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).
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Patent number: 9956406Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: COCHLEAR LIMITEDInventors: Christopher Joseph Long, Joerg Pesch, Zachary Mark Smith
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Patent number: 9939149Abstract: 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 effect 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: GrantFiled: September 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignees: PCL Industrial Services, Inc., Aera Energy LLCInventors: Garry Loren Barker, Mark Elmer Pittser, Zachary Mark Smith
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Patent number: 9844670Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for determining an arrangement of complex stimulation channels to optimally distribute sensory information across the channels of a multi-channel tissue-stimulating prosthesis. A tissue-stimulating prosthesis may initially be associated with a set of complex stimulation channels. A stimulation efficiency is determined for each complex stimulation channel within the set of complex stimulation channels. A first complex stimulation channel from the set of complex stimulation channels that has an associated stimulation efficiency that is below a stimulation efficiency limit is identified. The first complex stimulation channel is combined with an adjacent/neighboring complex stimulation channel to create a combined complex stimulation channel. The combined complex stimulation channel replaces both the first complex stimulation channel and the adjacent complex stimulation channel within the set of complex stimulation channels.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2015Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Christopher Joseph Long, Jan Raymond Janssen
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Publication number: 20170359661Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2016Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventors: Michael Goorevich, Zachary Mark Smith
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Patent number: 9713715Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for determining the timing of stimulation applied using a medical device. In embodiments, the medical device filters a received signal to obtain a plurality of band-pass filtered signals, each corresponding to one or more stimulation channels. The medical device then determines the envelopes of these band-pass filtered signals. Next, the medical device determines the stimulation timing (i.e., the pulse times) for the corresponding stimulation channel based on the timing of a particular phase (e.g., a peak, a minimum, etc.) of the envelope. A pulse amplitude for the stimulation channel may then be determined, and stimulation applied using the determined amplitude and pulse time.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2016Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Zachary Mark Smith
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Publication number: 20170171671Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2016Publication date: June 15, 2017Inventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Harish Krishnamoorthi
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Publication number: 20160339245Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2016Publication date: November 24, 2016Inventors: Stefan Jozef Mauger, Zachary Mark Smith
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Publication number: 20160206879Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for determining the timing of stimulation applied using a medical device. In embodiments, the medical device filters a received signal to obtain a plurality of band-pass filtered signals, each corresponding to one or more stimulation channels. The medical device then determines the envelopes of these band-pass filtered signals. Next, the medical device determines the stimulation timing (i.e., the pulse times) for the corresponding stimulation channel based on the timing of a particular phase (e.g., a peak, a minimum, etc.) of the envelope. A pulse amplitude for the stimulation channel may then be determined, and stimulation applied using the determined amplitude and pulse time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2016Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
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Publication number: 20160175592Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for determining an arrangement of complex stimulation channels to optimally distribute sensory information across the channels of a multi-channel tissue-stimulating prosthesis. A tissue-stimulating prosthesis may initially be associated with a set of complex stimulation channels. A stimulation efficiency is determined for each complex stimulation channel within the set of complex stimulation channels. A first complex stimulation channel from the set of complex stimulation channels that has an associated stimulation efficiency that is below a stimulation efficiency limit is identified. The first complex stimulation channel is combined with an adjacent/neighboring complex stimulation channel to create a combined complex stimulation channel. The combined complex stimulation channel replaces both the first complex stimulation channel and the adjacent complex stimulation channel within the set of complex stimulation channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2015Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventors: Zachary Mark Smith, Christopher Joseph Long, Jan Raymond Janssen
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Patent number: 9339648Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for determining the timing of stimulation applied using a medical device. In embodiments, the medical device filters a received signal to obtain a plurality of band-pass filtered signals, each corresponding to one or more stimulation channels. The medical device then determines the envelopes of these band-pass filtered signals. Next, the medical device determines the stimulation timing (i.e., the pulse times) for the corresponding stimulation channel based on the timing of a particular phase (e.g., a peak, a minimum, etc.) of the envelope. A pulse amplitude for the stimulation channel may then be determined, and stimulation applied using the determined amplitude and pulse time.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Zachary Mark Smith
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Publication number: 20160080878Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2015Publication date: March 17, 2016Inventors: Martin Evert Gustaf HILLBRATT, Tobias GOOD, Zachary Mark SMITH
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Publication number: 20150343217Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2014Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventor: Zachary Mark SMITH
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Publication number: 20150258337Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2014Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Christopher Joseph LONG, Joerg PESCH, Zachary Mark SMITH
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Publication number: 20150034024Abstract: 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 effect 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: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2013Publication date: February 5, 2015Applicants: Aera Energy LLC, PCL Industrial Services, Inc.Inventors: Garry Loren Barker, Mark Elmer Pittser, Zachary Mark Smith
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Publication number: 20140222104Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for determining the timing of stimulation applied using a medical device. In embodiments, the medical device filters a received signal to obtain a plurality of band-pass filtered signals, each corresponding to one or more stimulation channels. The medical device then determines the envelopes of these band-pass filtered signals. Next, the medical device determines the stimulation timing (i.e., the pulse times) for the corresponding stimulation channel based on the timing of a particular phase (e.g., a peak, a minimum, etc.) of the envelope. A pulse amplitude for the stimulation channel may then be determined, and stimulation applied using the determined amplitude and pulse time.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2014Publication date: August 7, 2014Inventor: Zachary Mark Smith
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Patent number: 8688222Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for determining the timing of stimulation applied using a medical device. In embodiments, the medical device filters a received signal to obtain a plurality of band-pass filtered signals, each corresponding to one or more stimulation channels. The medical device then determines the envelopes of these band-pass filtered signals. Next, the medical device determines the stimulation timing (i.e., the pulse times) for the corresponding stimulation channel based on the timing of a particular phase (e.g., a peak, a minimum, etc.) of the envelope. A pulse amplitude for the stimulation channel may then be determined, and stimulation applied using the determined amplitude and pulse time.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2009Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventor: Zachary Mark Smith
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Publication number: 20100198300Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for determining the timing of stimulation applied using a medical device. In embodiments, the medical device filters a received signal to obtain a plurality of band-pass filtered signals, each corresponding to one or more stimulation channels. The medical device then determines the envelopes of these band-pass filtered signals. Next, the medical device determines the stimulation timing (i.e., the pulse times) for the corresponding stimulation channel based on the timing of a particular phase (e.g., a peak, a minimum, etc.) of the envelope. A pulse amplitude for the stimulation channel may then be determined, and stimulation applied using the determined amplitude and pulse time.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2009Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: COCHLEAR LIMITEDInventor: Zachary Mark Smith