Patents by Inventor Markus Heerlein

Markus Heerlein 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: 10391311
    Abstract: A cochlear implant including a cochlear lead, an antenna, a processor case, and a printed circuit board assembly located within the processor case. The processor case may include a base with a bottom wall and first and second side walls that together define a one-piece, unitary structure, a first end wall, attached to the bottom wall and to the first and second side walls, including a first plurality of feedthrough pins, a second end wall, attached to the bottom wall and to the first and second side walls, including a second plurality of feedthrough pins, and a cover attached to the first and second side walls and to the first and second end walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Advanced Bionics AG
    Inventors: Thomas Santogrossi, Jian Xie, Lin Li, Markus Heerlein
  • Patent number: 8498436
    Abstract: In a hearing aid provision can be made for a housing that is worn outside of an auditory canal of a user. Then, sound or electrical signals are conducted into the auditory canal from the housing. To this end, provision can be made for a conducting element such as a sound tube or a cable. The conducting element is then connected to the housing via a coupling element. This connection must be embodied such that the coupling element does not detach from the housing on its own accord. The user must be able to remove the coupling element and the conducting element from the housing in a simple fashion in order e.g. to be able to clean the former two parts. Accordingly, a coupling element and a housing can be interconnected in a detachable fashion, with this connection containing a dovetail joint for the hearing aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Phanhow Amy Cheng, Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz, Cheoung Hong Lee, Meng Kiang Lim
  • Patent number: 8284969
    Abstract: A hearing aid has an operating device with an operating element for activating a first operating function and a second operating function of the hearing aid. The operating device is configured to cause an execution of an operating function of the hearing aid by activating the corresponding operating function via the operating element. The operating device suppresses the execution of the first operating function by activating the first operating function via the operating element if the second operating function is activated via the operating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz, Beng Hai Tan, Kim Ho Patrick Yau
  • Patent number: 8280085
    Abstract: A hearing aid has a housing, a signal-processing arrangement housed in the housing, an LED, an actuatable switching element arranged on the housing, and a battery. The LED is connected to a positive pole of the battery with its anode connector and to a first connector of the signal-processing arrangement with its cathode connector. The signal-processing arrangement is formed with a monitoring unit, which switches the first connector if there is a drop below a first threshold voltage such that the cathode connector can be connected to a negative pole of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz
  • Patent number: 8270646
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing aid device and a hearing aid switch. The switch is operable to open and close an electric circuit of the hearing aid device. A lock for the switch is operable to selectively enable and disenable a hearing aid device function. The hearing aid device comprises a device for selectively inhibiting the operation of the switch to enable or to disenable the hearing aid device function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Ptd. Ltd.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Wai Kit Ho, Kah Hooi Vincent Ong
  • Patent number: 8254610
    Abstract: A hearing aid has a housing, a battery compartment, and a locking mechanism for the battery compartment. A shaft which is arranged on the housing or the battery compartment, and a slide having a hole which forms a fit with the shaft, such that the slide can be moved on the shaft in order to lock and unlock the battery compartment in the housing. The hole has a circular cross section, and the shaft has a cross section which is not a circle, with rotational symmetry when rotated through 360°/n, where n is an integer greater than 1. A battery compartment for a hearing aid has a locking mechanism such as this. Because a cross section of said shaft is different from the cross section of the hole in the battery compartment, the shaft is connected to the hole in the battery compartment only at a number of points. This ensures that the slide is held adequately on the shaft even in the event of a production tolerance on the one hand, while, on the other hand, the slide can move on the shaft with little resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Markus Hubert, Harald Klemenz
  • Patent number: 8199951
    Abstract: A hearing aid device, including a switch being operable to open and close an electric circuit of the device; and a battery locating means for selectively locating a battery within said device for electrical communication with said electric circuit, wherein the switch inhibits the battery locating means from removing the battery from electrical communication with said electric circuit when the switch is arranged to close the electric circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Wai Kit Ho
  • Patent number: 8107658
    Abstract: Hearing instruments and in particular hearing aids whose signal processing can be adjusted by the user are to be returned to a defined, individual state in a more convenient manner. For this purpose it is provided that at least one individual, current parameter value for ongoing operation of the hearing instrument is automatically stored in a first memory device. The at least one individual, current parameter value can also be stored manually or automatically in a second memory device. If the user wishes to revert to an earlier setting, he can manually reset the at least one parameter of the hearing instrument to the parameter value stored in the second memory device by actuating a button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Thomas Kasztelan, Bock Swee Joshua Tan
  • Patent number: 8094851
    Abstract: The size of hearing apparatuses and in particular of hearing devices is to be reduced. To this end, provision is made to combine a rocker-like actuator of the hearing apparatus for manually adjusting a parameter of a signal processing unit for pressing from a neutral position in a first adjusting position or a second adjusting position with an on/off switch. To this end, the rocker-like actuator can be pressed into an additional switching position. The multiple functionalities of the actuator allow installation space to be conserved and thus allow the housing of the hearing apparatus to be simplified and minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Thomas Kasztelan, Wee Haw Koo
  • Publication number: 20110268304
    Abstract: Children should be prevented from easily being able to remove the ear hook of a hearing aid. It is for this reason that a hearing aid that is to be worn behind an ear has a housing, which houses signal-processing components, and an ear hook, which is detachably attached to the housing. During the attachment process, the ear hook is moved toward the housing in an axial direction. The ear hook and the housing are embodied such that, in order to attach the ear hook to the housing, there is at least one movement of the ear hook in a second direction and a movement of the ear hook in a third direction, which differs from the second direction. Both the second and the third direction differ from the first direction. It follows that a complicated movement pattern is required when the ear hook is disassembled from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: KerSer Ang, Chong Neng Cho, Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz, Peter Nikles, Yi Ren Chris Tan
  • Publication number: 20110211716
    Abstract: In a hearing aid provision can be made for a housing that is worn outside of an auditory canal of a user. Then, sound or electrical signals are conducted into the auditory canal from the housing. To this end, provision can be made for a conducting element such as a sound tube or a cable. The conducting element is then connected to the housing via a coupling element. This connection must be embodied such that the coupling element does not detach from the housing on its own accord. The user must be able to remove the coupling element and the conducting element from the housing in a simple fashion in order e.g. to be able to clean the former two parts. Accordingly, a coupling element and a housing can be interconnected in a detachable fashion, with this connection containing a dovetail joint for the hearing aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: PhanHow Amy Cheng, Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz, Cheoung Hong Lee, Meng Kiang Lim
  • Publication number: 20110038500
    Abstract: A hearing aid has a housing, a signal-processing arrangement housed in the housing, an LED, an actuatable switching element arranged on the housing, and a battery. The LED is connected to a positive pole of the battery with its anode connector and to a first connector of the signal-processing arrangement with its cathode connector. The signal-processing arrangement is formed with a monitoring unit, which switches the first connector if there is a drop below a first threshold voltage such that the cathode connector can be connected to a negative pole of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz
  • Patent number: 7853032
    Abstract: A hearing device with an audio shoe is to be designed in a simpler and less interference-susceptible manner. To this end, provision is made for an audio shoe to comprise contact springs of such type that directly contact the circuit boards of a hearing device. A contact intermediate piece between the audio shoe and the circuit board of the hearing device can thus be dispensed with. Furthermore, contact problems caused by the intermediate piece can hereby be avoided and the assembly cost for the hearing device reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Wai Kit David Ho, Thomas Kasztelan
  • Publication number: 20100260368
    Abstract: Shells of hearing devices, and in particular for hearing aids, are frequently manufactured using an RSM method and battery flaps are injection-molded. Problems arise frequently due to the varying error tolerances of the two processes when the battery compartment is locked into position on the shell. For this reason a hearing device with a shell, which has a battery opening and a battery flap, which is injection-molded from plastic, is provided for closing the battery opening. The hearing device also has a module which is likewise injection-molded from plastic, on which the battery flap is pivotally supported and which has a detent mechanism via which the battery flap locks into place detachably in a closed position to prevent a pivot movement. Since the injection-molded battery flap locks into position with the injection-molded module, the error tolerances of the shell, often produced by an RSM method, play no part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz, Daniel Reisse
  • Publication number: 20100260366
    Abstract: A hearing aid has a housing, a battery compartment, and a locking mechanism for the battery compartment. A shaft which is arranged on the housing or the battery compartment, and a slide having a hole which forms a fit with the shaft, such that the slide can be moved on the shaft in order to lock and unlock the battery compartment in the housing. The hole has a circular cross section, and the shaft has a cross section which is not a circle, with rotational symmetry when rotated through 360°/n, where n is an integer greater than 1. A battery compartment for a hearing aid has a locking mechanism such as this. Because a cross section of said shaft is different from the cross section of the hole in the battery compartment, the shaft is connected to the hole in the battery compartment only at a number of points. This ensures that the slide is held adequately on the shaft even in the event of a production tolerance on the one hand, while, on the other hand, the slide can move on the shaft with little resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Markus Hubert, Harald Klemenz
  • Patent number: 7782010
    Abstract: The production of hearing apparatuses and in particular of hearing devices is to be simplified. To this end, a battery contact module with an electrical contact facility and a plastic frame is proposed, to/in which the contact facility is fastened. In this way, the battery contact module is designed as a SMD component and the contact facility has corresponding connections for a surface mounting on a printed circuit board. An amplifier printed circuit board can herewith be advantageously automatically equipped with the battery contact module and soldered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Thomas Kasztelan, Vincent Ong
  • Patent number: 7781692
    Abstract: A switch for controlling first and second components of an electric circuit is proposed. The switch is operable between first and second positions to control the operation of the first of said components and is operable between third and fourth positions to control operation of the second of said components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Audiologische Technik GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Wee Haw Koo
  • Publication number: 20090133998
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switch for controlling first and second components of an electric circuit. The switch is operable between first and second positions to control the operation of the first of said components and is operable between third and fourth positions to control operation of the second of said components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Wee Haw Koo
  • Publication number: 20090136069
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hearing aid device and a hearing aid switch. The switch is operable to open and close an electric circuit of the hearing aid device. A lock for the switch is operable to selectively enable and disenable a hearing aid device function. The hearing aid device comprises a device for selectively inhibiting the operation of the switch to enable or to disenable the hearing aid device function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2005
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Wai Kit Ho, Kah Hooi Vincent Ong
  • Publication number: 20090129618
    Abstract: A hearing aid has an operating device with an operating element for activating a first operating function and a second operating function of the hearing aid. The operating device is configured to cause an execution of an operating function of the hearing aid by activating the corresponding operating function via the operating element. The operating device suppresses the execution of the first operating function by activating the first operating function via the operating element if the second operating function is activated via the operating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: SIEMENS MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Markus Heerlein, Harald Klemenz, Beng Hai Tan, Kim Ho Patrick Yau