Patents are a growing concern in importance the hearing industry, both in number and lawsuits. MIMs technology is big, especially now that Knowles won a patent ruling allowing it to “develop and improve [MIMs] for the HA industry.” For those of us unfamiliar with the acronym or its impact on our industry and its company’s stock, Knowles subsequently spelled it out in a July 24 press release:
Knowles achieved a major milestone in the hearing health industry by shipping its two millionth MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) microphone for hearing instruments.
Starkey has used Knowles’ tiny MIMs mics since 2010 and you’ll find them in other manufacturers’ products, including GN ReSound LiNX.
Manwhile, trouble is brewing at the US Patent Office. Institutional confidence took a hit the other day after two investigative reports questioned competence and efficiency of the patent process. With over 600K patent filings awaiting review, there is concern about slow processes and lax standards.
Here’s the list for the last two months. Readers can judge the importance of individual entries for themselves. I’ll have more to say about one of them in a few weeks. I think it’s a sleeper with big implications. For those who like to look for needles in haystacks, see if you can find it.
| Description | Patent Number | Assignee | Issued |
| Method and System for Enhancing the Intelligibility of Sounds | 8755547 | Hear IP Pty Ltd. (Melbourne, Victoria, AU) | 6/17/2014 |
| Tools, Systems, and Methods for Inserting a Pre-Curved Electrode Array Portion of a Lead into a Bodily Orifice | 8753352 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 6/17/2014 |
| Piezoelectric Nanowire Vibration Sensors | 8758217 | Georgia Tech Research Corporation (Atlanta, GA) | 6/24/2014 |
| Bone Conduction Transducer with Improved High Frequency Response | 8761416 | Osseofon AB (Gothenburg, SE) | 6/24/2014 |
| Compensation Current Optimization for Cochlear Implant Systems | 8761894 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 6/24/2014 |
| Hearing Aid with a Child-Proof Battery Compartment | 8767990 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 7/01/2014 |
| Methods and Systems for Providing Visual Cues to Assist in Fitting a Cochlear Implant Patient | 8768479 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 7/01/2014 |
| Method and Apparatus for a Hearing Assistance Device Using MEMS Sensos | 8767989 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 7/01/2014 |
| Method and Apparatus for Hearing Aid Subscription Support | 8767986 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 7/01/2014 |
| Ear Contact Pressure Wave Hearing Aid Switch | 8767987 | IntriCon Corporation (Arden Hills, MN) | 7/01/2014 |
| Method of Manufacturing a Component for a Hearing Aid | 8763238 | Widex A/S (Lynge, DK) | 7/01/2014 |
| Auto-Fit Hearing Aid and Fitting Process Therefor | 8767972 | Apherma LLC (St. Paul, Minn.) | 7/01/2014 |
| Resonant Structure to Mitigate near Field Radiation Generated by Wireless Communication Devices | 8766868 | Motorola Mobility LLC (Chicago) | 7/01/2014 |
| Signal Evaluation in Binaural and Hybrid Hearing Prosthesis Configurations | 8768478 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/01/2014 |
| Methods and Systems of Conveying Fine Structure Information to a Cochlear Implant Patient | 8768475 | Advanced Bionics, LLC (Valencia, CA) | 7/01/2014 |
| Methods and Systems of Compensating for a Disabled Electrode | 8768476 | Advanced Bionics, LLC (Valencia, CA) | 7/01/2014 |
| Microphone Module with Sound Pipe | 8767982 | Invensense, Inc. (San Jose, CA) | 7/01/2014 |
| Audio Device, System and Method | 8774435 | Asius Technologies LLC (Longmont, Colo.) | 7/08/2014 |
| Electromagnetic Bone Conduction Hearing Device | 8774930 | Vibrant Med-El Hearing Technology GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 7/08/2014 |
| Self-Adjustable and Deforming Hearing Device | 8774434 | Yong D. Zhao (Simi Valley, Calif.) and Jennifer Jinping Zhao (Simi Valley, Calif.) | 7/08/2014 |
| Middle Ear Implant for Otosclerosis | 8771167 | Vibrant Med-E1 Hearing Technology GmbH (Innsbruck, AT) | 7/08/2014 |
| Cochlear Implant Component Having a Unitary Faceplate | 8774929 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/08/2014 |
| Tools, Systems, and Methods for Inserting an Electrode Array Portion of a Lead into a Bodily Orifice | 8774944 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 7/08/2014 |
| Very Low Power MEMS Microphone | 8774428 | Invensense, Inc. (San Jose, CA) | 7/08/2014 |
| Hearing Aid with Improved Magnetic Reception during Wireless Communication | 8781143 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 7/15/2014 |
| Modular Connection Assembly for a Hearing Assistance Device | 8781141 | Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN) | 7/15/2014 |
| Attachment of a Hook to a Hearing Device | 8781144 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 7/15/2014 |
| Methods and Systems for Providing near Real Time Messaging to Hearing Impaired User during Telephone Calls | 8781510 | Mobile Captions Company LLC (San Diego, CA) | 7/15/2014 |
| Low-Power Dual-Edge-Triggered Storage Cell with Scan Test Support and Clock Gating Circuit Therefor | 8786344 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 7/22/2014 |
| Remote Control of Hearing Assistance Devices | 878760 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 7/22/2014 |
| Frequency Translation in Hearing Assistance Devices Using Additive Spectral Synthesis | 8787605 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 7/22/2014 |
| Methods and Systems for Minimizing a Perceptual Disturbance Caused by Shorted Electrodes in an Auditory Prosthesis System | 8788052 | Advanced Bionics AG (Zug, CH) | 7/22/2014 |
| Transcutaneous capacitive Data Link | 8788051 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/22/2014 |
| Hearing Prosthesis System Having Interchangeable Housings | 8788050 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/22/2014 |
| Method and Circuitry for Measurement of Stimulation Current | 8788032 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/22/2014 |
| Vibration Isolation in a Bone Conduction Device | 8787608 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/22/2014 |
| Percutaneous Bone Conduction Implant | 8787607 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/22/2014 |
| Recognition of Implantable Medical Device | 8784312 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/22/2014 |
| Manufacturing an Electrode Assembly Having Contoured Electrode Contact Surfaces | 8782884 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/22/2014 |
| Implantable Tissue Stimulating Electrode Assembly | 8792999 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/29/2014 |
| Headword Sound Processor Case | 8792664 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/29/2014 |
| Securable Implantable Component | 8790409 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/29/2014 |
| Mechanical Stimulator Having a Quick-Connector | 8790237 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 7/29/2014 |
| Asymmetric Adjustment | 8792659 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 7/29/2014 |
| Hearing Device with an Open Earpiece Having a Short Vent | 8792663 | GN Resound A/S (Ballerup, Denmark) | 7/29/2014 |
| Hearing Aids, Computing Devices, and Methods for Hearing Aid Profile Update | 8792661 | Audiotoniq Inc. (Austin, Texas) | 7/29/2014 |
| Foreign Material Mitigation for Hearing Assistance Device Components | 8792665 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 7/29/2014 |
| Earphone System and Use of an Earphone System | 8792669 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 7/29/2014 |
| Hearing System with Analogue Control Element | 8792660 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 7/29/2014 |
| Hearing Aid, Expansion Unit and Method for Manufacturing a Hearing Aid | 8798294 | ExSilent Research B.V. (Amsterdam) | 8/05/2014 |
| Magnetic Shielding for Communication Device Applications | 798299 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 8/05/2014 |
| Constrained Layer Damping for Hearing Assistance Devices | 8798293 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 8/05/2014 |
| Listening System with an Improved Feedback Cancellation System, a Method and Use | 8798297 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 8/05/2014 |
| Removable Implantable Battery Positioned Inside Implant Coil | 8798752 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/05/2014 |
| Method and Device for Automated Observation Fitting | 8798757 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/05/2014 |
| Method for Operating a Hearing Device as Well as a Hearing Device | 8787603/8798296 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 7/22/2014 & 8/05/2014 |
| Method for Deploying Hearing Instrument Fitting Software, and Hearing Instrument Adapted Therefor | 8798295 | Phonak AG (Stafa, Switzerland) | 8/05/2014 |
| Extra-Cochlear Implanted Hearing Aid Device | 8805547 | Domestic Legacy LP (Indianapolis) | 8/12/2014 |
| Ear Tip Piece for Attenuating Sound | 8800712 | Magnatone Hearing Aid Corp. (Casselberry, Fla) | 8/12/2014 |
| Method of Determining Parameters in an Adaptive Audio Processing Algorithm and an Audio Processing System | 8804979 | Oticon A/S (Smorum, Denmark) | 8/12/2014 |
| Control of Low Power or Standby Modes of a Hearing Assistance Device | 8804988 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 8/12/2014 |
| Hearing Aid Device and Method for Operating a Hearing Aid Device | 8811641 | Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore) | 8/19/2014 |
| Dual Setting Method for a Hearing System | 8811622 | Siemens Medical Instruments Pte. Ltd. (Singapore) | 8/19/2014 |
| Audible Assistance | 8811638 | Elwha LLC (Bellevue, Wash) | 8/19/2014 |
| Canal Hearing Devices and Batteries for Use with Same | 8808906 | InSound Medical Inc. (Newark, Calif.) | 8/19/2014 |
| Hearing Assistance Apparatus Having Single Multipurpose Control Device and Method of Operation | 8811642 | Daniel R. Schumaier (Johnson City, Tenn.) | 8/19/2014 |
| Range Control for Wireless Hearing Assistance Device Systems | 8811639 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 8/19/2014 |
| Method and Apparatus for Detecting User Activities from within a Hearing Assistance Device Using a Vibration Sensor | 8811637 | Starkey Laboratories Inc. (Eden Prairie, Minn.) | 8/19/2014 |
| Mechanical Stimulator Having a Quick-Connector | 8790237 | Cochlear Limited (Macquarie University, NSW, AU) | 8/19/2104 |
Editor’s note: The Patent Series is updated every two months. Click links for patents approved in May/Jun 2014, Mar/Apr 2014, Jan/Feb 2014, Nov/Dec 2013, September/October 2013, Jul/Aug 2013, May/Jun 2013, Mar/Apr 2013, Jan/Feb 2013, Nov/Dec 2012
image courtesy of psu edu
