H04R25/554

Pre-pairing of hearing aids
11546704 · 2023-01-03 · ·

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for establishing a bond for allowing secure communication between a hearing aid and an external device. Especially, the system and method allows for establish the bond without one of the device present during the bonding process.

Hearing device comprising a keyword detector and an own voice detector and/or a transmitter

A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, is configured to be arranged at least partly on a user's head or at least partly implanted in a user's head. The hearing device comprises a) at least one input transducer for picking up an input sound signal from the environment and providing at least one electric input signal representing said input sound signal; b) a signal processor providing a processed signal based on one or more of said at least one electric input signals; c) an output unit for converting said processed signal or a signal originating therefrom to stimuli perceivable by said user as sound; d) a keyword spotting system comprising d1) a keyword detector configured to detect a limited number of predefined keywords or phrases or sounds in said at least one electric input signal or in a signal derived therefrom, and to provide a keyword indicator of whether or not, or with what probability, said keywords or phrases or sounds are detected, and d2) an own voice detector for providing an own voice indicator estimating whether or not, or with what probability, a given input sound signal originates from the voice of the user of the hearing device. The hearing device further comprises e) a controller configured to provide an own-voice-keyword indicator of whether or not or with what probability a given one of said keywords or phrases or sounds is currently detected and spoken by said user, said own-voice-keyword indicator being dependent on said keyword indicator and said own voice indicator.

Adaptive multi-band hearing device
11546705 · 2023-01-03 · ·

A hearing device configured for audio communication is disclosed. The hearing device comprises a wireless communication unit and a processing unit, the wireless communication unit being configured to receive and transmit audio signals. The processing unit is configured to receive and/or transmit the audio signal from/to the wireless communication unit, process the audio signal in a first frequency band or in a second frequency band, and detect the quality of the audio communication. If the audio signal is processed in the first frequency band, the processing unit is switching to processing in the second frequency band if the quality of the audio communication is below a first predetermined threshold. If the audio signal is processed in the second frequency band, the processing unit is switching to processing in the first frequency band if the quality of the audio communication is above the first predetermined threshold.

METHOD OF OPERATING A HEARING ASSISTIVE DEVICE HAVING A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY
20220417676 · 2022-12-29 · ·

A method of operating a hearing assistive device having a rechargeable battery, and comprises reading battery status data from a battery controller during use of the hearing assistive device, transferring the battery status data wirelessly from the hearing assistive device to a computing device and predicting, in the computing device, a remaining battery time for the rechargeable battery based upon the battery status data received. Once the remaining battery time is predicted, it is compared with a predefined use pattern for hearing assistive device and a user becomes notified if a conflict between the remaining battery time and the predefined use pattern is observed.

HEARING ASSISTIVE DEVICE HAVING A RECHARGEABLE BATTERY
20220417681 · 2022-12-29 · ·

A hearing assistive device having an antenna component with a common antenna feed with a switching component. The antenna component has a first branch with a first resonance frequency and a second branch with a second resonance frequency. The hearing assistive device switches between a communication state and a wireless charging state. In the communication state a transceiver is connected to the antenna component, and in the wireless charging state a wireless charging unit is connected to the antenna component.

METHOD FOR CHARGING A DEVICE, DEVICE AND CHARGER

A method includes connecting a device to a charger and providing wireless charging in a state of charge by transferring energy wirelessly from a transmitter module of the charger to a reception module of the device. The device has a state of discharge in which energy is consumed. The device includes a charging connector, to which a charging input voltage adjustable by the charger is applied for charging. The device includes a switching connector for turning the device on and off. The device includes a switch connected to the switching connector and being switchable by the charging input voltage by setting the charging input voltage to an intermediate voltage. The charger sets the charging input voltage to the intermediate voltage for switching the switch and transitioning the device into an off state with the device turned off. A corresponding device and charger are also provided.

AUDIO FEEDBACK FOR CORRECTING SOUND DEGRADATION
20220417677 · 2022-12-29 · ·

A hearing aid system for generating processed audio signals may include at least one processor. The processor may be configured to receive an audio signal representative of the sounds captured by the at least one microphone; generate a processed audio signal based on analysis of the audio signal; determine a quality degradation of at least one aspect of the processed audio signal; and provide an auditory cue to the user indicating the quality degradation.

Contact hearing systems, apparatus and methods

The present invention is directed to a hearing aid which includes a lateral ear canal assembly and a medial ear canal assembly. In embodiments of the invention the medial ear canal assembly may include smart circuitry adapted to control parameters and outputs of the medial ear canal assembly. In embodiments of the invention various methods and circuitry are described, wherein the methods and circuitry are adapted to improve the performance and efficiency of the hearing aid.

Hearing device comprising a detector and a trained neural network

A hearing device comprises an input transducer comprising a microphone for providing an electric input signal representative of sound in the environment of the hearing device, a pre-processor for processing electric input signal and providing a multitude of feature vectors, each being representative of a time segment thereof, a neural network processor adapted to implement a neural network for implementing a detector configured to provide an output indicative of a characteristic property of the at least one electric input signal, the neural network being configured to receive said multitude of feature vectors as input vectors and to provide corresponding output vectors representative of said output of said detector in dependence of said input vectors. The hearing device further comprises a transceiver comprising a transmitter and a receiver for establishing a communication link to another part or device or server, at least in a particular adaptation-mode of operation, and a selector for—in said particular adaptation-mode of operation—routing said feature vectors to said transmitter for transmission to said another part or device or server, and—in a normal mode of operation—to route said feature vectors to said neural network processor for use as inputs to said neural network, a neural network controller connected to said neural network processor for—in said particular adaptation-mode of operation—receiving optimized node parameters, and to apply said optimized node parameters to said nodes of said neural network to thereby implement an optimized neural network in said neural network processor, wherein the optimized node parameters have been selected among a multitude of sets of node parameters for respective candidate neural networks according to a predefined criterion in dependence of said feature vectors. A method of selecting optimized parameters for a neural network for use in a portable hearing device is further disclosed. The invention may e.g. be used in hearing aids or headsets, or similar, e.g. wearable, devices.

Hearing aid including induction coil
11540064 · 2022-12-27 · ·

There is presented a hearing aid configured to be arranged at least partly in the ear canal of a specific person, the hearing aid comprising a faceplate, a custom ear shell, adapted to fit or match with the ear canal of a specific person, the custom ear shell connected to the faceplate, a rechargeable battery, an induction coil for wireless charging of the rechargeable battery, wherein the induction coil is fixed to the ear shell and furthermore a method for providing a hearing aid, said method comprising obtaining data representative of a shape and/or size of an ear canal of a specific person, establishing a digital model of the custom shell of the hearing aid for said ear canal based on said data, wherein said providing includes determining a position and/or orientation of an induction coil in an inner space of said ear shell, which position and/or orientation increases or maximizes a distance from the outer ear to the faceplate.