Starkey Laboratories, Inc.

Zhang, Tao

Woods, William S.

Merk, Ivo Leon Diane Marie

Mckinney, Martin

Pruthi, Tarun

Xiao, Jinjun

William S Woods

Tao Zhang

Ivo Merks

Brent Edwards

Tarun Pruthi

Jinjun Xiao

Timothy Daniel Trine

Jeffrey Paul Solum

Jon Schmidt Kindred

Martin McKinney

Eric Durant

Zhi-Quan Luo

Ivo Leon Diane Marie Merks

Dominic Perz

Kaibao Nie

Ivo Leon Diane Marie Merk

Described herein are methods and devices for mixing input signals from multiple audio input sources in a hearing device such as a hearing aid. In one embodiment, a gain is applied to a telecoil signal where the gain is computed so as to depend on the level of a microphone signal. The technique does not depend on the user's audiogram and allows control of the gain for all environments with one adjustment.

Method and device for filtering signals to match preferred speech levels

The signal processing functions of a hearing aid as described above necessarily cause some delay between the time the audio signal is received by the microphone or wireless receiver and the time that the audio is actually produced by the output transducer. In some situations, signal processing incorporating longer delays may be better able to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or other functional parameters for a hearing aid wearer, but a balance should be struck between these positive effects of delay and other negative effects. The techniques described herein address the problem of balancing the positive and negative effects of delay.

Techniques for increasing processing capability in hear aids

An audio system processes a speech signal to maintain a target value of the speech intelligibility index (SII) while minimizing the overall speech level so that speech intelligibility is preserved across different environmental sound levels while possible distortions and overall loudness are mitigated. In one embodiment, a hearing aid processes a speech signal received from another device to maintain a target value of the SII while minimizing the overall speech level before mixing the speech signal with a microphone signal.

Method and apparatus for pre-processing speech to maintain speech intelligibility

Method and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement of hearing assistance devices. The present subject matter relates to methods and apparatus for automatic reception enhancement in hearing assistance devices. It provides a power estimation scheme that is reliable against both steady and transient input. It provides a TSM estimation scheme that is effective and efficient both in terms of storage size and computational efficiency. The embodiments employing a decision tree provide a weight factor between the omnidirectional and compensated directional signal. The resulting decision logic improves speech intelligibility when talking under noisy conditions. The decision logic also improves listening comfort when exposed to noise. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.

System for automatic reception enhancement of hearing assistance devices

Disclosed herein is a system for binaural noise reduction for hearing assistance devices using information generated at a first hearing assistance device and information received from a second hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the present subject matter provides a gain measurement for noise reduction using information from a second hearing assistance device that is transferred at a lower bit rate or bandwidth by the use of coding for further quantization of the information to reduce the amount of information needed to make a gain calculation at the first hearing assistance device. The present subject matter can be used for hearing aids with wireless or wired connections.

Noise reduction system for hearing assistance devices

This application relates to a system for fitting a hearing aid by testing the hearing aid patient with a three-dimensional sound field having one or more localized sound sources. In one embodiment, a signal processing system employing head-related transfer functions is used to produce audio signals that simulate a three-dimensional sound field when a sound source driven by such audio signals is coupled directly to one or both ears. By transmitting the audio signals produced by the signal processing system to the hearing aid by means of a wired or wireless connection, the hearing aid itself may be used as the sound source.

Simulated surround sound hearing aid fitting system

Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for improving speech intelligibility for speech-in-noise in audio processing and hearing assistance devices. The present subject matter includes a method for improving speech intelligibility for speech-in-noise for audio processing and hearing assistance devices. The method includes receiving an audio signal using a microphone array and processing the received signal to improve speech intelligibility in noise. A barrier-type beamforming process is used to improve signal-to-noise ratio at the output of the microphone array. The beamforming process includes convex optimization using a logarithmic barrier function, according to various embodiments.

Efficient convex optimization for real-time robust beamforming with microphone arrays

Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for improved noise reduction for hearing assistance devices. In various embodiments, a hearing assistance device includes a microphone and a processor configured to receive signals from the microphone. The processor is configured to perform noise reduction which adjusts maximum gain reduction as a function of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and which reduces the strength of its maximum gain reduction for intermediate signal-to-noise ratio levels to reduce speech distortion. In various embodiments, the hearing assistance device includes a memory configured to log noise reduction data for user environments. Also provided are methods to further adjust the noise reduction based on the logged information.

Methods and apparatus for improved noise reduction for hearing assistance devices

Disclosed herein, among other things, is a system for customizing a hearing assistance device for a wearer. According to various embodiments, data corresponding to the wearer's acoustic environment is logged using the hearing assistance device. In various embodiments, the hearing assistance device is fitted by an adaptive fitting process controlled by the wearer, the adaptive fitting process having access to the data logged by the hearing assistance device to customize settings of the hearing assistance device for the wearer. In an embodiment, data related to fitting the hearing assistance device is sent via a network connection to a location accessible by the wearer's audiologist and/or device manufacturer. The sent data is used to create an interactive database, and the database is used for fitting hearing assistance devices for one or more wearers, in various embodiments.

System for customizing hearing assistance devices

A beacon device adapted to wirelessly communicate with a hearing assistance device, the beacon device comprising a sensor to sense a signal related to determination of an acoustic environment, a memory to store information relating to the signal, a processor in communication with the memory and the sensor, the processor adapted to process the information, a wireless transmitter in communication with the memory and an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver to transmit information to the hearing assistance device.

Wireless beacon system to identify acoustic environment for hearing assistance devices

Method and apparatus for environment detection and adaptation in hearing assistance devices. Performance of feature extraction and environment detection to perform adaptation to hearing assistance device operation for a number of hearing assistance environments. The system detecting various noise sources independent of speech. The system determining adaptive actions to take place based on predicted sound class. The system providing individually customizable response to inputs from different sound classes. In various embodiments, the system employing a Bayesian classifier to perform sound classifications using a priori probability data and training data for predetermined sound classes. Additional method and apparatus can be found in the specification and as provided by the attached claims and their equivalents.

Environment detection and adaptation in hearing assistance devices

Systems, devices, and methods are provided to inhibit at least one feedback component of an input audio signal by adjusting a feedback-inhibiting filter through a narrowband subaudible signal. The level of the signal may be determined using an audibility model so as to yield its subaudible quality.

Audio signal processing

A system for measuring speech content in sound. The system determining time local speech-to-noise ratio for one or more bands. The system using a signal related to the power of the input signal or envelope and generating a time-dependent mean of the envelope and deviation of the envelope from the mean to estimate a time-dependent speech-to-noise ratio. The system providing single band or multiband speech-to-noise estimates for signal processing applications. The system realizable in analog, digital or analog and digital combinations.

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

William S Woods