Patents Assigned to Cochlear Limited
  • Cartridge for an electrode array insertion device
    Patent number: 10543125
    Abstract: A device, system and method for inserting a pre-curved electrode array (100) held in a substantially straight configuration by a straightening member (101) into a cochlea of a subject. As the electrode array (100) is inserted into the cochlea by the device, the straightening member (101) is held by the device such that the electrode array (100) advances off the straightening member (101) such that it is free to take on its pre-curved configuration in the cochlea of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Fysh Dadd, Peter Gibson, Miroslaw Mackiewicz, Katherine Meagher, Claudiu Treaba, Henry Hon Sang Tsui, Desmond McCusker
  • Observer-based cancellation system for implantable hearing instruments
    Patent number: 10542350
    Abstract: A method including receiving input indicative of a parameter related to an operating environment of an implantable portion of a prosthesis and adjusting an adjustable system of the prosthesis based on the received input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Scott Allan Miller, III
  • Electrode selection
    Patent number: 10537739
    Abstract: A method, including the action of executing a first evaluation including evaluating first interactions of respective current spreads with one another for a plurality of first electrodes implanted in a recipient resulting from energizement thereof with at least one second implanted electrode disabled, wherein the second electrode, if enabled and energized at about the same level as at least one of the first electrodes, would result in current spread to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes, and one of disabling at least one third electrode of the plurality of first electrodes based on the evaluation or maintaining an enablement of the nondisabled electrodes based on the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Filiep J. Vanpoucke, Obaid ur Rehman Qazi
  • Coupling apparatuses for transcutaneous bone conduction devices
    Patent number: 10542351
    Abstract: Presented herein are non-surgical or superficial coupling apparatuses for transcutaneous bone conduction devices. A coupling apparatus comprises a drive plate configured to be detachably connected to a transcutaneous bone conduction device. The drive plate is also connected to an earhook (ear hook) configured to fit over/around a recipient's pinna (auricle) to at least partially support the drive plate. An adhesive member may also be provided to secure the drive plate to the recipient's skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Tobias Good, Henrik Fyrlund
  • Implant infection control
    Patent number: 10537743
    Abstract: Embodiments presented herein are generally directed to a perioperative implant cover configured to cover at least a portion of an implantable component during portions of the perioperative period (i.e., preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of surgery) in which the implantable component is susceptible to bacteria contamination. By covering the implantable component during these portions of the perioperative period, the cover reduces the possibility of bacteria contamination and subsequent perioperative colonization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Daniel Smyth, Claudiu G. Treaba, Fysh Dadd, Kristien Johanna Marie Verhoeven, Jonathon Kirk, Marcus Andersson
  • Customization of bone conduction hearing devices
    Patent number: 10531208
    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: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt, Gunnar Kristian Asnes
  • Multi-loop implant charger
    Patent number: 10530177
    Abstract: Techniques for charging a battery within an implantable component (implant) of an implantable medical device system. A multi-loop external charging device includes a plurality of coil/loop antennas that are each configured to emit a magnetic field that is received by an implantable coil of the implantable component. At least one characteristic (e.g., phases, amplitudes, etc.) of the emitted magnetic fields are varied relative to one another over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Oliver Ridler
  • Impulse noise management
    Patent number: 10525265
    Abstract: A microphone system including a first sensor configured to output a first signal based on an ambient sound relative to a recipient of the system, a second sensor configured to output a second signal corresponding to a noise reference, and first signal processing circuitry configured to process the first signal based on the second signal and output a third signal based on the processed first signal, wherein the system is configured to limit a gain of the third signal based on the presence of impulsive energy in the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Florent Maxime Hubert-Brierre, Thomas Leroux
  • Charging-induced implant operation
    Patent number: 10525271
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for initiating a night-time mode of operation in an implantable hearing prosthesis in response to detection of night-time recharging operations. More specifically, an implantable hearing prosthesis comprises a rechargeable battery that is configured to be recharged via an external night-time charging device, such as a pillow charger. The implantable hearing prosthesis is configured to detect inductive charging of the rechargeable battery by the external night-time charging device. In response, the implantable hearing prosthesis is switched to a night-time mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Jan Raymond Janssen, Koen Van den Heuvel, Richard Bruce Murphy
  • Noise reduction for implantable hearing prostheses
    Patent number: 10512775
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for time interleaving the sampling of input signals with the delivery of stimulation signals to a recipient of an implantable electrically-stimulating hearing prosthesis. The input signals, which are received via one or more input channels and sampled by a sound processing unit, are susceptible to electrical feedback from the stimulation signals. As such, in accordance with embodiments presented herein, the sampling of the input signals by the sound processing unit, and the delivery of the stimulation signals to the recipient, are synchronized with one another so as to avoid stimulation-evoked electrical feedback within the input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Koen Van den Heuvel
  • Implantable auditory stimulation system and method with offset implanted microphones
    Patent number: 10516953
    Abstract: An improved implantable auditory stimulation system includes two or more implanted microphones for transcutaneous detection of acoustic signals. Each of the implanted microphones provides an output signal. The microphone output signals may be combinatively utilized by an implanted processor to generate a signal for driving an implanted auditory stimulation device. The implanted microphones may be located at offset subcutaneous locations and/or may be provided with different design sensitivities, wherein combinative processing of the microphone output signals may yield an improved drive signal. In one embodiment, the microphone signal may be processed for beamforming and/or directionality purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Brian M. Conn, Jose H. Bedoya
  • Implantable medical device charging
    Patent number: 10511189
    Abstract: Embodiments presented herein are generally directed to inductive charging techniques in an implantable medical device system comprising an inductive charger and an external component. The external component includes a rechargeable battery and an inductive coil that is configured to form an inductive charging link with a charging coil in the inductive charger to receive power signals from the inductive charger. A voltage increasing converter in the external component is configured to step-up a voltage of the power signals received from the inductive charger for use in recharging the rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Oliver John Ridler, Kurt Forrester
  • Monitoring stimulating assembly insertion
    Patent number: 10500392
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for monitoring the insertion of an intra-cochlear stimulating assembly for the occurrence of one or more insertion stop conditions. The insertion stop conditions are detectable events indicating that movement of the stimulating assembly into a recipient's cochlea should be at least temporarily stopped. The insertion monitoring is based on objectively measured inner ear potentials, such as acoustically-evoked potentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: John Michael Heasman, Peter Gibson, Stephen O'Leary, Luke Campbell
  • Eliminating acquisition-related artifacts in electrophysiological recording
    Patent number: 10499854
    Abstract: Aspects presented herein are directed to techniques for eliminating acquisition related artifacts in electro-physiological recording. In order to eliminate artifacts in neural response recordings, a pair of recordings is made with, respectively, inverted and non-inverted polarity at one pair of electrodes. An average of the two recordings will eliminate the acquisition artifact without the need for an extra recording, such as a baseline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Ryan Orin Melman, Justin James Gilmour, Alex von Brasch, Todd Lupton
  • Impulse-aware sound processing
    Patent number: 10492007
    Abstract: Techniques for addressing impulse sounds in an auditory prosthesis. The auditory prosthesis comprises a sound processor that is configured to convert received sound signals into output signals for use in generating stimulation for delivery to a recipient of the auditory prosthesis. The sound processor comprises an impulse-aware gain system that is configured to generate a time-variable gain for the application to the audio signal. The time-variable gain applied to the audio signal is dependent on both a level of the audio signal and the presence or absence of impulse sounds in the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Brett Anthony Swanson, Stefan J. Mauger, Phyu Phyu Khing
  • Relay interface for connecting an implanted medical device to an external electronics device
    Patent number: 10485974
    Abstract: An interface relay system for use with a fully implantable medical devices that permits transcutaneous coupling of the implanted medical device to a consumer electronics device. In one embodiment, coupling the implanted medical device to the external electronics device provides a back-up source of power for operating the implanted medical device. In another embodiment, coupling the implanted medical device to the external electronics device allows for providing unidirectional and/or bidirectional data transfer between the devices. In one arrangement, the consumer electronics device may be connectable to a communications/data network to allow for network communication between the implantable medical device and a remote processing platform/server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Scott Allan Miller, Denis Dupeyron
  • Implantable hearing prosthesis
    Patent number: 10485973
    Abstract: An implantable hearing prosthesis comprising an implantable upgrade module including a pre-processing unit configured to generate audio signals based on microphone information; and a implantable main module, physically separate from and electrically connected to the upgrade module. The implantable main module comprises a sound processing unit configured to generate stimulation information based on the audio signals received from the pre-processing unit, and a stimulator unit configured to generate stimulation signals based on the stimulation information. The hearing prosthesis also comprises a stimulation module configured to deliver the stimulation signals to a recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Koen Van Den Heuvel, Jan Janssen
  • Configuration of hearing prosthesis sound processor based on visual interaction with external device
    Patent number: 10484801
    Abstract: As disclosed, an external device is associated with the recipient of a hearing prosthesis and provides to the hearing prosthesis a control signal carrying an indication that the recipient is looking at output of the external device, perhaps including an indication of one or more characteristics of visual output and/or audio output from the external device. In response to such a control signal, the hearing prosthesis then automatically configures its sound processor in a manner based at least in part on the provided indication, such as to help process audio coming from the external device and/or to process audio in a manner based on the indicated characteristic(s) of visual output and/or audio output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Yves Wernaers, Tom Van Assche
  • Integrity management of an implantable device
    Patent number: 10477332
    Abstract: An implantable component, such as that utilized for a bone conduction device, the implantable component including a housing and a piezoelectric transducer, wherein the implantable component is configured to prevent the piezoelectric transducer from moving inside the housing. The implantable component can be configured to temporarily prevent the piezoelectric transducer from moving inside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Johan Gustafsson, Dan Nyströem, Marcus Andersson, Kenneth Oplinger, Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt
  • Low-power active bone conduction devices
    Patent number: 10477331
    Abstract: Presented herein are low-power active bone conduction devices that comprise an actuator that is subcutaneously implanted within a recipient so as to deliver mechanical output forces to hard tissue of the recipient. The low-power active bone conduction devices include an energy recovery circuit configured to extract non-used energy from the actuator and to store the non-used energy for subsequent use by the actuator. The low-power active bone conduction devices may also include a multi-bit sigma-delta converter that operates in accordance with a scaled sigma-delta quantization threshold value to convert received signals representative of sound into actuator drive signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Wim Bervoets, Carl Van Himbeeck