Patents by Inventor Zachary M. Smith
Zachary M. Smith 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).
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Publication number: 20240065628Abstract: A wearable breath analysis device is disclosed that may be worn, for example, around the neck or wrist of a user. The wearable device may be a stand-alone device (in which case it may include a display that provides a user interface), or may operate in conjunction with a smartphone or other mobile device. The wearable device may provide auditory and/or vibratory notifications or messages, such as a reminder to conduct a breath analyte measurement, instructions for conducting the measurement, and/or notifications of breath analyte measurement results.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Lubna M. Ahmad, Salman A. Ahmad, Zachary B. Smith
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Publication number: 20230022389Abstract: Described herein are method of transferring liquid using a robotic liquid handler from a reagent reservoir having a sloped bottom along a length of the reagent reservoir, the sloped bottom defining a shallow end and a deep end of the reagent reservoir, wherein the shallow end is proximal to a first side-wall of the reagent reservoir, wherein the deep end is proximal to a second side-wall of the reagent reservoir opposite the first side-wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2020Publication date: January 26, 2023Applicant: Beckman Coulter, Inc.Inventors: Taylor A. Friesen, Kristina K. Lu, Mark F. Sauerburger, Zachary M. Smith, Jeffrey J. Wilson
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Publication number: 20230020118Abstract: A reaction vessel comprises a lower chamber with a first volume, and an upper chamber with a second volume greater than the first volume. A thermocycling system for heating the reaction vessel includes a lower heating zone to heat the lower chamber, an upper heating zone to heat the upper chamber, and a lid heater to heat an opening of the upper chamber. A method comprises loading a sample into a lower chamber of a reaction vessel, thermocycling the lower chamber using a lower heating zone of the thermo cycler, combining an additive into the sample to produce a combination filling the lower chamber and at least partially filling an upper chamber of the reaction vessel, and incubating the upper and lower chambers using the lower heating zone and an upper heating zone. The lower and upper chambers can have different wall thicknesses to facilitate heat transfer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2020Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: Beckman Coulter, Inc.Inventors: Matthew S. Davis, Kristina K. Lu, Rachel Ellen Moschell, Peter Robert Nei, Mark F. Sauerburger, Zachary M. Smith, John S. Snider, Jason L. Springston
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Patent number: 10300290Abstract: Aspects are generally directed to techniques for determining weights for stimulation channels of a stimulating hearing prosthesis. The determined weights are used to provide stimulation to a recipient of the stimulating hearing prosthesis.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2015Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
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Patent number: 10052480Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Publication number: 20170189680Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2017Publication date: July 6, 2017Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Patent number: 9630009Abstract: Methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2015Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Publication number: 20160096020Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Patent number: 9232327Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2013Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Publication number: 20150224313Abstract: Aspects are generally directed to techniques for determining weights for stimulation channels of a stimulating hearing prosthesis. The determined weights are used to provide stimulation to a recipient of the stimulating hearing prosthesis.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
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Patent number: 9031661Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining stimulation channels for a stimulating device is provided. This method and apparatus may involve computing a set of weights for the plurality of stimulation channels of the stimulating hearing prosthesis. These weights may be determined by determining a transimpedance matrix for the stimulating hearing prosthesis where a diagonal of the transimpedance matrix is determined by extrapolation. A transadmittance matrix may then be computed for this transimpedance matrix. An error may then be computed base on positive off-diagonal terms of the transadmittance matrix. The apparatus and method may determine the weights for the stimulation channels by determining an adjustment to the diagonal of the transimpedance matrix that results in a computed error that does not exceed a specified criterion level.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2010Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
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Patent number: 8954158Abstract: An apparatus and method optimizing complex channel configurations to produce minimal channel interactions is provided. The method includes selecting multiple channels from a channel configuration including a plurality of channels, each of the plurality of channels includes multiple electrodes. The method also includes measuring an interaction between selected channels and determining a significance of the measured interaction. The method further includes adjusting a focus of the channel configuration based on the significance of measured interaction, wherein the focus of the channel configuration is not adjusted if the interaction between the selected channels determined to be insignificant. The measuring, determining and adjusting is repeated until the interaction between the selected channels is determined to be insignificant or the magnitude of the interaction is determined to be minimized, thereby optimizing the channel configuration for the selected channels.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2009Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Publication number: 20140140523Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2013Publication date: May 22, 2014Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Publication number: 20140052217Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and computing devices for fitting bilateral hearing prostheses. An example method includes sending a signal to a first hearing prosthesis and a second hearing prosthesis. The signal causes the first hearing prosthesis to deliver a first stimulus to a body part in a left auditory pathway of a user. The signal also causes the second hearing prosthesis to deliver a second stimulus to a body part in a right auditory pathway of the user. The first stimulus and the second stimulus cause the user to perceive a sound and are delivered simultaneously. The method also includes receiving an indication of a perception of the sound by the user. The method further includes determining an adjustment to at least one of the first stimulus or the second stimulus based on the perception of the sound by the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2012Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: COCHLEAR LIMITEDInventor: Zachary M. Smith
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Publication number: 20110288613Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining stimulation channels for a stimulating device is provided. This method and apparatus may involve computing a set of weights for the plurality of stimulation channels of the stimulating hearing prosthesis. These weights may be determined by determining a transimpedance matrix for the stimulating hearing prosthesis where a diagonal of the transimpedance matrix is determined by extrapolation. A transadmittance matrix may then be computed for this transimpedance matrix. An error may then be computed base on positive off-diagonal terms of the transadmittance matrix. The apparatus and method may determine the weights for the stimulation channels by determining an adjustment to the diagonal of the transimpedance matrix that results in a computed error that does not exceed a specified criterion level.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2010Publication date: November 24, 2011Inventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
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Publication number: 20100198301Abstract: An apparatus and method optimizing complex channel configurations to produce minimal channel interactions is provided. The method includes selecting multiple channels from a channel configuration including a plurality of channels, each of the plurality of channels includes multiple electrodes. The method also includes measuring an interaction between selected channels and determining a significance of the measured interaction. The method further includes adjusting a focus of the channel configuration based on the significance of measured interaction, wherein the focus of the channel configuration is not adjusted if the interaction between the selected channels determined to be insignificant. The measuring, determining and adjusting is repeated until the interaction between the selected channels is determined to be insignificant or the magnitude of the interaction is determined to be minimized, thereby optimizing the channel configuration for the selected channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2009Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: COCHLEAR LIMITEDInventor: Zachary M. Smith