Patents Assigned to Cochlear Limited
  • Fitting bilateral hearing prostheses
    Patent number: 10994127
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Hearing percept parameter adjustment strategy for a hearing prosthesis
    Patent number: 10994126
    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 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Tom Francart, Hugh Joseph McDermott, Colette McKay
  • Configuration of implanted devices
    Patent number: 10981012
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an implantable medical device comprising: an implantable component, comprising an implantable memory module, configured to receive and store recipient-specific operating parameters in the implantable memory module, an external component, comprising an external memory module, configured to communicate with the implantable component to receive the recipient-specific operating parameters, and to configure the external component using the recipient-specific operating parameters, wherein the implantable medical device is configured to transfer the recipient-specific operating parameters upon operationally coupling the implantable component with the external component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Christopher N. Daly
  • Implantable microphone management
    Patent number: 10973626
    Abstract: A device, including an implantable microphone, including a transducer, and a chamber in which a gas is located such that vibrations originating external to the microphone based on sound are effectively transmitted therethrough, wherein the transducer is in effective vibration communication with the gas, wherein the transducer is configured to convert the vibrations traveling via the gas to an electrical signal, the chamber and the transducer correspond to a microphone system, wherein the chamber corresponds to a front volume of the microphone system, and the transducer includes a back volume corresponding to the back volume of the microphone system, and the implantable microphone is configured to enable pressure adjustment of the front and/or back volume in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: James Roy Easter, Maekele Gebrekidan
  • Bone conduction device including a balanced electromagnetic actuator having radial and axial air gaps
    Patent number: 10979829
    Abstract: A bone conduction device configured to couple to an abutment of an anchor system anchored to a recipient's skull. The bone conduction device includes a vibrating electromagnetic actuator configured to vibrate in response to sound signals received by the bone conduction device, and a coupling apparatus configured to attach the bone conduction device to the abutment so as to impart to the recipient's skull vibrations generated by the vibrating electromagnetic actuator. The vibrating electromagnetic actuator includes a bobbin assembly and a counterweight assembly. Two axial air gaps are located between the bobbin assembly and the counterweight assembly and two radial air gaps are located between the bobbin assembly and the counterweight assembly. No substantial amount of the dynamic magnetic flux passes through the radial air gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Kristian Asnes
  • User interfaces of a hearing device
    Patent number: 10967176
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for dynamically adjusting a user interface provided by an external unit of a hearing device. In an example method, the external unit determines whether a state of the external unit is one of (i) a coupled state when the external unit and the stimulation unit are coupled or (ii) a decoupled state when the external and the stimulation unit are decoupled. The external unit then provides one of (i) a first user interface when the determined state is the coupled state or (ii) a second user interface when the determined state is the decoupled state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Jan Patrick Frieding, Ivana Popovac
  • Microphone placement
    Patent number: 10972846
    Abstract: A device including a prosthesis configured with a sound capture system and configured to evoke a hearing percept based on a captured sound captured by the sound capture system, wherein at least a portion of the prosthesis is configured to attach to a head of a recipient such that sound is captured by the sound capture system externally of the recipient at a location below an ear canal of a human.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Marcus Vardfjäll, Henrik Fyrlund, Kristian Asnes, Clas Johansson
  • Distributed implantable hearing systems
    Patent number: 10940320
    Abstract: Presented herein are distributed implantable hearing systems that have at least a main implant module that is physically separated from a distally positioned inner radio-frequency (RF) coil. Embodiments presented herein may include a main implant module positioned within a recipient's mastoid and an implantable coil positioned within a recipient's middle ear cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventor: Charles Roger Aaron Leigh
  • Magnetic retention device
    Patent number: 10945085
    Abstract: An apparatus, including an external component of a medical device configured to generate a magnetic flux that removably retains, via a resulting magnetic retention force, the external component to a recipient thereof, wherein the external component is configured to enable the adjustment of the generated magnetic flux so as to vary the resulting magnetic retention force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Johan Gustafsson, Marcus Andersson, Charles Roger Aaron Leigh
  • Systems and methods for non-obtrusive adjustment of auditory prostheses
    Patent number: 10933239
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing non-obtrusive, automatic adjustment of an auditory prosthesis are disclosed. A control expression can be detected during a conversation. Upon detection of the control expression, an audio setting adjustment can be selected and applied to the auditory prosthesis. Multiple adjustments can be made in response to identifying multiple control expressions during a conversation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt
  • Power and signal transmission devices for auditory prosthesis
    Patent number: 10932068
    Abstract: An auditory prosthesis can be powered by an on-board battery that is placed into a receptacle in the auditory prosthesis. When longer battery life is desired, a recipient can selectively utilize a discrete power supply to power the auditory prosthesis. The discrete power supply provides power to the auditory prosthesis and, in certain embodiments, has a longer life than the on-board battery. The discrete power supply includes an adapter having a form factor that mates with the battery receptacle on the auditory prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Oliver John Ridler
  • Implantable stimulating assembly
    Patent number: 10926081
    Abstract: An elongate stimulation assembly of an implantable stimulation device, including an intra-cochlear portion including an array of electrodes, and an extra-cochlear portion extending from the intra-cochlear portion, wherein the extra-cochlear portion includes a plurality of electrical lead wires in electrical communication with the array of electrodes and a malleable component extending in an elongate manner such that the malleable component is located further away from a longitudinal axis of the extra-cochlear portion than at least one of the electrical leads of the plurality of electrical leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Peter Raymond Sibary, Nicholas Charles Pawsey
  • SYSTEMS FOR ACCOMMODATING SEPARATION OF BODY PARTS IN AUDITORY PROSTHESES
    Publication number: 20210051426
    Abstract: An auditory prosthesis includes a fixation system manufactured in whole or in part from a deformable material, such as a viscoelastic material. The viscoelastic material responds viscously to loads applied over an extended period of time. Thus, the material is able to accommodate growth of a recipient's anatomy without becoming disconnected or misaligned from any attachment points. This allows the device to accommodate growth of a recipient over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Applicant: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Jürgen Van Vlem
  • Neutralizing the effect of a medical device location
    Patent number: 10917729
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include systems and methods of configuring, e.g., a hearing prosthesis comprising a beamforming microphone array having two or more microphones. Some embodiments include (i) storing a plurality of sets of beamformer coefficients in memory, where each set of beamformer coefficients corresponds to one of a plurality of zones on a recipient's head, and (ii) configuring the hearing prosthesis with a set of beamformer coefficients that corresponds to the zone on the recipient's head where the beamforming microphone array is located. Other embodiments include determining a set of beamformer coefficients based on magnitude and phase differences between microphones of the beamforming array, where the magnitude and phase differences are determined from a plurality of head related transfer function measurements for the microphones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Phyu Phyu Khing, Brett Swanson
  • Retention magnet system for medical device
    Patent number: 10917730
    Abstract: An external portion of an auditory prosthesis includes an external magnet that interacts with an implantable magnet to hold the external portion against the skin. Magnetic force generated by the stray field of these magnets can disturb the operation of a vibrating element of the auditory prosthesis. The technologies described herein utilize additional magnets disposed within portions of the auditory prosthesis to redirect the magnetic flux, which allows the vibrating element to be disposed more closely to the magnets, reducing the overall height profile of the prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Patrik Kennes, Charles Roger Aaron Leigh, Paul Michael Carter, Mark Alan Von Huben, Jonathan Diolaso, Scott Matthew Ibbotson, Irene Tsimos Diolaso
  • Perception change-based adjustments in hearing prostheses
    Patent number: 10905343
    Abstract: Presented herein are substantially automated techniques that enable an electro-acoustic or other hearing prosthesis implanted in a recipient to use objective measurements to determine when the recipient is likely experiencing sound perception changes. Once one or more perception changes are detected, the hearing prosthesis may initiate one or more remedial actions to, for example, address the perception changes. As described further below, the one or more remedial actions may include adjustments to the recipient's operational map to reverse the one or more perception changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephen Fung, Alex von Brasch, Kieran Reed
  • Hearing prosthesis system having interchangeable housings
    Patent number: 10904675
    Abstract: There is disclosed a hearing prosthesis comprising a first housing containing a primary signal processor that receives signals output by a microphone; and a second housing removably connectable to the first housing; wherein a user interface is provided on the second housing that provides control of one or more features of the operation of the primary signal processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Gunther Van Der Borght, Jan Janssen
  • Shock and impact management of an implantable device during non use
    Patent number: 10897677
    Abstract: An implantable component, such as by way of example, an implantable component of a transcutaneous bone conduction device, the implantable component comprising a piezoelectric transducer, wherein the implantable component is configured to temporarily prevent the piezoelectric transducer from moving inside the housing while the housing is implanted in the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Joris Walraevens, Charles Roger Aaron Leigh, Rishubh Verma, Katrien Geeraerts, Kristof I. Buytaert, Kenneth Oplinger
  • Magnet support of an implant
    Patent number: 10893937
    Abstract: An implantable prosthesis, including an implantable component including an implantable magnet assembly, wherein the magnet assembly includes a magnet plated with a metallic substance, the magnet assembly includes a housing made at least in part of a polymer, wherein at least a portion of the housing made out of the polymer is in direct contact with the metallic substance, and the implantable component is configured to be implanted in a human such that the housing is exposed to body fluids thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Charles Roger Aaron Leigh
  • CLINICAL FITTING ASSISTANCE USING SOFTWARE ANALYSIS OF STIMULI
    Publication number: 20210007662
    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: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Xerxes Battiwalla