Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices – Hearing aids – electrical – Wideband gain control
Reexamination Certificate
2005-11-29
2005-11-29
Pendleton, Brian T. (Department: 2644)
Electrical audio signal processing systems and devices
Hearing aids, electrical
Wideband gain control
C381S106000, C381S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06970570
ABSTRACT:
A hearing aid device providing instantaneous gain compression for sound signals and adaptive control of nonlinear waveform distortion, the device comprising: (a) at least one bandpass nonlinearity (BPNL) amplifier comprising a first bandpass filter, a second bandpass filter, and a memoryless nonlinear (MNL) compressive audio amplifier configured to receive a sound signal from the first bandpass filter and provide an MNL compressive audio amplifier output to the second bandpass filter, wherein the MNL compressive audio amplifier is configured to produce the MNL compressive audio amplifier output by providing memoryless gain compression directly on a sound signal that is (1) received from the first bandpass filter and (2) exhibits instantaneous amplitudes greater than a compression threshold, the BPNL amplifier thereby producing a desired gain compression on the received sound signal at an output of the second bandpass filter, and (b) a controller in communication with the BPNL amplifier, the controller being configured to adjust the compression threshold of the MNL compressive audio amplifier. Adjustment of the compression threshold in each BPNL amplifier may be achieved at least partially in response to a user input and/or to sound signal changes. By adaptively controlling the compression threshold, performance of the device can by optimized to match its environment.
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Hearing Emulations, LLC
Pendleton Brian T.
Thompson & Coburn LLP
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