Patents by Inventor Zachary Mark Smith

Zachary Mark 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: 20240108902
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for adapting/transitioning operation of a medical prosthesis, such as an auditory prosthesis, from a first or initial group of settings to a second or target group of settings. The adaptation in the operation of the medical prosthesis from the first group of settings to the second group of settings occurs over a period of time and in a series of individualized (recipient-specific) incremental steps. That is, the adaptation process occurs in incremental steps that are set based on attributes/characteristics of the recipient of the specific medical prosthesis so that the adaptation is made as unobtrusive to the recipient as possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20240073634
    Abstract: A method of at least partially fitting a hearing prosthesis device to a recipient, including obtaining access to a sensory prosthesis that has been used to evoke a sensory percept using a first focusing regime for a temporal period corresponding to at least acclimation to the first focusing regime and adjusting a control setting of the prosthesis to increase focusing relative to that which is the case with respect to the first focusing regime, wherein the action of adjusting the control setting includes purposely adjusting the control setting to have focusing that is effectively less focused than a maximum focus possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Wendy POTTS, Sara Ingrid DURAN, Zachary Mark SMITH
  • Publication number: 20240015449
    Abstract: Binaural hearing systems presented herein are configured to provide a recipient with magnified binaural cues. In certain embodiments, the techniques presented herein use static sideways beamforming with interaural magnification to capture and prepare sound signals for subsequent processing. That is, sound signals are captured at each of the binaural prostheses in accordance with a sideways directional pattern (e.g., directional patterns facing away from the head of the recipient). The sound signals captured with the sideways directional patterns, referred to as sideways directional signals, are then used to perform interaural magnification. In other embodiments, the techniques presented herein use constrained adaptive beamformers to capture sound signals for subsequent processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin Dieudonné, Tom Francart, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11813460
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for adapting/transitioning operation of a medical prosthesis, such as an auditory prosthesis, from a first or initial group of settings to a second or target group of settings. The adaptation in the operation of the medical prosthesis from the first group of settings to the second group of settings occurs over a period of time and in a series of individualized (recipient-specific) incremental steps. That is, the adaptation process occurs in incremental steps that are set based on attributes/characteristics of the recipient of the specific medical prosthesis so that the adaptation is made as unobtrusive to the recipient as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11812227
    Abstract: A method of at least partially fitting a hearing prosthesis device to a recipient, including obtaining access to a sensory prosthesis that has been used to evoke a sensory percept using a first focusing regime for a temporal period corresponding to at least acclimation to the first focusing regime and adjusting a control setting of the prosthesis to increase focusing relative to that which is the case with respect to the first focusing regime, wherein the action of adjusting the control setting includes purposely adjusting the control setting to have focusing that is effectively less focused than a maximum focus possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Wendy Potts, Sara Ingrid Duran, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20230309891
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a measurement set comprising a plurality of measurement values generated using a plurality of electrodes distributed along an elongate structure configured to be implanted in and/or on a body portion of a recipient. The measurement set is indicative of a pose of the elongate structure relative to the body portion. The method further includes generating, in response at least in part to the measurement set, a gradient vector dataset comprising a plurality of gradient vector phase values. The method further includes generating, in response at least in part to the gradient vector dataset, an evaluation of the pose of the elongate structure relative to the body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Matthew Zygorodimos, Ryan Orin Melman
  • Publication number: 20230271009
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for assessing one or more outcomes associated with implantation of one or more electrodes into the inner ear of a recipient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Joseph Long, Zachary Mark Smith, Paul Michael Carter, Peter Gibson
  • Publication number: 20230158299
    Abstract: Presented herein are hybrid multi-phasic stimulation techniques for stimulation of tissue of a recipient of an implantable medical device. In particular, in accordance with the hybrid multi-phasic stimulation techniques, at least one stimulation current pulse is delivered to the tissue of the recipient in order to stimulate the tissue. The at least one stimulation current pulse injects charge into the tissue that is then removed through the combination of at least one discharging current pulse and a period of electrode shorting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Oliver John RIDLER, Zachary Mark SMITH, Brett Anthony Swanson
  • Publication number: 20230145143
    Abstract: A method performed by an electronic controller includes determining a charge level of a power supply configured to provide power to a medical device, and estimating, based on the charge level of the power supply, a first power supply life for operating the medical device according to a first mode. Further, the method includes estimating, based on the charge level of the power supply, a second power supply life for operating the medical device according to a second mode. As recited, operating the medical device according to the first mode has a different power use or consumption characteristic from operating the medical device according to the second mode. The method also includes generating a notification indicative of the first power supply life and the second power supply life.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Goorevich, Kenneth Oplinger, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11612745
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for assessing one or more outcomes associated with implantation of one or more electrodes into the inner ear of a recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher Joseph Long, Zachary Mark Smith, Paul Michael Carter, Peter Gibson
  • Publication number: 20230083125
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques that use acoustic scene (environmental) analysis to determine the sound class of sound signals received at a hearing prosthesis and, accordingly, assess the estimated listening difficulty that the acoustic environment presents to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis. This difficulty of the recipient's listening situation can be used to adjust, adapt, or otherwise set the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals delivered to the recipient to evoke perception of the sound signals. In other words, the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals is dynamically adapted based on the present acoustic environment of the hearing prosthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20230082528
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for enhancing a hearing prosthesis recipient's perception of multiple frequencies present in received sound signals. The hearing prosthesis is configured to extract a plurality of frequencies from the received sound signals and to use the plurality of frequencies to modulate the amplitudes of different stimulation pulse sequences that are to be delivered to the recipient via different stimulation channels. The hearing prosthesis may also adapt a stimulation resolution of the stimulation pulse sequences when delivering the modulated stimulation pulses sequences to the recipient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Naomi Croghan, Harish Krishnamoorthi, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11510015
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for enhancing a hearing prosthesis recipient's perception of multiple frequencies present in received sound signals. The hearing prosthesis is configured to extract a plurality of frequencies from the received sound signals and to use the plurality of frequencies to modulate the amplitudes of different stimulation pulse sequences that are to be delivered to the recipient via different stimulation channels. The hearing prosthesis may also adapt a stimulation resolution of the stimulation pulse sequences when delivering the modulated stimulation pulses sequences to the recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Naomi Croghan, Harish Krishnamoorthi, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11510014
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques that use acoustic scene (environmental) analysis to determine the sound class of sound signals received at a hearing prosthesis and, accordingly, assess the estimated listening difficulty that the acoustic environment presents to a recipient of the hearing prosthesis. This difficulty of the recipient's listening situation can be used to adjust, adapt, or otherwise set the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals delivered to the recipient to evoke perception of the sound signals. In other words, the resolution of the electrical stimulation signals is dynamically adapted based on the present acoustic environment of the hearing prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20220330978
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a cannula with at least one wall portion having an electrically insulating material. The at least one wall portion at least partially bounds a region configured to contain a portion of a medical implant system configured to be implanted on or within a recipient. The cannula further includes at least one portion configured to provide at least one electrically conductive pathway through the at least one wall portion from within the cannula to a region outside the cannula.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Nicholas Charles Kendall Pawsey
  • Publication number: 20220080199
    Abstract: A method, comprising, fitting an electrical stimulating device to the recipient, the electrical stimulating device including electrodes implanted in the recipient, the electrical stimulating device being a multipolar electrical stimulating device, wherein the fitting includes simultaneously applying multipolar stimulation to the recipient via the electrodes based on at least two different stimulation channels of the electrical stimulating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventor: Zachary Mark SMITH
  • Publication number: 20220008732
    Abstract: Presented herein are binaural hearing prosthesis systems that are configured to provide a recipient with pitch cues at both ears, while preserving/retaining binaural timing cues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Brett Anthony Swanson, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20210370050
    Abstract: An apical cochlear implant comprises an apical electrode assembly in combination with a basilar electrode assembly. The apical cochlear implant is configured to stimulate a cochlear of a recipient via the apical electrode assembly in combination with the basilar electrode assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Joseph Long, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 11179566
    Abstract: A method, comprising, fitting an electrical stimulating device to the recipient, the electrical stimulating device including electrodes implanted in the recipient, the electrical stimulating device being a multipolar electrical stimulating device, wherein the fitting includes simultaneously applying multipolar stimulation to the recipient via the electrodes based on at least two different stimulation channels of the electrical stimulating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20210360353
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for enhancing a hearing prosthesis recipient's perception of multiple frequencies present in received sound signals. The hearing prosthesis is configured to extract a plurality of frequencies from the received sound signals and to use the plurality of frequencies to modulate the amplitudes of different stimulation pulse sequences that are to be delivered to the recipient via different stimulation channels. The hearing prosthesis may also adapt a stimulation resolution of the stimulation pulse sequences when delivering the modulated stimulation pulses sequences to the recipient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Naomi Croghan, Harish Krishnamoorthi, Zachary Mark Smith