Patents by Inventor Erika Van Baelen

Erika Van Baelen 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).

  • Publication number: 20230308815
    Abstract: Disclosed technology includes technology for compensating for a balance dysfunction. A cochlear implant or other auditory prosthesis can be modified to provide sensory substitution as perceptible auditory cues, such as by injecting balance signals into a cochlear stimulation signal processing path. Thus, while some of the sound processing path can be shared between balance signals and sound input signals (e.g., from a microphone or other sound source), some of the processing path can be exclusive to the sound input signals. Technology can combine sensory substitution with balance dysfunction suppression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Carl VAN HIMBEECK, Erika Van Baelen
  • Patent number: 9020601
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for receiving a data signal and a power signal by a hearing prosthesis are disclosed. An input signal is received at a first unit of a hearing prosthesis. The first unit receives the input signal at a wired interface module that conforms to a standardized interface. The first unit identifies a data signal and a power signal included in the input signal. The first unit transfers at least a portion of the power signal to a second unit of the hearing prosthesis. The second unit is implanted in a body and is configured to stimulate an auditory organ, allowing a user to perceive at least a portion of a sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Erika Van Baelen, Koen Van den Heuvel, Peter Van Gerwen
  • Publication number: 20140214123
    Abstract: A hearing prosthesis system has a hearing prosthesis device for each ear. In the case of a cochlear implant, the prosthesis may have both an external portion and an internal portion. The external portion provides a wireless communication to the internal portion. Additionally, each prosthesis is configured to communicate with the other prosthesis. Thus, a second wireless signal provides a bilateral communication link between the two prostheses. Advantageously, in order to mitigate potential wireless interference due to each prosthesis communicating with both a corresponding internal component and the other external component, the disclosed systems and methods operate in a specific communication mode. Under this mode, for each time period, one external component is in a transmit mode, while the other external component is in a receive mode. As the time period advances, the external components simultaneously switch modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: Jan Janssen, Erika Van Baelen, Koen Van den Heuvel, Werner Meskens
  • Publication number: 20140025138
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for receiving a data signal and a power signal by a hearing prosthesis are disclosed. An input signal is received at a first unit of a hearing prosthesis. The first unit receives the input signal at a wired interface module that conforms to a standardized interface. The first unit identifies a data signal and a power signal included in the input signal. The first unit transfers at least a portion of the power signal to a second unit of the hearing prosthesis. The second unit is implanted in a body and is configured to stimulate an auditory organ, allowing a user to perceive at least a portion of a sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Werner Meskens, Erika Van Baelen, Koen Van den Heuvel, Peter Van Gerwen
  • Publication number: 20120232616
    Abstract: A medical device, comprising first and second components coupled via a first wireless link; and a third component coupled to the first device via a second wireless link. The device implements a communication scheme in which transmissions via the second wireless link occur during a time period that is interleaved between periods including transmissions via the first link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Erika Van Baelen, Koen Van den Heuvel, Werner Meskens, Adam Schindhelm, Christopher J. Long
  • Publication number: 20120109256
    Abstract: A communication system for an active implantable medical device. The communication system includes an isolation transformer a coil coupled to the isolation transformer, and first and second communication components each coupled to the isolation transformer such that the first and second communication components are electrically isolated from the coil, and such that the isolation transformer enables the first and second communication components to communicate, via magnetic induction (MI) using the coil, with at least one external component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventors: Werner Meskins, Erika Van Baelen, Tony Nygard