It’s patent time again, when Hearing Economics shares its exciting list of new patent approvals in the hearing aid world. Or should we say hearing device world, or maybe just audio world? The list gets longer each time and the applications wider. Near field, in the traditional hearing aid sense, is evaporating as communications/software manufacturers such as AT&T and IBM patent far field solutions.
Such patents use new language such as customer end point device, group interaction, audible utterance, conversation path, audio source data, and identified speaker. Those terms are largely unfamiliar to Audiologists, at least in the US; ditto for “howling suppression,” which may conjure up slasher movies. Less provincial types (Wayne Staab, not me) know howling to be
…an oscillation phenomenon caused by a sound loop in which a sound outputted from a speaker returns to a microphone. Once a sound loop is formed, a sinusoidal signal having a sharp peak is generated and a sound having a particular frequency continues to be amplified until the loop is cut.
In other words, howling is another word for feedback. Was I the only one who didn’t know this?
Patents Approved in April and May 2014
| Description | Patent Number | Assignee | Issued |
| Generating Representations of Group Interactions | 8655654 | International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY) | 2/18/2014 |
| System and Method of Speech Discriminability Assessment, and Computer Program | 8655439 | Panasonic Corporation (Osaka, JP) | 2/18/2014 |
| Modular Cochlear Implant Systems Including Implantable Sound Processors | 8655449 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 2/18/2014 |
| Method and Apparatus for a Finger Sensor for a Hearing Assistance Device | 8655000 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 2/18/2014 |
| Piercing Conducted Bone Conduction Device | 8655002 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 2/18/2014 |
| Method and Apparatus for Providing an Audio Signal for an Event | 8655262 | AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. (Atlanta, GA). | 2/18/2014 |
| Implantable Universal Docking Station for Prosthetic Hearing Devices | 8657734 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 2/25/2014 |
| Systems and Methods of Facilitating Manual Adjustment of One or More Cochlear Implant System Control Parameters | 8660657 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 2/25/2014 |
| Microphone Array Apparatus Having Hidden Microphone Placement and Acoustic Signal Processing Apparatus Including the Same | 8665305 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Suwon-si, KR) | 3/04/2014 |
| Precision Micro-Hole for Extended Life Batteries | 8666101 | InSound Medical, Inc. (Newark, CA) | 3/04/2014 |
| Bluetooth Transmission Facility for Hearing Devices, and Corresponding Transmission Method | 8666314 | Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Erlangen, Germany) | 3/04/2014 |
| Hearing Aid for Hearing Aid and a Method for Alleviating Tinnitus Using a Notch Filter | 8666099 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 3/04/2014 |
| Method for Processing a Multi-Channel Audio Signal for a Binaural Hearing Apparatus and a Corresponding Hearing Apparatus | 8666080 | Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) | 3/04/2014 |
| Holder and Method for Shapinga Sound Tube | 8663529 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 3/04/2014 |
| Method and Arrangement for Training Hearing System Users | 8666084 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 3/04/2014 |
| Hearing System Comprising an Earpiece | 8712063 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 3/04/2014 |
| System and Method for Network Based Hearing Aid Compatible Mode Selection | 8670355 | AT&T Mobility II LLC (Atlanta) | 3/11/2014 |
| N Band FM Demodulation to Aid Cochlear Hearing Impaired Persons | 8670582 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 3/11/2014 |
| Hearing Device | 8670584 | Theodore F. Moran (Indianapolis IN) | 3/11/2014 |
| Electrically insulative structure having holes for feedthroughs | 8672667 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 3/18/2014 |
| Howling Suppression Device, Hearing Aid, Howling Suppression Method, and Integrated Circuit | 8675901 | Panasonic Corporation (Osaka, JP) | 3/18/2014 |
| Hearing Aid with Antenna for Reception and Transmission of Electromagnetic Signals | 8675902 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 3/18/2014 |
| Hearing device with automatic clipping prevention and corresponding method | 8682013 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 3/25/2014 |
| Hearing Prosthesis with Integrated Sensors for Measuring Pressure in a Cochlea | 8679031 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 3/25/2014 |
| Method for Switching a Hearing Device between Two Operating States and Hearing Device | 8682001 | Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) | 3/25/2014 |
| Magnetostrictive Micro Loud Speaker | 8682009 | Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Erlangen, Germany) | 3/25/2014 |
| Entrainment Avoidance with an Auto Regressive Filter | 8681999 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 3/25/2014 |
| Stimulus Timing for a Stimulating Medical Device | 8688222 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 4/01/2014 |
| Method for Monitoring the Influence of Ambient Noise on Stochastic Gradient Algorithms during Identification of Linear Time-Invariant Systems” | 8687819 | Bernafon AG (Berne, Switzerland) | 4/01/2014 |
| Method and System for Surveillance of a Wireless Connection in a Hearing Aid Fitting System | 8687817 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 4/01/2014 |
| Hearing Aid System with Feedback Arrangement to Predict and Cancel Acoustic Feedback, Method and Use | 8687832 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 4/01/2014 |
| Embedded RFID recorder in short-range wireless devices | 8686855 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 4/01/2014 |
| Method of providing input parameters or information for the fitting process of hearing instruments or ear pieces for a hearing device | 8687833 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 4/01/2014 |
| Hearing Assistance System and Method | 8693715 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 4/01/2014 |
| Receiver tube, receiver and hearing aid instrument with a receiver tube | 8693718 | Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) | 4/08/2014 |
| Method for compensating for an interference sound in a hearing apparatus, hearing apparatus, and method for adjusting a hearing apparatus | 8693717 | Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore, SG) | 4/08/2014 |
| Condenser Microphone | 8693712 | Goertek Inc. (Weifang, CN) | 4/08/2014 |
| Methods and Systems for Fitting a Bilateral Cochlear Implant Patient Using a Single Sound Processor | 894112 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 4/08/2014 |
| Parametric Fitting of a Cochlear Implant | 8694113 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 4/08/2014 |
| Internet phone trainer | 8693639 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 4/08/2014 |
| System and Method for Controlling an Audio Feature of a Hearing Assistance Device | 8693714 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/08/2014 |
| Adjustment and Cleaning Tool for a Hearing Assistance Device | 8693719 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/08/2014 |
| Hearing Device with Analog Filtering and Associated Method | 8693716 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, DK) | 4/08/2014 |
| Identification element for a Hearing Device Unit | 8699735 | Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH (Erlangen, Germany) | 4/15/2014 |
| External speech processor unit for an auditory prosthesis | 8700170 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 4/15/2014 |
| Dual Microphone EAS System That Prevents Feedback | 8699734 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, Switzerland) | 4/15/2014 |
| Parallel Antennas for Standard Fit Hearing Assistance Devices | 8699733 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/15/2014 |
| Hearing Aid | 8699736 | ExSilent Research B.V. (Amsterdam) | 4/15/2014 |
| Hearing Aid Adapted for Embedded Electronics | 8705785 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/22/2014 |
| Compression and mixing for hearing assistance devices | 8705751 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/22/2014 |
| Wireless Beacon System to Identify Acoustic Environment for Hearing Assistance Devices | 8705782 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/22/2014 |
| Optimal spatial filtering in the presence of wind in a hearing prosthesis | 8705781 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 4/22/2014 |
| Hearing Prosthesis with Accessory Detection | 8706245 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 4/22/2014 |
| Directional Sound Processing in a Cochlear Implant | 8706248 | Cochlear Limited (AU) | 4/22/2014 |
| Light Powered Hearing Aid | 8712085 | Zounds Hearing Inc. (Tempe, Ariz.) | 4/29/2014 |
| Method and Apparatus for Monitoring Wireless Communication in Hearing Assistance Systems | 8712083 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/29/2014 |
| Real ear measurement system using thin tube | 8712081 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 4/29/2014 |
| Neurophysiological Central Auditory Processing Evaluation System and Method | 8712514 | Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) | 4/29/2014 |
| Methods and Apparatus for Processing Audio Signals | 8712077 | Sonitus Medical inc. (San Mateo, Calif.) | 4/29/2014 |
| Noise Spectrum Tracking in Noisy Acoustic Signals | 8712074 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 4/29/2014 |
| Wireless Updating of Hearing Devices | 8712082 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 4/29/2014 |
| Synchronization of sound generated in binaural hearing system | 8712063 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 4/29/2014 |
Editor’s note: The Patent Series is updated every two months. Click links for patents approved in Jan/Feb 2014, Nov/Dec 2013, September/October 2013, Jul/Aug 2013, May/Jun 2013, Mar/Apr 2013, Jan/Feb 2013, Nov/Dec 2012 feature photo courtesy of The Inferno Music Vault
