Patents by Inventor Christian FREI-KRUMME

Christian FREI-KRUMME 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: 11792564
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising an earpiece provided with a vent configured to provide for a venting of sound waves between an inner region of the ear canal and an ambient environment outside the ear canal; the earpiece further comprising an acoustic valve including a valve member moveable relative to the vent between different positions and an actuator configured to provide an actuation force for a movement of the valve member such that an effective open cross-sectional area of the vent can be modified by the movement of the valve member; the hearing device further comprising an output transducer configured to be acoustically coupled to the inner region of the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Erwin Kuipers, Manuel Weibel, Christian Frei-Krumme, Maxi Susanne Moritz
  • Patent number: 11647950
    Abstract: An in-ear hearing device includes a light source configured to emit light, a photodetector configured to detect the emitted light after the emitted light passes through tissue of a subject, a spout; an audio receiver configured to deliver a sound to the subject through the spout, and a dome configured to conform to a shape of a subject's ear canal when the hearing device is in the ear canal. An output of the light source and an input of the photodetector are separated by the dome, and the dome absorbs and/or reflects at least part of the emitted light. The photodetector may be a forward biased photodiode. The sensor device can be realized with power levels, circuitry components, and in package sizes, of hearing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SONOVA AG
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei-Krumme, Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Muller, Markus Leuthold
  • Publication number: 20220256280
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising an earpiece provided with a vent configured to provide for a venting of sound waves between an inner region of the ear canal and an ambient environment outside the ear canal; the earpiece further comprising an acoustic valve including a valve member moveable relative to the vent between different positions and an actuator configured to provide an actuation force for a movement of the valve member such that an effective open cross-sectional area of the vent can be modified by the movement of the valve member; the hearing device further comprising an output transducer configured to be acoustically coupled to the inner region of the ear canal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Erwin Kuipers, Manuel Weibel, Christian Frei-Krumme, Maxi Susanne Moritz
  • Publication number: 20220174432
    Abstract: A customized in-ear hearing device includes a light source, photodetector, light emission window, and light transmission window. The light source and the photodetector together function as a physiological sensor by emitting light from the light source through the light emission to the skin of a user's ear canal, and detecting at the photodetector light reflected by the skin that passes through the light detection window. The light emission window and light detection window are located at a customized portion of the sidewall of the device that contacts the skin in the ear canal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Leuthold, Markus Müller, Christian Frei-Krumme
  • Publication number: 20210298670
    Abstract: An in-ear hearing device includes a light source configured to emit light, a photodetector configured to detect the emitted light after the emitted light passes through tissue of a subject, a spout; an audio receiver configured to deliver a sound to the subject through the spout, and a dome configured to conform to a shape of a subject's ear canal when the hearing device is in the ear canal. An output of the light source and an input of the photodetector are separated by the dome, and the dome absorbs and/or reflects at least part of the emitted light. The photodetector may be a forward biased photodiode. The sensor device can be realized with power levels, circuitry components, and in package sizes, of hearing devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christian Frei-Krumme, Konstantin Silberzahn, Markus Muller, Markus Leuthold
  • Patent number: 9654884
    Abstract: In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method of fitting a hearing instrument to a user's ear is provided. The method comprises taking an impression of the user's ear canal and manufacturing, based on geometrical data of the impression, an earmold. In accordance with the aspect of the invention, the method comprises the further step of performing an acoustical measurement while the impression is being taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Sonova AG
    Inventors: Roland Hug, Alfred Stirnemann, Christian Frei-Krumme, Daniel Probst, Hilmar Meier, Martin Roth, Markus Leuthold
  • Publication number: 20160112814
    Abstract: In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method of fitting a hearing instrument to a user's ear is provided. The method comprises taking an impression of the user's ear canal and manufacturing, based on geometrical data of the impression, an earmold. In accordance with the aspect of the invention, the method comprises the further step of performing an acoustical measurement while the impression is being taken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Roland Hug, Alfred STIRNEMANN, Christian FREI-KRUMME, Daniel PROBST, Hilmar MEIER, Martin ROTH, Markus LEUTHOLD