Patents Assigned to BIONICA CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20090074203
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the embodiments is directed to the handheld DSP device and a method of processing audio signals. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, and a user input device (keypad). The handheld device is user programmable to apply different sound processing algorithms for processing sound signals received from the hearing aid and/or other audio source. The handheld device is capable of receiving audio signals from multiple sources, and gives the user control over selection of incoming sound sources and selective processing of audio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Publication number: 20090076825
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a fully functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the present invention is directed to the handheld DSP device and a unique method of processing incoming audio signals. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, and a user input device (keypad). The handheld device is user programmable to apply different sound enhancement algorithms for enhancing sound signals received from the hearing aid and/or other audio source. The handheld device is capable of receiving audio signals from multiple sources, and gives the user control over selection of incoming sound sources and selective enhancement of sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Publication number: 20090074216
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing device. The hearing aid includes a microphone, a digital signal processor, a speaker, a power source, an ultra-wide band (UWB) transceiver, and a control system configured and arranged to monitor a status of the power source and a status of the UWB transceiver, to receive an input signal from the microphone, to selectively route the input signal for processing responsive to the status of the power source and of the UWB transceiver, and to deliver an output signal to the speaker. The handheld digital signal processing apparatus includes a UWB transceiver, and a digital audio signal processor configured and arranged to receive the input signal from the earpiece control system, to process the input signal to enhance the input signal and to output the enhanced signal to the hearing aid control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Publication number: 20090076804
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a fully functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the present invention is directed to the handheld DSP device. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, a user input device (keypad) and at least one memory device for storing programming settings and data. Specifically, the invention focuses on a memory buffer within the DSP device, and configuration of the device to buffer an incoming audio signal, to enhance the audio for replay, and to replay that audio. The device is further configured to convert the audio signal to text for display on the handheld DSP device. The device enhances the audio and then buffers the enhanced audio stream prior to output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Publication number: 20090076816
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The invention focuses on a handheld DSP device that provides a visual cue to the user representing the source of an intermittent incoming sound. It is known that it is easier to distinguish and recognize sounds when the user has knowledge of the sound source. The system provides for various wired and/or wireless audio inputs from, for example, a television, a wireless microphone on a person, a doorbell, a telephone, a smoke alarm, etc. The wireless audio sources are linked to the DSP and can be identified as a particular type of source. For example, the telephone input is associated with a graphical image of a telephone, and the smoke alarm is associated with a graphical image of a smoke alarm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Publication number: 20090074206
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a fully functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the present invention is directed to the handheld DSP device and a unique method of processing incoming audio signals. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, and a user input device (keypad). The handheld device is user programmable to apply different sound enhancement algorithms for enhancing sound signals received from the hearing aid and/or other audio source. The handheld device is capable of receiving audio signals from multiple sources, and gives the user control over selection of incoming sound sources and selective enhancement of sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Publication number: 20090076636
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a fully functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the present invention is directed to the handheld DSP device and a unique method of processing incoming audio signals. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, and a user input device (keypad). The handheld device is user programmable to apply different audio processing algorithms for processing sound signals received from the hearing aid and/or other audio source. The handheld device is capable of receiving audio signals from multiple sources, and gives the user control over selection of incoming sound sources and selective processing of sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Publication number: 20090074214
    Abstract: A portable assistive listening system for enhancing sound for hearing impaired individuals includes a fully functional hearing aid and a separate handheld digital signal processing (DSP) device. The focus of the present invention is directed to the handheld DSP device. The DSP device includes a programmable digital signal processor, a UWB transceiver for communicating with the hearing aid and/or other wireless audio sources, an LCD display, and a user input device (keypad). The handheld device is user programmable to apply different processing algorithms for processing sound signals received from the hearing aid or other audio source. The handheld device is capable of receiving audio signals from multiple sources, and gives the user control over selection of incoming sources and selective processing of sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: BIONICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: KIPP BRADFORD, RALPH A. BECKMAN, JOHN F. MURPHY, III
  • Patent number: 6589205
    Abstract: A medication infusion system includes an implantable device and an external control device. The implantable device includes a constant flow pump and a flow rate that may be altered by commands received from the external control device. Power to execute the commands is also provided to the passive pump from the external control device. The external control device sends a command only when a flow rate change is to be made, or when status information is required. In one embodiment, the flow rate provided by the passive pump is controlled by a flow regulator, where the flow rate is changed by changing the restriction of a passage between regulator chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Bionica Corporation
    Inventor: Paul M. Meadows