Patents by Inventor Christoph Widmer

Christoph Widmer 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: 7349549
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recording information in a hearing device and/or in a recording unit at least temporally operationally connected to the hearing device. The method consists in that a point in time of the recording and/or a recording frequency as well as the information to be recorded, as data and/or parameters and/or adjustments of the hearing device are adjusted freely or are programmable, respectively. Furthermore, a hearing device is described that is suitable to use the method. By the present invention, a multitude of the parameters being adjustable in a hearing device can be checked or surveyed all together or selectively in real, i.e. actually existing acoustic environments in order to optimally adjust or adapt the hearing device afterwards, that means after the analysis by the fitter, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Herbert Bächler, Volker Kühnel, Silvia Allegro, Stefan Daniel Menzl, Hilmar Meier, Michael Boretzki, Stefan Launer, Ivo Hasler, Hans-Ueli Roeck, Christoph Widmer
  • Publication number: 20070293972
    Abstract: For manufacturing a hearing device a three-dimensional model (9) of the application area for the device at an individual is made. When digitally treating such model a three-dimensional orientation system is applied (11). When the shell is produced (13) assembling of units to the shell is performed relative to the orientation system which is preserved during shell manufacturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: PHONAK AG
    Inventors: Samuel Hans Martin Roth, Stefan Haenggi, Christoph Widmer
  • Patent number: 7185734
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing protection earplug, comprising a shell for being worn at least in part in the ear canal of a user and a faceplate (12) at the outer end of the shell or within a cavity of the shell having an outer opening, wherein the faceplate is provided with adapter means (22) for acoustically connecting, in a detachable manner, a measuring hole (14) extending into the interior of the shell with an external measuring tube (26). The adapter means (22) are adapted to detachably connect to a removable multi-function plug (28, 40) comprising means (30) for closing the measurement hole (14). The invention also relates to a use of such an earplug, a method for manufacturing such an earplug and to a multi-function plug to be used with such an earplug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Christian Berg
  • Patent number: 7185733
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying a substance to a human body includes a hearing device and the substance provided at a surface of said device. The substance can be incorporated into a shell of the hearing device and exhibit controlled migration through said shell and to the surface of the shell. The substance can be antibiotically active and/or antimicrobial agent in the form of a gel, liquid, or paste. The surface can be roughened, structured, or porous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventor: Christoph Widmer
  • Publication number: 20060233384
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of providing input parameters for the fitting process of individually shaped or customized hearing devices by storing geometry data during the manufacturing process into data storage and selectively reading out data from this data storage during the manufacturing and/or fitting process of the hearing device. To improve the quality and to reduce the time required for the fitting process, all the data available from the manufacturing process, e.g. the geometry data, may be used during the final fitting process at the dispenser's office.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Herbert Bachler, Christoph Widmer, Alfred Stirnemann
  • Patent number: 7014010
    Abstract: A hearing device, which is to be applied to an area of an individual's ear, is manufactured in that the skin of that application area is first analyzed and the outer surface area of the hearing device is adapted to the characteristics of that skin, thereby taking into account the result of said analyzing. Analyzing may preferably be directed on characteristics of visual appearance, surface structure, chemical surface characteristics, mechanical behavior and state of health of such skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventor: Christoph Widmer
  • Publication number: 20060042866
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing protection earplug, comprising a shell for being worn at least in part in the ear canal of a user and a faceplate (12) at the outer end of the shell or within a cavity of the shell having an outer opening, wherein the faceplate is provided with adapter means (22) for acoustically connecting, in a detachable manner, a measuring hole (14) extending into the interior of the shell with an external measuring tube (26). The adapter means (22) are adapted to detachably connect to a removable multi-function plug (28, 40) comprising means (30) for closing the measurement hole (14). The invention also relates to a use of such an earplug, a method for manufacturing such an earplug and to a multi-function plug to be used with such an earplug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicant: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Christian Berg
  • Publication number: 20050141734
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing ear devices that are individualized for individual. Data of the three-dimensional shape of each individual's area of application for a haring device is provided. Individual shells for the hearing devices are construed by respectively depositing commonly a layer of one of a liquid and a powderous material and solidifying by a laser arrangement in the layer individually shaped layers of the individual shells, thereby controlling the laser arrangement with the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Joydeep Dutta
  • Patent number: 6863151
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing ear devices that are individualized for individual. Data of the three-dimensional shape of each individual's area of application for a haring device is provided. Individual shells for the hearing devices are construed by respectively depositing commonly a layer of one of a liquid and a powderous material and solidifying by a laser arrangement in the layer individually shaped layers of the individual shells, thereby controlling the laser arrangement with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Joydeep Dutta
  • Patent number: 6827178
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing ear devices that are individualized for individual. Data of the three-dimensional shape of each individual's area of application for a haring device is provided. Individual shells for the hearing devices are construed by respectively depositing commonly a layer of one of a liquid and a powderous material and solidifying by a laser arrangement in the layer individually shaped layers of the individual shells, thereby controlling the laser arrangement with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Joydeep Dutta
  • Publication number: 20040201139
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing ear devices that are individualized for individual. Data of the three-dimensional shape of each individual's area of application for a haring device is provided. Individual shells for the hearing devices are construed by respectively depositing commonly a layer of one of a fluid and a powderous material and solidifying by a laser arrangement in the layer individually shaped layers of the individual shells, thereby controlling the laser arrangement with the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Joydeep Dutta
  • Publication number: 20040196995
    Abstract: A body-worn device, such as a hearing aid, is adapted to the shape of an individual's body area, such as an ear. A digitized, three-dimensional representation of the area is prepared. At least one characteristic feature of the representation, such as a dimension of a part of the ear, is automatically determined. A shell is produced based on the characteristic feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Samuel Hans Martin Roth, Christoph Widmer, Gregory Bleiker
  • Patent number: 6766878
    Abstract: A hearing device for inserting into or adjacent to the ear of an individual. A shell is custom-shaped to fit the individual. The shell is made mainly of a first material and includes a part made mainly of the first material. The part has an inner surface. A pattern of embossments or indentations is provided in the inner surface. The pattern is made out of the first material. The pattern represents an individualized identification code of the part or the device. The pattern is generated concurrent to the manufacture of said part. The pattern can be generated using a laser sintering process, a laser lithography process, a stereo lithography process, or a thermojet process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Hans Hessel, Markus Weidmann
  • Publication number: 20040120978
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying a substance to a human body includes a hearing device and the substance provided at a surface of said device. The substance can be incorporated into a shell of the hearing device and exhibit controlled migration through said shell and to the surface of the shell. The substance can be antibiotically active and/or antimicrobial agent in the form of a gel, liquid, or paste. The surface can be roughened, structured, or porous.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventor: Christoph Widmer
  • Patent number: 6731997
    Abstract: A hearing device is manufactured for an individual based on: information about individual audio needs, information about a three-dimensional shape of the application area for the hearing device, information about individual non-audio needs of the hearing aid device, and information about the feasibility of hearing devices; thereby creating a three-dimensional visualization of the device controlled by the individual, and creating data defining the visualized device for subsequent realization of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Hans Hessel, Christoph Widmer
  • Publication number: 20040069560
    Abstract: A hearing device, which is to be applied to an area of an individual's ear, is manufactured in that the skin of that application area is first analyzed and the outer surface area of the hearing device is adapted to the characteristics of that skin, thereby taking into account the result of said analyzing. Analyzing may preferably be directed on characteristics of visual appearance, surface structure, chemical surface characteristics, mechanical behavior and state of health of such skin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventor: Christoph Widmer
  • Publication number: 20040026163
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing ear devices that are individualized for individual. Data of the three-dimensional shape of each individual's area of application for a haring device is provided. Individual shells for the hearing devices are construed by respectively depositing commonly a layer of one of a liquid and a powderous material and solidifying by a laser arrangement in the layer individually shaped layers of the individual shells, thereby controlling the laser arrangement with the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Joydeep Dutta
  • Publication number: 20030155173
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing ear devices that are individualized for individual. Data of the three-dimensional shape of each individual's area of application for a haring device is provided. Individual shells for the hearing devices are construed by respectively depositing commonly a layer of one of a liquid and a powderous material and solidifying by a laser arrangement in the layer individually shaped layers of the individual shells, thereby controlling the laser arrangement with the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Joydeep Dutta
  • Patent number: 6595317
    Abstract: A hearing aid ear-plug device and process for its manufacture, including a resilient, custom-molded outer shell adapting to the dynamics of its area of application including the ability to adapt to dynamic movement of the auditory canal. The outer shell may include fins and/or ribs integrated internally or externally with the shell. Any internal components of the device are protected while ensuring the structural stability of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Phonak AG
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Hans Hessel, Markus Weidmann
  • Publication number: 20030133583
    Abstract: A hearing device for inserting into or adjacent to the ear of an individual. A shell is custom-shaped to fit the individual. The shell is made mainly of a first material and includes a part made mainly of the first material. The part has an inner surface. A pattern of embossments or indentations is provided in the inner surface. The pattern is made out of the first material. The pattern represents an individualized identification code of the part or the device. The pattern is generated concurrent to the manufacture of said part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Christoph Widmer, Hans Hessel, Markus Weidmann