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).

  • Publication number: 20240065628
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Lubna M. Ahmad, Salman A. Ahmad, Zachary B. Smith
  • Publication number: 20230022389
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Beckman Coulter, Inc.
    Inventors: Taylor A. Friesen, Kristina K. Lu, Mark F. Sauerburger, Zachary M. Smith, Jeffrey J. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20230020118
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: 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
  • Patent number: 10300290
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
  • Patent number: 10052480
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170189680
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Patent number: 9630009
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Publication number: 20160096020
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Patent number: 9232327
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150224313
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
  • Patent number: 9031661
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
  • Patent number: 8954158
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140140523
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Publication number: 20140052217
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith
  • Publication number: 20110288613
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Zachary M. Smith, Christopher van den Honert
  • Publication number: 20100198301
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventor: Zachary M. Smith