Patent ID: 9668068
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: H04R

Claim:
1. A system for assisting a patient with hearing, the system comprising: a first microphone configured to generate a first audio signal in response to a sound, and a second microphone configured to generate a second audio signal in response to the sound; a first processing circuit for respectively producing first and second responses from the first and second audio signals, wherein the first processing circuit delays the first response with respect to the second response in accordance with a delay period; a subtractor for subtracting the first and second responses to create an output signal, wherein the output signal is a function of a location of the sound relative to the first and second microphones; and a second processing circuit for configuring the output signal for presentation to hardware for assisting the patient with hearing; wherein at least one of the first microphone and the second microphones comprise an in-the-ear microphone, while the first processing circuit is within a portion located outside the ear, wherein the hardware for assisting the patient with hearing comprises an implanted portion of a cochlear implant system, and wherein the first processing circuit, the subtractor, and the second processing circuit are all within an external portion of the cochlear implant system.