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US 2019/0104370 A1Published application
Hearing assistance device
AssigneeNuance Hearing Ltd.
InventorsZohar Zisapel, Yehonatan Hertzberg, Eliyahu Padan
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Abstract
Hearing aid apparatus includes a case, which is configured to be physically fixed to a mobile telephone. An array of microphones are spaced apart within the case and are configured to produce electrical signals in response to acoustical inputs to the microphones. An interface is fixed within the case. Processing circuitry is fixed within the case and is coupled to receive and process the electrical signals from the microphones so as to generate a combined signal for output via the interface.
Claims17
Hearing aid apparatus, comprising:
- a case, which is configured to be physically fixed to a mobile telephone;
- an array of microphones, which are spaced apart within the case and are configured to produce electrical signals in response to acoustical inputs to the microphones;
- a device interface, which is fixed within the case and communicates with the mobile telephone;
- and
- processing circuitry, which is fixed within the case and is coupled to receive and process the electrical signals from the microphones so as to generate a combined signal for output via the device interface,
- wherein the combined signal is processed by an application running on the mobile telephone so as to generate an audio output in accordance with a directional response that defines a beam direction and an angular aperture around the beam direction, such that the acoustical inputs within the angular aperture are emphasized by the application, while suppressing the acoustical inputs outside the angular aperture.
3 more elements
A method for hearing assistance, comprising:
- providing a case, containing an array of microphones spaced apart within the case, and configured to be physically fixed to a mobile telephone;
- conveying electrical signals from the microphones via a device interface within the case to the mobile telephone;
- mixing the electrical signals from the microphones by an application running on the mobile telephone so as to generate a combined audio signal in accordance with a directional response that defines a beam direction and an angular aperture around the beam direction, such that the acoustical inputs within the angular aperture are emphasized by the application, while suppressing the acoustical inputs outside the angular aperture;
- and
- outputting the combined audio signal to an earphone.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.