Phonak Ag

University of Illinois

Advanced Bionics Ag

Sonova Ag

Herbert Bächler

Hilmar Meier

Stefan Launer

Hans-Ueli Roeck

Michael Boretzki

Christoph Widmer

Christian Berg

Jörg Mayer

Erdal Karamuk

Stefan Daniel Menzl

Ivo Hasler

Alfred Stirnemann

Hans Hessel

Volker Kühnel

Silvia Allegro

Hans Bernhard

William D O'Brien

Silvia Allegro-Baumann

Bruce C Wheeler

Albert S Feng

Charissa R Lansing

Christoph Hans Schmid

Raoul Glatt

Robert C Bilger

Gerard Van Oerle

Carolyn J Bilger, Legal Representative

Bohumir Uvacek

Christian Péclat

Manfred Lüdi

Brett Bymaster

Stefan Hänggi

CIC Hearing device () comprising electronics configured to receive an electrical signal as an input signal and generate an output signal provided to a receiver, the electronics including a variable gain amplifier with input buffering circuitry including a compound transistor, the electronics being configured to bias the compound transistor such that a quiescent current associated with the output signal is limited or controlled.

CIC hearing device

A partially implantable hearing aid is provided, comprising an external audio signal unit to be worn at least in part in a user's ear canal, an implantable unit and external means for transmitting power transcutaneously to the implantable unit via an inductive link, the external audio signal unit comprising audio signal processing means for producing processed audio signals from input audio signals and means for transmitting the processed audio signals via an optical link through an ear drum to an optical receiver of the implantable unit, the implantable unit comprising an actuator for stimulating the user's hearing, a power receiving means and a driver unit for transforming the received audio signals into an input signal to the actuator.

Partially implantable hearing aid

In a digital hearing aid device () frequency modification is employed above a lower spectral bound and in accordance with a compression factor. The frequency modification is dynamically adjusted in dependence on a sound environment analysis () or an end-user input (), by modifying the frequency modification parameters such as a lower spectral bound and a compression factor. The adjustment can be based on an interpolation between predefined parameters. In certain sound environments, such as loud noise, own-voice and telephone conversations, frequency modification is reduced or switched off. The proposed solutions have the advantage that the occurrence of disturbing noise and of distortions of harmonic relationships at the end-user's ear is reduced and signal processing resources as well as battery resources are saved.

Method for adapting sound in a hearing aid device by frequency modification and such a device

An insert structure is proposed for insertion into an orifice, a canal, a tube and the like of a human or animal creature such as an ear canal, an intestinal tract, a gullet, etc. The insert structure comprises at least one longitudinally extending insert member () and a plurality of at least nearly perpendicularly extending further members (), placed longitudinally at a distance to each other along the insert member, the further members () being at least of a flexible and/or soft material.

Structure for probe insertion

The invention relates to a method for operating a hearing system comprising an input unit, an output unit and a transmission unit operationally interconnecting said input output units. Said transmission unit implements a transfer function describing, how audio signals generated by said input unit are processed in order to derive audio signals fed to said output unit, and can be adjusted by one or more transfer function parameters. Said method comprises obtaining, by means of said input unit and with a first directional characteristic, first audio signals from incoming acoustic sound; deriving from said first audio signals a first set of sound-characterizing data; and deriving, in dependence of

Hearing system and method for deriving information on an acoustic scene

The present invention relates to a method for recording information in a hearing device and/or in a recording unit at least temporally operationally connected to the hearing device. The method consists in that a point in time of the recording and/or a recording frequency as well as the information to be recorded, as data and/or parameters and/or adjustments of the hearing device are adjusted freely or are programmable, respectively. Furthermore, a hearing device is described that is suitable to use the method. By the present invention, a multitude of the parameters being adjustable in a hearing device can be checked or surveyed all together or selectively in real, i.e. actually existing acoustic environments in order to optimally adjust or adapt the hearing device afterwards, that means after the analysis by the fitter, for example.

Method to log data in a hearing device as well as a hearing device

Hearing aid fitted with a central processing unit () having peripherals (E,A) connected to its input and output respectively. Each peripheral includes an identification unit () having an the output connected to a first input of a comparator (). A second input of the comparator is connected to a read-only identification memory () containing identification features of the peripherals. An output of the comparator drives a configuration memory (). As a result, the hearing aid self-identifies its current configuration based on the identification of the peripherals.

Hearing device with peripheral identification units

A hearing instrument in accordance with the invention comprises an in-the-ear-canal component to be worn at least partially in the ear of a user. When the hearing instrument is worn, a remaining volume between the in-the-ear-canal component and the user's eardrum is defined. The hearing instrument includes at least one first microphone operable to convert an acoustic input signal incident on the hearing instrument into an electrical input signal, signal processing means operable to convert the electrical input signal into an electrical output signal on a signal path, and an electrical-to-acoustic converter (a receiver or a plurality of receivers with potentially different frequency characteristics). Between the remaining volume and surrounding atmosphere, a duct (such as a vent) is defined. A second receiver is in operative communication with the duct, i.e. an output directly opens out into the duct or to a sound conductor opening out into the duct. The hearing instrument further comprises a second microphone in operative communication with said duct and operable to record an error signal in said duct.

Hearing instrument, and a method of operating a hearing instrument

The present invention provides a method of providing input parameters for the fitting process of individually shaped or customized hearing devices by storing geometry data during the manufacturing process into data storage and selectively reading out data from this data storage during the manufacturing and/or fitting process of the hearing device. To improve the quality and to reduce the time required for the fitting process, all the data available from the manufacturing process, e.g. the geometry data, may be used during the final fitting process at the dispenser's office.

Method of manufacturing an individually shaped hearing device or hearing aid

A hearing system has a first device and a second device. The first device acoustically couples to skin of a user of the hearing system and includes a sensor to detect acoustic signals. The second device includes a hearing stimulator arrangement to stimulate hearing of the user in response to the acoustic signals detected with the first device. The first device and second device are each operable to bidirectionally communicate through an ultrasonic communication link comprising at least a portion of the body of the user.

Intrabody communication with ultrasound

A hearing system includes a hearing device with an input acoustical/electrical converter. The system is controllably operable in at least first and second modes. A sensing unit senses behavior of an acoustical impedance of an acoustical input of the input converter. An evaluation unit evaluates the sensed behavior over at least one predetermined behavior of the acoustical impedance. An output of the evaluation unit controls change over from the first mode to the second mode.

Hearing system which is responsive to acoustical feedback

An in-the-ear hearing device comprises an outside body, which is at least in part of textile material (). The textile material allows to optimally adapt shape and shape dynamics as well as biocompatibility to the respective characteristics of an individual ear canal.

In-the-ear hearing device

In a signal processing unit of a hearing device, the signal processing unit consisting of a signal analyzing unit and a signal identification unit, the momentary acoustic surround situation is identified. Based on this identified surround situation, the parameter set belonging to the identified surround situation is automatically adjusted in a transmission unit in which a number of parameter sets are saved which are assigned to different acoustic surround situation. The hearing device user can adjust his individual hearing desire for each acoustic surround situation according to the automatic adjusted parameter set with the aid of an input unit. Thereby, the parameter of this parameter set are adjusted at the same time and commonly in one of two opposing directions, e.g. in the sense of 'better hearing' or in the sense of 'more pleasant understanding'.

Method for adapting a hearing device to a momentary acoustic situation and a hearing device system

Hearing aid fitted with a central processing unit () having peripherals (E,A) connected to its input and output. Each peripheral includes an identification unit () having an output connected to a first input of a comparator (). A second input of the comparator is connected to a read-only identification memory () containing identification features of the peripherals. An output of the comparator drives a configuration memory (). As a result, the hearing aid self identifies its current configuration based on the identification of the peripherals.

Growing community of inventors

Meilen, Switzerland

Herbert Bächler