Unitron Hearing Ltd.

Sonova Ag

Phonak Ag

Henry Luo

Horst Arndt

Ara Talaslian

André Vonlanthen

Shawn Lee

Mark Schmidt

Leonard E Cornelisse

Greg Nawrocki

Deming Zhang

Robert Walesa

Donald Hayes

Leonard Cornelisse

Andre Vonlanthen

An exemplary hearing device is configured to determine a first and a second sound pressure level (SPL) of a first and second spectral portion, respectively, of an ipsilateral audio signal representative of audio content. The first and second spectral portions have frequencies included in a first and a second frequency range, respectively, with the second frequency range being higher than the first frequency range. The device may further determine that the first SPL is greater than the second SPL by at least a threshold SPL amount and determine that a symmetry level between the ipsilateral and a contralateral audio signal is at least a threshold symmetry level. Based on these determinations, the hearing device may determine that the audio content comprises own voice content.

Systems and methods for own voice detection in a hearing system

A hearing device for being worn at or at least partly within an ear of a user and including an acoustic shock detector for detecting an acoustic shock event present in an input audio signal from an input transducer and providing shock detection information related to the acoustic shock event. The hearing device further includes an acoustic shock controller for determining a first gain factor (G) and a second gain factor (G) in dependence of the shock detection information, a first attenuator for attenuating a processed input audio signal by the first gain factor (G) and providing an attenuated audio signal to an output limiter providing a limited audio signal, and a second attenuator for attenuating the limited audio signal by the second gain factor (G) and providing a further attenuated audio signal to an output transducer. A corresponding method for acoustic shock control in a hearing device.

Hearing device with acoustic shock control and method for acoustic shock control in a hearing device

A method for operating a binaural hearing system including first and second hearing devices, each including an input transducer, a signal processing unit, an output transducer and a link unit for exchanging information between the devices. Operating the first hearing device according to a first processing scheme, operating the second hearing device according to a second processing scheme, monitoring an acoustic situation by the hearing devices, generating a request for coordinating the two hearing devices if one hearing device detects an acoustic situation asking for coordinating the two processing schemes of the hearing devices, the hearing device detecting such an acoustic situation being an ipsi-lateral hearing device the other being a contra-lateral hearing device, activating a link between the devices for transmitting the request to the contra-lateral hearing device, and changing the processing scheme in at least one of the devices in accordance with the request.

Method for operating a binaural hearing system and a binaural hearing system

A hearing system that includes a user control and a signal processing unit controllable by adjustable parameters can be adjusted to preferences of a user. Such an adjustment can involve providing a first set of start-up parameter settings upon start-up of said signal processor unit, using parameter settings included in or derived from said first set of start-up parameter settings as default parameter settings for said signal processing unit, obtaining a set of parameter settings currently used in said signal processing unit upon operating said user control, deriving a second set of start-up parameter settings in dependence of said first set of start-up parameter settings and of said set of parameter settings obtained, and using said second set of start-up parameter settings as said first set of start-up parameter settings when providing said first set of start-up parameter settings upon a following start-up of said signal processor unit.

Hearing system with a user preference control and method for operating a hearing system

The present invention provides a method for detecting acoustic shock in an audio input signal (s(t)), comprising the steps of monitoring the input signal (s(t)) in the time-domain. Thereby detecting the signal floor (Sn), detecting the peak level of the input signal (L), detecting the attack time of the input signal (t-t), detecting the duration of the input signal (T). Based on those detections, determining a shock contrast level (SCL) as difference between the peak level (L) and the signal floor (Sn), determining a shock index (SI) by use of a shock index normalization constant (&#x3c3;) and comparing the shock contrast level (SCL) and the shock index (SI) with respective thresholds and indicating an acoustic shock if one or both thresholds are exceeded. Thus, the present method provides a quick and reliable shock detector that operates in the time-domain. The shock detection takes place with zero time delay, or even predicts the shock before it fully goes through the signal processing.

Method and system for acoustic shock detection and application of said method in hearing devices

For reducing wind noise effects in a hearing instrument, a converted acoustic signal is processed in a number of frequency bands, a low frequency band of which is chosen to be a master band. A wind noise attenuation value is determined in each frequency band, based on a signal level in the frequency band concerned and on a signal level in the master band. A further wind noise reducing effect may be achieved in hearing instruments with at least two microphones where in the presence of wind noise the instrument may be switched from a directional mode to a omnidirectional mode in which an average of the output signals of the two microphones is used as signal. In single microphone hearing instruments, the microphone signal and a delayed version of this signal are used to improve wind noise detection and reduction.

Method and device for processing an acoustic signal

A system and method for characterizing the contents of an input audio signal and for suppressing noise components of the input audio signal are described. The audio signal is divided into a number of frequency domain input signals. Each frequency domain input signal can be processed separately to determine its intensity change, modulation frequency, and time duration characteristics to characterize the frequency domain input signal as containing a desirable signal or as a type of noise. An index signal is calculated based on a combination of the determined characteristics and signals identified as noise are suppressed in comparison to signals identified as desirable to produce a set of frequency domain output signals with reduced noise. The frequency domain output signals are combined to provide an output audio signal corresponding to the input audio signal but having suppressed noise components and comparatively enhanced desirable signal components.

Apparatus and method for adaptive signal characterization and noise reduction in hearing aids and other audio devices

A system and method for adaptively removing feedback in audio systems and, more particularly, hearing aid systems. The audio system comprises an analysis unit, for receiving an input signal and providing N bandpass input signals, and an adaptive feedback cancellation unit for removing a feedback condition in one or more of the N bandpass input signals. The adaptive feedback cancellation unit comprises N sub-units with at least one of the sub-units including: (i) a feedback detector for indicating the presence of the feedback condition in one of the bandpass input signals, (ii) an adaptive feedback canceller for providing an adaptive gain modification factor for adjusting gain when the feedback condition is detected within one of the bandpass input signals, and (iii) a multiplier coupled to the adaptive feedback canceller and the analysis unit for providing a bandpass output signal based on one of the bandpass input signals and the corresponding adaptive gain modification factor.

Adaptive feedback canceller

A hearing aid system and method for processing one of an input magnetic signal, having magnetic information, and at least one acoustic input signal having acoustic information. The system comprises an acoustic sensor for providing the input acoustic signal, a magnetic sensor for providing the input magnetic signal, and a magnetic signal detector for selecting one of the input acoustic signal and the input magnetic signal as an information signal. The magnetic signal detector selects the input magnetic signal as the information signal when a magnetic signal detection process has at least partially analyzed the input magnetic signal to determine if audio information may be present. The hearing aid system further comprises a hearing aid module for processing the information signal and providing an output signal to a user of the hearing aid system.

Automatic magnetic detection in hearing aids

An improved hearing aid, and processes for adaptively processing signals therein to improve the perception of desired sounds by a user thereof. In one broad aspect, the present invention relates to a process in which one or more signal processing methods are applied to frequency band signals derived from an input digital signal. The level of each frequency band signal is computed and compared to at least one plurality of threshold values to determine which signal processing schemes are to be applied. In one embodiment of the invention, each plurality of threshold values to which levels of the frequency band signals are compared, is derived from a speech-shaped spectrum. Additional measures such as amplitude modulation or a signal index may also be employed and compared to corresponding threshold values in the determination.

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Waterloo, Canada

Henry Luo