Starkey Laboratories, Inc.

John Ellison

Ivo Merks

Kelly R Fitz

Sridhar Kalluri

Donald James Reynolds

Jinjun Xiao

Ivo Leon Diane Marie Merks

Ke Zhou

Thomas A Scheller

A local device of an auditory device system is configured to perform a process that switches between operating modes. As part of the process, the local device may determine a wireless quality parameter indicative of a current environment for wireless communication with the contra device. Additionally, based on the one or more local input audio signals and the wireless quality parameter, the local device may determine whether to change a local active operating mode of the local device from a bilateral mode to a binaural mode or from the binaural mode to the bilateral mode. The local device may generate a local output audio signal based on the one or more local input audio signals in accordance with the local active operating mode and may produce sound based on the local output audio signal.

Automatic control of binaural features in ear-wearable devices

A hearing assistance system obtains a first input audio signal that is based on sound received by a first set of microphones. The system also obtains a second input audio signal that is based on sound received by a second, different set of microphones. A first adaptive beamformer generates a first output audio signal based on the first input audio signal, the second input audio signal, and a value of a first parameter. A second adaptive beamformer generates a second output audio signal based on the first input audio signal, the second input audio signal, and a value of a second parameter. The value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter are determined such that a magnitude squared coherence (MSC) of the first output audio signal and the second output audio signal is less than or equal to the coherence threshold.

Adaptive binaural beamforming with preservation of spatial cues in hearing assistance devices

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.

Automatic directional switching algorithm for hearing aids

Described herein are techniques for artificially enhancing spaciousness in a hearing aid to improve the music listening experience. Such spatial enhancement is produced by doing signal processing in the hearing aid that mimics the acoustic effects of well-designed concert halls. The same techniques can also be applied to improving the experience of listening to recorded music reproduced and amplified over a speaker system, or to music streamed to the direct-audio input of a hearing aid.

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St. Louis Park, MN, United States of America

John Ellison