Patents by Inventor Andrej KRAL

Andrej KRAL has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11224758
    Abstract: The invention relates to an irradiation device and a corresponding method for irradiating a radiation absorbing medium, as well as a hearing aid device and a laser surgery device comprising such an irradiation device. A radiation source is configured to generate one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation and to irradiate the medium with the one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation. A control unit is configured to control the radiation source such that the time course of the power or intensity of at least one pulse of the one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation exhibits a rising slope and/or a falling slope, wherein the rising slope and/or falling slope has a maximum gradient which is smaller than a predetermined gradient value, whereby a generation of optoacoustic waves in the medium in response to the rising slope or falling slope, respectively, is avoided or significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: MEDIZINISCHE HOCHSCHULE HANNOVER
    Inventors: Hannes Maier, Waldo Nogueira-Vazquez, Andreas Buechner, Thomas Lenarz, Andrej Kral
  • Publication number: 20200171320
    Abstract: The invention relates to an irradiation device and a corresponding method for irradiating a radiation absorbing medium, as well as a hearing aid device and a laser surgery device comprising such an irradiation device. A radiation source is configured to generate one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation and to irradiate the medium with the one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation. A control unit is configured to control the radiation source such that the time course of the power or intensity of at least one pulse of the one or more pulses of electromagnetic radiation exhibits a rising slope and/or a falling slope, wherein the rising slope and/or falling slope has a maximum gradient which is smaller than a predetermined gradient value, whereby a generation of optoacoustic waves in the medium in response to the rising slope or falling slope, respectively, is avoided or significantly reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Hannes MAIER, Waldo NOGUEIRA-VAZQUEZ, Andreas BUECHNER, Thomas LENARZ, Andrej KRAL
  • Patent number: 10668272
    Abstract: A cochlear implant of a cochlear implant system is described. The cochlear implant comprises electrodes which are mechanically connected to one another and can be inserted in a row in the form of a spiral into a cochlea in order for auditory nerve receptors to be stimulated, a control circuit that can specifically apply electric pulses to the individual electrodes, and an energy source. The control circuit allows the electrodes to be fed in a pulsed manner with electric signals generated by a processor from the acoustic signals, and auditory nerve receptors adjacent to the electrodes to be stimulated. The electrodes are components of modules, each of which comprises its own decoder-and-control circuit for decoding module addresses and stimulation signals and generating electric pulses for the electrodes. Encoded module addresses and stimulation signals generated from acoustic signals are applied to inputs of the decoder-and-control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: MEDIZINISCHE HOCHSCHULE HANNOVER, GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ UNIVERSITAET HANNOVER
    Inventors: Holger Blume, Wolfgang Ertmer, Thomas Lenarz, Andrej Kral
  • Publication number: 20180200504
    Abstract: A cochlear implant of a cochlear implant system is described. The cochlear implant comprises electrodes which are mechanically connected to one another and can be inserted in a row in the form of a spiral into a cochlea in order for auditory nerve receptors to be stimulated, a control circuit that can specifically apply electric pulses to the individual electrodes, and an energy source. The control circuit allows the electrodes to be fed in a pulsed manner with electric signals generated by a processor from the acoustic signals, and auditory nerve receptors adjacent to the electrodes to be stimulated. The electrodes are components of modules, each of which comprises its own decoder-and-control circuit for decoding module addresses and stimulation signals and generating electric pulses for the electrodes. Encoded module addresses and stimulation signals generated from acoustic signals are applied to inputs of the decoder-and-control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicants: Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet Hannover
    Inventors: Holger BLUME, Wolfgang ERTMER, Thomas LENARZ, Andrej KRAL