to a medium having instructions stored thereon. The object of the present invention is to provide improvements in the processing of sounds in listening devices. The problem is solved by a method comprising a) receiving an electric input signal representing an audio signal; b) providing an event-control parameter indicative of changes related to the electric input signal and for controlling the processing of the electric input signal; c) storing a representation of the electric input signal or a part thereof; d) providing a processed electric output signal with a configurable delay based on the stored representation of the electric input signal or a part thereof and controlled by the event-control parameter. The invention may e.g. be used in hearing instruments, headphones or headsets or active ear plugs. | 06-03-2010 |
20100150385 | HEARING AID WHICH CAN BE WORN IN THE EAR WITH A DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE - Feedback should be prevented effectively in a hearing aid which can be worn in the ear. To this end, the arrangement of two microphones, electrically interconnected to form a directional microphone, and a receiver is proposed along a straight line. The directional effect of the directional microphone is set such that, when viewed from the directional microphone, the receiver is arranged in the direction of the lowest sensitivity of the directional microphone. This can effectively suppress feedback even though the hearing aid has a relatively simple design. | 06-17-2010 |
20100158289 | METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING AID SYSTEM AND HEARING AID SYSTEM WITH A SOURCE SEPARATION DEVICE - A method for operating a hearing aid system and a hearing aid system with a source separation device, include at least one hearing aid in which interference signals are intended to be suppressed and useful signals are intended to be accentuated with justifiable computational complexity. Source-specific reception signals are first of all generated and analyzed by the source separation device, in particular a BSS unit. Then, parameter settings for operating the hearing aid which effect the suppression of interference signals or the accentuation of useful signals are derived from the result of the analysis. An output signal generated by the hearing aid does not emerge directly from the source-specific reception signals and therefore a periodic operation of the BSS unit suffices and signal processing in real time is not necessarily required in the BSS unit. | 06-24-2010 |
20100158290 | METHOD FOR SELECTING A PREFERRED DIRECTION OF A DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE AND CORRESPONDING HEARING DEVICE - The preferred direction of a directional microphone of a hearing device and, in particular, a hearing aid should be selected automatically in a quick and reliable fashion. To this end, provision is made for a method for operating a hearing device with such a microphone which can be switched into at least a first and a second directional characteristic. Initially, respectively one signal-to-noise ratio is determined for the first and the second directional characteristic. Subsequently, the directional microphone is switched into that one of the two directional characteristics which leads to the higher signal-to-noise ratio. In particular, the total signal powers of different directional microphone signals can be determined to this end and the interference signal powers can be calculated in parallel thereto in a channel-specific fashion. Corresponding SNR values then result from the differences in the logarithmic power values. | 06-24-2010 |
20100189291 | OPTICAL PIN-POINT MICROPHONE - An optical pin-point microphone has a light source for directing a sensing beam to an object of interest so as to be reflected thereby as a reflected signal beam, a detector having multiple detector elements for receiving the reflected signal beam, and a summer for receiving signals from at least two of the detector elements and detecting, rectifying, amplifying and summing the received signals to generate a non-vanishing signal representative of an acoustic signal. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189292 | HEARING DEVICE WITH AUTOMATIC ALGORITHM SWITCHING - A hearing device with a plurality of microphones is intended to be able to be continued to be operated sensibly, even if a microphone fails. Therefore, a hearing device, and in particular a hearing aid, is proposed which provides a decision unit for deciding whether one of the microphones is defective, and a signal processing unit for processing the signals from the microphones using a plurality of processing algorithms. The signal processing unit switches from a first one of the processing algorithms to a second one of the processing algorithms if a decision is made in the decision unit that one of the microphones is defective. In particular, if a microphone fails, automatic switching from directional microphone operation into omnidirectional operation is for example made possible. | 07-29-2010 |
20100208921 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR BACKGROUND NOISE ESTIMATION WITH A BINAURAL HEARING DEVICE SUPPLY - An apparatus and a method for background noise estimation use a first and a second hearing device for binaural supply of a hearing impaired person. In each case the hearing devices have a first and a second omnidirectional microphone and the two microphones of each hearing device are connected to each other electrically in order to form a first and/or a second monaural directional characteristic. The first and/or second microphone of the first hearing device is connected together wirelessly with the first and/or second microphone of the second hearing device to form a binaural directional characteristic. To estimate the background noise, the level of an output signal from the first and/or the second directional microphone having a monaural directional characteristic is combined with the level of an output signal from the directional microphone having a binaural directional characteristic. Background noise estimation is thereby enhanced in the case of binaural supply. | 08-19-2010 |
20100232631 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A FILTERED ACTIVITY PATTERN, SOURCE DIVIDER, METHOD FOR GENERATING A DEBUGGED AUDIO SIGNAL AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - A device for generating a filtered activity pattern based on a first activity pattern at an auditory model of a first ear and a second activity pattern at an auditory model of a second ear includes an identifier for identifying a first trajectory in the first activity pattern and a second trajectory in the second activity pattern which are associated with the same sound event. The device further includes a determiner for determining whether the two trajectories are associated with a sound event of a useful sound source. The device further includes a filter for filtering the first activity pattern or the second activity pattern based on a result of determining whether a trajectory is associated with a sound event of the useful sound source. | 09-16-2010 |
20100260364 | HEARING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM WITH OWN VOICE DETECTION - An example of an apparatus configured to be worn by a person who has an ear and an ear canal includes a first microphone adapted to be worn about the ear of the person, and a second microphone adapted to be worn at a different location than the first microphone. The apparatus includes a sound processor adapted to process signals from the first microphone to produce a processed sound signal, a receiver adapted to convert the processed sound signal into an audible signal to the wearer of the hearing assistance device, and a voice detector to detect the voice of the wearer. The voice detector includes an adaptive filter to receive signals from the first microphone and the second microphone. | 10-14-2010 |
20100303267 | LISTENING DEVICE PROVIDING ENHANCED LOCALIZATION CUES, ITS USE AND A METHOD - The invention relates to a listening device comprising an ear-part adapted for being worn in or at an ear of a user, a front and rear direction being defined relative to a person wearing the ear-part in an operational position. The invention further relates to a method of operating a hearing instrument, to its use, to a listening system, to a computer readable medium and to a data processing system. The object of the present invention is to provide localization cues for indicating a direction of origin of a sound source. The problem is solved in that the listening system comprises (a) a microphone system comprising at least two microphones each converting an input sound to an electrical microphone signal, (b) a DIR-unit comprising a directionality system for providing a weighted sum of the at least two electrical microphone signals thereby providing at least two directional microphone signals having maximum sensitivity in spatially different directions and a combined microphone signal, and (c) a frequency shaping-unit for modifying the combined microphone signal to indicate directional cues of input sounds originating from at least one of said spatially different directions and providing an improved directional output signal. This has the advantage of providing an alternative or an addition to natural localization cues. The invention may e.g. be used in listening devices, e.g. hearing instruments, head phones, headsets or active ear plugs. | 12-02-2010 |
20110019846 | HEARING AIDS CONFIGURED FOR DIRECTIONAL ACOUSTIC FITTING - Hearing aids and a method of acoustically fitting the hearing aids comprises providing a plurality of audible tones, each having a predetermined frequency through a pair of hearing aids being worn by a patient. The tones are provided at specific sound pressure in each ear. The patient changes the relative sound pressure in each ear until a perceived direction of source of the tone is in front of the patient. The amplification or attenuation requirements of a hearing aid are modified based on the difference in the sound pressures required for the left and right ears of the patient for perceived directional sameness for each frequency band-pass channel. | 01-27-2011 |
20110044481 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING HEARING ASSISTANCE TO A USER - There is provided a method for providing hearing assistance to a user ( | 02-24-2011 |
20110069851 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING DIRECTIONALITY OF SOUND DETECTED BY A HEARING AID - This invention relates to a system ( | 03-24-2011 |
20110085686 | INPUT SIGNAL MISMATCH COMPENSATION SYSTEM - A system includes a plurality of inputs each configured to receive a filtered version of a source signal. The system extracts the energy information from each input signal and compares the energy information of a plurality of input signals. Alternatively, the system extracts energy information from a signal that is the difference of two input signals. Based on the energy information, the system determines at least one parameter that may be changed in at least one circuit in a plurality of circuits to minimize the differences in energy of the input signals or to minimize the energy of the difference signal. Parameters may include for example amplification, delay, and corner frequency values. | 04-14-2011 |
20110091057 | EYEGLASSES WITH A PLANAR ARRAY OF MICROPHONES FOR ASSISTING HEARING - An apparatus implements directional sound detection. The apparatus includes a portable hearing aid device, a plurality of sound detectors, and electronic circuitry. The sound detectors are coupled to the portable hearing aid device. The sound detectors are arranged in a substantially planar array which is located in approximately a two-dimensional plane which extends through both a listener position and a sound generator position. The electronic circuitry is electronically coupled to the plurality of sound detectors. The electronic circuitry generates a reproduced sound signal based on sound signals from at least a subset of the plurality of sound detectors. The subset includes at least two sound detectors in a one-dimensional line and at least one sound detector located within the two-dimensional plane other than along the one-dimensional line. | 04-21-2011 |
20110103626 | Hearing Instrument with Adaptive Directional Signal Processing - A hearing instrument includes a signal processor, and at least two microphones for reception of sound and conversion of the received sound into corresponding electrical sound signals that are input to the signal processor, wherein the signal processor is configured to process the electrical sound signals into a combined signal with a directivity pattern with at least one adaptive null direction θ, and wherein the signal processor is further configured to prevent the at least one null direction θ from entering a prohibited range of directions, wherein the prohibited range is a function of a parameter of the electrical sound signals. | 05-05-2011 |
20110116666 | HEARING AID WITH BEAMFORMING CAPABILITY - A hearing aid includes a first microphone for providing a first audio input signal, a second microphone for providing a second audio input signal, a signal processor configured for generating a hearing loss compensated audio output signal based at least in part on the audio input signals, and a receiver for converting the audio output signal into an output sound signal, wherein the signal processor is configured to perform directional processing, based on the first and second audio input signals, in a first frequency range and substantially omni-directional processing in a second frequency range, at least a part of the first frequency range being higher than the second frequency range, and wherein a lower cutoff frequency of the first frequency range is adjustable. | 05-19-2011 |
20110129105 | ARTIFICIAL EAR AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE DIRECTION OF A SOUND SOURCE USING THE SAME - Disclosed herein are an artificial ear and a method for detecting the direction of a sound source using the same. The artificial ear includes a plurality of microphones; and one or more structures disposed between the plurality of microphones. In the artificial ear, the amplitudes of output signals respectively inputted to the plurality of microphones are designed to be different based on the direction of a sound source. The method for detecting the direction of a sound source includes receiving output signals with different amplitudes from a plurality of microphones; determining front-back discrimination of the sound source from a difference between the amplitudes of the output signals of the microphones; and determining an angle corresponding to the position of the sound source from a difference between delay times of the output signals of the microphones. | 06-02-2011 |
20110135126 | HEARING AID, HEARING AID SYSTEM, WALKING DETECTION METHOD, AND HEARING AID METHOD - A hearing aid that analyzes a surrounding acoustic environment and automatically switches between a plurality of hearing aid processing reduces noise by limiting directionality, when the user is in a noisy outdoor location. However, in the case where directionality is limited to the front when the user is walking or the like, the user is put in extreme danger because he/she cannot notice sound of danger approaching from behind. Behavior analysis of identifying a walking state of the user is necessary in addition to environmental analysis, but typical walking detection using a sensor as in the case of a pedometer and the like is not applicable to a device worn at an ear such as a hearing aid. On the basis of an occurrence pattern of wind noise when walking, the walking state of the user is identified in the case where pulse-like wind noise occurs repeatedly. This enables walking detection to be performed using an existing structure, with there being no need to provide a sensor or the like. Hence, it is possible to provide a hearing aid that can be safely used even outdoors. | 06-09-2011 |
20110150250 | METHOD AND HEARING DEVICE FOR FEEDBACK RECOGNITION AND SUPPRESSION WITH A DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE - A method operates a hearing device having at least two omnidirectional microphones emitting microphone signals and a detection unit for defining acoustic feedback. The method includes connecting a first electrical connection of the microphones to one another in order to form a first signal with directional effect, an adjustment of the directional effect of the first signal such that the acoustic feedback in the first signal is maximized, and an analysis of the first signal by the detection unit for defining the acoustic feedback. It is advantageous that the feedback can be detected by a signal with an improved signal-to-noise ratio. Feedbacks are therefore recognized more reliably and more rapidly. | 06-23-2011 |
20110164771 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE DIRECTIONALITY OF THE SOUND RECEIVING CHARACTERISTIC OF A HEARING AID AND A SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS - A signal processing apparatus ( | 07-07-2011 |
20110188681 | METHOD FOR ADAPTIVELY MATCHING MICROPHONES OF A HEARING SYSTEM AS WELL AS A HEARING SYSTEM - A method and a hearing system for adaptively matching microphones ( | 08-04-2011 |
20110216927 | Hearing System - A hearing system for use by a user is presented. The hearing system includes an external portion for placement external the user. The external portion includes a sound processing unit for providing amplified acoustic sound to an ear of the user. The hearing system further includes an implantable portion for implantation under the skin of the user. The implantable portion and the sound processing unit have magnetic characteristics such that a magnetic attraction exists there between to retain the sound processing unit in a desired position. | 09-08-2011 |
20110228960 | HEARING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SETTING THE HEARING DEVICE FOR FEEDBACK-REDUCED OPERATION - Sound from the receiver of a hearing device may be fed back to its microphones via acoustic feedback paths, which may cause undesirable whistling. It is particularly difficult to predict the creation of feedback in a microphone array with adjustable directional characteristic. This is because the stability of the system then is dependent on a directional parameter by way of which the directional characteristic is fixed. The invention enables feedback-free operation of such a hearing device. A prescribed stability condition is used to establish for which values of the directional parameter feedback-free operation is possible. The directional parameter is then restricted to these values during operation of the hearing device. As an alternative thereto, a value for a strength of a feedback effect is established for a current value of the directional parameter and the directional parameter or a control parameter for the purpose of feedback suppression is then set as a function of the established value. | 09-22-2011 |
20110228961 | HEARING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN OMNIDIRECTIONAL DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTIC - A hearing device is provided with a microphone array having a plurality of microphones. The signals from the microphones can then be processed by an appropriate apparatus of the hearing device such that this results in a directivity of the microphone array. The apparatus must also be able to allow an omnidirectional directivity of the microphone array, i.e. a non-directional detection of sound. This is not always ensured in the case where one of the microphones in the microphone array is covered or aligned other than what is intended. An omnidirectional directivity of the microphone array is ensured in a hearing device of the invention. Here, the microphones are, for this purpose, connected to inputs of the apparatus via a coupling device, by way of which each of the microphones can be coupled to a plurality of inputs of the apparatus at the same time. | 09-22-2011 |
20120008807 | BEAMFORMING IN HEARING AIDS - A hearing aid system includes a first microphone and a second microphone for provision of electrical input signals, a beamformer for provision of a first audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the first audio signal having a directional spatial characteristic, wherein the beamformer is configured to provide a second audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the second audio signal having a spatial characteristic that is different from the directional spatial characteristic of the first audio signal, and a mixer configured for mixing the first audio signal and the second audio signal in order to provide an output signal to be heard by a user. | 01-12-2012 |
20120020505 | SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD - A signal processing apparatus and signal processing method capable of correctly detecting that a conversation is established even in a daily environment are provided. In signal processing apparatus ( | 01-26-2012 |
20120057733 | HEARING AID DEVICE AND HEARING AID METHOD - Disclosed are a hearing aid device and a hearing aid method capable of controlling a directivity process or an amplification process in a hearing aid with a user's hand placement so as to match a users intuition. A hearing aid device includes a plurality of microphones which converts picked sound to audio signals, an inter-signal phase difference calculation unit which calculates a phase difference between a first audio signal converted in a first microphone from among the plurality of microphones and a second audio signal converted in a second microphone, a hand placement determination unit which determines whether or not a state where the phase difference is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value continues for a first time, a directivity sound pickup unit which superimposes a sensitivity-frequency characteristic for controlling sensitivity in a sound pickup direction on the first audio signal acquired from the first microphone and the second audio signal acquired from the second microphone to control the frequency characteristics of the audio signal, and generates an output signal, a nonlinear amplification unit which controls the signal level of the output signal acquired from the directivity sound pickup unit, and a hearing aid process control unit which, when the hand placement determination unit determines that the state where the phase difference is equal to or smaller than the first threshold value continues for the first time, controls the directivity sound pickup unit such that at least one of the sensitivity-frequency characteristic and the frequency characteristics of the audio signals becomes nondirective, and controls the nonlinear amplification unit to amplify the signal levels of the acquired audio signals. | 03-08-2012 |
20120114155 | HEARING AID - A hearing aid, that outputs a microphone input signal and an external input signal, improved includes a directional microphone, an external input terminal, a hearing aid processor that inputs sound signals from the microphone and the external input terminal, and a receiver that outputs sound signal that have undergone hearing aid processing by the hearing aid processor. The hearing aid processor has a mixer that mixes a sound signal from the microphone with a sound signal from the external input terminal and outputs a sound signal to the receiver, a mixing ratio decider that decides a mixing ratio between the sound signal from the microphone and a sound signal from the external input terminal, a front sound detector that is connected to the mixing ratio decider, and a similarity calculator that determines whether or not sound collected by the directional microphone is that of an external device. | 05-10-2012 |
20120121114 | HEARING INSTRUMENT WITH LINEARIZED OUTPUT STAGE - This invention relates to a hearing instrument, which comprises a first microphone converting ambient sound to an ambient sound signal, a signal processor generating a processed sound signal based on the ambient sound signal, a controllable output stage generating a driving signal based on the processed sound signal and in accordance with a control signal, a speaker unit generating a sound in the ear canal based on said driving signal, a second microphone located in the ear canal of the user and converting the sound in the ear canal to the monitor sound signal, and a linearization stage comparing the processed sound signal and the monitor sound signal and generating the control signal based thereon. | 05-17-2012 |
20120128186 | CONVERSATION DETECTION APPARATUS, HEARING AID, AND CONVERSATION DETECTION METHOD - A conversation detection apparatus uses a head-mounted microphone array to accurately determine whether a speaker in front is a conversing person or not. A conversation detection apparatus ( | 05-24-2012 |
20120128187 | HEARING AID, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Provided are a hearing aid, signal processing method, and program that enable TV sound to be made easier for a hearing aid user to hear when wishing to watch TV, and a person's voice to be made easier to hear when wishing to converse with that person. A hearing aid ( | 05-24-2012 |
20120134520 | Self-Adjustable and Deforming Hearing Device - An in-ear hearing aid device that provides users with a customizable ear piece to fit the ear canal of any user. More specifically, the present invention can comprises of a hard case to hold all the electronics of the device with a hearing device jacket that envelops the device. An ear mould is connected to the jacket and allows the user to insert the device into the ear canal to enhance the user's hearing. | 05-31-2012 |
20120163639 | HEARING AID - A hearing aid that prevents the user from missing new speech when listening again to recorded speech. This hearing aid comprises a speech input section, a speech buffer, first and second direction adjustment sections, a hearing aid processor, and a speech output section. The speech input section inputs a speech signal. The speech buffer holds a speech signal inputted to the speech input section. The first and second direction adjustment sections subject a first speech signal inputted to the speech input section and/or a second speech signal held in the speech buffer to speech processing such that the first speech signal and the second speech signal are each perceived independently. The hearing aid processor subjects signals outputted from the first and second direction adjustment sections to hearing aid processing. The speech output section outputs a speech signal that has undergone hearing aid processing at the hearing aid processor. | 06-28-2012 |
20120189147 | SOUND PROCESSING APPARATUS, SOUND PROCESSING METHOD AND HEARING AID - By using output signals from a plurality of omnidirectional microphones, respectively, the sound processing apparatus outputs a first directivity signal in which the main axis of directivity is formed in the direction of the utterer and outputs a second directivity signal in which the dead zone of directivity is formed in the direction of the utterer. The sound processing apparatus calculates the level of the first directivity signal and the level of the second directivity signal, and determines the distance to the utterer based on the level of the first directivity signal and the level of the second directivity signal. The sound processing apparatus derives a gain to be given to the first directivity signal according to the result of the determination and controls the level of the first directivity signal by using the gain. | 07-26-2012 |
20120213392 | SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC RECEPTION ENHANCEMENT OF HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - Method and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement of hearing assistance devices. The present subject matter relates to methods and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement in hearing assistance devices. It provides a power estimation scheme that is reliable against both steady and transient input. It provides a TSM estimation scheme that is effective and efficient both in terms of storage size and computational efficiency. The embodiments employing a decision tree provide a weight factor between the omnidirectional and compensated directional signal. The resulting decision logic improves speech intelligibility when talking under noisy conditions. The decision logic also improves listening comfort when exposed to noise. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents. | 08-23-2012 |
20120230526 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MICROPHONE MATCHING FOR WEARABLE DIRECTIONAL HEARING DEVICE USING WEARER'S OWN VOICE - Method and apparatus for microphone matching for wearable directional hearing assistance devices are provided. An embodiment includes a method for matching at least a first microphone to a second microphone, using a user's voice from the user's mouth. The user's voice is processed as received by at least one microphone to determine a frequency profile associated with voice of the user. Intervals are detected where the user is speaking using the frequency profile. Variations in microphone reception between the first microphone and the second microphone are adaptively canceled during the intervals and when the first microphone and second microphone are in relatively constant spatial position with respect to the user's mouth. | 09-13-2012 |
20120250916 | HEARING AID DEVICE WITH A DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A HEARING AID DEVICE HAVING A DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE SYSTEM - A hearing aid device has a directional microphone system with a first microphone outputting a first microphone signal and a second microphone outputting a second microphone signal. A delay unit generates a directivity by delaying the second microphone signal or a fourth microphone signal derived therefrom by an internal time delay and associating it with the first microphone signal or a third microphone signal derived therefrom for generating a directional microphone signal. A cross-correlation analysis unit receives the first or the third microphone signal and the second or the fourth microphone signal and determines a value of a cross correlation of the two microphone signals. A control unit adjusting the time delay depending on the value of the cross correlation of the two microphone signals. A classifier determines audio conditions in which the hearing aid device is currently situated, and the time delay is adjusted depending on the audio conditions. | 10-04-2012 |
20120275628 | SYSTEM COMPRISING A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A TIME FUNCTION - A portable electronic device and an auxiliary device each having an interface allowing the establishment of a communication link between them, at least to be able to transmit data representative of a status information from the auxiliary device to the portable electronic device, and-a method of of establishing a measure of an absolute elapsed time in a listening device. The problem is solved in that the portable electronic device has a timing unit for determining a time interval and a memory for storing data, and wherein the auxiliary device has a master timing unit for providing a signal representative of the present time, and wherein the system is adapted to transfer a signal representative of the present time from the auxiliary device to the portable electronic device and to store it in the memory. | 11-01-2012 |
20120308057 | MIXING OF IN-THE-EAR MICROPHONE AND OUTSIDE-THE-EAR MICROPHONE SIGNALS TO ENHANCE SPATIAL PERCEPTION - This document provides a hearing assistance device for playing processed sound inside a wearer's ear canal, the hearing assistance device comprising a first housing, signal processing electronics disposed at least partially within the first housing, a first microphone connected to the first housing, the first microphone adapted for reception of sound, a second microphone configured to receive sound from inside the wearer's ear canal when the hearing assistance device is worn and in use and microphone mixing electronics in communication with the signal processing electronics and in communication with the first microphone and the second microphone, the microphone mixing electronics adapted to combine low frequency information from the first microphone and high frequency information from the second microphone to produce a composite audio signal. | 12-06-2012 |
20130064404 | SOUND CAPTURE FOCUS ADJUSTMENT FOR HEARING PROSTHESIS - A hearing prosthesis, the hearing prosthesis including a plurality of sound capture devices and a determinator configured to generate a parameter indicative of an orientation of the plurality of sound capture devices relative to a reference, wherein the hearing prosthesis is configured to adjust a direction of focus of the hearing prosthesis based on at least the parameter. | 03-14-2013 |
20130108089 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MICROPHONES SHARING A COMMON ACOUSTIC VOLUME | 05-02-2013 |
20130114835 | Optimal Spatial Filtering in the Presence of Wind in a Hearing Prosthesis - The present application discloses methods, systems, and hearing prostheses for reducing wind noise and/or thermal noise in an audio signal transmitted to the user of a hearing prosthesis. A method in accordance with the present disclosure includes utilizing delay-sum beamforming to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in an audio signal that contains wind noise and/or thermal noise. In the presence of at least one of wind noise and thermal noise, amplitudes and phases of at least two input signals are matched. The two signals are then added together, resulting in an average improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal transmitted to the user of about 3 dB. | 05-09-2013 |
20130170680 | HEARING AID WITH IMPROVED LOCALIZATION - A BTE hearing aid includes a BTE hearing aid housing, at least one BTE sound input transducer, a processor configured to generate a hearing loss compensated output signal, a sound signal transmission member for transmission of a signal from a sound output of the BTE hearing aid housing to an ear canal of a user at a second end of the sound signal transmission member, an earpiece configured to be inserted in the ear canal, an output transducer, and an ITE microphone housing accommodating at least one ITE microphone, wherein the ITE microphone housing is configured to be positioned in an outer ear, wherein the processor is further configured for processing an audio signal from the at least one ITE microphone and an audio signal from the at least one BTE sound input transducer in such a way that the hearing loss compensated output signal substantially preserves spatial cues. | 07-04-2013 |
20130195296 | HEARING AIDS WITH ADAPTIVE BEAMFORMER RESPONSIVE TO OFF-AXIS SPEECH - A hearing assistance system includes an adaptive directionality controller to control a target direction for sound reception. The adaptive directionality controller includes a beamformer, a speech detector to detect off-axis speech being speech that is not from the target direction, and a steering module to steer the beamformer in response to a detection of the off-axis speech. | 08-01-2013 |
20130195297 | MULTI-DIRECTIONAL AND OMNIDIRECTIONAL HYBRID MICROPHONE FOR HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for an directional microphone arrays for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, the present subject matter provides a microphone array system for receiving sounds including a first directional microphone, a second directional microphone and an omnidirectional microphone. The first directional microphone has a first directional axis in a first direction, and the second directional microphone has a second directional axis that is collinear with the first direction and pointing in the same direction as the first direction. The omnidirectional microphone has a sound sampling position that is a disposed between the first directional microphone and the second directional microphone, and the omnidirectional microphone sound sampling position is on or about the first directional axis. Weighted outputs of the first directional microphone, second directional microphone, and omnidirectional microphone are processed to provide a second order directional microphone system, according to various embodiments. | 08-01-2013 |
20130208929 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR SETTING A HEARING AID TO AN OMNIDIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE MODE OR A DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE MODE - The present invention pertains to a method of automatic switching between omnidirectional (OMNI) and directional (DIR) microphone modes in a binaural hearing aid comprising a first microphone system for the provision of a first input signal, a second microphone system for the provision of a second input signal, where the first microphone system is adapted to be placed in or at a first ear of a user, the second microphone system is adapted to be placed in or at a second ear of said user, the method comprising a measurement step, where the spectral and temporal modulations of the first and second input signal are monitored, an evaluation step, where the spectral and temporal modulations of the first and second input signal are evaluated by the calculation of an evaluation index of speech intelligibility for each of said signals, and an operational step, where the microphone mode of the first and the second microphone systems of the binaural hearing aid are selected in dependence of the calculated evaluation indexes. | 08-15-2013 |
20130223660 | SELECTIVE ACOUSTIC ENHANCEMENT OF AMBIENT SOUND - Systems and methods enhancing auditory experience for a user are provided. The method comprises receiving ambient sound by way of one or more microphones positioned about a user; monitoring the user's movements to determine sound signals interesting to the user; processing the received ambient sound based on the user's movements to at least: increase inclusion of the interesting sound signals in a generated audio output; or reduce inclusion of uninteresting sound signals in the generated audio output. | 08-29-2013 |
20130287237 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING A DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTIC, AND HEARING SYSTEM - A directional characteristic of a microphone facility of a hearing system is more reliably controlled. The method determines a first feature value in respect of speech in a first signal of a microphone facility assigned to a first direction and a second feature value in respect of speech in a second signal of the microphone facility assigned to a second direction. A control value is obtained from the difference of the two feature values. The directional characteristic of the microphone facility is controlled with this control value. | 10-31-2013 |
20130329923 | METHOD OF FOCUSING A HEARING INSTRUMENT BEAMFORMER - A beamformer of a hearing instrument is focused by automatically adapting the beam width and/or beam direction. A spatial orientation and/or position of the head of the hearing instrument user is first captured. When no head movements are captured, the acoustic signals are picked up with directional dependency. Then the amplification of acoustic signals is boosted that originate from a focus solid angle in front of the head of the hearing instrument user, compared with acoustic signals from other solid angles. This activates or increases directivity. Then the focus solid angle is decreased to gradually focus and to increase directivity, until the level of acoustic signals from the focus solid angle, actually the presence of the desired signals in the focus solid angle (purely theoretically the probability that the desired signal is present in the focus solid angle), reduces on account of reducing the focus solid angle. | 12-12-2013 |
20130336507 | BEAMFORMING IN HEARING AIDS - A hearing aid system includes a first microphone and a second microphone for provision of electrical input signals, a beamformer for provision of a first audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the first audio signal having a directional spatial characteristic, wherein the beamformer is configured to provide a second audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the second audio signal having a spatial characteristic that is different from the directional spatial characteristic of the first audio signal, and a mixer configured for mixing the first audio signal and the second audio signal in order to provide an output signal to be heard by a user. | 12-19-2013 |
20140023212 | Wireless Hearing Aid System - A hearing aid system comprising first and second ear units or hearing aids, and an external audio signal receiver, the first and second ear units including an audio sensor and transceiver, the audio sensor being configured to detect audio signals emanating from the environment, the transceiver being configured to transmit directionality signals representing amplitude and phase of detected audio signals to said acoustic signal receiver, the audio signal receiver including processing means for processing the audio and directionality signals and generating reconstructed acoustic signals that include direction parameters representing a direction of origin of at least one audio signal, the audio signal receiver further including wireless signal transmission means for transmitting the reconstructed acoustic signals to the ear units. | 01-23-2014 |
20140023213 | SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC RECEPTION ENHANCEMENT OF HEARING ASSISTANCE DEVICES - Method and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement of hearing assistance devices. The present subject matter relates to methods and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement in hearing assistance devices. It provides a power estimation scheme that is reliable against both steady and transient input. It provides a TSM estimation scheme that is effective and efficient both in terms of storage size and computational efficiency. The embodiments employing a decision tree provide a weight factor between the omnidirectional and compensated directional signal. The resulting decision logic improves speech intelligibility when talking under noisy conditions. The decision logic also improves listening comfort when exposed to noise. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents. | 01-23-2014 |
20140079259 | HEARING AID AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING DIRECTIVITY - A hearing aid for automatically controlling directivity is provided. The automatic directivity controlling hearing aid controls an amplification factor and delay time for each of a plurality of acoustic signals that are generated from a plurality of microphones, to thus automatically enhance directivity so that a speech sound can be strongly heard among ambient sounds that are generated in the vicinity. Therefore, even any directional voices may be heard as accurate voices by enlarging intensity of a speech sound in contrast to ambient noise. | 03-20-2014 |
20140079260 | HEARING INSTRUMENT - A hearing instrument microphone device includes at least two microphone sound ports (or sound inlets), a pressure difference microphone in communication with at least two of the sound ports and a pressure microphone in communication with at least one of the sound ports, wherein the acoustic centers of the pressure difference microphone and the pressure microphone essentially coincide. | 03-20-2014 |
20140112507 | Dual Transducer With Shared Diaphragm - The invention relates to a transducer comprising a housing having a first and a second sound input, a first and a second vibration sensors configured to convert vibration to an output, and a diaphragm connected to both the first and second vibration sensor. | 04-24-2014 |
20140185845 | SPECTACLE HEARING DEVICE SYSTEM - A spectacle hearing device system includes: a first hearing instrument, the first hearing instrument having a first wireless hearing instrument transceiver and a first acoustic output transducer; a pair of spectacles, the pair of spectacles comprising a first wireless spectacle transceiver, and a first plurality of microphones, the first plurality of microphones forming a first directional microphone array configured for generating a first electrical signal from acoustic signals picked up by the first plurality of microphones; a first processor for processing the first electrical signal according to a hearing loss compensation prescription; and a first amplifier for applying the first electrical signal to the first acoustic output transducer; wherein the first wireless spectacle transceiver is configured for transmitting the first electrical signal wirelessly to the first hearing instrument. | 07-03-2014 |
20140185846 | HEARING AID WITH IMPROVED LOCALIZATION - A hearing aid includes: a cue filter having an input that is provided with an output from the BTE sound input transducer; an adaptive feedback canceller configured to provide an output modelling a feedback path between the output transducer and the BTE sound input transducer, wherein the output modelling the feedback path is provided to a subtractor for subtraction of the output modelling the feedback path from the output of the BTE sound input transducer to obtain a difference, the subtractor outputting the difference to the cue filter; and a feedback and cue controller connected to the adaptive feedback canceller and the cue filter, wherein the feedback and cue controller is configured to control the cue filter to reduce a difference between an output of the ITE microphone and a combined output that is obtained using at least the cue filter. | 07-03-2014 |
20140185847 | HEARING AID WITH IMPROVED LOCALIZATION - A method of determining parameters of a BTE hearing aid having at least one ITE microphone and at least one BTE microphone, the method includes: determining Head-Related Transfer functions HRTF | 07-03-2014 |
20140193007 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING AN AUDIO STREAM BASED ON PROXIMITY AND DIRECTION - Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for obtaining an audio stream for hearing assistance devices. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a method comprising sensing proximity of a wearer of a hearing assistance device, and sensing direction of movement of the wearer of the hearing assistance device. Audio streaming to the hearing assistance device is activated or deactivated based on the sensed proximity and direction of movement, according to various embodiments. | 07-10-2014 |
20140198934 | CUSTOMIZATION OF ADAPTIVE DIRECTIONALITY FOR HEARING AIDS USING A PORTABLE DEVICE - A hearing assistance system provides a hearing-aid wearer with one or more hearing aids and a portable device allowing for a wearer-driven directionality customization of the one or more hearing aids. The wearer indicates the locations of sound(s) of interest and/or noise source(s) using the portable device. The one or more hearing aids adjust the directionality of sound reception based on these wearer-indicated locations. | 07-17-2014 |
20140219485 | PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS UNIT FOR OBSERVING FROM A POINT OF VIEW AND TEAM COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM COMPRISING MULTIPLE PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS UNITS FOR OBSERVING FROM A POINT OF VIEW - An embodiments described herein relates to a personal communications unit for observing from a point of view and team communications system comprising multiple personal communications units for observing from a point of view; especially to a personal communications system for use in a geographical environment configured with a computational unit configured to calculate a direction and/or a distance of the elsewhere geographical position relative to the origo geographical position; and perform a transformation of the at least one record of information from the at least one elsewhere geographical position; which transformation is as if the record of information was observed from the origo geographical position. | 08-07-2014 |
20140270287 | BLUETOOTH HEARING AIDS ENABLED DURING VOICE ACTIVITY ON A MOBILE PHONE - A hearing aid device and methods implemented in hearing aid devices activate a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for communicating sounds signals for remote processing on a mobile computing device in response to the device detecting reception of meaningful sound, such as speech. Selectively activating the RF transceiver when sound is meaningful and avoiding powering the RF transceiver when detected sound is of little value to the wearer enables hearing aid to use the mobile computing device to process meaningful sound signals (e.g., speech from another person) while conserving batter power, thereby prolonging its battery life. The hearing aid device and methods may also deactivate the RF transceiver when the hearing aid device does not detect a meaningful sound signal. | 09-18-2014 |
20140314259 | METHOD FOR ADJUSTING THE USEFUL SIGNAL IN BINAURAL HEARING AID SYSTEMS AND HEARING AID SYSTEM - A method operates a hearing aid system and the hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices, between which a signal path is provided, and with at least one signal processing unit, which is provided to process audio signals. In the method the signal processing apparatus filters first audio signals with a filter predetermined for a defined spatial direction, from which a useful signal arrives, so that second audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal in the second audio signals are equalized to a greater degree than in the first audio signals. The second audio signals are then filtered with an adaptive filter, so that third audio signals are generated, in which the components of the useful signal are equalized to an even greater degree than in the second audio signals. | 10-23-2014 |
20140314260 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING AN EFFECT STRENGTH OF A BINAURAL DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE, AND HEARING AID SYSTEM - A hearing aid system has at least two hearing aid devices to be worn on both sides of a wearer's head. The hearing aid devices have a transducer for picking up an acoustic signal and converting same into a first audio signal in each case. A signal processing unit processes audio signals received from each hearing aid device through a signal connection. The signal processing unit evaluates a signal component from a preferred direction in relation to the head of the wearer in the first audio signals. By way of the first audio signals the signal processing unit generates a first binaural directional microphone signal and adjusts its directional characteristic as a function of the evaluation. | 10-23-2014 |
20150036850 | METHOD FOR FOLLOWING A SOUND SOURCE, AND HEARING AID DEVICE - A method of following a sound source with a hearing aid device. The hearing aid device has a plurality of microphones, a monitoring device, a locating device, a directional device, an energy source, a controller and an electro-mechanical transducer. The directional device generates a signal with a variable directional characteristic from the microphone signals. The directional signal is monitored for an incipient acoustic signal from a sound source from a predetermined direction range. The locating device determines the direction of origin of the sound source. A predetermined directional characteristic with an orientation toward the first sound source is also set in the directional device. The locating device then determines a change in the direction of origin of the first sound source and the orientation of the directional characteristic is set based on the changed direction of origin in the directional device. | 02-05-2015 |
20150063612 | HEARING AID DEVICE WITH IN-THE-EAR-CANAL MICROPHONE - A hearing aid device is disclosed. The hearing aid device comprises a receiver configured to be arranged in the ear canal. The hearing aid device comprises a directional microphone system comprising two microphones or one microphone having two sound inlets. The hearing aid device comprises means for counteracting acoustic feedback on the basis of sound signals detected by the two microphones or the two sound inlets. The hearing aid device comprises an “open fitting” providing ventilation. The two microphones or the two sound inlets of the directional microphone (forming part of a directional system) are arranged in the ear canal at the same side of the receiver and sound is allowed to propagate freely between the microphones or between the inlets of the directional microphone and the receiver. Preferably, the hearing aid device comprises a procedure (such as an adaptive procedure) for optimising the directional system of the hearing aid device. An improved feedback reduction is thereby achieved, while allowing a relatively large gain to be applied to the incoming signal. | 03-05-2015 |
20150319542 | INSTRUMENT WITH REMOTE OBJECT DETECTION UNIT - The present disclosure relates to an apparatus having a directional microphone system having adaptable directionality and a remote object detection unit configured to detect a remote object by detecting a transmitted signal reflected from the object, the directionality of the directional microphone system may be modified or adapted based on the detection of the remote object. | 11-05-2015 |
20150373464 | OMNI-DIRECTIONAL PERCEPTION IN A BINAURAL HEARING AID SYSTEM - A hearing aid system includes: a first hearing aid comprising a first set of microphones, a first beamformer, a first processing module, and a first receiver; and a second hearing aid comprising a second set of microphones, a second beamformer, a second processing module, and a second receiver; wherein the first beamformer in a first operating mode is configured to provide a first audio signal in accordance with a first primary spatial characteristic, wherein the second beamformer in the first operating mode is configured to provide a second audio signal in accordance with a second primary spatial characteristic, the first primary spatial characteristic having a first main lobe with a first direction, and the second primary spatial characteristic having a second main lobe with a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction. | 12-24-2015 |
20150373465 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HEARING ASSISTANCE IN MULTIPLE-TALKER SETTINGS - Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for hearing assistance in multiple-talker settings. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a method of operating a hearing assistance device for a user in an environment. A parameter is sensed relating to facing orientation of a talker in communication within the environment. Parameters related to location and talking activity of a talker can also be used. In various embodiments, facing orientation, location, and talking activity of the talker are estimated based on the sensed parameter. A hearing assistance device parameter is adjusted based on the estimated facing orientation, location, and talking activity of the talker, according to various embodiments. | 12-24-2015 |
20160029130 | METHOD FOR EVALUATING A USEFUL SIGNAL AND AUDIO DEVICE - A high-performance method evaluates a useful signal of an audio device, and in particular of an audio apparatus, for example for reducing interference. Accordingly, in the method at least two microphone signals are each obtained from a sound signal and a reference signal is obtained from the microphone signals, a portion of the microphone signals from a predetermined direction being blocked. The microphone signals are filtered by a filter such that an evaluation signal is obtained. To that end, a coherence value is determined from portions of the reference signal and a power density value is determined from the coherence value. The filter is parameterized on the basis of the power density value. | 01-28-2016 |
20160029131 | HEARING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM WITH OWN VOICE DETECTION - An example of an apparatus configured to be worn by a person who has an ear and an ear canal includes a first microphone adapted to be worn about the ear of the person, and a second microphone adapted to be worn at a different location than the first microphone. The apparatus includes a sound processor adapted to process signals from the first microphone to produce a processed sound signal, a receiver adapted to convert the processed sound signal into an audible signal to the wearer of the hearing assistance device, and a voice detector to detect the voice of the wearer. The voice detector includes an adaptive filter to receive signals from the first microphone and the second microphone. | 01-28-2016 |
20160037268 | AUTOMATIC DIRECTIONAL SWITCHING ALGORITHM FOR HEARING AIDS - Described herein is a technique by which a hearing may automatically switch between a directional microphone mode and an omnidirectional microphone mode base upon an estimate of the noise floor as derived from the input signal. A minimum statistics estimator may be used to estimate the noise floor. | 02-04-2016 |
20160080873 | HEARING DEVICE COMPRISING A GSC BEAMFORMER - 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. | 03-17-2016 |
20160080874 | GAZE-BASED AUDIO DIRECTION - A hearing assistance system includes an eye tracker to determine a gaze target of a user, a microphone array, a speaker, and an audio conditioner to output assistive audio via the speaker. The assistive audio is processed from microphone array output to emphasize sounds that originate near the gaze target determined by the eye tracker. | 03-17-2016 |
20160100258 | DIRECTION INDICATIVE HEARING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A directional indicative hearing apparatus comprises or consists of a pair of hearing aids and an eyeglass frame having a bridge and a pair of temples for positioning the eyeglasses and hearing apparatus on an individual's head. The microphones are disposed in or on the temples together with a pair of vibrators and batteries for indicating whether the sound emanates from the right, the left or behind an individual. In addition, the apparatus includes a pair of LEDs for indicating if the sound is emanating from the right, the left or in front of the individual. | 04-07-2016 |
20160134978 | Transducer, A Hearing Aid Comprising The Transducer And A Method Of Operating The Transducer - The invention relates to a transducer comprising a housing, a first and a second diaphragm, and a first and a second signal provider. The housing comprises an inner surface. The first and second diaphragms are positioned in the housing. The first and second diaphragms define a common compartment being delimited by at least both a part of the inner surface and the first and second diaphragms. The first signal provider is configured to convert movement of the first diaphragm into a first signal. The second signal provider is configured to convert movement of the second diaphragm into a second signal. The transducer can be used in a hearing aid. | 05-12-2016 |
20160142831 | Binaural Cochlear Implant Processing - A sound processing arrangement is described for a patient with a bilateral cochlear implant system having implanted electrode arrays in each ear. There is a left-side sensing microphone and a right-side sensing microphone, each configured for sensing the sound environment surrounding the patient and generating corresponding microphone signals. A sound object identification module is configured for analyzing the microphone signals to identify one or more sound objects within the sound environment. A sound object selection module is configured for processing the microphone signals to generate a sound object signal for each of the one or more sound objects. A stimulation side selector module is configured for selecting on which side or sides of the bilateral cochlear implant arrangement to process each sound object signal. One or more sound processors processes the sound object signals to generate stimulation signals to the implanted electrode arrays on the selected side or sides. | 05-19-2016 |
20160150329 | HEARING DEVICE FOR A HEARING SYSTEM - A hearing device includes: a directional microphone assembly for provision of an electrical audio signal, and a processing unit connected to the microphone assembly, wherein the microphone assembly comprises a body and a first microphone, the body comprising a first sound path and a plurality of inlets, the first sound path having one or more bends, the plurality of inlets including a first inlet in fluid communication with the first sound path, and a second inlet, wherein the body has a first outlet in fluid communication with the first sound path, wherein the first microphone in a first directional mode is in fluid communication with the first outlet, and wherein a first distance between the first inlet and the first outlet along the first sound path, and a second distance between the second inlet and the first outlet along the first sound path, are different. | 05-26-2016 |
20160157028 | STEREOPHONIC FOCUSED HEARING | 06-02-2016 |
20160157030 | Hearing-Aid Noise Reduction Circuitry With Neural Feedback To Improve Speech Comprehension | 06-02-2016 |
20160192088 | HEARING DEVICE WITH SOUND SOURCE LOCALIZATION AND RELATED METHOD - A hearing device includes: a processing unit; a transceiver connected to the processing unit and being configured for outputting a transceiver output signal representative of a first audio signal to form a first input signal for the processing unit; and a microphone connected to the processing unit for converting a second audio signal into a microphone output signal to form a second input signal for the processing unit; wherein the processing unit is configured to: estimate a time shift between the microphone output signal and the transceiver output signal, determine a time delay based on the time shift, and use the time delay to obtain a summing signal. | 06-30-2016 |
20160255444 | AUTOMATED DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE FOR HEARING AID COMPANION MICROPHONE | 09-01-2016 |
20160255445 | DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE MODULE | 09-01-2016 |