363 results about "Hearing apparatus" patented technology

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.

A receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing device comprises a housing configured for deployment behind an ear of a user of the hearing device. A power source, audio components, a communication device, and a controller are respectively disposed in the housing. A cable assembly comprises a cable, a receiver disposed at a distal end of the cable, and a connector disposed at a proximal end of the cable and configured to attach to the housing. An optical sensor is disposed in the connector and configured to generate a proximity signal based on proximity of the optical sensor to skin at or near the user's ear. The controller is configured to operate the hearing device in a nominal power mode in response to the proximity signal exceeding a threshold and to operate the hearing device in a low power mode in response to the proximity signal falling below the threshold.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus for processing audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus for processing audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

A fitting apparatus for a hearing device includes a memory, the memory having stored thereon a plurality of embedding vectors and related solutions for possible hearing issues with a hearing or computing device. The fitting apparatus is configured to:receive, via a user interface, a first signal indicative of a natural language input indicative of an issue experienced by a user;determine an embedding based on the natural language input;generate, based on the embedding, a first embedding vector;determine a closest match between the first embedding vector and an embedding vector of the plurality of embedding vectors; andsend, to the user interface, a second signal indicative of a reply output, the reply output comprising information related to a solution of the related solutions for the issue experienced by the user.

The disclosure generally relates to a method, system and apparatus to improve a user's understanding of speech in real-time conversations by processing the audio through a neural network contained in a hearing device. The hearing device may be a headphone or hearing aid. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to an apparatus to enhance incoming audio signal. The apparatus includes a controller to receive an incoming signal and provide a controller output signal; a neural network engine (NNE) circuitry in communication with the controller, the NNE circuitry activatable by the controller, the NNE circuitry configured to generate an NNE output signal from the controller output signal; and a digital signal processing (DSP) circuitry to receive one or more of controller output signal or the NNE circuitry output signal to thereby generate a processed signal; wherein the controller determines a processing path of the controller output signal through one of the DSP or the NNE circuitries as a function of one or more of predefined parameters, incoming signal characteristics and NNE circuitry feedback.

The present disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising a first radar sensor configured for obtaining first radar data indicative of a shape of a first pinna of the first ear of a user. A processing unit of the hearing device is configured to receive the first radar data from the first radar sensor, and determine, based on the first radar data, a shape of the first pinna.

A hearing system having a hearing device, including a receiver antenna assembly with a receiver core having a relatively high magnetic permeability and a receiver coil wound around the receiver core, operably connected to a rechargeable power source, and a hearing device charger, including a transmitter antenna assembly, with a transmitter core having a relatively high magnetic permeability and a transmitter coil wound around the transmitter core, operably connected to a power supply. The respective configurations of the hearing device and the hearing device charger may be such that when the hearing device is in a charging position on the hearing device charger, the receiver core and the transmitter core together provides a closed loop path for magnetic flux.

A self-check is initiated via an audio processor circuit of the hearing device. In response to the self-check, a transfer function of a feedback path is measured between a receiver of the hearing device to at least one microphone of the hearing device. An anomaly is determined in the transfer function via comparison with example feedback path characterization data. An abnormality associated with the hearing device is predicted based on the anomaly. An indication of the abnormality is presented via a user interface of the hearing device.

A system for evaluating an ear seal between an earphone of a hearing device and an ear canal includes a first transducer configured to play a sound in response to an electrical signal including a reference frequency component and a test frequency component below the reference frequency. A second transducer receives the sound in the ear canal. A controller is configured to calculate at least one electrical signal level difference between the reference frequency component and the test frequency component of the electrical signal, measure the sound levels of the reference frequency component and the test frequency component of the sound in the ear canal, calculate an acoustic signal level difference between the measured sound levels of the reference frequency component and the test frequency component, calculate a normalized acoustic difference value by subtracting the electrical signal level difference from the acoustic signal level difference, and determine a measurement result of the ear seal based on the normalized acoustic difference value.

Presented herein are a system and a method comprising obtaining one or more electrophysiological measures of acoustic hearing associated with a hearing device recipient, obtaining one or more hearing performance measures of the recipient, analyzing the one or more electrophysiological measures with respect to the one or more hearing performance measure, and generating an output based on the analyzing the one or more electrophysiological measures with respect to the one or more hearing performance measures.

An exemplary hearing device may be configured to be inserted at least partially within an ear canal of a user of the hearing device. The hearing device may include a first temperature sensor configured to detect ear canal temperature within the ear canal, a second temperature sensor configured to detect ambient temperature outside of the ear canal, and a processor. The processor may be configured to determine a work status of the user indicative of an activity level of the user and determine a core body temperature of the user based on the ear canal temperature detected by the first temperature sensor, the ambient temperature detected by the second temperature sensor, and the work status of the user.

An illustrative hearing system may be configured to receive, from an input transducer included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user, audio data representative of one or more audio signals presented to the user and acquire motion data representative of head movements of the user while the user wears the hearing device and / or own-voice data representative of an own-voice activity of the user. The hearing system may be further configured to determine, based the motion data and / or own-voice data, a listening state of the user with respect to the one or more audio signals and perform, based on the listening state, an operation associated with the hearing device.

An accessory device includes: an antenna; a processing unit; and a memory storing a first accessory device parameter; wherein the processing unit is configured to: obtain the first accessory device parameter, obtain a first hearing device parameter received via the antenna of the accessory device, determine a first criterion value based on the first hearing device parameter and the first accessory device parameter, and perform a comparison between a received signal strength indicator and the first criterion value, the received signal strength indicator indicating or being associated with a radiated power transmitted from a hearing device and received at the accessory device; and wherein the processing unit is configured to perform a pairing action if a result of the comparison satisfies a criterion.

The disclosure relates to a method of adjusting a configuration of a hearing device configured to be worn at an ear of a user to the individual needs of the user, wherein the hearing device (110, 210) is communicatively coupled to a communication device (150, 410, 510), the method comprising - initiating querying of a user command to be entered by the user via a user interface (157, 428) included in the communication device (150, 410, 510), the user command indicative of an adjustment desired by the user of at least one configuration parameter indicative of a current configuration of the hearing device (110, 210); and - adjusting, depending on the user command, the configuration parameter. The disclosure further relates to a hearing system configured to perform the method. To provide for a user-friendlier adjustability of a current configuration of the hearing device, the disclosure proposes that the method further comprises - receiving image information (711) representative of a facial expression (621, 622) of the user; and - initiating presenting, depending on the facial expression (621, 622), an input support (613, 662, 671, 672) to the user facilitating inputting of the user command.

Illustrative communication interfaces and protocols for multi-service data communication between a hearing device and an accessory are described herein. For example, an example hearing system may include a hearing device configured to be worn by a recipient, an accessory configured to interoperate with the hearing device while worn separately by the recipient, and a communication interface between the hearing device and the accessory. The communication interface may include two physical conductors configured to carry differential signaling generated in accordance with a frame protocol that defines a data frame configured to communicate a first dataset and a second dataset. The first dataset is associated with a first data service performed in accordance with a first quality-of-service. The second dataset is associated with a second data service performed in accordance with a second quality-of-service different from and incompatible with the first quality-of-service. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

A hearing device includes: a pinna restorer for provision of a pinna output based on a first pinna input and a second pinna input, wherein the first pinna input is based on a primary first microphone input signal, and wherein the second pinna input is based on a primary second microphone input signal, the pinna restorer comprising: a first filter for provision of a first mixer input based on the first pinna input, a second filter for provision of a second mixer input based on the second pinna input, a first mixer for provision of a first mixer output based on the first mixer input and the second mixer input, and a pinna controller; and an input mixer for provision of an input mixer output based on the pinna output and a secondary mixer input, wherein the secondary mixer input is based on a secondary microphone input signal.

A method for training a speech enhancement neural network for being executed on a hearing device comprises: providing a speech enhancement neural network, providing a speech style transfer algorithm for converting speech samples with a first speech style into speech samples with a second speech style, obtaining at least one training data set and applying supervised training on the speech enhancement neural network. The speech enhancement neural network has a network audio input for receiving an input audio signal, one or more network layers for predicting an enhanced audio signal and / or a filter mask for filtering the input audio signal, and a network output for outputting the enhanced audio signal and / or the filter mask. The at least one training data set comprises a training input audio signal comprising a speech sample and a target speech sample.

The present disclosure relates to an application to be executed by an electronic device. The electronic device communicates with a hearing device worn by a user. The hearing device comprises a battery and a processing unit configured to receive an input signal and provide a processed output signal for compensating a hearing loss of the user. The application is configured for transmitting a status request from the electronic device to the hearing device, receiving, at the electronic device, a status response from the hearing device, and generating a notification representing instructions for charging the battery. The notification is generated based on the received status response and predetermined settings of the application.

An earpiece for a hearing device and a hearing device is disclosed, the earpiece comprising an earpiece housing for insertion into an ear canal of a user and having a distal end and a proximal end with an earpiece axis therebetween, the earpiece housing having an outer surface connecting the distal end to the proximal end; a receiver comprising a receiver housing, the receiver located within the earpiece housing; and a first microphone configured to pick up ear canal sound, wherein the receiver comprises a moving coil.

The present disclosure relates to a hearing apparatus comprising: a bone conduction sensor configured to convert bone vibrations of voice sound information into a bone conduction signal; a signal processing unit configured to implement a synthetic speech generation process, the synthetic speech generation process implementing a speech model; wherein the synthetic speech generation process receives the bone conduction signal as a control input and outputs a synthetic speech signal.

The invention discloses a hearing system. The hearing system includes an electronic device including a memory, an interface, and a processor. The hearing system comprises a hearing device comprising a memory, an interface, a processor, and one or more sensors. The system is configured to obtain sensor data, such as external sensor data, from one or more sensors. The system is configured to determine a health parameter indicative of a cognitive state of a hearing device user based on sensor data, such as external sensor data. The system is configured to determine whether the health parameter satisfies a first criterion indicative of cognitive decline. The system is configured to output a health representation related to the cognitive state in accordance with the health parameter satisfying the first criterion.

An exemplary hearing device is configured to receive, from a source, a data packet, the data packet including a plurality of frames including a first frame and a second frame. The hearing device determines that the data packet has an invalid checksum. The hearing device accesses, in response to the determining that the data packet has the invalid checksum, a first frame checksum for the first frame and a second frame checksum for the second frame. The hearing device determines that the first frame checksum is invalid and that the second frame checksum is valid. The hearing device discards, based on the first frame checksum being invalid, the first frame and stores, based on the second frame checksum being valid, the second frame.

Disclosed herein, among other things, are systems and methods for mitigating interference within a telecoil signal for hearing devices. A system includes a first hearing device and a second hearing device. The first hearing device includes a magnetic sensor configured to sense an inductive signal, a first wireless radio configured for wireless communication, and a first near-field radio configured for near-field communication. The second hearing device includes a second wireless radio configured for wireless communication and a second near-field radio configured for near-field communication. The first hearing device is configured to selectively deactivate the first wireless radio when using the magnetic sensor to reduce interference in the sensed inductive signal, and further configured to transmit the sensed inductive signal to the second hearing device using the first near-field radio. The second hearing device is configured to receive the sensed inductive signal using the second near-field radio.