Patents Assigned to Cochlear Limited
  • Patent number: 11979719
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques that make use of objective measurements obtained in response to acoustic stimulation signals. More specifically, at least one measure of outer hair cell function and at least one measure of auditory nerve function are obtained from a tonotopic region of an inner ear of a recipient of a hearing prosthesis. The at least one measure of auditory nerve function and the least one measure of outer hair cell function are then analyzed relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: John Michael Heasman, Kerrie Plant, Peter Gibson, Stephen O'Leary, Luke Campbell
  • Patent number: 11979715
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for enhancing a hearing prosthesis recipient's perception of multiple frequencies present in received sound signals. The hearing prosthesis is configured to extract a plurality of frequencies from the received sound signals and to use the plurality of frequencies to modulate the amplitudes of different stimulation pulse sequences that are to be delivered to the recipient via different stimulation channels. The hearing prosthesis may also adapt a stimulation resolution of the stimulation pulse sequences when delivering the modulated stimulation pulses sequences to the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Naomi Croghan, Harish Krishnamoorthi, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11969556
    Abstract: Therapeutic sound is provided through a bone conduction apparatus. A patient having a mental disorder is selected and provided with a bone conduction apparatus. A therapeutic signal generator generates a therapeutic signal for ameliorating the mental disorder. A vibratory actuator of the bone conduction apparatus vibrates based on the therapeutic signal, which causes the patient to perceive a therapeutic sound percept.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Marcus Andersson
  • Patent number: 11962979
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a support configured to be worn on a head of a recipient and to hold at least one device next to the recipient's skull. The at least one device provides information to the recipient. The support is configured to generate a force that presses against the head and to actively adjust the force while the support is worn by the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Per Hillström, Kristian Gunnar Asnes
  • Patent number: 11962974
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for customizing an auditory prosthesis or other medical device. Customizing the auditory prosthesis includes obtaining and evaluating system data. The system data includes data from multiple sensors, including one or more sensors of an auditory prosthesis and one or more sensors of a recipient computing device. Based on the evaluation of the system data, a target behavior is determined, such as operating the auditory prosthesis in a particular sonic environment or with particular auditory prosthesis settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Jan Patrick Frieding, Carl Uvesten, Fredrik Breitholtz, Nicholas Feeney
  • Patent number: 11956599
    Abstract: Presented herein are devices/apparatuses having indicator lights (visual indicators), such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), positioned underneath/below the outer surface of a housing of the device. However, the indicator lights positioned below the outer surface of the housing, sometimes referred to herein as “sub-surface” or “sub-housing” indicator lights, are optically coupled to the outer surface of the housing via one or more optical connectors (e.g., light guides, light pipes, light diffusers, etc.). As such, the light emitted by the sub-surface indicator lights is still visible at the outer surface of the device housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Nathan Isaacson, Jan Patrick Frieding
  • Patent number: 11951315
    Abstract: Embodiments presented herein are generally directed to techniques for the transfer of isochronous stimulation data over a standardized isochronous audio or data link between components of an implantable medical device system. More specifically, as described further below, a first component is configured to generate dynamic stimulation data based on one or more received sound signals. The first component is configured to obtain static configuration data and to encode the dynamic stimulation data and the static configuration data into a series of isochronous wireless packets. The first component is configured to transmit the series of wireless packets over an isochronous wireless channel to a second component of the implantable medical device system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Koen Van Herck
  • Patent number: 11956581
    Abstract: Disclosed examples generally include methods and apparatuses related to microphone units, such as may be found in implantable medical devices (e.g., cochlear implants). Microphone units generally include a microphone element connected to a chamber having a concave floor with the chamber covered by a membrane. Microphone units can be configured to produce an output based on pressure waves (e.g., sound waves) that reach the membrane. In an example, a microphone unit has a pressurized gas within the chamber below the membrane such that, while in a static state, the membrane deflects away from the chamber floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Joris Walraevens, Patrik Kennes, Vicente Osorio, Stijn Eeckhoudt, Koen Erik Van den Heuvel
  • Patent number: 11944453
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure identify and alert a clinician to physiological cues thereby aiding the clinician in providing a better fitting of a medical prosthesis. Physiological data of a recipient of a medical prosthesis is analyzed to identify triggers during fitting or other types of adjustments to the prosthesis. A determination is then made as to whether the identified triggers correspond to a feedback event. If the triggers correspond to a feedback event, an alert containing information about the feedback event is generated and displayed or otherwise made available to the clinician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Xerxes Battiwalla
  • Patent number: 11938331
    Abstract: The present invention is related to an implantable medical device. The medical device comprises an implantable component having a receiver unit; an external charging module having a power transmitter unit; and a data module having a data transmitter unit. The units are configured to establish a transcutaneous communication link over which data and power is transmitted on a single frequency channel via a time interleaving scheme comprising successive frames each divided into at least two time slots, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the data transmitter unit, and wherein one or more of the time slots in each frame is allocated to the power transmitter unit, and wherein data and power are transmitted by the transmitter units during their allotted time slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Werner Meskens
  • Patent number: 11943588
    Abstract: An exemplary method, comprising generating an inductance signal utilizing an external component held against skin of a recipient, and receiving the inductance signal via an implanted inductance coil implanted in the recipient, wherein a layer of skin is located between the inductance coil and a skull a recipient in which the inductance coil is implanted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Marcus Andersson, Marcus Vardfjäll, Kristian Gunnar Asnes
  • Patent number: 11943590
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for generated an integrated estimate of a target sound (e.g., speech) in sound signals received by at least a local microphone array of a device. In embodiments, the integrated estimate may be generated based on sound signals received by the at least a local microphone array of a device and at least one external microphone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Randall Ali, Toon Van Waterschoot, Marc Moonen
  • Patent number: 11937048
    Abstract: An implantable hearing unit is provided that includes an implantable microphone, a rechargeable power storage device and a speech signal processor. The hearing unit further includes a signal coupling device that is adapted for electrical interconnection to an implantable auditory stimulation device, which is operative to stimulate an auditory component of a patient. Such a stimulation device may include cochlear implants, brain stem stimulation systems, auditory nerve stimulation systems, and middle or inner ear transducer systems. The signal coupling device is operative to provide processed drive signals from the signal processor to the stimulation device as well provide power from the power storage device to operate the stimulation device. In one arrangement, the signal coupling device is a wireless coupling between first and second coils. In such an arrangement, the hearing unit may be utilized with an existing implanted stimulation device to make that device a fully implanted hearing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: James Frank Kasic, James R. Easter
  • Patent number: 11935684
    Abstract: A coil, such as, by way of example, an inductance communication coil, that includes a conductor including a first portion extending in a first level and a second portion extending in a second level, wherein the conductor includes a third portion located on a different level than that of the second portion, wherein an electrical path of the conductor is such that the second portion is located between the first portion and the third portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Oliver John Ridler, Patrik Kennes, Kurt Forrester
  • Patent number: 11924374
    Abstract: Real time, remote access to and adjustment of the hearing aid of a patient while the patient is located in a normal life environment that is remote from a hearing professional. A session request initiates a programming session. Adjustable settings from the patient's hearing aid are wirelessly streamed to the patient's mobile device and from the mobile device to a streaming cloud server. The settings are stored on the cloud, streamed from the cloud to a hearing professional's computer or mobile device and displayed. The hearing professional then changes at least one of the adjustable hearing aid settings and the changed settings are streamed to the cloud, stored on the cloud, streamed from the cloud to the patient's mobile device, wirelessly transmitted to the hearing aid and stored there. A telephonic voice connection between the hearing professional and the patient's mobile device is used to transmit the patient's evaluation of changed settings to the hearing professional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Deborah M. Manchester
  • Patent number: 11924614
    Abstract: An auditory prosthesis comprising an actuator for providing mechanical stimulation to a recipient. The auditory prosthesis comprises a measurement circuit for use in determining the resonance peak(s) of the actuator. In an embodiment, the measurement circuit measures the voltage drop across the actuator and/or current through the actuator during a frequency sweep of the operational frequencies of the actuator. These measured voltages and/or currents are then analyzed for discontinuities that are indicative of a resonance peak of the actuator. In another embodiment, rather than using a frequency sweep to measure voltages and/or currents across the actuator, the measurement circuit instead applies a voltage impulse to the actuator and then measure the voltage and/or current across the actuator for a period of time after application of the impulse. The measured voltages and/or currents are then analyzed to identify resonance peak(s) of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Koen Erik Van Den Heuvel, Werner Meskens
  • Patent number: 11923700
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one first circuit configured to generate a first time-varying magnetic field for magnetic induction power transfer to a device, at least one second circuit configured to generate and/or receive a second time-varying magnetic field for magnetic induction data transfer to and/or from the device, and at least one third circuit configured to generate a third time-varying magnetic field in response to a time-varying electric current. The third time-varying magnetic field is configured to at least partially inhibit degradation of said data transfer from the first time-varying magnetic field. The apparatus further includes at least one fourth circuit configured to generate the time-varying electric current in response to a received portion of the first time-varying magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Oliver John Ridler
  • Patent number: 11918808
    Abstract: An implantable medical device, including a magnet and a body encompassing the magnet, wherein the implantable medical device includes structural components in the body configured to move away from one another upon initial rotation of the magnet relative to the body when the magnet is subjected to an externally generated magnetic field, thereby limiting rotation of the magnet beyond the initial rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Charles Roger Aaron Leigh, Grahame Michael David Walling, Mark Alan Von Huben, James Vandyke, Nam Long Tuong
  • Patent number: 11924612
    Abstract: Presented herein are integrated techniques to address the perception of distracting sounds by a recipient's residual hearing during testing of a hearing prosthesis. More specifically, in accordance with embodiments presented herein, a first hearing prosthesis located at a first ear of a recipient is configured to selectively operate in a testing-assistance mode in order to support or supplement the testing of testing of the first hearing prosthesis or a second hearing prosthesis located at a second car of the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Jan Patrick Frieding, Ryan Orin Melman
  • Patent number: 11917375
    Abstract: A portable body carried device, including a mobile computer having a display, wherein the portable body carried device is configured to receive data from a hearing prosthesis, such as a cochlear implant, and present an interface display on the display from among a plurality of different interface displays based on the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Ivana Popovac, Victor Manuel Rodrigues, Rishubh Verma, Kenneth Oplinger, Jan Patrick Frieding, Adam Schindhelm