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: 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
  • Publication number: 20210281961
    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 15, 2019
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Wendy POTTS, Sara Ingrid DURAN, Zachary Mark SMITH
  • Publication number: 20210260378
    Abstract: A method, including providing stimulation to a recipient of a prosthesis, such as a hearing prosthesis, such as an implantable prosthesis, such as a cochlear implant, wherein the stimulation is provided at temporal locations associated with sleep of the recipient, and the stimulation is at least one of part of a measurement method or an auditory training method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Wendy POTTS, Naomi CROGHAN, Christopher Joseph LONG, Zachary Mark SMITH
  • Publication number: 20210260382
    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: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventor: Zachary Mark SMITH
  • Patent number: 10994127
    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: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20210069495
    Abstract: Presented herein are dynamic current steering techniques in which a dynamic stimulation pulse is delivered to a recipient as current stimulation applied across a plurality of stimulation channels. The current stimulation is weighted and applied in a pattern that results in a time varying progressive change in the location of a locus of the current stimulation across the plurality of channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Stefan Jozef Mauger, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20200382878
    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: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 10814126
    Abstract: Presented herein are dynamic current steering techniques in which a dynamic stimulation pulse is delivered to a recipient as current stimulation applied across a plurality of stimulation channels. The current stimulation is weighted and applied in a pattern that results in a time varying progressive change in the location of a locus of the current stimulation across the plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventors: Stefan Jozef Mauger, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20200330764
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques to control the spread of current beyond, in an apical direction, a predetermined location/point in the cochlea. As a result, the techniques presented herein create a protected apical zone at an apical side of the predetermined location for undisturbed acoustic temporal coding (i.e., an apical region of the cochlea in which the voltage fields from delivered current signals are nulled, minimized, or otherwise controlled in order to eliminate, reduce, or otherwise limit electro-acoustic interactions that could negatively affect remaining low-frequency hair cells).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Bastiaan Van Dijk
  • Patent number: 10743114
    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: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITED
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 10527278
    Abstract: Modern steam generators typically include a radiant section and a convection section. Due to differing performance requirements of the radiant and convection sections, the radiant section often has a round cross-section, while the convection section often has a rectangular cross-section. Previous designs utilized a target wall to affect the transition. An angled transition section is disclosed herein that substantially eliminates the target wall and/or the reverse target and provides a corresponding improvement in steam generator efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: PCL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Elmer Pittser, Zachary Mark Smith, Garry Loren Barker
  • Publication number: 20190321637
    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: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher Joseph Long, Zachary Mark Smith, Paul Michael Carter, Peter Gibson
  • Patent number: 10426957
    Abstract: A method including reducing a stimulation artifact of an implantable stimulator including a plurality of stimulating electrodes by obtaining respective information on respective artifact voltages at a first location resulting from stimulation by one electrode group or respective electrode groups of the implanted stimulator and determining an adjustment regime based on the obtained information that results in a reduction of the stimulation artifact at the first location relative to that which would be the case in the absence of the regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Joseph Long, Joerg Pesch, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 10237664
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for discontinuously recording audio input representative of an audio environment. The audio environment can be an environment of a recipient of a hearing prosthesis and the discontinuously recorded audio input can be used to characterize the audio environment of the recipient, to control settings of the hearing prosthesis, or to provide some other application. Discontinuously recording the audio input can provide a recording that characterizes the audio environment of the recipient while protecting the privacy of individuals speaking nearby the recipient. Discontinuously recording the audio input may include recording discontinuous time segments of the audio input such that the semantic content of speech within the audio input, the identity of speakers in the audio input, or other private information present in the audio input is masked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Harish Krishnamoorthi
  • Publication number: 20180326213
    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: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 10111017
    Abstract: A device, including an actuator configured to evoke a hearing percept via actuation thereof, wherein the device is configured to make a detection of at least one phenomenon related to the actuator that is indicative of a recipient of the device speaking and control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control an operation of the device based on the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Martin Evert Gustaf Hillbratt, Tobias Good, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Patent number: 10091591
    Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for dynamically setting, in real-time, a ratio of acoustical stimulation signals to electrical stimulation signals delivered by a hearing prosthesis. The ratio of the acoustical stimulation signals to the electrical stimulation signals is set based on one or more characteristics or attributes of the input sound signals that are received and processed by the hearing prosthesis in order to generate the acoustical and electrical stimulation signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Michael Goorevich, Zachary Mark Smith
  • Publication number: 20180236233
    Abstract: A method including reducing a stimulation artefact of an implantable stimulator including a plurality of stimulating electrodes by obtaining respective information on respective artefact voltages at a first location resulting from stimulation by one electrode group or respective electrode groups of the implanted stimulator and determining an adjustment regime based on the obtained information that results in a reduction of the stimulation artefact at the first location relative to that which would be the case in the absence of the regime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Joseph LONG, Joerg PESCH, Zachary Mark SMITH
  • Publication number: 20180187882
    Abstract: Modern steam generators typically include a radiant section and a convection section. Due to differing performance requirements of the radiant and convection sections, the radiant section often has a round cross-section, while the convection section often has a rectangular cross-section. Previous designs utilized a target wall to affect the transition. An angled transition section is disclosed herein that substantially eliminates the target wall and/or the reverse target and provides a corresponding improvement in steam generator efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Mark Elmer Pittser, Zachary Mark Smith, Garry Loren Barker
  • Publication number: 20180140838
    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: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith