Patents Assigned to Cochlear Limited
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Retention magnet system for medical device
    Patent number: 10880662
    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: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Patrik Kennes
  • EXTERNAL AND IMPLANTABLE COILS FOR AUDITORY PROSTHESES
    Publication number: 20200398060
    Abstract: Certain medical devices, such as auditory prostheses, have an implantable portion and an external portion. The implantable portion and external portion each include a transmission/receiver coil that communicates signals between the two portions. The implanted coil is implanted about the ear canal while the external coil is disposed about the pinna or in the ear canal itself. The proximity of the two coils allows for signal transmission between the implantable and external portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt, Werner Meskens, Koen Erik Van den Heuvel
  • Wearable alarm system for a prosthetic hearing implant
    Patent number: 10870003
    Abstract: A prosthetic hearing implant kit is disclosed. The prosthetic hearing implant kit comprises internal components configured to be implanted in a recipient and comprises an internal coil; external components configured to be worn by the recipient and comprises an external coil adapted to be inductively coupled with said internal coil; and an alert system having a second external coil and adapted to receive an external alarm and to transmit signals to said implanted components via said external coil for providing the recipient with a corresponding alarm indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Brian Gordon, Charles Roger Aaron Leigh, Tadeusz Jurkiewicz, Kiangkai Tankongchumruskul
  • Hearing prosthesis efficacy altering and/or forecasting techniques
    Patent number: 10863930
    Abstract: A method of forecasting subjective efficacy of a hearing prosthesis implanted in a recipient, including subjecting a recipient to a plurality of temporally spaced aural training tasks, the aural training tasks evoking hearing percepts with the hearing prosthesis, obtaining first data indicative of the recipient's ability to hear with the hearing prosthesis based on performance by the recipient of the temporally spaced aural training tasks, and forecasting second data based on the first data, wherein the second data are indicative of the recipient's ability to hear with the hearing prosthesis at one or more temporal locations in the future.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Sean Lineaweaver
  • Customization of bone conduction hearing devices
    Patent number: 10863291
    Abstract: The present invention relates to recipient customization of a bone conducting hearing device. Customization of the bone conducting hearing device may include attaching the bone conducting hearing device to a recipient, establishing communication between the hearing device and an external device, generating at least one control setting with the external device, and storing the at least one control setting in a memory device in the hearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt, Gunnar Kristian Asnes
  • Electromagnetic transducer with expanded magnetic flux functionality
    Patent number: 10856091
    Abstract: An apparatus, including an external component of a medical device including an electromagnetic actuator configured such that static magnetic flux of the electromagnetic actuator removably retains the external component to a recipient thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Marcus Andersson, Johan Gustafsson, Kristian Gunnar Asnes
  • Electrode insertion tool with additional functionality
    Patent number: 10842531
    Abstract: An electrode array insertion tool, including an assembly configured to provide direct array insertion functionality and ancillary array insertion functionality to a user thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the tool includes an extra-cochlea bone conduction actuator system, and the ancillary array insertion functionality is output of vibrations directly to the cochlea by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Richard Bruce Murphy, Paul Michael Carter, Nicholas Charles Pawsey, John Michael Heasman, Ryan Orin Melman
  • Implant abutment
    Patent number: 10848882
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a percutaneous implant abutment for bone anchored implant devices adapted to be anchored in the craniofacial region of a person, such as bone anchored hearing aids. The abutment comprises a skin penetration body having a skin contacting surface. The skin contacting surface has been modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Marcus Andersson
  • Convertibility of a bone conduction device
    Patent number: 10848883
    Abstract: An external component of a bone conduction device, including a vibrator and a platform configured to transfer vibrations from the vibrator to skin of the recipient, wherein the vibrator and platform are configured to quick connect and quick disconnect to and from, respectively, one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: David Nathan Morris, Marcus Andersson, Göran Björn, Kristian Gunnar Asnes, Carl Van Himbeeck
  • SHIELDING DEVICE FOR SIGNAL TRANSMISSION COIL
    Publication number: 20200330776
    Abstract: Systems and apparatuses are used to transmit data between external and internal portions of auditory prostheses or other medical devices. The external portion of the auditory prosthesis includes a magnet and an implanted coil that provides stimulation to the device recipient. A shaped shield material can be placed between the external coil and the sound processing hardware to improve efficiency and effectiveness between the external coil and implanted coil. Adverse effects on tuning frequencies can be reduced by disposing the shield material away from the magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Applicant: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Oliver John Ridler, Adam Mujaj, Thomas Cooney