Patents by Inventor Christian Frei

Christian Frei has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210298670
    Abstract: An in-ear hearing device includes a light source configured to emit light, a photodetector configured to detect the emitted light after the emitted light passes through tissue of a subject, a spout; an audio receiver configured to deliver a sound to the subject through the spout, and a dome configured to conform to a shape of a subject's ear canal when the hearing device is in the ear canal. An output of the light source and an input of the photodetector are separated by the dome, and the dome absorbs and/or reflects at least part of the emitted light. The photodetector may be a forward biased photodiode. The sensor device can be realized with power levels, circuitry components, and in package sizes, of hearing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei-Krumme, Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Muller, Markus Leuthold
  • Patent number: 11115764
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing system that is configured to assist a user in hearing includes an in-the-ear (ITE) component configured to fit at least partially within an ear canal of the user while the hearing system is worn by the user, a first sensor electrode provided on a surface of the ITE component and configured to contact, while the hearing system is worn by the user, outer ear tissue of the user, and a second sensor electrode configured to be located, while the hearing system is worn by the user, at an entrance to or outside of the ear canal of the user. The first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode may be configured to be used to detect a physiological attribute of the user while the hearing system is worn by the user. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Mueller, Natasha Thumm, Markus Leuthold, Christian Frei
  • Patent number: 11096733
    Abstract: A system for the amelioration of a recess (56) in a porous material, said system comprising an element (2) for coupling in mechanical energy, and a cylindrical collar (4, 40) having a central recess (44,45) for a guide pin (8), wherein the pin (8), having a cannulation (35), is provided to be inserted as far as the bottom of the recess (56) using a wire (52), wherein the pin (8) is surrounded by an amelioration sleeve (7), wherein the external cylindrical jacket surface of the sleeve (7) has substantially the same external diameter as the collar (4, 40), and wherein the pin (8) is received movably in the central recess (44,45) such that, when mechanical energy is applied, the collar (4,40) can be moved relative to the guide pin (8) in the direction toward the bottom of the recess (8) while liquefying and displacing the material of the sleeve (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: NEXILIS AG bei BDO AG
    Inventors: Christian Frei, Simon Zimmermann, Falko Schlottig, Martin Horst
  • Patent number: 11070928
    Abstract: A hearing device to be worn in or at the ear of a user. The hearing device includes a housing for accommodating an electronic component, wherein the housing includes an electromagnetic wave shielding material and is formed with an indentation. The indentation provides a space at the outer side of the housing, allowing an antenna to be inserted into the indentation. The proposed hearing device achieves improved shielding of the antenna against electromagnetic waves radiated from at least one of the electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Hilmar Meier, Andre Lucien Ochsenbein, Leo Den Hartog, Christian Frei, Daniel Probst, Gabriel Perez, Paul Bechtiger
  • Publication number: 20210195348
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to a hearing device positioned partially or completely within an ear canal. In some implementations, the hearing device is an ITE with an oval-shaped or elongated battery, where the battery is positioned at an angle relative to a faceplate of the ITE. The hearing device can be a rechargeable, where the rechargeable battery is positioned (e.g., titled) between at an angle between 10 to 25 degrees relative to the faceplate of the ITE. In some implementations, the faceplate of the ITE is configured to enable the battery to pivot or adjust its angle such that the battery position can be adjusted to use space more efficiently. In some implementations, the battery 220 has a long axis, where the long axis is longer than any other battery axis, and the long axis extends from the faceplate at a non-perpendicular angle (e.g., 10 to 35 degrees).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Christian Frei, Thomas Winkler
  • Patent number: 11044564
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing system that is configured to assist a user in hearing includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) component that includes a power source and an in-the-ear (ITE) component configured to fit at least partially within an ear canal of the user. The ITE component may include a microphone arranged so as to face outside of the ear canal of the user while the ITE component is worn by the user, a vent opening configured to ventilate the ear canal of the user to an environment outside of the ear canal, a receiver configured to provide an audio signal to the user based on an input audio signal detected by the microphone, and at least one of active noise control circuitry configured to reduce at least one of environmental noise entering the ear canal through the vent opening and occlusion and an active vent configured to control the vent opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei, Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Mueller, Markus Leuthold
  • Publication number: 20210144491
    Abstract: An illustrative hearing device comprises a controller module and a receiver module including a speaker and an active vent which can be switched between an open state and a closed state, wherein the speaker is electrically connected to the controller module by two differential audio lines, wherein the active vent comprises a solenoid with an inductor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal connected to the controller module via one of the differential audio lines and the second terminal connected to the controller module either via the other one of the differential audio lines or to at least one control output of the controller module via a separate control line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Christian Landolt, Christian Frei, Erwin Kuipers, Manuel Weibel
  • Publication number: 20210144493
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of sealing a module (14) in a hearing device housing. The method comprises the steps of preparing the module (14) and the hearing device housing, and applying a sealing material (28) into a space, said space being formed between the module (14) and the hearing device housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Natasha Thumm, Christian Frei, Matthias Stadler, André Lucien Ochsenbein, Tobias Balmer, Fiona Pacifico
  • Publication number: 20210144492
    Abstract: An illustrative hearing device includes a battery having a battery voltage, a microphone for transducing sound into an input signal, a processor configured to be operated with an operating voltage and to generate an output signal from the input signal, a speaker for transducing the output signal to an acoustic signal, and a valve. An acoustic effect of the valve is adjustable by applying a valve voltage, wherein the adjustment is controllable by the processor. The hearing device comprises a voltage regulator configured to generate the operating voltage from the battery voltage, wherein the operating voltage is less than the battery voltage and wherein the valve voltage is greater than the operating voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Manuel Weibel, Matthias Riepenhoff, Christian Landolt, Christian Frei, Erwin Kuipers
  • Publication number: 20210099811
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing system that is configured to assist a user in hearing includes a behind-the-ear (BTE) component that includes a power source and an in-the-ear (ITE) component configured to fit at least partially within an ear canal of the user. The ITE component may include a microphone arranged so as to face outside of the ear canal of the user while the ITE component is worn by the user, a vent opening configured to ventilate the ear canal of the user to an environment outside of the ear canal, a receiver configured to provide an audio signal to the user based on an input audio signal detected by the microphone, and at least one of active noise control circuitry configured to reduce at least one of environmental noise entering the ear canal through the vent opening and occlusion and an active vent configured to control the vent opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei, Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Mueller, Markus Leuthold
  • Publication number: 20210099815
    Abstract: An exemplary hearing system that is configured to assist a user in hearing includes an in-the-ear (ITE) component configured to fit at least partially within an ear canal of the user while the hearing system is worn by the user, a first sensor electrode provided on a surface of the ITE component and configured to contact, while the hearing system is worn by the user, outer ear tissue of the user, and a second sensor electrode configured to be located, while the hearing system is worn by the user, at an entrance to or outside of the ear canal of the user. The first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode may be configured to be used to detect a physiological attribute of the user while the hearing system is worn by the user. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Mueller, Natasha Thumm, Markus Leuthold, Christian Frei
  • Publication number: 20210092536
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising a housing surrounding a venting channel comprising a valve member moveable relative to the venting channel between different positions comprising a first valve position and a second valve position, an actuator configured to provide an actuation force with a direction and a magnitude acting on the valve member, and a controller a controller configured to provide a first control signal controlling the actuator to provide the actuation force in a first direction, and to provide a second control signal controlling the actuator to provide the actuation force in a second direction. The disclosure further relates to a method of operating such a hearing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei, Manuel Weibel, Erwin Kuipers, Maxi Susanne Moritz, Christian Landolt
  • Patent number: 10842600
    Abstract: The invention relates to a denture, made of teeth, in particular prefabricated teeth, and of a denture base made of a gingival material, comprising cavities for teeth in which cavities for the teeth are mounted, in particular attached by bonding, characterized in that the denture base (12) is produced by a CAD/CAM process forming the cavities (20) for the teeth (14), and in that cervical areas (40a) of the teeth (14) extending through the basal surface (16, 18) of the denture base (12) are removed, in particular abraded or milled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Thomas Baaske, Konrad Hagenbuch, Christian Frei, Markus Heinz, Ronny Watzke
  • Publication number: 20200252735
    Abstract: A hearing device to be worn in or at the ear of a user. The hearing device includes a housing for accommodating an electronic component, wherein the housing includes an electromagnetic wave shielding material and is formed with an indentation. The indentation provides a space at the outer side of the housing, allowing an antenna to be inserted into the indentation. The proposed hearing device achieves improved shielding of the antenna against electromagnetic waves radiated from at least one of the electronic components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Hilmar Meier, Andre Lucien Ochsenbein, Leo Den Hartog, Christian Frei, Daniel Probst, Gabriel Perez, Paul Bechtiger
  • Publication number: 20200236478
    Abstract: A module of a hearing device is removably connectable with a housing of the hearing device, the module being prepared for insertion of a removal tool. The module includes at least two side walls opposing each other. The side walls are provided with a first engagement means, and the side walls are deformable such to allow engagement of the first engagement means and a second engagement means formed on an anchoring portion of the removal tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Christian FREI, Matthias STADLER, Andre Lucien OCHSENBEIN, Tobias BALMER
  • Publication number: 20200214812
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing a dental prosthesis from a one-piece or multi-piece prosthesis blank which is constructed from a gum-colored material and a tooth-colored material (32), in particular in each case on a plastic base. It is characterized by being connected to each other at connecting surfaces, having an interface between the gum-colored and tooth-colored materials. This interface, when viewed along the connecting surfaces has an undulating shape and viewed in the vestibular direction has a radial shape. In order to finish the dental prosthesis, a CAD/CAM device determines the exact course of a gingival line, based on patient-specific data, and produces the prosthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Ronny Watzke, Christian Frei
  • Patent number: 10646311
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dental prosthesis, produced from a one-piece or two-piece prosthesis blank which is constructed from a gum-colored material and a tooth-colored material (32), in particular in each case on a plastic base. It is characterized by the tooth-colored material (32) of the blank (10) which, in the blank state, has a size larger than a human dental arch. It is in particular at least 8 cm wide. The invention is further characterized in that the gum-colored and the tooth-colored material (10 and 32) are intensively connected to each other, whether by one-piece production, by adhesive bonding or by polymerization, in particular by polymerization. Viewed along the course of the dental arch, the interface between the materials has an undulating shape and, viewed in the vestibular direction, has a radial shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Ronny Watzke, Christian Frei
  • Patent number: D854164
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Thomas Baaske, Hans-Peter Foser, Markus Heinz, Christian Frei, Wolfgang Ruess
  • Patent number: D857207
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Christian Frei
  • Patent number: D892339
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Christian Frei