Patents Assigned to Cochlear Limited
  • Patent number: 12273685
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for generating a hierarchical classification of a set of sound signals received at hearing prosthesis. The hierarchical classification includes a plurality of nested classifications of a sound environment associated with the set of sound signals received at hearing prosthesis, including a primary classification and one or more secondary classifications that each represent different characteristics of the sound environment. The primary classification represents a basic categorization of the sound environment, while the secondary classifications define sub-categories/refinements of the associated primary classification and/or other secondary classifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Michael Goorevich, Obaid Ur Rehman Qazi, Carl Puchner
  • Patent number: 12273684
    Abstract: A system, including a central processor apparatus configured to receive input from a plurality of sound capture devices, wherein the central processor apparatus is configured to collectively evaluate the input from the plurality of sound capture devices to identify at least one spatial location that is more conducive to hearing with a hearing prosthesis relative to another spatial location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Alexander Von Brasch, Stephen Fung
  • Patent number: 12268869
    Abstract: An apparatus including an actuator and an electrode array support, wherein the apparatus is configured to insert an electrode array into a cochlea via controlled actuation of the actuator, wherein the controlled actuation is at least partially based on data that is at least partially based on electrical characteristics associated with the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Charles Pawsey, Frank Risi
  • Patent number: 12263340
    Abstract: Providing stimulation signals for an implanted auditory prosthesis including receiving first and second sound signals at first and second sound input devices, each of the first and second signals having a signal-to-noise ratio; determining a signal parameter related to said signal-to-noise ratio of each of the first and second signals; selecting one of the first and second signals which has the greater signal-to-noise ratio; and generating stimulation signals for the implanted auditory prosthesis based on said selected sound signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Peter Busby
  • Patent number: 12262178
    Abstract: A method, including an action of receiving first data based on data based on ambient sound captured with a first microphone, and further including an action of receiving second data based on data based on the ambient sound captured with a second microphone, wherein the first microphone is a part of a hearing prosthesis, the second microphone is part of an indoor sound capture system or indoor sound capture sub-system, and the method further comprises comparing the first data to the second data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Riaan Rottier
  • Patent number: 12255015
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to a wearable device configured to selectively receive a primary magnet set selected from among multiple primary magnet sets of varying magnetic strengths. A supplemental magnet set is used with the wearable device to supplement the selected primary magnet set to increase a strength of a magnetic connection. The wearable device can selectively couple with a selected cover. The cover can be an accommodating cover configured to accommodate the at least one supplemental magnet set or a non-accommodating cover for use as the selected cover when a supplemental magnet set is not being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Stefan Kristo
  • Patent number: 12246186
    Abstract: Embodiments presented herein are generally directed to techniques for separately transferring power and data from an external device to an implantable component of a partially or fully implantable medical device. The separated power and data transfer techniques use a single external coil and a single implantable coil. The external coil is part of an external resonant circuit, while the implantable coil is part of an implantable resonant circuit. The external coil is configured to transcutaneously transfer power and data to the implantable coil using separate (different) power and data time slots. At least one of the external or internal resonant circuit is substantially more damped during the data time slot than during the power time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Werner Meskens
  • Patent number: 12233270
    Abstract: Technologies disclosed herein can be used to provide power and data to an implantable device implanted in a recipient, such as when the recipient is not wearing an external device. An example system includes a pillow or other headrest configured as a power and data source for an implanted medical device. Disclosed technologies can be configured to continuously provide power and data to an implantable medical devices over a period of time, such as substantially the entire period of time where the recipient is resting their head on the pillow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Charles Roger Leigh
  • Patent number: 12236942
    Abstract: A method, including receiving a signal which includes speech data, processing the received signal to identify and/or predict one or more words in the speech data, and evoking a hearing percept based on the received signal, wherein the evoked hearing percept includes one or more modified words based on the identification and/or prediction of the one or more words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Paul Michael Carter, Adam Hersbach, Richard Bruce Murphy, Kenneth Oplinger
  • Patent number: 12233255
    Abstract: A prosthetic system, comprising a first sub-system configured to evoke a hearing percept based on a first principle of operation, and a second sub-system configured to evoke a hearing percept based on at least one of the first principle of operation or a second principle of operation different from the first principle of operation, wherein the first and second sub-systems are configured to independently process respective inputs indicative of an ambient sound to harmonize an estimated recipient perception of magnitude of a property of the respective evoked hearing percepts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Tom Francart, Hugh Joseph McDermott, Colette McKay
  • Patent number: 12225432
    Abstract: Techniques for locating a misplaced primary wireless device (within a spatial region. In particular, the techniques presented herein use a secondary wireless device to collect a plurality of multivariate wireless data points within the spatial region. An artificially intelligent search algorithm analyzes the plurality of multivariate wireless data points to estimate the location of the wireless device. Directional instructions that guide the user to the estimated location of the primary wireless device are generated and then provided to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Hieu Lee, Daniel Ross Smith, Ryan Orin Melman, Ricardo Sarmiento
  • Patent number: 12220582
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to monitoring and treating sensory conditions affecting an individual. Sensors and intelligence integrated within a sensory prosthesis (e.g., an auditory prosthesis) can automatically obtain objective data regarding the ability of one or more of an individuals senses during day-to-day activities. A treatment action can be taken based on the objective data. Further disclosed herein are techniques relating to reducing the gathering of irrelevant sensory input and automatically transmitting relevant data to a caregiver device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Zygorodimos, James Davies, Rishi Wadhwani
  • Patent number: 12214203
    Abstract: Disclosed examples include technology for the detection and treatment of neotissue formation proximate an implantable stimulator. Neotissue formation can include ossification, scar tissue, soft tissue fibrosis, and other tissue growth. The neotissue formation can be detected by analyzing (e.g., using a machine-learning framework) stimulation data relating to the implantable stimulator. Neotissue formation characteristics can be analyzed to determine appropriate treatment actions for ameliorating the effects of neotissue formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Filiep Vanpoucke, Floris Heutink, Berit Verbist
  • Patent number: 12212935
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein are relevant to improvements in connectors for bone conduction devices, particularly bone conduction auditory prostheses, to connect to an abutment. Disclosed examples include a connector assembly having a vibration conductor separate from a coupling. Examples can further include an adapter to modify a length of the connector assembly. Examples can further provide an angled connector assembly to modify an angle at which the connector assembly connects to an abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Tommy Bergs, Alf Björk, Marcus Andersson
  • Patent number: 12207054
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided which includes a biocompatible housing configured to be implanted within a recipient. The housing includes a unitary wall including a first wall portion and a second wall portion surrounding a perimeter of the first wall portion. The first wall portion is sufficiently flexible to transmit vibrations between an outer region outside the housing and an inner region within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Jan Vermeiren, Koen Erik Van den Heuvel, Rishubh Verma, Antonin Rambault
  • Patent number: 12200445
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for determining an estimated battery autonomy (e.g., estimated run-time) of a medical device having at least one actuator/transducer configured to mechanically stimulate a recipient. The medical device is specifically configured for the recipient and, as such, operates in accordance with a plurality of recipient-specific settings. The configuration of the medical device for the recipient (e.g., the plurality of recipient-specific settings), along with frequency and level current consumption characteristics of the medical device, are used to determine the estimated battery autonomy of the medical device. An environmental profile of the recipient can also be used with the configuration of the medical device for the recipient and the frequency and level current consumption characteristics of the medical device to determine the estimated battery autonomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Soren Nilsson
  • Patent number: 12186560
    Abstract: A vestibular stimulation prosthesis can restore vestibular function in recipients having vestibular deficiency. In an example, a body is appended onto or within the recipient's ossicular chain such that the body directly interfaces with an oval window of an inner ear of the recipient. Electrical stimulation is provided using one or more electrodes of the body to stimulate the vestibular system and thereby restore vestibular functioning. In an example, a stimulator device connected to the body via a lead is also implanted. The stimulator device can have a small and convenient form factor. In some instances, the stimulator device is a stand-alone device that is configured to provide stimulation to the recipient's vestibular system without respect to signals received from devices external to the recipient. In some implementations, the stimulator device is a component of a sensory prosthesis (e.g., a cochlear implant or bionic eye) or another medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignees: Cochlear Limited, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
    Inventors: Angel Manuel Ramos Macias, Angel Ramos De Miguel, Koen Erik Van Den Heuvel, Mattheus Johannes Petrus Killian
  • Patent number: 12186558
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques to control the spread of current beyond, in an apical direction, a predetermined location/point in the cochlea. As a result, the techniques presented herein create a protected apical zone at an apical side of the predetermined location for undisturbed acoustic temporal coding (i.e., an apical region of the cochlea in which the voltage fields from delivered current signals are nulled, minimized, or otherwise controlled in order to eliminate, reduce, or otherwise limit electro-acoustic interactions that could negatively affect remaining low-frequency hair cells).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Bastiaan Van Dijk
  • Patent number: 12171999
    Abstract: A vestibular stimulation array is disclosed having one or more separate electrode arrays each operatively adapted for implantation in a semicircular canal of the vestibular system, wherein each separate electrode array is dimensioned and constructed so that residual vestibular function is preserved. In particular, the electrode arrays are dimensioned such that the membranous labyrinth is not substantially compressed. Furthermore, the electrode array has a stop portion to limit insertion of the electrode array into the semi-circular canal and is still enough to avoid damage to the anatomical structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignees: Cochlear Limited, University of Washington Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Frank Risi, Colin Irwin, Jay T. Rubinstein, Felipe Santos, James O. Phillips
  • Patent number: 12177614
    Abstract: An apparatus includes signal processing circuitry configured to generate processed data signals in response at least in part to transducer signals from at least one acoustic transducer and filtering signals, and to transmit the processed data signals via at least one communication channel to an actuating assembly of an auditory prosthesis. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to monitor one or more of the signal processing circuitry, the processed data signals, and the at least one communication channel, and to generate filtering control signals in response at least in part thereto. The apparatus further includes filtering circuitry configured to generate the filtering signals in response at least in part to the processed data signals and the filtering control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Thomas LeRoux, James Roy Easter