The patent has been granted The patent has been granted, Grant of patent is intended, Request for examination was made, The application has been published EP Register Verified

METHOD FOR OPERATING A BINAURAL HEARING SYSTEM

Publication No. EP4247007

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App No. EP23155880

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Filed by Sivantos Pte. Ltd.

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Filed on 2023-02-09

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Issued/Published on 2026-01-14

Official EPO Register

Publication No. EP4247007 A1

Application No. EP23155880 Filed: 2023-02-09

Grant Date 2026-01-14 Mention of grant

Active Oppositions 2 Active EPO Oppositions

Patent Abstract / Summary

Die Erfindung nennt ein Verfahren zum Betrieb eines binauralen Hörsystems (10) mit einem ersten Hörinstrument (11) und einem zweiten Hörinstrument (12), wobei aus einem Umgebungsschall (18) durch einen elektroakustischen ersten Eingangswandler (M1) des ersten Hörinstruments (11) ein erstes Eingangssignal (E1) erzeugt wird, und durch einen elektroakustischen zweiten Eingangswandler (M2) des zweiten Hörinstruments (12) ein zweites Eingangssignal (E2) erzeugt wird, wobei anhand des ersten Eingangssignals (E1) ein erster instantaner Verstärkungsparameter (G1) ermittelt wird, und anhand des zweiten Eingangssignals (E2) ein zweiter instantaner Verstärkungsparameter (G2) ermittelt wird, wobei ein erster Parameter (P1) einer automatischen Verstärkungsregelung für das erste Eingangssignal (E1) und/oder ein zweiter Parameter (P2) einer automatischen Verstärkungsregelung für das zweite Eingangssignal (E2) dahingehend angepasst wird, dass infolge der besagten Anpassung (41, 42) eine Differenz zwischen dem ersten und dem zweiten instantanen Verstärkungsparameter (G1, G2) verringert wird, und wobei im ersten bzw. zweiten Hörinstrument (11, 12) eine Signalverarbeitung des ersten bzw. zweiten Eingangssignals (E1, E2) mit dem derart angepassten ersten bzw. zweiten Parameter (P1, P2) der automatischen Verstärkungsregelung erfolgt.

IPC Classifications

H04R25/00

Priority Claims

DE 202210202646 Date: 2022-03-17

Designated Contracting States (39 EPC States)

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC ME MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Sivantos Pte. Ltd.

18 Tai Seng Street, No. 08-08

Inventors (2)

WILSON, Cecil

91058 Erlangen

FÖLLMER, Jurek

91058 Erlangen

Representatives / Agents

FDST Patentanwälte

Nordostpark 16, 90411 Nürnberg

Sykora & König Patentanwälte PartG mbB

Maximilianstraße 2, 80539 München

Aera A/S

Niels Hemmingsens Gade 10, 5th Floor, 1153 Copenhagen K

Key Procedural Dates

Request-For-Examination 2024-03-20

Mention Of Grant Published 2026-01-14

First-Examination-Report-Despatched 2025-09-22

Patent Oppositions

Official opposition proceedings filed against European Patent EP4247007 under EPC Article 99.

2 ACTIVE OPPONENTS

Opponent Company

Sonova AG

Laubisrütistrasse 28, CH

Representative

Sykora & König Patentanwälte PartG mbB

Filing Date

2026-10-05

Opposition in Progress

Opponent Company

GN Hearing A/S

Lautrupbjerg 7, DK

Representative

Aera A/S

Filing Date

2026-10-09

Opposition in Progress

Legal Status & Event History

Official European Patent Office legal and procedural status changes recorded for this file.

35 Events Recorded

Date	Code	Event Description	Auth
2023-08-18	PUAI	PUBLIC REFERENCE MADE UNDER ARTICLE 153(3) EPC TO A PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION THAT HAS ENTERED THE EUROPEAN PHASE	EP
2023-08-18	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2023-09-20	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2024-03-22	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2024-04-24	RBV	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES (CORRECTED)	EP
2024-04-24	17P	REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION FILED	EP
2025-09-21	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2025-09-21	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-10-22	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2025-12-02	GRAS	GRANT FEE PAID	EP
2025-12-12	GRAA	(EXPECTED) GRANT	EP
2025-12-12	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2026-01-14	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2026-01-14	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-16	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-22	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-02-25	U01	REQUEST FOR UNITARY EFFECT FILED	EP
2026-02-25	U07	UNITARY EFFECT REGISTERED	EP
2026-03-01	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-02-11	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-03-04	U20	RENEWAL FEE FOR THE EUROPEAN PATENT WITH UNITARY EFFECT PAID	EP
2026-04-14	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-04-23	PGFP	ANNUAL FEE PAID TO NATIONAL OFFICE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-07	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-08	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-09	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-10	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-14	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-17	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-18	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-06	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-09	PLBI	OPPOSITION FILED	EP
2026-10-13	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-14	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-10-16	PLBI	OPPOSITION FILED	EP

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited documents and prior art referenced in search and examination reports.

18 Citations

Cited Patent Documents

WO2016180462 2016-11-17

Espacenet

US2018091907 2018-03-29

Espacenet

WO2018038821 2018-03-01

Espacenet

US3509289 1970-04-28

Espacenet

US2014044291 2014-02-13

Espacenet

EP2544463 2013-01-09

Espacenet

US2004190734 2004-09-30

Espacenet

EP4002884 2022-05-25

Espacenet

US2012093329 2012-04-19

Espacenet

US2012020485 2012-01-26

Espacenet

US2017180877 2017-06-22

Espacenet

EP3567874 2019-11-13

Espacenet

EP2445231 2012-04-25

Espacenet

SE532668 2010-03-16

Espacenet

US2018103327 2018-04-12

Espacenet

Non-Patent Scientific Literature (NPL)

- WIGGINS IAN M ET AL: "Linking dynamic-range compression across the ears can improve speech intelligibility in spatially separated noise", THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, 2 HUNTINGTON QUADRANGLE, MELVILLE, NY 11747, vol. 133, no. 2, 1 February 2013 (2013-02-01), pages 1004 - 1016, XP012170732, ISSN: 0001-4966, [retrieved on 20130130], DOI: 10.1121/1.4773862 * the whole document *

- DWYER ROBERT T. ET AL: "Synchronized Automatic Gain Control in Bilateral Cochlear Implant Recipients Yields Significant Benefit in Static and Dynamic Listening Conditions", TRENDS IN HEARING, vol. 25, 24 May 2021 (2021-05-24), XP093034624, ISSN: 2331-2165, DOI: 10.1177/23312165211014139

- JENNIFER GROTH: "Hearing Aid Directionality with Binaural Processing", AUDIOLOGYONLINE, 23 May 2016 (2016-05-23), pages 1 - 8, XP009569197, Retrieved from the Internet <URL:https://web.archive.org/web/20170125222420/https://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/hearing-aid-directionality-with-binaural-17272-17272>

Worldwide Patent Family

Related applications and patents in the same INPADOC worldwide family.

7 Family Members

Country	Publication Number	Kind	Publication Date	Action
EP	EP4247007A1	A1	2023-09-20	Espacenet
EP	EP4247007B1	B1	2026-01-14	Espacenet
EP	EP4247007C0	C0	2026-01-14	Espacenet
CN	CN116782113A	A	2023-09-19	Espacenet
DE	DE102022202646B3	B3	2023-08-31	Espacenet
US	US2023300543A1	A1	2023-09-21	Espacenet
US	US12490028B2	B2	2025-12-02	Espacenet

Official File Inspection EPC Art. 128 Public Dossier

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

The full inspection file for Application EP23155880 contains 148 total documents, including all notices of opposition, proprietor counter-statements, examination communications, third-party observations, and procedural forms. Below are all major recorded procedural filings and publication specifications.

Open 148-Doc Register Dossier

Dossier Filing

Date: 2025-12-02 Procedure: Grant EPIDOSNIGR3

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METHOD FOR OPERATING A BINAURAL HEARING SYSTEM

Patent Abstract / Summary

IPC Classifications

Priority Claims

Designated Contracting States (39 EPC States)

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Inventors (2)

Representatives / Agents

Key Procedural Dates

Patent Oppositions

Sonova AG

GN Hearing A/S

Legal Status & Event History

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited Patent Documents

Non-Patent Scientific Literature (NPL)

Worldwide Patent Family

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

Recorded Filings & Patent Specifications

European Patent Specification - Granted Patent (B1)

Official European Patent Register Full Dossier

European Patent Application with Search Report (A1)

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