Sonova Ag

Erwin Kuipers

Manuel Weibel

Christian Frei

Christian Landolt

Maxi Susanne Moritz

Arno Römmeler

Hans-Ueli Roeck

Ralph Peter Derleth

Grace Gardner

Gilles Courtois

Eleftheria Georganti

Antonio Hoelzl

Christian Frei-Krumme

Markus Hofbauer

Thomas Zurbrügg

Antonio Hölzl

Described herein are a protective element configured to be connected to an electroacoustic transducer or a sound tube included in a hearing device, the protective element comprising a 3D-shaped membrane enclosing a cavity with an opening at which the membrane is configured to connect to the transducer or sound tube, wherein the membrane has one or more thinner portions configured to transmit sound and one or more thicker portions at which a rigidity of the membrane is greater than at the thinner portions.

Protective element for an electroacoustic transducer of a hearing device or for a sound tube included in a hearing device

Described herein are a protective element configured to be connected to an electroacoustic transducer or a sound tube included in a hearing device, the protective element comprising a 3D-shaped membrane that has two or more first portions having a first thickness that are configured to transmit sound and two or more second portions having a second thickness. The first thickness is less than the second thickness such that a rigidity of the 3D-shaped membrane is greater at the two or more second portions than at the two or more first portions. At least two of the two or more second portions are spaced from one another along a circumference of the 3D-shaped membrane by at least one of the two or more first portions.

An exemplary system includes a memory storing instructions and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to perform a process comprising: accessing fitting data representative of fitting parameters set by a fitting application to fit a hearing device to a user; determining user behavior data indicative of a hearing intention of the user in an auditory scene where the user is located; determining auditory scene data representative of information about the auditory scene; and implementing, based on the fitting data, the user behavior data, and the auditory scene data, a sound processing delay scheme for use by the hearing device.

Systems and methods for selecting a sound processing delay scheme for a hearing device

An exemplary system includes a memory storing instructions and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to determine that an audio streaming session is to be initiated in which an audio signal is streamed to a hearing device, provide, based on the determining that the audio streaming session is to be initiated, an option for a user to select an ambient sound attenuation setting for use by the hearing device during the audio streaming session, detect a selection by the user of the option; and direct, based on the user selecting the option, the hearing device to initiate the audio streaming session and attenuate, in accordance with the ambient sound attenuation setting, ambient sound during the audio streaming session.

Systems and methods for facilitating user control of ambient sound attenuation during an audio streaming session

The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising a housing configured to be at least partially inserted into an ear canal of a user, the housing having an opening leading to an interior space enclosed by the housing; a slidable member moveable relative to the opening between different positions including a first position and a second position; an actuator configured to actuate the movement of the slidable member forth from the first position to the second position, and back from the second position to the first position; and a controller configured to control the actuator. The disclosure further relates to a hearing system comprising the hearing device and a stationary device, and a method of operating the hearing device.

Hearing device comprising a slidable member

The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising an earpiece provided with a vent configured to provide for a venting of sound waves between an inner region of the ear canal and an ambient environment outside the ear canal; the earpiece further comprising an acoustic valve including a valve member moveable relative to the vent between different positions and an actuator configured to provide an actuation force for a movement of the valve member such that an effective open cross-sectional area of the vent can be modified by the movement of the valve member; the hearing device further comprising an output transducer configured to be acoustically coupled to the inner region of the ear canal.

Hearing device comprising a vent and an acoustic valve

Systems and methods are disclosed for avoidance of user discomfort due to pressure differences by vent valve. In one embodiment, a method for equalizing air pressure in ear canal includes sensing a pressure difference between a pressure in ear canal (P) and an ambient pressure (P) by a sensor of a hearing device. Based on sensing the pressure difference, an active valve is set to a first position to open a vent through the hearing device or to a second position to close the vent through the hearing device.

Avoidance of user discomfort due to pressure differences by vent valve, and associated systems and methods

An exemplary hearing device assembly is configured to be worn at least partially within an ear canal of a user. The hearing device assembly includes a housing including an output transducer configured to provide an output audio signal representative of sound presented to the user. The housing is configured to be positioned entirely within the ear canal. The hearing device assembly also includes a tube extending from an end of the housing and configured to provide an acoustic pathway from outside the ear canal to the housing, an inner seal extending from the housing, and an outer seal extending from the tube. The inner seal and the outer seal are together are configured to enclose a main volume that surrounds the tube within the ear canal and that is acoustically sealed from an ambient environment of the user.

Hearing device assemblies

The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising a housing surrounding a venting channel comprising a valve member moveable relative to the venting channel between different positions comprising a first valve position and a second valve position, an actuator configured to provide an actuation force with a direction and a magnitude acting on the valve member, and a controller a controller configured to provide a first control signal controlling the actuator to provide the actuation force in a first direction, and to provide a second control signal controlling the actuator to provide the actuation force in a second direction. The disclosure further relates to a method of operating such a hearing device.

Hearing device comprising an active vent and method for its operation

An illustrative hearing device comprises a controller module and a receiver module including a speaker and an active vent which can be switched between an open state and a closed state, wherein the speaker is electrically connected to the controller module by two differential audio lines, wherein the active vent comprises a solenoid with an inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal connected to the controller module via one of the differential audio lines and the second terminal connected to the controller module either via the other one of the differential audio lines or to at least one control output of the controller module via a separate control line.

Hearing device with active vent comprising solenoid

Provided is a hearing device including a housing configured to be at least partially inserted into an ear canal of a user, a vent that provides venting between an inner region of the ear canal and the ambient environment, an acoustic valve with a valve member configured to adjust the effective size of the vent, an actuator that actuates the valve member, and an acoustic output transducer acoustically coupled to the inner region of the ear canal and configured to generate a sound output according to an audio signal. The hearing device further includes a control unit operatively connected to the actuator and the acoustic output transducer and configured to control the audio signal supplied to the acoustic output transducer such that the sound output is modified during adjustment of the valve member.

Hearing device comprising a vent with an adjustable acoustic valve

A hearing device includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) component with a speaker, an earpiece with an active vent, and a sound tube operatively connecting the earpiece and the speaker of the BTE component. The hearing device further includes a controller that adjusts the configuration of the active vent. The controller can adjust the configuration of the active vent by control signals transmitted via conductive wires, electrically conductive layers, or via a wireless link.

Growing community of inventors

Wolfhausen, Switzerland

Erwin Kuipers